A Year of Classics and Some Smoking Cubans

Johnny Lightning Muscle Cars USA Release 2

1:64 | $42 (set of 6)

Johnny Lightning has reunited the design team from the original 1994 Playing Mantis days to launch the new generation of Johnny Lightning vehicles. Included in this set are three muscle cars from the “Class of 1968” and three from the new “Havana Nights” series, depicting preserved classics like those seen in Cuba. From the ’68 class, we have one GM, one Ford, and one Mopar. The burly Hurst Olds has a beautiful—and ’68-correct—silver-and-black finish as well as the ram air ducts under the bumper to feed its fire-breathing 455 V-8. Ford fans get a ’68 Mustang GT fastback in Gulf Stream Aqua Poly with white C-stripes and a blacked-out hood. The Mopar contingent is represented by a black ’68 Charger R/T with a flat black vinyl-look roof and red bumblebee stripe on the tail, along with door callouts that announce this one’s got a Hemi! For the Cuban cars, we have the original muscle machine: the 1950 Olds Rocket 88 two-tone in Gloss Black over Garnet Maroon. A Gypsy Red/India Ivory topless shoebox ’55 Chevy Bel Air convertible seems like the perfect Caribbean cruiser, and the ’65 VW Beetle makes the perfect Cuban car because Beetles run forever!