The Other Half of Johnny Lightning's Classic Gold Series 2

Obscure cars for the win.

That's why Johnny Lightning and the rest of the Round 2 brands are so appealing. It's like you're building an encyclopedia of all the American cars ever made when you collect these. Here we have the '73 Pontiac GTO (not often done in diecast), Chevy Vega Wagon, and Dodge Warlock. Three more models that I didn't previously have. I've got a handful of GTOs but none of them are the '73. I've got the Vega, but not in wagon form. The truck, although one that I could've done without, is a complete unknown to me, but I expect this one will be among the most popular of the series.

These should either have arrived or be arriving at local stores soon. My local Toys"R"Us just restocked a new case of these a few days ago, after I wiped them out last week. The ones left over? The Monza, surprisingly, and the Vega Wagon.

Getting Introduced to Tomica Premium, with the Mitsubishi GTO Twin Turbo

Today's feature is Tomica Premium release number 18: the Mitsubishi GTO Twin Turbo. That's eighteen. That's how long it took for me to finally step foot into the money pit that is Tomica Premium, the bridge between the regular "kiddie" Tomica and the hardcore "grown-up" collector TLV. That says a lot considering that Tomica is my number one brand when it comes to diecast.

Upon its release, I was never really happy with the Premium releases. I've been a long fan of its predecessor, the Tomica Limited series, which took castings from the regular line (Series, as they call it) and spiced them up with extra details, molded wheels to match the real cars, and rubber tires. The Limited line was a stepping stone for me into the expensive, high-end diecast world. The Premium line uses brand new castings, never before used by Tomica, and gives essentially the same detail and treatment as the Limiteds, minus the rubber tires. So why the hate?

For one, I didn't like the selection of models. The first few releases were a mix of seemingly randomly chosen models ranging from sports cars to fire trucks to space vehicles. The very first release, the NISMO R34 Z-Tune, got my attention but I was never able to find it in stores. Everything afterwards was a snooze-fest for me. The horrendously modified FD RX-7, the lame aforementioned fire truck and space vehicle (both shelf warmers, by the way), a couple VW's that don't interest me, and a poorly executed Lexus race car. Looking at the most current releases, I think Tomica has finally gotten things together, and my perspective towards the Premium line has brightened up a little.

I chose this GTO to be my first because of the rare subject matter. Outside of Matchbox, I haven't seen this car done in 1/64 scale, and Matchbox did the convertible. Therefore, I quickly ordered this model off the bay and officially made it the first Tomica Premium in my collection.

As I mentioned, the wheels and tires are the major difference between the Limiteds and the Premiums. These use a two-piece plastic wheel/tire combination, and the wheels look a tad oversized because of the thin tires. The Limiteds were quite the opposite - too much tire and not enough wheel. The narrow and cambered wheels are really its downfall, but it isn't as bad in person as it looks in these photos. The Limiteds suffered from the same problem. I wasn't complaining back then, and I won't do it now either. For the price (~$10), you could probably find better. Tomica have always been expensive; that's just the nature of the beast. However, I do like this model very much, and I wouldn't mind getting a few more of these Premiums.

 I'm looking at you, 22B and R34's.

From the Playing Mantis Vault: Finding Vintage Johnny Lightning's in 2016, Part 2

March 9, 2016:

Lightning strikes again.

Not a lightning strike as in the chase piece, but it may as well have been one. A second "From the Playing Mantis Vault..." sighting. This time, it's a 1964 Pontiac GTO in a shade of faint, olive green. Is it green or is it gold? You decide.

April 3, 2016:

A third vintage Johnny Lightning sighting.

This pair were found at the same Toys"R"Us store where I found my first "From the Playing Mantis Vault..." releases. That tells me one very important thing: these do get restocked. Did a collector in your area grab them before you got there? If so, don't give up. Keep checking and you might eventually find some.

Part three coming tomorrow! And it just might be the best one yet.

Racing Champions is Back!

So far, 2016 has brought quite a few significant changes to the diecast scene. For one, we've seen Target stocking various "premium" brands in addition to Hot Wheels and Matchbox. We've seen the return of Johnny Lightning. And now, we have the return of Racing Champions.

First of all, I'm completely new to this brand. I don't remember them being around when I started collecting, and I never acquired any of their models either. When I heard Racing Champions was making a return, I was quite pleased. It never hurts to have more variety in the diecast market, though the wallet may disagree. Being from the same family as Johnny Lightning and Auto World, you can expect them to do classic American muscle well. Some of you may already have their previous releases, and as I understand, these are the same castings as before. For me, this is my first taste of what Racing Champions has to offer. Let's see how they stack up!

I'm a pure DLM'er, meaning I open ALL of my cars, save for any doubles or extras. I normally don't show photos of diecast in their packaging, but I will do so here just to give you guys an idea of what to expect. I found these at Walmart. They were priced at $5.97 and are packaged in clamshell blisters, Therefore, these run for about the same as Johnny Lightning, Auto World, M2, and Greenlight. 

There are six models in this wave:

1969 Dodge Charger Daytona

1968 Plymouth Road Runner

1949 Buick Riviera

1960 Chevy Impala

1965 Pontiac GTO

1956 Chevy Nomad.

Of the six, only two were not present, the Daytona and the Nomad, so I can only assume that they were snatched up by whoever got there first. That's OK, because these two models here are fantastic in their own rights. 

Opening up the blisters, you will find that they come in cardboard boxes with plastic windows. This is especially neat if you're an opener like me, because those clamshell blisters get destroyed in the process. You now have the option to store or display these models in the boxes.

I'll start with the GTO first!

This model looked fantastic from the get-go. I'm no expert on classic muscle cars, but I think this one is really fabulous with its faint yellow paint and redline tires. It comes with a plastic base, so it feels rather light and, dare I say, cheap. To some, that can be a turn-off, especially at this price. I tend to focus more on how the model looks, and this one checks all of the boxes.

The engine opens up to reveal some painted details. Surprisingly, I found that the trunk opens too, but I couldn't get a photo of it because it doesn't stay up.  

I do have one minor gripe. The red lines (or circles, rather) on the tires aren't lined up very well. Quality-wise, it's not quite as solid as its sister company Auto World. Still, if you like GTO's or classic muscle in general, you might want to consider this one.

Next we have the Road Runner. This one comes in a metallic gold/light-green color and redline tires. Unlike the GTO, it has a metal base but lacks the opening trunk. I'm not big on opening parts because I display my models closed, so this doesn't bother me. I am, however, all for details and realism, and this one is no different. 

Again, slight quality issues are present. This one has a case of poor tire fitment in addition to the redline issue.

Overall, I'm quite satisfied with these two pieces, the GTO in particular. From my first impressions, Racing Champions doesn't quite have the superb quality of Auto World, but is comparable, if not better, than M2 and Greenlight. Being that these are old castings, I'd say they stack up pretty well with some of the new product out there today. The details, which are superb, are on par with the competition at this price point. Racing Champions has a new advocate, and I'm already looking forward to future releases. If there's a particular model that appeals to you, grab it! 

Thanks for reading!