In Part 2 of our Up Close segment with Johnny Lightning’s new Area-51 Release we’ll be taking a look at the ‘77 Ford Van and the ‘66 Jeep CJ-5. Be sure to check out Part 1 of this Up Close segment to see the other two castings in this release.

First up is the ‘77 Ford Van. In Part 1 I had mentioned that Johnny Lightning had done a good job with applying the Area-51 theme to the castings without going too overboard with the “alien” concept. If there’s a piece in the set that stands out as not quite fitting in, it would be the ‘77 Ford Van. It’s metal flake silver paint paint and large UFO and alien tampos set it apart from the other castings.

I can imagine that it joins the set as the vehicle driven by “true-believers” in search of proof that aliens really do exist - however, perhaps designing the van as an extra-terrestrial transport vehicle that would assist in recovering UFOs might have matched the others in the set a little better. I definitely invite Mr. Zahorsky to comment on the steps that went into the final design decision as I think collectors would enjoy learning about the process.

The last addition to the Area-51 Release is the 1966 Jeep CJ-5. The design returns to the Area-51 security theme with this military-style Jeep. It’s mild camouflage paint scheme and military police tampos compliment the casting nicely. Top it off with real rubber tires, an opening hood and collapsable windshield and you have an excellent piece rounding out this first release.

Don’t forget you can click the thumbnails to see the full images. If you like what you see, then be sure to check out your favorite online retailer as Johnny Lightning Area-51 Release 1 is available now.

Special thanks to Johnny Lightning Senior Design Manager Tom Zahorsky for providing the cars for this week’s segment!

It time for another Up Close segment with Johnny Lightning and you might say its “out of this world!” JL’s new Area-51 Release 1 brings a mixture of interesting castings that are very suitable for the overall theme. As an added bonus, each car comes with an Area-51 themed sticker. The release comes together as follows:

• ‘50 Chevy Pickup
• ‘77 Ford Van
• ‘66 Jeep CJ-5
• ‘67 Ford Fairlane Patrol Car

Each casting fits the theme nicely without going too overboard with the “alien” concept. The only orange in this bowl of apples might be the ‘77 Van, but you’ll have to wait until Part 2 to see why. In this post, I’ll be featuring the ‘50 Chevy Pickup and the ‘67 Ford Fairlane Patrol Car.

First up is the ‘50 Chevy Pickup. Next to the Jeep, this is one of my favorites of the release. It features real rubber tires, high gloss black paint and displays the DARPA logo on each door. Both the hood and tail gate can be opened and closed. One element that really makes the piece stand out is the addition of the “wood” look in the pickup bed.

Next up is the ‘67 Ford Fairlane. This piece also features real rubber tires and high gloss paint (both black and white). While the trunk, hood and doors are not movable, the tampo detail is what really makes this one stand out. The mud splatter detailing raises the piece to a higher level and keeps it from being a repackaged patrol car. The only thing that might make this piece even cooler would be adding a little dirt effect to the tires. Johnny Lightning did something similar to the Italian Job Mini Cooper a few years back, and seeing it here would have been a nice touch. Overall, its a very nice addition to the release.

Don’t forget you can click the thumbnails to see the full images. So far so good, eh? What do you think? Leave a comment and let me know.

Special thanks to Johnny Lightning Senior Design Manager Tom Zahorsky for providing the cars for this week’s segment!

Check out Up Close with JL Area 51, Part 2 –>

Yesterday the focus was on a Dodge from Maisto. Today, we turn the focus to Johnny Lightning’s 1970 Dodge Superbee which will be part of Musclecars R17. I’ve always been a fan of the Superbee with its true muscle car profile and unique front-end. JL Senior Design Manager Tom Zahorsky shared these details about the bee over on the Johnny Lightning blog:

“This release features three wheel variations, a newly tooled hood, 2-tone interior and an extra set of 5-spoke rims with Uniroyal tires.”

If this piece is any indication of the quality of the entire release, we certainly in for a real treat! Keep your eyes peeled for the Superbee and the rest of Musclecars R17 landing in stores later this month.

Don’t forget to click the thumbnail to see the full image and stay tuned for a special Johnny Lightning feature next week!

[via johnnylightning.com]

Tom Zahorsky, Senior Design Manager for Johnny Lightning revealed this great looking VW Bus that will be included in VW Release 8. Here’s what Tom had to say on the Johnny Lightning blog:

Most of you are just getting your hands on VW R7, which was one of the last assortments Mac worked on. Nice job, Mac! Now, I am focused on R8, which has a couple releases that I have already put on my all time favorite list, and I believe you will too. Check out this delivery from release 8. It features silver metallic paint, white top, white bumpers and a graphic that is sure to have you seeing double.

[via johnnylightning.com]

In this fourth and final installment of “Up Close” for 2007 we take a look at the Johnny Lightning 1968 Hurst/Olds Cutlass from Muslecars Release 15. Tom and the folks at JL have always done a great job of selecting a mixture of popular “mainstream” muscle car casts, but also keep things fresh and interesting for collectors by including vehicles that didn’t necessarily reach the popularity of the Camaros, Mustangs and Chevelles. The cast being featured today seems to fall somewhere between mainstream popularity and sleeper muscle.

Spectacular paint, great detail, real rubber tires and an opening hood are all part of what makes this Hurst/Olds Cutlass a winner. If you’re not a Johnny Lighting collector, you owe it to yourself to pick one up and bust it out of the package. Every piece takes on a whole new life when set free and magnifies the excellent work that goes into each one. CHeck out these shots of the Cutlass and let us know what you think. Click on any thumbnail for the full image.

The castings in Musclecars Release 15 include:

1968 Hurst/Olds Cutlass (shown)
1968 Shelby GT500
1987 Buick Regal
2005 Ford GT

Thanks again to Johnny Lightning Senior Design Manager Tom Zahorsky for supplying the cars for the recent “Up Close” series. If you are a diecast manufacturer or even a diecast customizer and would like your piece(s) highlighted here on diecastAUDIO, then feel free to contact me via jeff [at] diecastaudio.com.

[via johnnylightning.com]

Today’s entry in this week’s “Up Close” series of posts features Johnny Lightning’s 1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2 from the Muscle Cars Gold Series Release 6! While the Catalina isn’t necessarily considered a top pick when it comes to muscle car casts, this piece is certainly a beauty none the less! It features all the great detail you’ve come to expect from the Gold Series line including real rubber tires, an opening hood and gloriously detailed paint and accents. Top it off with a hard plastic display case and cool re-sealable clam shell packaging and you have one of the best values in main stream 1/64th scale diecast! Click on any of the thumbnails for the full size image.

The entire Limited Edition Muscle Cars Gold Series Release 6 contains the following castings:

• 1966 Ford Mustang GT
• 1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2
• 1962 Chevy Bel Air
• 1971 Plymouth HEMI Cuda

Just like the other “Up Close” Johnny Lightning release features we’ve covered this week, you should be able to find these now in your favorite retailers across the country. Thanks again to Tom Zahorsky for providing the cars for this series of posts!

[via johnnylightning.com]

The second “Up Close” with Johnny Lightning for the week features the 1969 Dodge Dart from the Coca Cola rides Release 5. This piece is dressed with gloss blue paint with a flat black roof and a festive snow flake theme, complete with snowman on each door (Frosty, is that you..?!). Other details include an opening hood, flat black engine, black interior, and standard plastic tires. Each car in the series comes with an exclusive “Gripclip” which transforms the car into a hang-able decoration. Click on any thumbnail to view the full size image.

The entire release includes the following castings:

• 1957 Chevy Bel Air
• 1965 Chevy Impala
• 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra
• 1969 Dodge Dart
• 1970 Ford Maverick
• 1970 Plymouth GTX

This release should be in stores now just in time for the holidays. Be sure to grab all 6 and decorate that tree! Special thanks to Tom Zahorsky at Johnny Lightning for providing the cars for this week’s “Up Close” series of posts!

[via johnnylightning.com]