Here’s a look at some of the latest M2 Machines products that will be appearing in stores and online.* Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page and we’ll update the list to your credit!

Auto-Thentics: Release 15 – Auto-Trucks: Castings will include a ’50 Studebaker 2R w/plow, a ’56 Ford F-100, a ’54 Studebaker 3R, a ’56 Ford F-100 Stake Body and a ’58 Chevy LCF Spartan 60 (orange or Blue)

The Chase piece will be the ’58 Chevy LCF Spartan 60 in black/gold and the Super Chase is a ’56 Ford F-100 Stake Body in gold.

Auto-Projects: Release 2 – Castings will include a ’57 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer D500, a ’54 Studebaker 3R Flatbed, a ’58 Plymouth Fury, a ’69 Pontiac GTO Judge, a ’69 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi and a ’70 Ford Mustang Boss 429.

The Chase piece is a ’70 Mustang Boss 429 in a primer gray.

Drivers Series Multi-Packs:

Release 1A includes a ’71 Plymouth Cuda 440, a ‘71 Dodge Charger R/T Hemi, a ‘57 Ford Fairlane 500 and a ’57 Chevy Bel-Air w/TRU.

Release 1B includes a ’57 Chrysler 300c, a ’66 Chevy Corvette 427, a ’67 Chevy Nova SS and a ’70 Ford Mustang Mach 1 351 w/TRU.

* – Please note that this list was compiled based on information gathered by collectors from online research and personal finds at retail locations. The ability to find select pieces will vary based on geographic location and the frequency that your local retailer refreshes their stock.

The "In the Stores" column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club

*Pictures courtesy of M2 Machines, Diecast Museum and 1StopDiecast.com.

Just on the heels of the Johnny Lightning/Custom Crew collaboration comes another great team-up in the form of JL and Fireball Tim! The result is this custom 1976 Chevy Corvette known as “The Bad Mood.”

Collectors will begin finding this piece on the pegs at Wal-Mart, Toys ‘R Us and hobby shop locations across the country in just a few weeks. Until then, enjoy this sneak peek photo. Click the image to see the larger version.

[via fireballtim.com]

Here’s a look at some of the latest Johnny Lightning products that will be appearing in stores and online.* Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page and we’ll update the list to your credit!

Forever 64 – Release 6:  ’67 Pontiac Firebird; a ’70 Dodge Challenger R/T; a ’67 Chevy Camaro SS; a ’71 Chevy Camaro ‘Beat the Heat’; a ’70 Plymouth Superbird; a ’65 Mustang Fastback custom; a ’65 Mustang Fastback; a ’10 Dodge Viper ACR; a ’49 Buick Custom in red or blue; a ’37 Cord 812 SC convertible; a ’51 Hudson Hornet; a ’75 Chevy Corvette.

Johnny Lightning has also announced a Hobby line coming in 2010 called “JL 2.0”. These cars are believed to be for Hobby exclusive distribution. A 1/64th scale car with metal bodies and chassis, rubber wheels, and exclusive color and design.

JL 2.0 – Release ‘A’: ’08 Dodge Challenger – Black w/flames; a ’80 Chevy Monza – spoiler; a ’80 Chevy Impala – project car; and a ’65 Pontiac GTO – racing legends “Arnie Bestwick”.

1:24 Scale Muscle Cars: The 1964 Impala SS was a car that brought luxury and affordability together. Now Johnny Lightning is reproducing that car with all the attention to detail and lavish styling of the original. From the windshield wipers down to the gearshift—but no seatbelts, which were optional at the time—this 1:24 casting perfectly replicates the most minute aspects of the Impala. The second is a replica of Arnie Bestwick’s Pontiac GTO stockcar. You can also get this replica in the JL 2.0 line this month.

* – Please note that this list was compiled based on information gathered by collectors from online research and personal finds at retail locations. The ability to find select pieces will vary based on geographic location and the frequency that your local retailer refreshes their stock.

The "In the Stores" column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club

Editor’s Note – Stay tuned for an up-close pictorial of the Forever 64 Release! -Jeff

Here’s a look at some of the latest Jada products that will be appearing in stores and online.* Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page and we’ll update the list to your credit!

Jada, a company I find very hard to get new information on, has released Wave 12 of their Big Time Muscle line of cars. Do out in February and March. This line consists of a variety of Camaros, Corvettes and Mustangs. See the picture to the right for some examples.

Also, watch for some new Battle Machines coming soon to stores. Take a look at this new Bel-Air Taxi.

* – Please note that this list was compiled based on information gathered by collectors from online research and personal finds at retail locations. The ability to find select pieces will vary based on geographic location and the frequency that your local retailer refreshes their stock.

The "In the Stores" column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club.

Muscle Car Garage “Up in Flames” release 2 is coming at the end of October into November.

The series will include: ’66 Ford Galaxie; ’67 Chevy Corvette; ’69 Buick GS; ’70 Plymonth Road Runner; ’71 Chevy C-10; ’09 Dodge Challenger

*Pictures courtesy of Greenlight.com.

* – Please note that this list was compiled based on information gathered by collectors from online research and personal finds at retail locations. The ability to find select pieces will vary based on geographic location and the frequency that your local retailer refreshes their stock.

The “In the Stores” column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club

Here’s a look at some of the latest Johnny Lightning products that will be appearing in stores and online during the end of October and through-out November. *-Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page and we’ll update the list to your credit!

40th. Anniversary

Release ‘G’:

• - ’50 Oldsmobile
• - 50’s Chevy School Bus
• - ’65 Impala spoiler
• - ’65 Mustang fastback
• - ’68 Shelby Mustang
• - ’70 Challenger T/A
• - ’69 Camaro;
• - ’70 Dodge Charger
• - ’76 Corvette
• - 2 Dodge Vipers
• - ’67 Pontiac Firebird

In addition, it seems that Johnny Lightning has a big hit on their hands with this lower priced blister card releases. *40th Anniversary will end with the “H” cases and the 2010 “Forever 64” will start with the “I” cases.

* – Please note that this list was compiled based on information gathered by collectors from online research and personal finds at retail locations. The ability to find select pieces will vary based on geographic location and the frequency that your local retailer refreshes their stock.

The "In the Stores" column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club.

As I mentioned before, attendees of the Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels 6 convention later this month will have the opportunity to assist in setting a Guinness Book record for the Worlds Longest Track. As an added bonus, the Wild Weekend staff has put together a special limited edition combo to commemorate this ultra-cool event.

Convention goers who purchase $100 worth of commemorative track (10ft) will receive this fantastic custom red and white ’58 Corvette. Even better, all the money raised by the sales of the Vette will go to Autism Speaks! There will only be 150 cars in the run, and each one will be sealed in a custom blister right on-site by Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez.

Visit the Longest Track Event page on the official Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels 6 web site for all the info on how you can participate and become part of Hot Wheels history!

This time we look at another 50′s styled custom Hot Wheels – the ’69-70 issued Nomad.

Here’s a cool fact about this car. It first appeared as a concept show car for General Motors Motorama traveling caravan of car shows. The concept was GM’s first station wagon bodied dream car. It was originally built on a stretched 1953 Corvette chassis and appeared as a 1954 show car called the Chevrolet Nomad. It had a 54 corvette body with the trademark Nomad ribbed roof, full quarter panel side glass and rear hatch. Thank god the design gurus at GM thought better and left the Corvette as a 2 door sports car and shifted the Nomad design to the all new 1955 Bel Air chassis!

Hot Wheels designers kept most of the Nomad styling intact rounding out the wheel opening to give the car a lower stance for orange track racing. Other features were an opening hood, metal chassis, an interior in white only and an exterior available in 12 spectra flame colors.

About the “roofless” Nomad shown: Well, my brother took a hammer to that one in 1971, so I cut off the back and made the “El Nomadino!”
Restored in purple spectra.

Note: all resto’s carry repro wheel from the redlineshop.com.