Happy Independence Day! Here at MCHOF headquarters, we’re celebrating with hot dogs, cold beer, and responsible fireworks fun.
We’re also looking at July 4-related diecast, because it’s not really working on a holiday if it’s your hobby, right?
Last year, we covered the “most American” scale models. This year, we’re looking back to 2002 at an interesting offering from Johnny Lightning. The Patriotic Puzzle Muscle Cars set featured four cars on a blister pack, mounted with their wheels on the card and their tops facing out. The card features an illustration of an American flag with a bald eagle (Cue Lee Greenwood!). The “puzzle” aspect involves the cars being decorated to match the part of the illustration underneath.
The four cars were:
• 1967 Pontiac Firebird
• 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442
• 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle
• 1970 Buick GSX
The result is pretty neat intact. But if you take the cars out of the package, they can look kind of strange out of context.
Here’s another puzzling aspect… all four are General Motors cars from different divisions. Sure, that’s American as heck, but why just one company? JL used existing castings for the set, so there were other options to be even more All-American. Keep one of the cars already in the set (I‘d go with the Chevelle), then add selections from other manufacturers. How about adding…
• Chrysler (Plymouth Hemi Cuda)
• Ford (Gotta be a Mustang, right?)
• American Motors (AMC Javelin)
Now that’s enough to make the Statue of Liberty weep tears of joy!
My guess for the all-GM choices would be that the licensing was easier and/or less expensive by sticking with one company.
Either way, it’s a neat set, and you can find them for sale for a reasonable price. So celebrate your hobby and the holiday all together.
Ron Ruelle is a cartoonist, writer, and illustrator who also writes about model cars. You can see his work at www.ronruelle.com
