Johnny Lightning Barris Show Rods

If your really into hot rods, chances are you are also into collecting some sort of hot rod-related stuff too. Die cast perhaps? It's hard to name just one car nut I know that didn't play with Hot Wheels, Tootsie Toys, or Matchbox cars as a kid. It's... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

 

yeah I could only find sams merc when they were out ... lets see em all guys

 

I have that whole set. They are pretty well done.

 

Those are awesome!

 

I have the Sam Barris Merc, well actually my son has it and now it has patina lol

 

If anyone is looking for a set I have one. The cards have some wear on them

 

Here's the other three cars in the Johnny Lightning "ShowRods" series:

"EMPEROR"


"SPEED COUPE"
(i.e., the "Chrisman Brothers Coupe" in Barris trim )


"FIREBALL 500" ​

 

I have the whole set and can't keep my kids away from them. I had to finally lock my case. Now I'm that toy story guy who locks up toys dang it.

 

Kids need boundries, besides toys aren't for them, they're for us!

 

You can let the kids play with the Barris version of the old Chrisman coupe,that thing looks insulting.I can guarantee that Art's feelings would not be hurt either.

 

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

Looks like Barris has the whole set on his site for $65. Looks very well done considering the scale indeed.

 

I've got five of them but at the moment it escapes me which ones they are. Dang it, now I gotta go look.

 

Rework/repaint one to Chrisman trim. The Barris Merc doesn't look chopped.

 

It is sad Playing Mantis dropped out of site and the Johnny Lightning legacy has been passed to Ertl, if I'm not mistaken. I thought for the price and selection, those cars and series well served even the most nitpicky collectors out there.

 

I have the full set hanging on the pegboard in my shop.

 

I hate to admit it, but I'm in your boat!!!

 

I have all but the Fireball 500....never liked that car. My favorites are Sams Merc and the Wild Kat.

Johnny Lightning had a really good run of making some awesome stuff. Their funny car line was neat...

 

all i have is the fireball 500 i got it in a 2 car set it has the car painted as it should be and one in bare diecast

 

That's what happened to my coupe. My little niece got a hold of it and listening to her go "vroom, vroom" on the floor...two minutes later...it was destroyed.

 

Thanks for the heads up!

 

I think they may have actually been sold to Tomy now (Japanese company).

 

They brought these out 10 or so years ago. They are great reproductions of these cars, and the proportions are really good. If you get these, you will also probably want the Hot Wheels Hirohata Merc, which is in the same scale. Also really neat was a Hot Wheels Ed Roth set that included a couple of his show cars along with his old flamed F-100 truck from the '50s, which he used for advertisement before the model kit era.