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*** THIS POST IS CURRENTLY INCOMPLETE AND ON GOING. IT WILL BE EDITED WITH MORE CONTENT AS IT COMES AVALABLE ***
Truckin' America Series
In 1997 JL (Playing Mantis) Truckin' America Series released replicas of America's most famous trucks. Cast #419.
This series included various color combinations of Syclones as follows:
There is a White Lightning for each of the 4 releases above, but they all appear identical (white, black). The only way to differentiate the WL releases is to look at the item number above the SKU on the rear of the card. According to JL, 2% of a production run will be White Lightnings. This may mean 2% of the Syclone models, 2% of the entire Truckin' America series (including or excluding the non-Syclone trucks), or 2% of each release. If we assume it is 2% of the Syclones in each series, series 1 and 2 would be 400, 3 and 4 would be 350, making them very rare indeed.
United States Postal Service Series
1999 JL (Playing Mantis) Release
Release 1: White Postal Series (Item # 422-01)
Release 2: Gold Postal Series (Item # 422-02)
Ultra Rare Mistake Variations:
KISS Series
The 1999 JL (Playing Mantis) KISS Series Syclone featured was uniquely designed with a chrome covered body and blue tribal style flame/scallops on the front and KISS logo on the doors and white interior.
Lightning Speed Series
This 2000 JL (Playing Mantis) series featured "Racers Edge" Racing Wheels on the models for increased performance for those who actually raced their models on a track and not keep them in the box for collection and display. NO White Lightning version
Marvel Comics Box Set
The 2002 JL (Playing Mantis) Marvel Comics Box Set includes: 1959 Ford Thunderbird, Dodge Viper, H1 Hummer and GMC Syclone. Each vehicle has it's own unique Marvel paint scheme. NO White Lightning version
Street Freaks Series
2003 JL (Playing Mantis) release
Working Class Trucks & SUVs Series
The 2005 RC2 Brands Working Class Series featured a black/gray Syclone with black rims/polished lips. Features a "280HPV6" Massachusetts license plate in the packaging (Item # 50153C)
Xtreme 90s Muscle Edition - 2018 Release 3
In October 2018 JL (now TOMY) released the Xtreme 90s Muscle edition with 2 Syclones - a standard black/black paint scheme and a Marlboro. The cardstock features 90s coloring with teal/pink/neon green with a GM promotional picture of the Syclone. A Muscle Facts is added giving a quick insight to some information regarding the Syclone.
While the excitement of having another series released, especially a Marlboro version....the biggest disappointment is the trucks having Chevy Xtreme style wheels instead of the correct SyTy style like most of the JL Typhoons feature.
Johnny Lightning GMC Hobby Exclusive
This release coincides with the Xtreme 90s Muscle Edition (released shortly after) with a reverse Marlboro edition Syclone - white body with red graphics. The cardstock has red colors with the same GM promotional picture used as the Xtreme 90s. There is a White Lightning version available in this release.
-- Johnny Lightning Syclone Diecast Guide --
Truckin' America Series
In 1997 JL (Playing Mantis) Truckin' America Series released replicas of America's most famous trucks. Cast #419.
This series included various color combinations of Syclones as follows:
- Release 1: Yellow Body / Black Cladding. Collector #21. 20,000 produced. Item # 421-01.
- Release 2: Maroon Body / Black Cladding. Collector #26. 20,000 produced. Item # 421-02.
- Release 3: Orange Body / Black Cladding with whitewall wheels. Collector #20. 17,500 produced. Item # 421-03.
- Release 4: Black Body / Black Cladding. Collector #37. 17,500 produced. Item # 421-04.
There is a White Lightning for each of the 4 releases above, but they all appear identical (white, black). The only way to differentiate the WL releases is to look at the item number above the SKU on the rear of the card. According to JL, 2% of a production run will be White Lightnings. This may mean 2% of the Syclone models, 2% of the entire Truckin' America series (including or excluding the non-Syclone trucks), or 2% of each release. If we assume it is 2% of the Syclones in each series, series 1 and 2 would be 400, 3 and 4 would be 350, making them very rare indeed.
- Release 1 White Lightning: Pearl White Body / Black Cladding. White Lightning lettering on tires. Item # 421-01.
- Release 2 White Lightning: Pearl White Body / Black Cladding. White Lightning lettering on tires. Item # 421-02.
- Release 3 White Lightning: Pearl White Body / Black Cladding. White Lightning lettering on tires. Item # 421-03.
- Release 4 White Lightning: Pearl White Body / Black Cladding. White Lightning lettering on tires. Item # 421-04.
United States Postal Service Series
1999 JL (Playing Mantis) Release
Release 1: White Postal Series (Item # 422-01)
- Endangered Species - American Crocodile Stamp
- Riverboat Series: Sylvan Dell Stamp
- Space Discovery: Shadowed rover with orange mountains in distance
- White Lightning: White bottom, White Lightning lettering on black tires. Endangered Species - American Crocodile Stamp
Release 2: Gold Postal Series (Item # 422-02)
- Endangered Species - Piping Plover Birds Stamp
- Space Fantasy Series: Triangular space craft & planet w/ rings
- Space Fantasy Series: Batwing shaped space craft
- White Lightning: White bottom, White Lightning lettering on black tires. Space Fantasy Series: Triangular space craft & planet w/ rings
Ultra Rare Mistake Variations:
- Release 2, Gold, mis-packaged as a 1955 Chevy Cameo w/ Endangered Species - Piping Plover Birds Stamp
- Release 2, Gold, mis-packaged as a 1955 Chevy Cameo w/ Space Fantasy Series: Triangular space craft & planet w/ rings
KISS Series
The 1999 JL (Playing Mantis) KISS Series Syclone featured was uniquely designed with a chrome covered body and blue tribal style flame/scallops on the front and KISS logo on the doors and white interior.
- KISS: Chrome with blue flames and KISS logo on the doors. White interior and Goodyear rubber tires (Item # 423-00)
- White Lightning: White bottom and White Lightning lettering on black tires.
Lightning Speed Series
This 2000 JL (Playing Mantis) series featured "Racers Edge" Racing Wheels on the models for increased performance for those who actually raced their models on a track and not keep them in the box for collection and display. NO White Lightning version
- Lightning Speed: Maroon Body / Black Cladding (item # 358-00)
Marvel Comics Box Set
The 2002 JL (Playing Mantis) Marvel Comics Box Set includes: 1959 Ford Thunderbird, Dodge Viper, H1 Hummer and GMC Syclone. Each vehicle has it's own unique Marvel paint scheme. NO White Lightning version
- Marvel 4 Car Box Set: Syclone is Orange to red fade with NEW X-Men logo graphics and chrome wheels. (ITEM # 245-02)
Street Freaks Series
2003 JL (Playing Mantis) release
- Scrapin' 91 GMC Syclone: Gold with magenta and silver tribal graphics. chrome wheels (Item # 375-06)
- White Lightning: Exactly the same but with white wheels and black tires.
Working Class Trucks & SUVs Series
The 2005 RC2 Brands Working Class Series featured a black/gray Syclone with black rims/polished lips. Features a "280HPV6" Massachusetts license plate in the packaging (Item # 50153C)
- Working Class: Black Body, Gray Cladding with black wheels and a polished lip.
- White Lightning: Exactly the same, but with white wheels on black tires.
Xtreme 90s Muscle Edition - 2018 Release 3
In October 2018 JL (now TOMY) released the Xtreme 90s Muscle edition with 2 Syclones - a standard black/black paint scheme and a Marlboro. The cardstock features 90s coloring with teal/pink/neon green with a GM promotional picture of the Syclone. A Muscle Facts is added giving a quick insight to some information regarding the Syclone.
While the excitement of having another series released, especially a Marlboro version....the biggest disappointment is the trucks having Chevy Xtreme style wheels instead of the correct SyTy style like most of the JL Typhoons feature.
- Version A: 9000 Black. 4420 Produced
- Version B: Custom Bright Red with white graphics mimicking the Marlboro Syclone, 4612 produced. (JLMC0014)
- White Lightning: white body, black cladding, white tires with gold wheels. On Version A and Version B cards
- Version B red Syclone with a Version A black card.
Johnny Lightning GMC Hobby Exclusive
This release coincides with the Xtreme 90s Muscle Edition (released shortly after) with a reverse Marlboro edition Syclone - white body with red graphics. The cardstock has red colors with the same GM promotional picture used as the Xtreme 90s. There is a White Lightning version available in this release.
- Custom Gloss White Syclone with red graphics mimicking the Marlboro Syclone. Red Interior Black wheels and tires
- White Lightning: white body, red graphics, white interior, white tires with black wheels