Johnny Lightning Posts

Meet Mac Ragan, Diecast Collector, Historian (and Industry Icon)

Meet Mac Ragan, Diecast Collector, Historian (and Industry Icon)

Over the past couple of months, hobbyDB has been featuring the stories of some of the folks who bring you the diecast cars you know and love. Mac Ragan is well-known for his work in the diecast vehicle industry over the last couple of decades (he was inducted in the Model Car Hall of Fame, […]

Christmas Presents of Past Become Toy Collection of Present

Christmas Presents of Past Become Toy Collection of Present

Over the years, I’ve collected a lot of memories of Christmas that have shaped me in ways no one would have ever guessed when I was a little kid. While Santa is to thank for much of that, I should probably also thank my parents who at least took lots of photos along the way. […]

What are We Thankful For at hobbyDB? A Lot, Thank You!

What are We Thankful For at hobbyDB? A Lot, Thank You!

As we spend our long weekend preparing the turkey (or the tofurkey) while enjoying football and avoiding politics (or avoiding football and enjoying politics), this is the perfect time to reflect on the things that make life great. Here at hobbyDB, we have much to be thankful for. Geek Culture. (And Nerd Culture, Fanboy Culture, […]

Meet Tony Karamitsos, Car Designer: 1/64, 1/1 and Scales In Between

Meet Tony Karamitsos, Car Designer: 1/64, 1/1 and Scales In Between

As hobbyDB grows into new collectible territory, diecast remains one of our most important core categories. Over the years we’ve had a chance to talk to a lot of legends and heavy hitters in the industry to find out what makes them tick. Tony Karamitsos has been a designer for several important brands over the […]

Tomica Diecast Returns to North America

Tomica Diecast Returns to North America

After a long absence from the U.S. and Canadian market, Japanese diecast giant Tomica is coming back. An initial wave of 6 models recently started showing up at Walmart stores, followed soon by half a dozen more. Tomica has been in the diecast business since the early 1970s, and are the biggest brand in Japan […]

Celebrate Independence Day With These Spirited July 4 Collectibles

Celebrate Independence Day With These Spirited July 4 Collectibles

It’s a long weekend for some folks, but collecting never takes a holiday! Fourth of July, Independence Day, whichever you want to call it, is a big deal for a lot of toys and figures. In this case, we are considering overtly patriotic collectibles, so even if they aren’t quite tied into July 4 events, […]

Model Cars That Look Weird in Certain Colors (But Nope, They Really Exist)

Model Cars That Look Weird in Certain Colors (But Nope, They Really Exist)

Over the past couple years, we’ve brought you lists of model cars that came in colors that made you scratch your head for one reason or another. Some of them, like the Hot Wheels Red Baron are strange in other tones because the color made it into the name of the car. Others were models […]

Save Big During hobbyDB’s Thanksgiving Diecast Garage Sale!

Save Big During hobbyDB’s Thanksgiving Diecast Garage Sale!

  Rather than fight the millions of travelers taking to the highways this holiday week, why not leave the car in the driveway and fill up your diecast collection with great deals via hobbyDB’s Thanksgiving Garage Sale! We’ve teamed up with several of our favorite trusted sellers to offer deals of up to 75 percent […]

For Halloween, You’re Gonna Need an Ambulance or Hearse

For Halloween, You’re Gonna Need an Ambulance or Hearse

Halloween is a holiday associated with walking, specifically around the neighborhood seeking candy from neighbors. But if you need to drive on that date, there’s only one choice. Well, two actually: ambulance or hearse. Both vehicles connote a kind of morbidity… one posthumously, one, umm… pre-posthumously? Humously? The point is, death, gore, all kinds of […]

Hue Must Be Kidding: More Diecast Cars That Look Odd In Other Colors

Hue Must Be Kidding: More Diecast Cars That Look Odd In Other Colors

Awhile back, we compiled a list of model cars that looked strange in certain colors. A few, like the DeLorean DMC, only existed in one color in the real world. Some, like the Red Baron, had obvious color choices in their names. Here are a few more diecast cars that might make you want to […]

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