Buick Compare


The stance of the Johnny Lightning GS (above) is tall and aggressive. The Racing Champions GSX sits a little lower, and rides on Goodyear Eagle ST's. The RC lacks a little in the wheels. I think the car would have looked better with a set of period correct Buick rims, or even a custom rim. Anything but those RC stock rims. The paint on the RC, however, is top notch. The JL GS has a tach hump on the hood, and the RC GSX has the rear spoiler cast into the trunk lid. Both cars have scooped opening hoods. Another thing that I found interesting is that both cars have door mirrors. Again, the JL mirrors are cast into the body, and the RC mirrors are separate pieces attached to the doors. The chrome trim on the JL is a nice touch.


Both cars also feature opening hoods. Under the JL GS hood, you'll find a motor that is cast into the body, in black, with some flat silver painted highlights. Although it doesn't show up too well in this picture, there no real "depth" to the motor. It's pretty flat.
	Under the hood of the RC GSX, you'll find a motor that is strikingly similar to the JL car. Both cars feature dual horn intakes on the air cleaners, and similar blocks. The RC GSX motor does have 'depth" however. It's a separate piece attached to the chassis. In fact, it's two pieces, the main engine and the air cleaner.
Ok, there you go. A quick look at a pair of classic Buicks, a car that I think could use more exposure by the toy manufacturers. For you racers, the Johnny Lightning GS is fast. the all metal construction and the race wheels make a nice combination for the track. The Racing Champions, on the other hand, is better suited to a shelf display. The skinny rubber tires don't roll all that fast. Both cars are reasonably priced, about $3 each. Here's my opinion of the cars:

1970 Buicks	Paint	Details	Body Contours	Quality	Value	Overall
Johnny Lightning 1970 Buick GS	5	3	4	4	5	4.20
Racing Champions 1970 Buick GSX	5	4	4	4	5	4.40

Right up front, we see that the Johnny Lightning GS has a little more chrome to it, and the bumpers are cast into the chassis. The Racing Champions GSX bumper and grille are a separate piece of plastic attached to the front. Both cars have metal chassis as well as bodies, and the RC car is actually heavier.
	The rear of each car is treated to the same characteristics. The JL has a cast bumper, while the RC car uses a separate piece. I don't really care for the giant JL taillights. They detract from an otherwise clean look.