How Big is a 1/48 or 1/43 Automobile?

[Frank53]

I am trying to plan out my drive in movie area, and I want to include enough cars and parking spaces to make it look believeable. Not having any autos at hand, can someone tell me the width and length of a too scale auto?

[FJ and G]

1.5"-1.75" X 4.25"-4.5" range for 1:43; slightly less for 1:48 (most of mine are 1:43 because for some strange reason, that's what Wal-Mart and Target mostly carry whenever they have anything.

[spankybird]

HI Frank,

First lets clarify that the term Scale in diecast cars does not have the same meaning as it does in ‘O’ Gauge trains.

Scale in diecast cars is NEAR scale or approximate proportions for many companies making diecast cars. Unless you are going to pay over $30.00 each, and more likely $50.00 each, they are near scale, but not scale. Dominion, Franklin Mint, and Matchbox collectable are some who make truly scale models. NewRay (K-line and MTH $5.00 cars) are near scale.

Here is a Matchbox Collectable GTO





Here are some Near Scale cars next to scale cars





BTW – all of these were advertised as 1/43 scale. Also diecast car companies consider 1/43 scale as ‘O’ Gauge, because of the European standards.

tom

[Dave Farquhar]

In case you really want to know...

The first 1:43 cars were intended to be used on Hornby O gauge train layouts. Hornby is a Briti***rain manufacturer who decided to use 1:43.5 as its scale, because it's convenient (3.5 mm = 1 real-world foot).

The cars became popular in their own right, and continued being made long after Hornby decided to move into other scales and more or less abandon O. As Tom said, on most inexpensive cars, the scale is approximate. Sometimes more so than others.

In the United States, O scale became 1:48, because that's a quarter inch to a foot. It's convenient for those of us who resist the metric system.

In continental Europe, O scale is 1:45, because the width of the track is really 1:45, compared to the real world. Since 1:45 is 17/64 inches to the foot, it's not very convenient, so the British and Americans rejected it.

Probably more than you wanted to know, but that's why you see these odd numbers. These days, 1:43 cars are much more popular than O gauge trains, so that's why they're plentiful--in spite of being eclipsed in popularity by 1:64 cars--while true 1:48 cars are extremely scarce.

[FJ and G]

Dave, TOm,

I've often wondered why 3-rack, 12 car auto transporters (open type) have never been sold by train mfgrs. And now I know. 1:48 scale cars are EXPENSIVE! The 1:43 might not fit inside a scale transporter.

[Frank53]

thank you folks - I can start plotting. <<dons made scientist cap, retreats to laboratory>>

[FJ and G]

After looking at Tom's car/ruler, I'm thinking that perhaps my cars actually are closer to 1:48. I measured a couple of convertibles that Wal-Mart now is selling.

I'm thinking that perhaps the car mfgrs are sometimes incorrectly labeling their scales. Could this be possible?

Frank, post photos when you're done or even before

[spankybird]

Dave,

Many of the lower cost diecast manufacturers use a standard mold size. When they do that, all the cars are about the same length and width. NewRay is one of these manufacturers. There Chrysler 300 is the same size as a GTO which is also the same size as a Mustang. The GTO is approx 1/43 scale and equal in length to my higher price cars. The Mustang is too long and the Chrysler is way too short.

[underworld]

Dave,
3.5mm to the foot is HO ( 1:87) 4.0mm/foot is OO ( 1:76 I think ) as in Horby OO etc.
All of the English mags I've seen with reference to O is 7mm/foot.
underworld

[lionelsoni]

OO is a little tricky (as though O were not!). All of it is indeed 1/76; but English OO runs on HO track (16.5 millimeter gauge) and American OO (like Lionel) on 3/4-inch (19 millimeter) track.

[Dave Farquhar]

Underworld, you're right. I got my numbers mixed up in my head. HO is 3.5mm and O is 7 mm, so in Britain, HO really is half the size of O.

[spankybird]

Here is a great site on gauge and scale

http://rail.felgall.com/scale.htm

[FJ and G]

Tom,

That gauge site is the best I've ever seen.

BTW, I went to Union Station theother dayin D.C. There's a nick-nack store there (forgot the name) that sells O scale greyhound buses for less than $10 a whack

[lionelsoni]

He's got Z gauge wrong. Its 6.5 millimeters.

[alton6]

What would be some names of makers/marketers of 1/64 scale cars and trucks and/or equipment? Any preferences among these?

Carl

[underworld]

I know several people that have cars from Tiger Wheels www.tiger-wheels.com
They have a list of dealers on their site. Some of the others I know of are Corgi,
Revell Collection, Revell Select, Action, Winner's Circle, Racing Champions....and don't forget Hot Wheels.
underworld
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[alton6]

Thanks, underworld. Sometimes, 1:64 things make good looking loads for o-27 cars. Not so overpowering in size.

Carl

[locomutt]

K-Mart used to have the "Road Champ" models,depends on
what you are looking for.
Does anyone know where I can find a Ford C-800 series truck
in "O"scale (1/43rd,1/48th,1/50th)
I've been wanting one to 'kitbash' into a piece of 'Fire Equipment'.

[cnw1995]

Wow, Dave, that's a great price - did you get one? I usually see them for about $50 as collectibles. I'm esperimenting with selective compression - how things look to my eyeballs near the front of the layout as compared to the 'back' - which is 10 ft. away