Hi folks,
So originally when planning my layout I said that I would never buy HO automobiles because they were just too expensive and not detailed enought like say Hot Wheels or Matchbox that I can buy for between $1 and $2 everywhere. I know these two manufactures trucks and tractor trailers are the same size though as HO tractor trailers so ditto for that and Im fine with that.
Well much to my disappointment and dismay when i put up my cars to any of the HO structure kits that have car openings, garages, drive through they don't fit or look way to big.
I have one HO car and that is a 79 Chevy Caprice that looks fairly good but can't find much online or in the 2015 Walthers catalog of who makes American automobiles cars specifically besides a few Chrysler vehicles. All I see are Audi, BMW and Mercededs and even a few Volvos. And it seems that only Busch makes the good looking ones.
Does anyone make Buick, Lincoln, Pontiac, Cadillac, etc automobiles and for a decent price or are those my only options?
Regg
I haven't had Matchbox cars since I was a kid and I am in my 60s now but I don't believe there is any pretense they are to scale. Probably the best source of scale HO locomotives is Classic Metal Works (CMW). I'm a transition era modeler and they seem to have to best selection of 1940s and 1950s cars. Not sure what they have for the 1970s and beyond. Woodland Scenics makes good looking cars although I discovered last year they are generic cars and not specific models and seem to be slightly too small. A fairly new player is an English company call Oxford. They have outstanding lookng metal cars. Initially they seemed too big compared to the other cars I have especially the Woodland Scenics, but after a lengthy discussion in another thread with the help of a number of other modelers I discovered they are actually right to scale and it is the rest of mine that are too small. There are a number of other European made American cars but my experience is that they are for the most part noticeably too small.
Yes I forgot to mention I model modern times so I am looking for automobiles from the early 80s on....since many of them can still be found in the street today....actually late 80s on probably would be better. I have seen a few older cars for sale such as 65 Ford Mustang, Chevy Nova, etc but obviously don't want the entire layout to be of these cars.
Regg:
What time frame are you modeling, and where? The reason I ask where is that in some areas where rust is not a problem a few older vehicles can be added to the mix with a little weathering. In the rust belt they will look out of place.
You might want to take a look here:
http://1-87vehicles.org/
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
http://www.shapeways.com/shops/Madaboutcars?s=0#more-products
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
Link is now clickable.
Regg,
Here's the link that Modelmaker supplied, with the 1/87th offerings.
I don't believe You want to spend that kind of money though, for something You have to paint Yourself:
http://www.shapeways.com/shops/Madaboutcars?s=96#more-products
Now if You wanted 30's era to 70's Auto's, there are quite a few out there.....but mainly kits, Polyurethane resin,(hollow) Plastic (clear, hollow) Must all be built and painted though in the 13.00 range.
Good Luck!
Frank
Regg, you did not mention the timeframe you are modeling; but did mention a '79 Chevy. Also what price range (if any) you are intersted in.
There is not much in the 1980-ish timeframe; much more in the 40s-60s
Trident makes mostly military models, but do have civilian versions of a number of vehcles, mostly Chevys from around 1980 - also emergency and police vehicleshttp://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Vehicles&scale=H&manu=trident&item=&keywords=&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=300&Submit=Search
Busch has mostly European vehicles, timeframe from 1930s to modern. Almost 800 on this list, but if you look carefully there are some Americam cars in the mix.http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Vehicles&scale=H&manu=busch&item=&keywords=&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=300&Submit=Search
Classic Metal Works concentrates mostly on the 1930 to 1960 timeframe, but there were always a few 50s/60s cars in teh 70s and 80shttp://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Vehicles&scale=H&manu=Classic+Metal+Works+&item=&keywords=&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=300&Submit=Search
Like Busch, Wiking makes mostly Euro vehicles from 50s to modern. Many were on US roads in the 80shttp://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Vehicles&scale=H&manu=Wiking+&item=&keywords=&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=300&Submit=Search
River Point Station makes modern Ford pickups and SUVs; ther has been talk of a 50s F150http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Vehicles&scale=H&manu=river+point+station&item=&keywords=&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=300&Submit=Search
There are many more; as mentioned above check 1/87 club
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
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NEO Scale Models has a selection of US brand vehicles that may be of interest. They aren't cheap, as you can expect to pay over $30 each, but may be worth it for foreground use.
Rob Spangler
Brekina and Neo make some really nice 1/87 modern USA automobiles and pick-up trucks, but I dunno' about them being a decent price.
Regards, Peter
http://neoshop.replicars.nl/ You may have to go back to the first page to get to other pages.
You'll have to scoll thru a lot of pages, but you'll find a lot of '60s thru '80s cars for $10 and under: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?clk_rvr_id=893068270014&adpos=4t1&treatment_id=7&crlp=64439835687_877&MT_ID=71&device=c&rlsatarget=kwd-26952656537&keyword=1%3A87+cars&geo_id=35436&poi=&crdt=0&_nkw=1%3A87+cars&rt=nc
I thought I did mention time frame but I meant modern as in right now cars that we see on the street. Therefore anything late 80s to 2015 is fair game. A few late 70s models here and there are okay since you do see a few now and again. But since I'm modeling urban area with downtown/city scene I want alot of cars with wheels that move and roll and look good.
Really don't like the plastic, wheels glued together type of stuff as it looks cheesy.
I prefer cars to truck since I have tractor trailers already that are modern that I bought. Looking more for cars that everyday people drive to work, grocery store, and liek I said I was on Busch website and seen a few but the majority were European brands and very few modern American brands from Ford, GM, and Chrysler
Several years ago Model Power offered a line of die cast cars "Fresh Cherries" 70s and early 80s autos. Now the fresh cherries 1/87 line is marketed by Motor Max. Most are reasonably priced on eBay, 6 bucks or less. If you search, pay attention to the scale listed. They do offer large scale models as well.
If your modeling modern there are a lot of American built cars by foreign companies.Most of the Asian car companies have plants here ,as do several German companies.
Yes I'm modeling modern and yes I understand that these days alot of cars both foreign and American automakers are made in America these days but I'm looking for Domestic Automakers, Ford, Buick, Cadillac, Lincoln Dodge, etc....I saw a Cadillac Sixteen (concept) on Walthers yesterday which I liked but haven't seen too much else. Saw a few cars on Neo Scale Models that I really liked but they need to be shipped from Germany and they're very expensive.
The Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys are mostly 1/64 (S), bigger than 1/87 (HO). You can get away with them in the foreground, and far enough away from HO scale rolling stock so they don't look too big. You cannot use them as loads for HO autorack cars, they are too big to fit.
For a while Walmart carried a line of smaller cars, in packaging marked 1/87, but they dropped the line years ago. I keep checking when I go to Walmart, but I haven't seen any 1/87 toys for years and years. The maker is still around, and I see the odd one at train shows. I have collected about a dozen of 'em for my layout.
And there is a website for 1/87 diecast models, full of ads and reviews. Can't remember the name of it, but Google ought to find it.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com