Great Northern Fan Good evening. New member here. Trying to find a source for HO scale autos and trucks of about 50s to 60s vintage models. Ebay is a dead end as mostly modern cars or expensive individual vehicles. Looking for the inexpensive plastic types that used to be able to be purchased in groups of about a dozen. Thanks in advance.
Good evening. New member here. Trying to find a source for HO scale autos and trucks of about 50s to 60s vintage models. Ebay is a dead end as mostly modern cars or expensive individual vehicles. Looking for the inexpensive plastic types that used to be able to be purchased in groups of about a dozen. Thanks in advance.
Not knowing how nice a vehicle you are looking for, 6'' or 6' rule. 15 Really cheap looking autos come with the Bachmann HO 89' Tri-Level Auto Rack. Maybe an outlet for what you are looking for. Then of course all the vehicles kind of look alike (Olds. Toronados or Caddys) and not the year's you are looking for. So maybe not a good choice. You can be the Judge.
Sounds like the old Life-Like / SceneMaster cars and trucks would work. I don't think they've been made since Walthers took over Life-Like about 15-20 years back, but I don't think it's that hard to find them around in four-packs. I think my LHS still has some on display.
https://www.google.com/search?q=scenemaster+HO+automobiles&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJkt_nqcjsAhVNVs0KHQAuDXQQ_AUoAHoECAwQCA&biw=1352&bih=597
Here is a discussion on the subject from years back. I still don't agree with some of the conclusions and will stick with my women's clothing analogy. Stop buying them for awhile and watch the prices drop.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/227370.aspx
riogrande5761 I got lucky and found some lots of 10 or 11 Trident HO vans for about $4.xx each, but will require some creative modificatons to get them on the llower level of bi-level autoracks.
I got lucky and found some lots of 10 or 11 Trident HO vans for about $4.xx each, but will require some creative modificatons to get them on the llower level of bi-level autoracks.
I am not sure what Bi-Level open auto rack cars you are running. I have AccuRail and Athearn at least. Now to lower the Trident Vans, here's what I did to fit in the lower deck of the Accurail. IIRC The Athearn decks have less space between them then the Accurail.
Remove all the tires/rims and axels.
Take a rat tail, well maybe a mouse tail file (the same diameter as the axel anyway) or a drill bit, or a reamer and then file, drill or ream the axel hole down/up (depends how you look at it) to the "frame" in the front. Then on the rear, file down/up to the exhaust pipe on the drivers side and file a equal depth down/up on the passenger side.
This will lower the van's body down enough for the van's roof to clear the Accurail auto rack's upper deck's bottom.
Maybe flatten the tires some and the vans may clear the bottom of the upper deck of the Athearn Auto Rack.
If the tires rub the inside wheel well lips when you are done, trim with a #11 blade some of the inside of the inner wheel well lips or trim a tiny bit off of the axel to move the wheels inward.
hornblower I think a "reasonably priced" source of HO scale vehicles is what most of us are looking for. Discounted prices of $18 to $59 for Woodland Scenics vehicles is hardly attractive!
I think a "reasonably priced" source of HO scale vehicles is what most of us are looking for. Discounted prices of $18 to $59 for Woodland Scenics vehicles is hardly attractive!
Many of the "better" 1/87 vehicles seem to sell for goodly sums. Unfortunately some genre's of decent vehicles are pricier and some difficult to find.
At the last train show I attended (remember those?), ... When did the model car manufacturers begin making their models from unobtainum!?! Model Train Stuff and Trainworld sell many new vehicles for around $10.
I remember them (last one I attended was Feb 2020 just before it all went to crap with the pendemic).
From what I've heard, the size of Ho vehicles has some bearing on liablity and choking hazard, which makes it harder or possibly more costly, to market and distribute. Atlas's nice HO Ford F-100 and especially Ford Fairmonts are quite the unobtanium, and of course the 1/87 Fresh Cherries, which sold so cheap at Walmart around 12 years ago are only found on the secondary market, often for ten times their original price.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
For 50s era vehicles, Sylvan Scale Models (resin kits) and Classic Metal Works (RTR) offer a very nice variety. However, they will be more than the $2 each vehicles that you seem to be looking for.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I think a "reasonably priced" source of HO scale vehicles is what most of us are looking for. Discounted prices of $18 to $59 for Woodland Scenics vehicles is hardly attractive! At the last train show I attended (remember those?), I picked up two Kato-drive Atlas locos in perfect working order for $10 each. Another vendor at the same show was selling used HO scale autos for $20 each! When did the model car manufacturers begin making their models from unobtainum!?! Model Train Stuff and Trainworld sell many new vehicles for around $10. But even at that price, filling a small parking lot or a single street with vehicles would be over $100!
Hornblower
Ah yes... the old Bachmann and Life-Like automobile packs.
Those have disappeared since train sets went out of vogue.
I do not know of anywhere to buy them new, so eBay searching might be the best way to get them, just keep looking.
Sorry I cannot help more.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
For what it's worth, there is a fairly extensive list here which would cover your era as well as others:
https://atlasrescueforum.proboards.com/thread/8431/available-vehicle-models
Try this site. A google search shows a few sites selling 1:87 scale.
https://www.megahobby.com/categories/model-railroading/ho-scale/vehicles.html
Like shipping containers the vehicles seem pricey so I usually search out these items at train shows and haggle a lot.
I think you might have figured out as a new member your first few post are moderated and delayed.I think all of us are seeking the same thing! I just keep a few eBay searches and hope for the best. I have found quite a few that way. A couple of 1950s Rolls Royce, several pickup and some very nice 18 wheeler tractors in the last couple of months.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.