The difference is just about 8%, which means that a 63.5" person in 1:148 would scale out to 68" in 1:160. Unless you put identical vehicles, one in each scale, right next to each other, the difference shouldn't bee that noticeable. Since the vehicle you are looking at is a hearse, which would ordinarily be both odd size and larger than most other vehicles, it shouldn't be a problem.
I have a similar situation, since I model in 1:80 scale and use HO (1:87 scale) figures and accessories. I can get away with that, since the typical Japanese was physically smaller than the typical European and many of the small items like shovels and jackhammers don't have a single, standard size.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
JON1968 wrote:I was looking at 1\144 and 1\160 scale vehicles.......when you get down to that scale there is absolutely NO WAY you can tell the difference! If someone shows up with a caliper and slide rule and starts to measure they might discover one is half a scale foot too large, but not the general population that will be viewing them.
If someone shows up with a caliper and scale rule, I'll confiscate them! As for a slide rule, I replaced mine with a pocket calculator back in the early 70's.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - in 1:80 scale, but not a fanatic about it)
ham99 hit the nail on the head. I saw a layout at a Knoxville, TN show some years ago. They used 1/144 vehicles liberally and they were obvious at a glance. Parked next to a building or near figures, the difference was glaring.
The only way they might work would be to put them on a country road away from buildings, people and trains.
You could use them in the foreground to force perspective to the real layout in the background.