1930 thru 1950 autos and trucks

[a8wprl]

Where do I find late 1930 thru early 1950 US automobile and truck models in HO scale? They appear to me to be scarce if they exist at all, or am I not looking in the right places?
a8wprl

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Here's a couple of links you can check.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?manu=360&split=30&start=0
http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=&scale=H&manu=Boley&item=&keywords=&instock=Y&split=30&Submit=Search

[CNJ831]

While Jodan and others do produce some autos from the teens and 20's and many manufacturers have them from 1950 onward, there is a distinct lack of models from the period you are interested (and me too!). However, both Sylvan Scale Models and Gregg's Garage do offer a modest selection of 1930's cars and trucks as kits and I believe that Busch has recently introduced a couple of RTR 1930's Cadillacs that are almost of museum quality. There isn't much from the 1940's, except very late in the decade, simply because new cars were largely unvailable during WWII.

CNJ831

[pcarrell]

Here's a link to the above mentioned Sylvan Models;

http://www.isp.ca/Sylvan/ho-scaleproducts.htm

Just click on "vehicles".

[Anonymous]

That's been an issue for some time. Count the '53-'57 Chevys (always the top of the line Bel Air),model A's, and the '48 Fords. Alloy Forms made some cars that you may like, a '50 Chevy 4dr, '48-'49 Hudson, '49 Merc, '49 Buick fastback, '49 Studebaker and a '51 Ford panel truck.

If you can find them Stoney Mountain Classic Castings made the widest choice of the cars we like, for the late '40s early '50s. They're resin castings and look great. The trouble is finding them as they've been out of prouction for a few years now. I have their '51 Nash and a '50 Buick station wagon that look nice. They made a '47 Chevy Fleetline Aerosedan that I'd love to get myself.

Cars are still difficult, but I think there are better options for trucks of the era, at least.

[Anonymous]

I've used a lot og Greg's cars,,couldn't find a direct link, but I did find a dealers page with lots of pics. Try http://www.thetrainexchange.net/gregs.htm

[Anonymous]

Gee, thanks, karlb, I was unaware of Greggs.

You can't buy them here, but you can see some Stoney Mountain Classic cars at this link,
http://www.87thscale.info/stoney_mountain.htm
Actually, http://www.87thscale.info/ is pretty interesting in its' own right.

I believe Alloy Forms also made a '41 Plymouth coupe and a '49 Ford, too.
(and a '49 Desoto sedan)

That's a good point about WWII also. My family car was a 1933 Ford till 1948. It was a sellers market till 1950 or so, I believe. So some mid-late '30s cars would be very acceptable on a +/- 1950 era layout.

[edo1039]

Also look here:
http://www.truckstopmodels.com/index.htm

[bcawthon]

There are more new products coming:


Ricko 1934 Cadillac Aerodynamic Coupe


Ricko 1931 Lincoln Model K 7-passenger Phaeton

Model Power 1953 Cadillac Eldorado convertible
Model Power 1956 Ford F100 pickup
Model Power 1957 Corvette

Plus a few surprises...

[paxton58]

Classic Metal Works has 1940 and 1950 vehicles that are very nice.

[Anonymous]

Check out the cars on this "layout"!
Nothing like automobiles to give you a sense of the timeframe.

[a8wprl]

Thank you all for your info, I appreciate it.

A8WPRL

[bcawthon]

Most of the late 1940s-early 1950s cars from Classic Metal Works have been discontinued for some time. The 1948 Ford Convertible, 1953 Ford Victoria and 1955 Chevy Bel Air Coupe and Convertible are the only ones showing available. They have some good trucks, though.

The prototype for the Athearn Mack B was introduced in the early 1950s (Mack claims the introduction was in 1949, but other records show it was more like 1953, so take your pick).

Busch has a 1931 Ford AA panel truck, 1949 Dodge Power Wagon, 1950 Chevrolet 3100 pickup, 1950 Buick Special Riviera Coupe, 1952 Cadillac, 1956 Thunderbird and 1956 Corvette.

Don't forget the #444 Willys Jeep sold by Roco in their Minitanks line. Paint it a different color and call it a CJ-2. EKO has a Jeep Station Wagon. That vehicle was introduced in the late 1940s.

Speaking of military vehicles, check out the Roco #553 GMC CCKW Deuce-and-a-halfs, if you can find them. Thousands were sold to civilians during the postwar demobilization.

Roco's #370 Opel Blitz isn't strictly American but it's a pretty good stand-in for a pre-war truck and it's just $7.99 from Walthers (order no. 625-370).

Real importation of foreign cars started after WWII. The U.S. was the only strong new car market in the world and European nations were trying to sell any cars they could over here. You can definitely use the Busch MG-TC, as the sports car craze had already begun in the early 1950s. The first Volkswagen Beetles were imported into the U.S. in 1950 but they weren't big sellers until after 1955. Use the version with the oval rear window as that was the export model. If you can find the old Wiking Jaguar XK120, that would be good; 90% of the Jags produced were sold in the U.S. Busch's Renault 4CV was sold in America as was their 1955 Citroen DS19. I am not saying you should load up on these cars but a few would not be out of place.

At the end of World War II, the average American civilian car was ten years old, so lots of mid-to-late 1930s cars would be appropriate along with a reasonable number of Ford Model As (Model Ts were already outdated when they were discontinued in 1927, so only end-of-production Ts would be anywhere but a museum).

[Paul W. Beverung]

One more for the early 1930s. Walters carries a model of the Russian Zis-5. It looks like a Ford from the early 30s. Ford built a factory in Russia so that would explain the trucks looks. I got one and will get a few more. Not many for the early 1950 but a few. They offer 2. One is about $15 the other about $6. I don't know what the diff is.

[bcawthon]

The ZIS-5 is based on a 1930-31 Autocar truck. The GAZ-AA was the Ford truck.

There's also the Wiking Mercedes-Benz L2500, which dates from about 1935. Knock off the hood ornament and you're good to go.

[Paul W. Beverung]

bcawthon: Thanks for sharing your knowledge. That's what makes this forum so great.

[tjsmrinfo]

heres a site for tractor trailers of all eras
www.tylssmallscaletrucksales.ca

i had trouble opening it as the server forbade me to enter it.

tom