Die cast autos

How big are they?  1/43?  Or other?

I've been checking out vehicles at the various 'Marts, farm stores, truck stops, and any other stores that might have some die-cast sitting around.  In most cases, "Made in China" is fairly prominent on the packaging or on the chassis, but nary a scale to be found.  Might just have to start carrying a scale ruler around with me. 

I would say 1/50

Most of the Walgreen cars here are 1/36 or 1/38s except for the army humvee...it is 1/43

I've looked at those in my local Walgreen's. They're nice vehicles for the price but way too big for O scale IMO.

I looked at a bunch of these at I think Walgreens or a similar place, and I found buried ont he bottom of the vehicle "1/35"

Vinny26 posted:

I would say 1/50

Cars in 1/50 would be ideal - everyone's dream. Unfortunately, other than construction equipment and a few trucks and buses, automobiles in this scale are hard (impossible?) to come by.

I have always wondered why, with so many other vehicles in 1/50 scale, no manufacturer has deem it profitable to make automobile models in 1/48 or 1/50; whether metal or plastic.

Alex 

I just got these in from diecast direct. At 1/43 they really do look too big I think.

I try to keep the 1/43 scale cars of the smaller variety ('57 T-bird, small pick-ups, 2 door coupes, etc) so they look closer to scale. The larger ones, like the '58 Edsel convertible, tend to look too big on the layout. 

I totally agree with Alex.  I have always been amazed that with few exception, like military vehicles, manufacturers have not made a line of cars and trucks in 1/48 scale.  Even those companies that tool and produce our favorite trains in O scale continue to catalog vehicles that are mostly 1/43 scale.  I am not a rivet counter and I can deal with a 3rd rail in the track.  But the vehicles they sell us look TOO BIG and toy-ish next to our O scale trains.  In my humble opinion.

Mixed Freight posted:

How big are they?  1/43?  Or other?

 Might just have to start carrying a scale ruler around with me. 

It has been suggested several times in various Forums to put tick marks on a cardstock membership card (which you normally have in your wallet) at 1 1/2 inches (6 foot tall man), 2 inches (the width of a truck van body) and 2 1/2 inches (the width of a box car).   John in Lansing, ILL

The hardest vehicles to find are pre 1970. I would prefer 1940 to 1960. And 1/48 are real hard top find at a reasonable price. I would even buy if I could find 1/50............Paul

Running Marx O27 I have collected a ton of 1/64 scale, mostly diecast, cars and truckes.  Got a few of 1930s era and a lot of '49 to '80s era vehicles,  Motor homes, campers, a few semis, some older four and six wheel trucks, a passel of cars, and some specialty cars and trucks.

I also have a 1/53 scale Caddy convetible, and a few 1/50 and a 1/54 scale trucks.  I have some 1/48 butbno 1/43, a lot of  "generic" cars like old Marx '50ish Studebakers and panel trucks.

If I'm careful they won't clash too badly, but mine is a TOY TRAIN layout and not much is truly scale.  Cest le whatever.

paul 2 posted:

The hardest vehicles to find are pre 1970. I would prefer 1940 to 1960. And 1/48 are real hard top find at a reasonable price. I would even buy if I could find 1/50............Paul

Try "3000 toys" website. They have  a fair amount of pre-1970 cars in 1/43 scale at fairly reasonable prices and, like I said, the smaller ones (2-door coupes, roadsters, early pick-ups) tend to look more to scale.