O Scale Motor Vehicle Chronicle Thanksgiving Edition.

Well said Richard, I also look forward to this thread every week. I have learned Oh so much. Thank You.

Not even Brooklin with their expensive models seems to hit the popular models of

the period I want to model (Fords, yes, from Rextoy, and others) except for one

1937 Chevy coupe, and Buicks.  Chevrolets, Fords (for some years), Plymouths and

Dodges, Pontiacs, Olds, etc., etc. including assorted vanished orphan makes, are

needed for a lot of layouts, with people in On3, On30, two and three rail, for 1940 and prior by me, and later for many more.  It can't be too tiny a market, although not one to bankroll parade balloons. (uh, and it sounds like many want open cars, but I want

cars seen on the street in small town America in that era).  (and believe me, closed cars with heaters were extremely popular) My dad got married and traded his 1936 Olds convertible on a 1938 base model non classic Packard Six 110 two door coach,

a body style once often chosen by young couples before child-proof door locks/child seats.  Unlike the classic upper lines, 180's, Supers, Twelves, etc. this was a lower medium priced car, that helped Packard survive the Depression, barely.  Rextoy made a four door 1940 120, but vanished before all the body styles promised could be offered.  As for my favorite model Chevrolets, there are no models of the 1933-34 Master, 1933-35 Standards, or pickiups for those years in 1/43,/1/48?,nor for 1940,

USA Models had a '37 Chevy sedan about 10 years ago. Brooklin had a '37 Chevy coupe, and recently announced 1930s Pontiacs. Eligor offered 1932 Ford V8s in a verity of body styles and Ertl did a '38Chevy Panel truck. And Gearbox has a '41 Chevy and a '41 Ford pickup Rextoys 35 fords in a verity of body styles can still be found along with their '40 Packards. Keep a sharp eye and good hunting.

Since my cut-off date for models I buy is 1959, the only car I owned prior to that was a used 1953 Mercury HT. The only one that came close is the Buby/Collectors Classics 1954 Sun Valley.

My parents owned '47, '52. and '59 Fords, and I have models that are "close enough".

As far as cars that impressed me in the '50s...the list is long, but I really loved the '53 Buick Skylark with the "factory" cut-down doors, chopped-top, Kelsey-Hayes 40 spoke wire wheels, and wide whitewalls. A wealthy woman in town owned a beautiful dark silver one. Matchbox/Dinky "Oldies but Goodies" series is the best model, IMO (although I wish it was made as a top-up model) .

I've also had a goal of obtaining a model of all the cars I've owned, but have managed to locate or modify only about half of them at this time.  Items like 1965 Plymouth Belvedere wagon, 2008 Nissan Altima, and 1963 Dodge Dart seem impossible to buy at a reasonable price or to modify.  Some I have are suitable for use on the layout, but others due to model year or proportion (1/64 to 1/24) stay in a display cabinet.

Richard, I hope the muse strikes you again soon, so the chronicles can continue.  I always read it, whether I can come up with any contribution or not.

I'll come up with something, this week has been a busy one. I already have some Ideas and would be grateful for suggestions for future subjects.

It is frustrating that the manufacturers focus on high end and exotic/rare cars: I've heard people speculate that more metal has gone into models of Tuckers than ever went into real ones, and I can believe it.  

I'm not only frustrated about finding cars I owned (a' 61 Valient, not a great car, but my first car, etc.) but have even worse lock trying to find models of the cars my Dad owned when I was growing up, but have had little luck: he believed in buying the bottom offering of the best brand that he could afford: the 88, never the 98 from Olds, the three-hole rather than four-hole Buicks, etc. Said he was spending extra money on better design and build quality, not extra glitz and options.  I've always mostly followed the same principle.

Anyway my Dad had a '49 Buick I really want to find - a plain three-hole, two-door coach, which he bought for the reason you mentioned colorado hirailer: my Mom and Dad brought me home three-days-old in that car.  I've got a model of a Roadmaster from that period ('48 or '49) but haven't yet found a plain Buick two door.  similarly I'm trying to find a good, plain-jane '55 Olds 88 sedan, which was a car that was with us from when I was five until high school . . . 

Did Buick, 1946-50, ever make a 2-door that was not a fastback (Sedanet) or a HT? I can't find a photo or dealer catalog picture showing one.

I can't find any pictures of a plain "three-hole" coupe that aren't fastback.  My Dad's car may have been the Roadmaster model pictured below - I remember it as three-hole and I do not recall all the side trim, but it has been a long time and frankly all I know  for certain is that the ports were open all the way through - which means it was definitely a '49 since only '49 models (and not all of them at that) had open ventiports.  I recall this fact vividly because of the truly traumatic incident of the disappearing hot dog (It seemed terribly interesting at the time I was about four or five that a hot dog could be squeezed out of sight into a ventiport.  When I could not get it out, I was loath to bring up with my parents and I think it was a week before my Dad found the rotting hot dog.).

Anyway, the rear window with its two bars and the rear side quarter window shape were exactly as on this car . . . I remember those well because I spent a lot of time in close proximity to them whenever we went for a drive.

Finally located this photo I wanted to post when you first suggested modeling 'our' personal cars from the past.

Here are a couple I had in my youth - 

62' TR4, 60 MGA, 59 Impala, 61 MGA, and just out of the photo to the left are a 59 TR3, and a 54 Ford convertible (red - barely visible).

Lee:
Your father’s car sounds like a Super (3 portholes). The Super and the Roadmaster (4 portholes) used the same body with the Super being little less powerful and little less luxurious.
The ’49 Special still used the prewar body. For 1950 Buick introduced a new body for all series.

The Calibre was a great car.  I drove one a friend had when visiting Europe and agree with C&D: very under-appreciated for what it was - quite lively, balanced, and just a lovely drive.  

The 944 has always been one of my favorites, although I never owned one.  I think it is arguably as iconic as the 911 - certainly it ages with even more grace and dignity than the rear-engined models.  The Turbo was always my favorite among 944/968 models, and it is a shame there are no good models of it. 

The best, most fun to drive car I ever owned was a Merkur XR4Ti.  That of course doesn't lend itself to my layout of the '50s.  My high school car was a 1940 Chevy and my college car was a 1956 Chevy.  That one is probably available for my layout but I haven't looked for one.

.....

Dennis