Scale for die cast model cars

This subject comes up often. The big market for these, and the suppliers, are principally European, and their scale of choice is 1/43rd. We piggy back on that, for Ertl is gone?, and we have no home mfrs. So no 1/48th. HO has a Canadian maker of all kinds of vintage auto models to drool over, but it has done few in 0.  For my era l try to get used Brooklin, but even used ain't cheap. (I don't want generic toys...l want models of period autos)

Diecast Direct has a lot of stuff and you can search by scale.    I have bought from them.    They have everything from very expensive to pretty cheap.    

Most of mine are 1:43 and I have a few pieces of 1:50 construction equipment. True 1:48 scale vehicles are difficult to find.

I have also purchased several items from DieCast Direct with good results. Good place with good selection.

I just took a quick look at Diecast Direct and they have a bunch of Ertl, all the old standbys.    And there are a lot of new paint schemes on 1937 Ford Tractor Trailer sets.     Yat-Ming is also listed with a bunch of 1:43 vehicles.

Also see if you can find stuff from Corgi. They're generally pretty close.

prrjim posted:

Diecast Direct has a lot of stuff and you can search by scale.    I have bought from them.    They have everything from very expensive to pretty cheap.    

Thanks for the tip about Diecast Direct. I had a look at their site and the choice is amazing. The most common cheapest price seems to be $16.95. Those 2 red cars in my photo each cost 5 Australian dollars in a retail store. This is equivalent to USD 3.70 which seems very good value.

O G Guy do a search for Trax. They're in your part of the world and have a nice selection of Aussie/American cars in 1:43 scale. I had a couple of 1960's Ford Falcons with right hand steering.

Bob

You could try eBay. Search "1/43 cars" or if you're looking for a specific marque, then "1/43 Buick", etc. You can do the same by year. If you want the least expensive, then search 1/43 Yatming, 1/43 Road Master or 1/43 Road Champs. They are certainly good for populating streets, parking lots, etc., although they do lack many of details of higher priced models. From there you can go to Corgi, Ertl, Vitesse, etc. which are somewhat higher in price, all the way up to Brooklin, which are terrific but very expensive (often around $100 per). You can do similar searches on Amazon, too. 

Jerrman

In my car park most of the staff have their cars under cover they are all 1/43 scale most bought from Die Cast Direct over the years no $100 dollar cars there my staff could not afford them! Roo.

I really like that car port.................

I, too, have used Diecast Direct quite a bit. Really good selection and service.

I use a mix of Brooklin, Ertl, Yatming and a few others. The 1/43 is about 10% too big so a bit of separation from the trains will help. Also, a scale locomotive won't suffer as much as a smaller traditional size one from the comparison. And I try to keep the very high quality Brooklin models up close and the less expensive, not as detailed, cheaper models toward the rear of the layout, or partially buried  under snow. I don't collect trains; I run the dickens out of 'em. But I do have a considerable collection of Brooklins, which are exquisite. One of my projects is to make the MTH Strawbridge & Clothier building a Pierce-Arrow dealership. Someday, when feeling courageous, I may try adding LED headlights and taillights to the cars. Probably need to start with an Ertl or Matchbox model though.

Last point, some of the older, used vehicles I have bought do not seem to be accurately labeled at 1/43. There is a noticeable difference in size and some are not proportioned correctly (i.e., too narrow).

Lionel and MTH: If reading this, have you guys ever thought about this part of the market? I for one would be very interested in purchasing accurately scaled vehicles. How about a timed release, one year after a particular scale locomotive hits the shelves, of an appropriate vintage scale vehicle?

padreyak posted:

 

Lionel and MTH: If reading this, have you guys ever thought about this part of the market? I for one would be very interested in purchasing accurately scaled vehicles. How about a timed release, one year after a particular scale locomotive hits the shelves, of an appropriate vintage scale vehicle?

Atlas planned on a 1:48 (Ford sedan?) scale car some time ago.  As I recall, the estimated tooling costs couldn't justify production to compete with the existing low cost diecast car makers.

Rusty

I keep with the 1/43 scale size. Years ago it seemed die cast manufacturers only produced models of the mussel car variety. Now we're starting to see more of the common 'family car' styles, 60's,70's etc. I set up a 'street car show' to give a reason for all the '' clean iron''!  

Myles, Where did you get the Bricklin? What brand? Thanks, Dave G.

Brooklin seems kinda quiet lately, having offered a '33 and '37 Graham for my era. I hope they do the cycle-fendered '32-33,  or "ugly Hupp" aerodynamic '34-'36 Hupmobiles.  The independent as hogs on ice miners and ranchers served by my road make individual choices, not that we don't need a wide spectrum of '30's Chevies.  I pounced on the Neo '37 LaSalle coupe as good taste transportation for my road's president.  And l kitbashed a Graham dealership, so will want to see pictures of the Pierce Arrow dealer mentioned above.

I've been buying from American Excellence and Die Cast Direct. Unfortunately for us, 1/43 is British O'Gauge. It's why HO is "Half O"... it's half of 1:43 (7.0 mm to the foot.) For me, it depends on what you're seeking. I'm buying a lot of cars by NEO. They're brilliantly scaled with PE stainless trim, and are moderately priced. I pick cars that I've owned or have liked to own and am a detail hound so like Brooklin (have some of those i bought in England and at York). I consider the cars to be as particular a model as the trains and structures. I spend a lot of time on structures and don't want poor quality cars stealing the show.

I'm a novice, so I appreciate all the advice from those who've thought about this before me.  The majority view is to use 1:43 scale which is only 10% too large.  The models in the $60-100 price range generally have magnificent detail.  As some have commented, $5-10 models are perhaps best to fill a more distant scene.  I was only tempted to try some 1:38 $5 models because of their superior quality and detail, but I can see that models that are 20% too large would look wrong.  I've got a bunch of 1:43 contemporary sedans on order from an eBay seller in the UK called mad.about.games or "M4D-4B0UT-G4ME2".

P.S. Love ROO's staff car port as well as the street car show by MYLES.  Seeing other people's layout gives lots of good ideas.

I love that Street Car Show well done that man!

Most of my Railroad is taken up by Tracks and railroad buildings so I keep my model cars to small scenes here are some examples.

myles posted:

I keep with the 1/43 scale size. Years ago it seemed die cast manufacturers only produced models of the mussel car variety. Now we're starting to see more of the common 'family car' styles, 60's,70's etc. I set up a 'street car show' to give a reason for all the '' clean iron''!  

Wow, great scene, is that  Corgi Batmobile? Beautiful!

Foreground ones in 1/43:

Background ones in 1/50:

Hi Dave, in response to your question on the 74-75 Bricklin die cast, I got them from a company called Auto Modello, I believe that's the company, anyway they offer the car in two colors and a white one thats in an unbuilt form that is in a shadow box showing the all parts. This one's a collectible.  I had to get a couple models, as i'm the proud owner of a 1975 version. I included a couple pictures of the layout again and the one to one scale version in the garage. These cars came out in 5 'acrylic body' color releases. White, red orange (that I have), suntan, pumpkin and a green that you really gotta love to drive it! Anyway I hope that helps. Check the Auto Modello Web site. Till again, happy motoring!

To Penn Pacific, i'm not certain of the manufacturer of the Bat mobile model, but i'll look for the box or under the body. I think I got that one through the Die Cast Direct people. Just give them a call and ask for the 1960's version in 1/43 scale and they'll do a search under that description and probably have a picture, model manufacturer, number, price and availability. I'll still check on my end as well.  Miles. 

I just posted a couple of nice 1:43 cars on the OGR buy/sell forum.

Bob

BK posted:

O G Guy do a search for Trax. They're in your part of the world and have a nice selection of Aussie/American cars in 1:43 scale. I had a couple of 1960's Ford Falcons with right hand steering.

Bob

Thanks for the tip about Trax. I found some used ones today in mint condition at a local seller.

Man, I love working in O Scale.. But the lack of good-great 1/48th scale auto's sucks!! 

It is really hard to not have a ton of repeats of autos on the layout and also cars from all era's to fill in spots.. I model the 1977 timeline which lets me get away with autos from the 60's and maybe 50's.. but not much else.. It really sucks.. So i have newer date cars and Batman Mobile up there just to fill spots also Model T here and there.. It's just tough to model or rather, to have enough Auto's to fill the scenes.. and I need a lot..  So I purchase duplicates here and there.. place them away from each other at different areas of the model RR and what not..  

Given the fact that "O" 3-rail track is 1:44, I don't loose sleep over using 1:43 cars. Also, an estimated 90% of those buying model cars do not own model trains.

Myles, please email me  dgauss@comcast.net 

Thanks

p51 posted:

Foreground ones in 1/43:

 

 

It's nice to know that some company modeled a Studebaker truck. Most of the real ones went to Russia and Australia. The models are not that easy to find. Who made this one?

Well, hey, and here I thought the whole O3R end of the hobby was one of fun-loving compromise!   Silly me!

So, the other thing to be mentioned about the use of 1:43, 1:48, !:50, ....even 1:55...autos, trucks, construction equipment, etc. on our O3R layouts is forced perspective.  This is the idea of placing items of slightly different scale to represent distance from the viewer.  

IOW, larger vehicles (say, 1:43) would be placed forward in the layout....closest to the viewer's position.  Items at 1:50, or smaller, scale would be placed farthest from the viewer.  That's what the eye sees in the real world representing distances of many feet.  On a layout having a depth of more inches than feet, arranging the items...people/figures, trees, buildings, other details as well...of varying sizes will help to create the feeling of viewing great distances.  Well, that's the idea.....and if you've ever seen it done thoughtfully, it works quite well.

In fact there have been articles written about using, say, N-scale buildings/cars/people/trees on a distant hillside which says to the mind, 'That vignette must be at least a mile or so away!'.

So, again, we can bemoan the lack of scale fidelity in everything about this hobby, but (favorite adage....) real lemonade is made from lemons.

FWIW, of course...and just MHO.

KD (a.k.a., Lucas Gudinov)

RoyBoy posted:

p51 posted:

Foreground ones in 1/43:

 

 

It's nice to know that some company modeled a Studebaker truck. Most of the real ones went to Russia and Australia. The models are not that easy to find. Who made this one?

I think a company called Atlas made that one. I have to warn you, you need special European tools if you need to disassemble it for painting. Atlas and Eaglemoss are making all kinds of great stuff in 1/43 for WW2 vehicles. The problem is that they’re all sold for the European market and very few of certain ones ever get to the US. In over a year this was the ONLY one I’ve found from a US vendor. You can get them out of Russia but they’ll cost you over a hundred clams.

I couldn’t afford the IXO GMC CCKW truck model (I’ve yet to see one for sale anywhere under 100 bucks total with shipping) which is why I settled for a Studebaker US6. But I have photos in my collection of two being used in the 1943 Tennessee Maneuvers. Yes, most went to Russia and the Commonwealth but a few did stay stateside.

The annoying thing about such models is that pretty much every company makes them marked for the European Theater of Operations (ETO). Any stateside layout wouldn’t be correct for such markings on a vehicle. I’ve had to completed strip down every WW2 vehicle I’ve bought to repaint and add new decals.

p51 posted:

RoyBoy posted:

p51 posted:

Foreground ones in 1/43:

 

 

It's nice to know that some company modeled a Studebaker truck. Most of the real ones went to Russia and Australia. The models are not that easy to find. Who made this one?

I think a company called Atlas made that one. I have to warn you, you need special European tools if you need to disassemble it for painting. Atlas and Eaglemoss are making all kinds of great stuff in 1/43 for WW2 vehicles. The problem is that they’re all sold for the European market and very few of certain ones ever get to the US. In over a year this was the ONLY one I’ve found from a US vendor. You can get them out of Russia but they’ll cost you over a hundred clams.

I couldn’t afford the IXO GMC CCKW truck model (I’ve yet to see one for sale anywhere under 100 bucks total with shipping) which is why I settled for a Studebaker US6. But I have photos in my collection of two being used in the 1943 Tennessee Maneuvers. Yes, most went to Russia and the Commonwealth but a few did stay stateside.

The annoying thing about such models is that pretty much every company makes them marked for the European Theater of Operations (ETO). Any stateside layout wouldn’t be correct for such markings on a vehicle. I’ve had to completed strip down every WW2 vehicle I’ve bought to repaint and add new decals.

I see what you mean. Here's one for $413. Yikes!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HartSm...b:g:ZJoAAOSw8gVX4GyI

Lots of them in 1/35 scale, though.

rattler21 posted:

 

O Gauge Guy posted:

I’ve been shopping around stores for die cast model cars to populate a passenger station car park I’m planning to build. There’s some beautiful products available at a very reasonable cost. However I’ve been wrestling with the issue of scale.

What span of years are you modeling?  Are you looking for sedans, coupes or convertibles? Would you consider panel vans, station wagons, pickup trucks and small flat bed trucks?  John in Lansing, ILL

Era is current day and I've been looking to achieve a representative mix of cars that you would typically find in a shopping mall or station car park. So a mix of small hatches, medium family cars, SUVs and large 4WDs as well as a greater percentage of newer cars and fewer older ones.  I've bought up big in the last few days and now have everything I need.

P 51 go to Diecast Direct and look at Atlas Editions for the GMC truck. You can ask if they still have the IXO screwdriver for those triangle head screws.

Bob

myles posted:

To Penn Pacific, i'm not certain of the manufacturer of the Bat mobile model, but i'll look for the box or under the body. I think I got that one through the Die Cast Direct people. Just give them a call and ask for the 1960's version in 1/43 scale and they'll do a search under that description and probably have a picture, model manufacturer, number, price and availability. I'll still check on my end as well.  Miles. 

OK, thanks for the info. Upon further research and info from "645" I noticed the wheels didn't match the old Corgi version.

It looks really good though and the graphics are better than Corgi's original Batmobile.

These military trucks....are they sold in hobby shops/toy stores in Europe?  That somebody could bring some home?  Didn't a poster sometime ago mention doing that? Where is there a shop in the U.S. that specializes in auto toys that includes and DISPLAYS a lot of 1/43 and near? (I have been to Diecast Direct twice, and seen nothing of interest displayed, but have ordered off their website)  l visited a Chicago hobbyshop that had some at the time, but think that closed. I blundered on a 1/43 show in a Chicago hotel once, but have seen none listed in magazines.

There’s a German toy company called Sieper that has a large range of die cast models with the brand name of siku. They include 1:50 scale which blends in OK for large vehicles in the categories of construction equipment, cranes, trucks, diggers, fork lifts, buses etc. Not sure of retail availability in the US, but can be sourced via eBay using a search "siku 1:50".

https://www.siku.de/en/sortiment/sikusuper.html