What unusual autos should be done in 1/48-1/43 scale?

Well, us car nuts recognize the 1939-1940 Ford (bodies) as the same, but the 1941,

carried through WWII and 1948, is significantly different.  !939-40, like the 1932,

is one of the iconic choices of hot rodders.  A friend of mine has owned or owns all

of those cars including the 1955 and 1957 Chevrolets.  I can't use 1941's.  Chevrolet

did carry their 1940 body into 1941, changing just in time to make most of their 1942's WWII staff cars.  They, like Ford, did not change the body again until 1949.  I cut off at 1940 because running boards were dropped after that, and, IMO, the cars became bulbous.  Also a few other orphans, such as Graham and Hupmobile made

it through 1940, and LaSalle was last built in 1940.

To my purposes on the layout, 1936 through 41 are the same from the standpoint of having a few cars of that era - "pre-war".  I'm modeling 1955 as the timeframe and a few "re-war" cars are needed to get a realistic distribution of ages of cars parked on the street, etc.  My memory of that time is both fuzzy due to 58 years passing, and colored by the fact that as a kid I did not have a lot of perspective.  But I recall that my dad had only recently gotten rid of a '39 Pontiac or Dodge (can't remember) he called piddle-bomb because of how much oil it leaked, and some neighbors still had rounded-fendered cars like the '41 Ford that always smelled old and oily inside. 

On my layout, I have a '36 Ford  and this '41 Ford and a couple of the Lionel early-era track inspection vehciles (1/48 '38 Buick which I converted to 'Streets, and a '38 Packard in 1/43 as well as a postwar ZIL sedan that looks like it is from that era.   

Lee:
Prewar cars were still common in the late 1940s and early 1950s My dad and our next door neighbor both had late ‘30s Buicks with headlamp pods on each side of the hood. My dad replaced that with an early postwar Olds and finally with a new 1952 Chevrolet. Prewar commercial vehicles including Model AA Mail trucks were also common

Heck,  I was in High School from 1951 into 1954 and I recall several guys who drove Model A Fords to school.  I also recall a really nice '36 Ford that was mildly customized, had a pair of "Schmitty" mufflers on it and sounded really good.  The class president drove a 1931 Chevy coupe as his regular ride

A 1950's era layout is perfectly correct with cars that might be as much as 20 years old.  Of course, you want to mix in some cars that were brand new, to give the variety that you desire.  As to condition, sure, there were some real beater cars and old trucks that were in use, but most of the kids in HS were really proud of their cars regardless of age and they took care of them.  I wouldn't go overboard on weathering all of your older vintage cars.

Paul Fischer

That is a good point.  The oldest cars I keep on the layout are a '31 Ford that is very weatherbeaten, a '32 or '34 Ford high-boy hot rod (the Testor's kit) and a couple delivery/pickup trucks that are mid '30s, and that '41 Ford.  I have some '46-'48 stuff on Main Street, too.  

I also have a '38 Packard for Nick and Nora Charles, and a mid '30s Hispano Suiza for Phryne Fisher (of Miss Fisher's Mysteries) and Albert Campion's early 30s Lagonda, all tucked away near Detective Drive, but those three look brand new.

While I strive for some "realism" with a good mix of ages of cars, etc. my layout is clearly a fantasy world, not just because of the 50 detectives on the layout.  Of the 120 or so cars I have displayed, 30 are English, Italian, or American sports cars and another 20 rare grand touring carsyou would never see on a small-town American street such as Frazer Nashs, Cunninghams, Facel Vegas, and even a Thomas Chrysler-Ghia special. 

Here's one that will look good on any layout.

Picked this diecast beauty up at Sams Club.   Amazing the amount of accuracy and detail both inside and out that can be applied at less then $12.00 in 1/18th scale.

Makes anyone wonder why a simple plastic boxcar can cost upwards of $75.00 in O scale.

Joe

any year ford galaxie...and fairlane...and torino  and how about a decent 85-92 camaro.....i found an iroc once...but it had an 82-84 nose

OK, if only because it's been raining for days so she's stuck indoors...I'd love an affordable O scale version of my 1973 Imperial. I know there are $50+ models of other Imps, but I'm holding out for somebody like Yat Ming to make a 72-73 for $10.

NEO/American Excellence makes a '71 for about $80.

Yat Ming, except for color variations, has not made a new 1:43 model for about 6 years. They, like some others, have shifted to larger scales for the American market.

Apparently, Americans like big cars, whether real or scale models!