Model Railroading > HO Scale vehicle Survey

I have a friend that was inquiring about the need of HO Vehicles in the 1960'a thru 1980's
What do peolple want?
Me personally, in no particular order
Station wagons like the Grand Marquis, Pinto wagon, Olds Vista Cruiser, 
Pacers, Vegas, imports just nothing exotic, no more Ferraris!
Let me know your wants...
 

The issue with smaller cars is that a few of the companies (GM in particular) will not approve any product (model of their vehicles) that is small enough to be a choking hazard to small children (I think less than 1.5" in length, so 1:64 or O scale would be okay but not HO or N scale)...  So you can chalk up the lack of those vehicles you want to past poor parenting and lawyers.  The sad reality of modern times.   

PS.  The reason you see the exotic cars is that they are longer, bigger, or made by companies no longer around to object to the HO models...  And there were some small models done before the ban, but I wouldn't expect any newer production unless it were generic enough a company like GM couldn't say it was a model of one of their prototype cars.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/19 15:23 by CSX602.

One work around to the choking hazard would be to mold the vehicles on a flat strip that would be attached to the deck of the model car. Of course that means the the ability to mix and match is gone, but would also be proof that the finished product had been modified by the user (by cutting the vehicle from the strip). Not sure if that's a legal fix though.

Basically, day-to-day cars and trucks rather than exotics or one-off vehicles. If you don't mind assembling kits, Sylvan Scale Models has some late 60's Plymouths and Dodges.
Oxford Diecast just did some Dodge Chargers and Dodge Daytonas (I'm from that era, and have probably seen a handful of Daytonas in my life!).
Oxford also did a 1957 Dodge Sweptside Pick-up, which was a low production model to compete with the Chevy Cameo. We would have been better served with an everyday Dodge pick-up.
I did convert one into a little flatbed that was less gaudy than the coral/white Sweptside.
But what do I know? I just sell them and don't front the money to decide what to produce!

TJY
Crescent Station
 

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> I have a friend that was inquiring about the need
> of HO Vehicles in the 1960'a thru 1980's
> What do peolple want?

Hello,

My suggestion would be to produce limited runs of a variety of makes / models of vehicles to fill open auto racks.  Era should be mid-60s to mid-70s.  The vehicles should be relatively light-weight, low cost, come in a variety of colors, and look reasnably good from an arm's length distance away.  They do not need to be detailed underneath and no not need to be able to roll (in fact, better if they don't).  The goal should be reasonable detail and accuracy, light weight, and low cost (so the load of vehicles doesn't cost more than the rack they're loaded on).

If this can be done, many thousands will sell.  I'll buy over 100 myself just to fill my open racks that are currently around running empty (except for a couple of racks with Fresh Cherry AMC and Ford/Mercury loads on them).

Take care,

Mark

MCI products.
An MC-9 and a 102A3. 
They'd be perfect for most layouts between the late 70's up to today.
 

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What is desired is more "everyday" vehicles, particularly imports, like toyota and nissan pickups. I was really happy with the Fresh Cherries line with the various AMC and Honda models. There were far too few of those Chevy C-1 pickups that came out in the short lived Reel to Real stuff found at Walmart. Would love to see a 1980's Toyota 4-runner. The photo below is a spoof I made a number of years ago.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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I know they are a little too big but I am going to use Johnny Lighting, and Hot Wheels because I already collect them and they are ones I like.  A Chrysler dealership is going to be on my mainstreet. (Mr Norm's of Virginia}
hollywood 

I'd welcome pretty much anything common from late 1980s production -- cars, pickups, SUVs. There are so few ordinary-average-guy vehicles it's pathetic.
 

Never heard about the concerns over a "choking hazard" from the automakers.  I deal with that by not letting my little grandkids play with the cars for my layout!

I agree that we could use a "common" US car from the 1960s with a price and weight that will allow them to be placed on open autoracks.  That might include a car that was offered as sedan, coupe and wagon versions.

Specific request - 1967 Ford Mustang hardtop (not a fastback)

Gary B.
Waverly, NE

Just noticed that Tomytec now has a line of 1:80th scale model kits of some older japanese cars that are very nicely detailed.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tomytec-1-80-HO-scale-model-car-Datsun-Nissan-Skyline-C211-White/254291146177

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

binder001 Wrote:
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> Never heard about the concerns over a "choking
> hazard" from the automakers.  

Any model manufacturer who does HO models of a real prototype car or truck needs to get approval (licensing) from the car company.  The only alternative is doing generic cars/trucks. The car companies, under legal council on the choking issue and with prior lawsuits having been filed, are no longer allowing the small models.  Their safest legal position is never approving such models.  That leaves the model manufacturers with the choice of doing only larger vehicles or doing the exotic cars where the car manufacturer no longer exists. 

I have spoken to a couple of model manufacturers who very strongly wanted to make such 1970s and 1980s small car models but could not get the necessary approvals to do so.  They were left with choice of doing larger scale model vehicles (how Atlas can still do the pickups) or totally generic vehicles.  There are Chinese companies doing the latter at a low price point which (on top of many/most US model railroad consumers wanting exact or very close models) I believe is keeping the US model train manufacturers from getting into that battle.

 

I think Fresh Cherries line did many of the cars on the original list; mostly 70's stuff.    Seems Oxford has the older stuff wrapped up.  80's imports would be nice. A nissan or toyota or Datsum pickup.  4 runner.  Honda civic.  Neo did some 70's 80's buick, cadillac, etc. but they are now very hard to come by. 

Oh to go back to the 2005-2009 period when the model manufacturers could make what they wanted to do...   You could walk down the aisle at WallyWorld and pick up Fresh Cherries at about $2 each and they were right beside the Athearn John Deere tractors for $2 each (they got down to 25 cents each when they had the big clearance on them).  Matchbox and Hot Wheels even made 1:87 vehicles a couple of years.

Now that they are all considered items for 14+ years of age you'll never have them mass marketed in the toy aisles of the big chain stores - so what little is made will be significantly higher in price.