Wow, Driline, it looks like you stole all of the Matchbox cars I played with as a kid! No, wait a minute, I still have mine. A lot of them are not quite so pristine as yours, though. [:D] I can identify about 70% of those - it’s a little spooky actually. My version of the Italian sports car bottom shelf center front has somehow found its way into my 3-year-old son’s Hotwheels pile.
There was an older line of probably stamped-metal cars made by Tootsie Toy, of which I still have a few. I’ve kept them in my junk box because a number of them look very close to HO scale and could be made quite presentable with a little TLC.
The area that I model is not so populated with people that I need gazillions of vehicles. On one small townsite–3 cars and one grain truck. On a country road-----nada.
One word. EBAY. My cars that I played with as a kid in the late 60’s, early 70’s were trashed by the time I was done playing with them in the dirt under the mulberry tree.[:)]
I collected all 75 of them from the year 1968 as well as others.
Now, wait - Driline, I have seen two cars I have long been missing … YOU GOT ´EM! [:D]
It´s the ambulance right in the mioddle of the picture and the green little Austin in the lower right of it. Must have been more than 45 years since I got them…
I dont think matchbox or hotwheels have a scale. Its what ever can fit into the box. the smaller cars are definately not 1:87 but some of the large vehicles are very close for example ambulances, trash trucks, tractor trailors and some vans look in the photos below Can you tell which ones are 1:87 and matchbox.
In this entire discussion, not a single scale dimension has been mentioned. Since “scale” is determined by dimensions, not impressions, I guess this discussion will go on forever, around and around in circles, until someone whips out the 1/87 scale ruler, and looks up the actual dimensions of the real cars and trucks chosen by Matchbox.
You better know what the exact prototype dimensions are/were for the vehicles then. Some people don’t quite know those either-----get a list made up of what you have/are using and check up on the prototypes----
I just did that with two vehicles a porchse cayman 14’ and lincoln navigator 18’. You can get lengths from specification section on new car sites. I actually have three porsche caymen: one by model power 1;87 , one by hotwheels “1:87” and regular hot wheels cayman they are different sizes I need to compare the sizes with a herpa or brawa model. My Theory is that I think that some 1:87 vehicles are not exactly 1:87. We will see what scale the Hot wheels lincoln navigator is?
You’re missing the point here. YOu’re muddying the waters bringing in matchbox’s true 1:87 special collector cars that cost $5 bucks. This discussion was about the Wally World blister pack 99 cent 1/64 scale or whatever it is matchbox cars. AND this discussion was not ONLY about scale but how “toylike” the matchbox cars are compared with true HO scale quality models like wiking, herpa, etc.
Yes I can for the most part. Your photo is somewhat difficult to see because of the angle, but I would say that that the following vehicles look out of place and need to be thrown off your layout preferrably on a hard cement floor.
White garbage truck
Black Lincoln Nav behind it.
The ambulance
Gold ford focus behind the ambulance
The only vehicle I think looks like its correct in scale is the “Boley” Red Box truck. I’ve purchased some of the 1/87 scale matchbox 5 dollar special collectors edition vehicles and must say they look OK. But again as I stated in my previous post, I think the OP was talking about your standard mill Wally World Matchbox specials in a 99 cent blister pack.
Again, I would rather have 2 $15 dollar great looking (fill in the name…Herpa, Wiking etc.) HO scale cars than 50 toylike oversized matchbox cars anyday. My choice. Obviously your layout, you do what you want, but I personally would be embarrased to showcase such an abomination.
Wow some people take offense to matchbox cars like graffiti on box cars. My point here was that some people just take the manufacturers word on what 1:87 and probably never checked it and that goes for buidlings and autos. I mentioned that I had three versions of the same car two of them 1:87 and one from a wally world 99cent bister pack and they are all different sizes. No supprise for the wally world car but a total suprise for the two 1:87 cars Im not embarassed about matchbox cars on my layout. id be more embarrased with empty streets.
I may have been a little “rash” about dropping your cars to the pavement, but I was trying to make a point. I think there are two or more different camps out there when it comes to scenery. Those who try to portray “realistic” modeling and those who are into a more fun, or toylike atmosphere. Nothing wrong with either one. Just different ways to display or capture what we are trying to convey. My uncle has a huge Lionel train set set up in his basement. It is a replica of what a young boy might have seen when he was young under the Christmas tree. Bright colors, lots of moving scenery with Lionels motorized “toys” and plenty of operation. I think it looks great and is fun to play with, but its not what I want. I want more of a Pel Soeberg type of layout that is truly prototypical modeling in every way. Ultra realistic. In other words when you take a picture of the layout its hard to tell whether its real or not. My talents are far from that, but thats what I strive for.
Looking at your layout pic, I would have to say that you fall somewhere in the middle there. I really like your skyscraper buildings, but much of the rest of the layout looks more “toylike” especially with the oversize matchbox cars. Again, nothing wrong with that…its what you want…not something that I would want.
You missed the Hot Wheels ice cream truck by the bus shelter and the hatchback behind the pop truck! [:)]
But this scene is an excellent example of what I was talking about. The overall effect is fantastic. Individual elements may not be 100% perfect, but I hav
I agree. For him and others like you who like this “toy like” style of scenery. But not for me. The “Franklin and Manchester” it aint. The day George Sellios uses Wally World matchbox cars on his layout is the day I become Pope. I belong to a train club and their layout is prototypical down to the last blade of grass. We’re talking MUSEUM Quality here. Do you get my drift? Take a photo and you would swear it was real. Not this scene.
That vehicle is hidden behind the bus stop. I’m surprised you found it. If you were there in person it would look bad…trust me.
Sorry, you can paint that pig any color you want, but its still a pig.[:)]
Just to show you I’m not a pig myself…Heres my Uncles Lionel TOY Trainset and it is fantastic!
Just cell phone pics. I’ll take some decent ones next week. A few years ago Model Railroader was going to run a picture spread and article on their layout. It didn’t happen for a variety of reasons, but if their layout was good enough for MR…
I collect cartoony, fantasy toy cars as well as fine scale, dead-accurate replicas. The former are on glass shelves in cabinets, the latter are on my HO scale (I said scale) layout. Never the twain shall meet.
I do group the fantasy cars, no matter the level of realism, by scale. Sometimes it is difficult to tell if a toy car belongs with, say, 1/43 or 1/48 cars, but there usually is a “feel” to the car which is the tipoff.
Toy cars are often caricatures of actual cars, in the era in which they are made, and can convey the feel or atmosphere of the era better than a dead-accurate replica reduced to scale. A toy car from the 1930’s may capture certain aspects of design from that era better than a scaled down replica.
Hot Wheels, MB Fast Wheels, and the other toys from the 1970’s through today tend to be loudly finished, with overabundant shine, exaggerated tires and wheels, and other design feature that the real cars would have had if those features were practical.
As shown by the two guys enjoying their trains in a preceding post, you can enjoy non-scale toy trains just as well as scale-model toy trains (er, I mean Model Railroads). Same goes for the vehicles you choose to populate your layout.
