1/87 scale....

http://www.1-87vehicles.org/index.php

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Nice. It amazes me how people have patience to do those things.

 

Funny you posted this today. I had bought some 1/87 scale '70s Ford cars for my collection, and received them in the mail today. Here are some pics. The blue Granada is very hard to find.

 

Those 1/87 scale Fords are by Fresh Cherries.

Truckstop Models has the 70 Ford Maverick and the 40 Ford pickup in that series.
https://truckstopmodels.com/oscom/i...id=35&osCsid=b9f63d618830209c23506c0ac0c02af1

Model Train Stuff (MB Klein Hobby Shop in Maryland) has the Maverick in red, and the Pinto wagon in red and yellow.
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/HO-Scale-Vehicles-s/1455.htm?searching=Y&sort=3&cat=1455&show=30&page=1&search=%20fresh%20cherries

I have seen the Granada, but not recently.

One of my wintertime projects is rebuilding my own HO scale (1/87 scale) model train layout which has alot of 1/87 scale vehicles on it. Last year I dismantled it and removed it from an attic storage room. Its being rebuilt and expanded in two bedrooms with part of it above a guest bed in one room and part of it over a desk in the other room. I have yet to put holes in the wall so the trans can be made to run.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.106283532752039.3535.100001111775214&type=1&l=cb17b82e21

 

Awesome layout! ^^^

I remember when the Fresh Cherries were at WalMart, and when they went on clearance too. Wishing I had bought them all up then. The Modeltrainstuff link shows all of their Fresh Cherries are "out of stock". But, I think I might order me a couple of Mavericks from TruckStopModels. Thanks for the links.

 

That's epic cool, Jim!


I can picture the guest room finished.......




Guest all snuggled in bed just about to fall into a deep sleep, Jim peeking through the tunnel in the wall waiting for that moment and........ "DING< DING< DING, chuga, chuga, chuga.....(insert train horn now).... Guest flys up out of bed, smacks head, dazed and confused regains eye site to see Jim and..............




Guest packs his bag and runs..........

 

Tedy that layout is scary similar to the one #2 son and I built in the basement of our old Illinois house on a 4'X 8' sheet of plywood. Of course everyone has a mountain to drive thru. Don't remember what scale it is.

Think "N"? Cars and engines around 4" long. Track maybe 1" wide? Been long long time. Still have a bunch of train stuff, tracks, etc. When we moved we left the main set up there. I messed with it more than son did. even had a fibreglass lake with fish.

Also have my uncle's Lionel set up with some small switch engines. He was a switchman for the local RR so this was a big thing for him and his friends. I set it up in grandma's basement when I lived there. She sort of got mad when I cut holes in some nice cabinets on the walls to run the track thru!
Durn, am I gonna have to go out in the shed and get that train crap and put it in the spare bedroom?

 

The answer is an unqualified yes! You're gonna get bitten by the bug, if you haven't already.

Those Pintos disappeared before I could abscond with any. All I found was a red one, and a red Econoline van. I'll see about pics. Anyway, I need bunches of the little buggers for a couple HO autorack cars for loads, and finding any from the late '60s/early '70s in any big numbers without costing $20 apiece is damned frustrating. Hell, I can't find multiple cars or light trucks of any brand in HO.

 

The quality of 1/87 scale vehicles has vastly improved over the last several years. But, most are rather expensive. If Neo ever produces the 76 Chrysler Town and Country woody wagon in 1/87 scale as previously announced, it will be priced in around $35. It will look incredible, but that's a lot to drop on a 2" long replica. The other problem, is that many of the vehicles that become available, only last on the market for a short time, before the manufacturer discontinues it. For example, 3 or 4 years ago, Atlas made late 70's Ford Fairmont sedans and wagons in several original factory colors. But they were discontinued after about 2 years. They would have looked great along with Herpa's late 70's Mustangs )also discontinued) and Fresh Cherries Pintos and Bobcats (also discontinued).

As for light trucks, Brekina makes beautifully detailed 1964-70 Dodge A-100 vans and pickups. Trident makes 80's Chevy trucks and vans that have styling that dates back to 73. Several years ago, Roco (Minitanks) made long bed mid 70's Dodge pickups, which would look good shipping by train along with the Fresh Cherries mid 70's Dodge vans.

For those unfamiliar with HO scale, 1/87 scale, most of the cars measure about 2" long, or roughly only about 2/3 of the size of a typical Hot Wheels car. The scale is not popular among collectors in the US, GM is usually reluctant to license replicas that are small enough for a child to swallow and choke on (those there are notable exceptions), and thus, its difficult to find nice replicas of American cars in 1/87 scale.

Meanwhile, for your viewing pleasure, heres a picture from a photo shoot for a 71 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible (by Ricko), with a couple of swimsuit models. The Cuda is only 2"long but notice the detail on the steering wheel, instrument cluster and console. This is a scene on my HO scale layout. Brekina's 1/87 scale 1959 El Camino is one of my favorite 1/87 scale vehicles. This second photoshows one of these El Caminos in a driveway on my layout along with a 56 Corvette by Busch. The Buick Riviera in the foreground in the third picture is by Neo and features photo etched details. Each different color of Neo's releases features a different license plate that is clearly legible with a magnifying glass. And, just to keep this post "station wagon" oriented, the last picture shows a 53 Ford Country Sedan just down the street from the house with the El Camino and Vette. The Country Sedan is made by Classic Metalworks, and they make a 53 Country Squire and 53 Courier sedan delivery as well in 1/87 scale.

 

Amazing, just amazing!

 

Yeah, I've been through the 2013 and 2014 Walthers catalogs to see if I could find anything to fit the bill, and my head has swum from the effing prices. Those Breckina A100s and Elcos are quite nice along with some of the Volkswagen Transporters, but $20 apiece is way too far out of my dry wallet (I'm waiting to find out if SSA will grant me my disability application). I have a few of the Monogram cars they brought out in the early '90s, such as the '68 Mustang and the late '80s Thunderbird, but I have not seen any at any of the recent swap meets.

 

Model Power made the least expensive yet pretty nice 1/87 diecast cars. They had a 68 El Camino, 63 Thunderbird, 69 Olds 4-4-2, 69 Camaro convertible, 70 Hemi Cuda, 55 Chevy, 56 Lincoln, 55 Ford pickup, and several others. Unfortunantly, Model Power announced last week that they have closed down the business. Usually they could be found for 3 or 4 bucks each. You may find hobby shops and vendors on line that may still have some in stock.

 

The ones I've seen left over at the local shop I go to only has modern cars in stock. There's a couple others I have been to that don't carry the model Power line and the last 3 local swap meets, the auto model sellers didn't have any that I could see. Although last year, I scored 3 1970s Cox 40' trailers decorated for Cox models. That was pretty sweet, and they're now mounted on two Great Northern TOFC flatcars (they're perfect for holding extra weight).

 

Truckstopmodels.com is an on line vendor specializing in 1/87 scale vehicles. It looks like they still have the 1/87 scale Ford Fairmont wagon in stock, though it was discontinued long ago.
https://truckstopmodels.com/oscom/p.../5053/osCsid/40ddaf28b1afdfbe8b14b6bcda177831

 

Very cool if they're still in stock, but unfortunately, about ten years too new. I need ones up to 1970, and though I am a Ford man, I may have to go with the 'Cudas for at least one of my Autorack cars. I do have a '67 Galaxie from Athearn that I could remove the bubble gum machine and the door decals, but getting more is just too expensive for me right now.