Scale and subject matter

[Mike Harvey]

This made an amusing read. Who would be a vehicle  or train manufacturer.

 

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/blogs/news-1/a-question-of-scale

[AY Mod]

That piece probably explains an awful lot about some of the products. 

[Erichill16]

To confuse matters HO slot cars, like those  produced by Aurora in the 70s,80 and 90s where advertised as being 1:64 even though they were still called ‘HO scale’ slot cars.

 

Oxford Diecast Ford Anglia 1:76 and HO scale slotcar Ford Anglia!

Edited July 10, 2021 by Erichill16
Spelling

[PhilJ W]

The Triang Minic road system was supposedly 1/76 but the cars were obviously a lot larger.

[fodenway]

An interesting article from the company which produces a Citroen H van in the 1:76 range - that is actually 1:87th !

[melmerby]

50 minutes ago, fodenway said:

An interesting article from the company which produces a Citroen H van in the 1:76 range - that is actually 1:87th !

And thinks cars in India are LH drive.........

[Les Bird]

It's interesting to read about the gripes regarding specific models and how they should be this or that particular version. My pet peeve is the Mark 2 Cortina. Every model I have ever seen, regardless of scale or manufacturer has been a 2-door model. As the car was marketed by Ford as a family car, I'm convinced that the majority had 4 doors; mine has! Should any manufacturer ever consider making a 00 scale 4-door in Ford "Light Green 67", I would buy one, maybe even two.

[fodenway]

15 minutes ago, Les Bird said:

It's interesting to read about the gripes regarding specific models and how they should be this or that particular version. My pet peeve is the Mark 2 Cortina. Every model I have ever seen, regardless of scale or manufacturer has been a 2-door model. As the car was marketed by Ford as a family car, I'm convinced that the majority had 4 doors; mine has! Should any manufacturer ever consider making a 00 scale 4-door in Ford "Light Green 67", I would buy one, maybe even two.

An astute observation. Oh, for the days of diecast toys in the fifties, when most of the non-sports cars in the Dinky  and Corgi Toys ranges were four-door saloons. It seems that as 'toy' cars evolved into 'models for adult collectors', manufacturers' perception changed to 'sporty versions will sell better', even though real-life sales figures probably said differently. Personally, I was very disappointed when Oxford's American range came out in 1:87 rather than 1:76, although I fully understand the decision from a marketing point of view - aiming at the US market. Ah, America - where anything between 1:64 and 1:100 is often described as "HO" !

[johnlambert]

That's a very interesting article, I've often wondered how we've arrived at the mess of different scales for different genres of modelling.  I recall a story about how 1:35 came about for military models because some company (it might have been Tamiya) found that a 1:32 scale tank would not fit in the standard box but a slightly smaller scale would.  And it's certainly easy to despair of modellers who seem to judge value by the inch or pound, rather than levels of prototypical fidelity.

 

The comments on how new models are received certainly ring true as well (and I'm not just referring to RM Web here).

 

33 minutes ago, fodenway said:

An astute observation. Oh, for the days of diecast toys in the fifties, when most of the non-sports cars in the Dinky  and Corgi Toys ranges were four-door saloons. It seems that as 'toy' cars evolved into 'models for adult collectors', manufacturers' perception changed to 'sporty versions will sell better', even though real-life sales figures probably said differently. Personally, I was very disappointed when Oxford's American range came out in 1:87 rather than 1:76, although I fully understand the decision from a marketing point of view - aiming at the US market. Ah, America - where anything between 1:64 and 1:100 is often described as "HO" !

My main vehicle modelling scale these days is 1:24 or 1:25 and I'm developing a weird fascination with models of four-door cars, because there aren't that many.

 

I also agree on the Oxford American car range, although I don't have a 1:76 model railway I have collected a few of the 1:76 cars because they are quite lovely (in fact I have to be quite choosy otherwise I'd have rather more of them).  If the American range had been to the same scale I'd buy a few of those, but I can't bring myself to put them on the same shelf as the 00 models.  However, apart from this time, I'll generally keep my views to myself and accept that there are many more people who will happily buy the HO scale American models and Oxford primarily exists to make money rather than to satisfy the obscure requirements of a 45-year old car-nut in Warwickshire.

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, fodenway said:

An astute observation. Oh, for the days of diecast toys in the fifties, when most of the non-sports cars in the Dinky  and Corgi Toys ranges were four-door saloons. It seems that as 'toy' cars evolved into 'models for adult collectors', manufacturers' perception changed to 'sporty versions will sell better', even though real-life sales figures probably said differently. Personally, I was very disappointed when Oxford's American range came out in 1:87 rather than 1:76, although I fully understand the decision from a marketing point of view - aiming at the US market. Ah, America - where anything between 1:64 and 1:100 is often described as "HO" !

Its a well known fact that in diecast model cars Ferrari outsells Ford by a ratio of three to one.

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, Les Bird said:

It's interesting to read about the gripes regarding specific models and how they should be this or that particular version. My pet peeve is the Mark 2 Cortina. Every model I have ever seen, regardless of scale or manufacturer has been a 2-door model. As the car was marketed by Ford as a family car, I'm convinced that the majority had 4 doors; mine has! Should any manufacturer ever consider making a 00 scale 4-door in Ford "Light Green 67", I would buy one, maybe even two.

Same with the Mk. I, the Oxford rendition is of the Lotus version with the quarter bumpers on the front and a few other faults such as the rear window and the tail lights, more Ford Falcon than Cortina. The Base toys version although the four door version and with the correct rear lights suffered from QC errors such as the 'kick up' of the back end. The later versions of the Base toys ones were not too bad but could be improved by swapping over the wheels and interior of an Oxford one.

[Les Bird]

Wonder of wonders. My son has just presented me with a 2mm scale Mark 2 Cortina and it has four doors! All I need now is a 4mm one. How about it Oxford?

Edited July 28, 2021 by Les Bird
addition

[BernardTPM]

If they do the four door I hope they do a better job than they did of the two door.

Edited July 28, 2021 by BernardTPM

[PhilJ W]

 

If they do the fur door I hope they do a better job than they did of the two door.

Here's one.

[BernardTPM]

Only two doors though. And not even a Ford.

Edited July 28, 2021 by BernardTPM

[monkeysarefun]

I just wish someone made a OO scale Holden or an Australian Ford or Chrysler.

 

I"m not being too fussy....I'd take  anything  at all , any shape...... any number of doors..... Any colour...

[grahame]

My father once had a ford falcon. Front bench seat, three speed column change. I drove it across the Hay plain/desert.

 

No model of it, thou.

;-)

 

[PhilJ W]

12 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

I just wish someone made a OO scale Holden or an Australian Ford or Chrysler.

 

I"m not being too fussy....I'd take  anything  at all , any shape...... any number of doors..... Any colour...

Matchbox have a Holden 'ute' model, not sure if it is 00 scale though.

 

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Matchbox have a Holden 'ute' model, not sure if it is 00 scale though.

 

Thanks Phil, I actually do have that model, but that's  because I've got the actual ute in the driveway, but it's pretty toylike, and it's a 2010 prototype.

 

I'm after local cars of the 60s and 70s,  photos of Australia in those pre Japanese imports years show streets of home grown cars. ( And vee dubs. We apparently had lots of vee dubs  since almost  any photo will have at least one in there somewhere..)

 

I have started creating 3d versions of my own  to print but it's a slow process..

[BernardTPM]

They did an earlier 1970s Holden Ute, 60d. I've got one in my collection.

[monkeysarefun]

7 hours ago, BernardTPM said:

They did an earlier 1970s Holden Ute, 60d. I've got one in my collection.

The picture on the box looks like a Kingswood HJ through to HZ model, so post 1974.  That would suit a country layout parked outside a pub if you could get a dozen or so of them. Chuck a bullbar and a bank of spotties on it for the authentic country ute look!