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To stimulate discussion, post photos and exchange ideas, and (being an open public forum) help encourage others to try S scale modelling.

S scale - sources of road vehicles and figures


deeslexia
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How on earth do you guys source pre 1950 cars and people at 1/64 !!??

it seems that I shall have to try and make some generic card cars  which is gonna be fun-not !!

I have seen unpainted 1/75 people which I guess will work ok.

I love the Corgi trams when 'corrected' to match photos of the prototype and actually prefer S scale, but the problems seem to b just starting !!!

dee 

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Hi Dee,

 

There are actually quite a lot of 1:64th scale road vehicles, people and animals around, if you know where to look. Seeking suitable 1:64th scale scenic items can be half the fun or 'challenge' of modelling in S scale!

 

To start off:

 

1. The Lledo 'Days Gone' series of die-cast road vehicles were all to 1:64 scale (and can still be picked up for a few pounds), while the first 12 or so items in that range also came with a plastic sprue of useful 1:64 Edwardian or 1930s-50s-era figures. (These figures can also be found as 'loose' items on eBay.) The Lledo horse-drawn vehicles in that range also provides a source of useful 1:64 scale horses, of course.

 

2. The Lledo 'Vanguard' series included several makes of lorries, each with a variety of box, low-side or tanker bodies, all to 1:64 scale of course. (But the 'Vanguard' cars were all to 1:43 scale.) An upgrade and repaint can produce super-looking and authentic 1950s/60s era commercial road vehicles. Lledo also manufactured an unknown number of 'specials' or promotional items for commercial companies or tourist destinations, depicting various types and eras of lorries and light trucks, which are well-worth looking out for and can often be found very cheaply (for a pound or two). 

 

3. Lesney 'Models of Yesteryear', Dinky Toys, Corgi and several other old makes of toy die-cast cars, lorries, buses and traction engines are a useful source well worth seeking out. Ordinary run-of-the-mill cars and light vans are harder to find, I agree, but some do exist, mostly from the 1920s/30s era, such as the Ertl series of die-cast Ford Model T vehcles.   

 

4. Last but not least, you will find some modern 1:64 scale cars and VW buses etc. on sale at your local Tesco and Sainsbury's (and other) supermarkets in the toy section, either singly (£1 each) or in packs of 6 or 8 (for less than a tenner) under their own supermarket brand label, or sold as "Jonny Lightening" or "Hot Wheels". Some of the hot-rod cars are pure fantasy, but others are usable. These are fairly basic die-castings and may require upgrading with truer-to-scale wheels fitted or otherwise improved, but they are dirt-cheap and worth considering if these suit your modelling era.

 

5. Oh, and there are also lots of other 1:64 scale die-cast road vehicles out there originating from Hong Kong/China and Australia. And don't forget the dozens of 1:64 scale white-metal automobile, bus and truck kits from the USA and New Zealand which are often suitable or adaptable to the British scene. Then there are various farm vehicles, diggers and excavators and plant die-cast in 1:64 scale too. I'm not too familar with these, so perhaps someone else with more knowledge can comment? 

 

Anyway, that should give you a hint of what's out there, should you choose to look. Try eBay, local swapmeets, or adverts in various model or 'die-cast' magazines (you want the cheap un-boxed items, even battered ones which you can upgrade and repaint). Good luck! 

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Thanks-excellent resource- I have sketched out a Morris Minor elevation to 1/64 which is in my wallet to check against models I com acros.

Unfortinately my LLedo taxis seem to be around 1;50 plus, as are the wonderful Corgi 1955 Morris minors with the integral interior

I have several of the Corgi lorries which I bought out of nostalgia for my Dinky Toy versions before 1/64 came onto the scene.

dee

post-19753-0-30477700-1426194955.jpg

Edited by deeslexia
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I have dug out 4x Renault 750 @ 1/64 which will paint down in black creating the odd sight of late 1940s French baby cars against Trams , but heck , this is fantasy island after all !

The Matchbox model A will be fine too and I can add some old Corgi Mini removable wheels which seems to be fine when the centres painted black.

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  • 1 month later...
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It might be worth talking to Alan Buttler of "Modelu". Some of his work has already appeared on RMWeb.

 

He is scanning real people and printing them off in 3D. He has already printed the same figures off in 2, 4 and 7mm and changing scale seems to be a fairly straightforward exercise for him.

 

He may well be willing to print some up for S Scale if asked.

 

They are some of the best (no- make that the best!) figures I have seen for use on model railways. I am a bit biased as I posed for one if his early test prints but they are well worth an investigation.

 

Tony

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Just to add that Alan Buttler was at the Gauge O Guild do at Telford this weekend and I noticed that he is listing his figures for S Scale, so he was one step ahead of us!

 

He now has his first figures available for sale.

 

They really are well worth a look.

 

Tony

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The Matchbox 12C Series II long wheelbase Land Rover is almost spot on for S scale.

I was most of the way through shortening one and backdating it to Series I when I changed scales.

 

 

Ken

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Also try an eBay search for 'Tomica 1/64'. Mostly Japanese prototypes, these are wonderful models, out of your era I know but even so.

They make a rather nice early Hillman Minx too (1955?) and of course being Japanese models, are already RHD.

Not too cheap, but not breaking the bank either. Perhaps £10-ish.

 

Good luck!

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  • 2 months later...

That's the series IIic Minx 1961-3 (though almost the same appearance as the s.IIIa or b, 1959-61). By coincidence Matchbox did a 1:64 series I Minx (1956-7), no.43, in the late 1950s, though not as detailed. Many years ago I detailed one up for Jas Milham's 'Yaxbury', including filing out the rear window to the correct shape.

Matchbox also did the earlier version in pick-up form in 1:64, no.50.

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  • 6 months later...

I was going to start one project in S scale, but two things stopped me. It was for a French metre gauge , so 16.5mm gauge was close enough, but I could not fit motor in the loco I wanted, so opted to go slightly bigger , up to 1/55 scale. I was also struggling for accessories in S such as figures and vehicles.

I am not so sure about the early Lledo ones as the slightly later French vans actually measured out at nearer to 1/55 , This is not as odd as it might seem, given that Siku have a big range in that scale and there are a lot of diecast cars in 1/54 scale. The final thing that persuaded me was the closeness of wargaming 28mm stuff, and there is a lot, and getting more. 25mm is getting a bit left behind , which is a shame for you S scalers. It might be worth while talking to some wargaming companies, as there might be projects which can be shared.

1/64 did used to be a popular scale for diecast vehicles, especially American. I would be wary though, as like with 1/32 manufacturers don't understand scale, and use the scale term as a marketing thing. I am not sure why companies such as Siku opted for slightly bigger scale, but maybe that tempted others in, so they could be used with the Siku models. Some manufacturers will put the scale on base of model. Not sure why, maybe it was something one did so others followed. Matchbox were often in a mixture of scales, so it was a good wy to boast that theire model was a scale model not just a toy.

The future should be bright for anyone modelling less common scales. I have been working on a variety of 3D printed models. I include S in my range, already for some and intended for others when I have the time or someone asks. I am also looking at road vehicles. My only one so far(pun not intended) is the French licensed version of the Scammell Scarab mechanical horse, the FAR. Only done the cab body so far, but intend to complete it. Done in various scales(not sure about 1/64 without actually checking).As I have a family connection and interest in Scammell, I intend to do the British versions. The post war models were different, but the only visible difference on pre war models was the cab roof. The big advantage of 3D printing is that I can do models in virtually ANY scale. I doubt if I will do any cars, as they often have complex curves.

 

I am open to suggestions, especially if drawings can be supplied, but I am a bit busy working on another range at the moment. Talking of which, this could be offered in 1/64 scale, just. It is a modular building system for houses and shop fronts. It can get a bit pricey for bigger scales but both 1/55 and 1/64 are within range I think.

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On checking,  found I had not updated my website fully, and so I had a look at my first 3D printed lorry body, the French FAR CM62 , and did a couple of mods as well as doing a 1/64 scale version. Just a cab body for a start, to give an idea. Chassis to follow, then I want to tackle the Scammell versions.

Edited by rue_d_etropal
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  • 1 year later...
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Found this beauty in Singapore airport yesterday, a 1970 Ford Escort which measures up pretty well in 1:64. Might even be exact.

I'm going to leave this car as is, although I may tone down the silly chromed interior.

 

RHD is a bonus.

post-10566-0-87606800-1532559584_thumb.jpeg

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