have a scale problem

[meadows3282]

i noticed the other day that ho scale semi trucks are about the same size as my cars. this problem is also in the hotwheel trucks to so i was wondering if anyone thinks that using hotwheel trucks with ho cars would work meanings that the hotwheels semi trucks are bigger than the ho cars but about the same size of a truck compared to a train in real life

 

[UP2CSX]

Hotwheels vehicles are not made (in general) to any particular scale. Some are close to HO and some are way too big or too small. As long as they look about right, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[meadows3282]

thanks for that most people frown at the fact of using them but i weather them a bit and they look good to me so i will continue to use them

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

While the automobiles on my layout are Malibu Classics, Fresh Cherries and Hot Wheels 1/87 scale fare most of the trucks are not. Except for a very few they are mostly Matchbox offerings and are the same size as the 1/87 scale trucks.

 

[NH Mike]

No doubt that side by side the difference in size is noticeable. You can turn this lemon into lemonade the same way you use smaller trees and smaller buildings at higher elevations and to the rear of the layout to give a forced prospective of distance. Place the larger scaled vehicles in the foreground next to the edges and the somewhat smaller scaled ones further away from the eye. You can get away with it on a narrower area by keeping the mismatched sizes away from each other if possible. Overscale vehicles with bright shiney colors attract the eye and some weathering or even dulling can help here too.

 

[tomstockton]

Years ago, I saw a HO scale layout at a train show, where a guy had taken a Hot Wheels truck, pulled the wheels off and substituted Herpa (or similar) wheels, stripped the paint, added details and re-painted -- and it looked pretty darned good! Wish I'd taken a picture... but I probably didn't take my camera that day (dang it!).

Don't recall specific details, but it was a "medium-sized" truck -- a garbage truck or a dump truck or a highway snowplow or somesuch... But the idea of taking a "toy" truck and by replacing "toy" features and adding details to make it more like a scale model stuck in my mind.

Maybe this idea will help someone see the potential in a "toy"!

Regards,
Tom Stockton

 

[catt]

Sometimes just a wheel and tire change ,with a little detail painting is all you need

Then there are times you only use part of it.

Top one is a Matchbox Ford utility truck that has been done in about a zillion schemes so far.

Lower one is a Hot Wheels collectable 56 Ford cab over on a Athearn Model C chassis.

The Ute is deadnuts on for 1:87 the 56 cabover is actually a bit large but passes the 3'rule.

 

[UP2CSX]

Good looking conversions, Johnathan. The Matchbox white garbage truck can be made to look pretty good with some additonal details and changing the wheels. This is how mine turned out. You can see it's a little under scale compared to the milk truck at the house but it's close enough for what I need.