Vehicles?


p51

Marty, it runs on steam!
I'm now slowing starting to gather things like figures and structures for the layout I'm slowly planning, and wondering if there are good pre-1945 cars out there that either aren't expensive or Lionel looking? 1:48 seems a good scale for model kits of airplanes, but I'm having troubles finding normal cars.
My layout will be 1942 or 43 in the NE Tennessee area, so cars from the 20s and 30s would be pretty common. There won't be too many cars at all because gas rationing was in place by then. I even have scale license plates gas ration stickers already done, just need a few cars to put them on...
Any suggestions?
 
There are a ton of cars in your era available in 1:43, which is close enough for O scale. Take a look at http://www.policecarmodels.com/1431941fords.html for an example of 1941 Fords. Although they are police cars. most cars of that era had very few markings or special lighting, so it's easy to convert them to civilian vehicles. Search e-bay for 1:43 and 1:50 models and you'll get lots of hits. Some are really expensive but many can be had at reasonable prices.
 
There are a ton of cars in your era available in 1:43, which is close enough for O scale. Take a look at http://www.policecarmodels.com/1431941fords.html for an example of 1941 Fords. Although they are police cars. most cars of that era had very few markings or special lighting, so it's easy to convert them to civilian vehicles. Search e-bay for 1:43 and 1:50 models and you'll get lots of hits. Some are really expensive but many can be had at reasonable prices.
THANKS for that link, going to get one of those Tennessee state patrol ones!
 
I did some research and found that the paint job on that TN state car isn't correct at all, it's a totally different set of colors from a real one.
Instead, I found some 1/43 scale diecast cars from an antique store and I then modified a 1/50 scale French firetruck into a early-war 2 1/2 ton GMC GCCW truck, I like how each turned out. the license plates on the civilian cars have the correct county codes for where the layout will take place...
CivilianRides_zpsfa9c44a8.jpg

GMCscale_zpsd1d89cb1.jpg

I also have some WW2 Jeeps in 1/48 scale. All the vehicles will be placed on the layout in their scales as to suggest a small degree of forced perspective.
 
Sorry, I hit post twice...
 
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If you have Dollar General stores in your area they are usually a good place to find inexpencive 1:43 scale cars (in some parts of the world 1:43 is O scale).
 
FYI:
O scale orginates from Marklin 0 (zero) gauge which is 7mm = 1Ft scale or 1:43.5. the British convete it to 1/4" = 1 Ft.
later, I think it was in the 20's, Marklin introduced a gauge half the size of 0 - it was Half Zero or HO. In Europe, Scale Zero is the current trend, a version of o gauge with only 2 rails not 3.
 



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