Bachmann vehicle sets

[sizemore]

As a car nut the 1st thing that hits me is that the wheels are tucked way too far inside the fenders. Although this was a characteristic of the cars from this era it is too exagerated to my eye.



I'm guessing most folks don't notice it.

Mark

The Grizwalds were here.  ;D

The S.

[TiVoPrince]

Corvette
appears to be a Corvette/Opel GT hybrid.  Unfortunately my layout plans don't provide a any location distant enough to hide that 'Corvette' properly...

[cfritschle]

Some of the Bachmann cars and trucks are usable if you strip of the paint, and add better wheels etc. Some are lost causes.

Carter has done some really nice work with the old Bachmann cars - you can see them here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NScaleVehicleAssociation but I think you have to join to be able to view the pix.

The cars in the auto racks are much different than the ones sold in sets (much lower quality, no glass)

Salvagable is in the eye of the beholder.

Mark

Mark,

Thank you very much for the compliment.  I had also uploaded some photos of the upgraded Bachmann vehicles to Railimages for a thread that ran on Trainboard awhile back.

Here are repainted versions of the four cars from Automobile Set 1 with their new chassis.  (And while composing this, I see that Bryan has posted some photos of the conversions as well.)

The Cougars


  
The Chevy IIs



The Eldorados



The Corvettes



Since these photos were taken, I replaced the chassis on the blue Cougar with one from the really cheap Chinese architectural models which cost me less then $0.18 each when I ordered 50.  Here is the before and after comparison.



I don’t have much for photos from Automobile Set 2, but here is one of the Bachmann VW T1 Samba between the Rietze T1 and the Wiking T2.



And the only photo I have posted of the Mercury Marauder is a group shot that includes an unfinished Scenicruiser, a wrecker converted to a grain truck, the GMC stakebed converted to a pickup, the Marauder, and finally the VW t1 Samba.



And, to answer Bryan’s original question, these sets were discontinued in the mid 1990s, although they were still fairly common until just a few years ago.

Also, while I tend to agree with Andy that the model vehicles placed on a layout are just scenery, they can also be the most identifiable scenery items in terms of setting the era you are modeling.

Carter

[cfritschle]

I found some more photos that show the before and after of the Corvette conversion.







It is still on the crude side, but it beats what came out of the package.

Carter

[MichaelWinicki]

Also, while I tend to agree with Andy that the model vehicles placed on a layout are just scenery, they can also be the most identifiable scenery items in terms of setting the era you are modeling.

Carter

Brilliant reply Carter.

You bring a "civilian" in to see your layout and other than a establishing an era with say a steam locomotive, many folks would have a difficult time telling if your layout was dated 1960, 1980 or 2000.

But put some accurate vehicles out there as part of the scene and BAM the light goes off and they can figure out for themselves what era you're modeling.  And to me that a sign of victory as a modeler if someone can see your pike for the first time, guess what time period you're trying to emulate, what part of the country you're trying to represent and what season it is.

Engines, freight cars, buildings... Are pretty ambiguous to most people, but put some vehicles out there and you stand a better chance of the light-bulb going on as opposed to having to tell them.  If you have to tell them the era– Well to me that's like a magician having to tell you how a magic trick is performed.  

[Dave Schneider]

Carter,

Thanks for sharing those photos here. Really nice! That black Eldorado is one of the nicest N scale cars I have seen. I have a small collection of Bachman cars that need new wheels. Could you pass on some of your secrets for the sources of new wheels?

As for early 1970s light trucks, I know I have some white metal or pewter Chevys somewhere, but I can't remember the manufacturer (something like CnC or maybe not ). Could you jog my memory and do you know if they are still available?

Best wishes, Dave

[sirenwerks]

I'd love to know the source of your Chinese architectural models as well. Those wheels do the job nicely.

I'd also love to see a better shot of that GMC-stake-bed-turned-pick-up, if you could. Does it actually reform into a scale-accurate and specific GMC model, or close enough for government work?

And the bus doesn't fair as bad as I thought it would. Did you ever finish that model?

[wm3798]

http://cgi.ebay.com/50-x-N-Scale-Vehicles-european-Style-Free-Shipping_W0QQitemZ130361107963QQcmdZViewItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item1e5a20a5fb

There's usually a thousand listings a day like this.  They ship directly from China, so it takes a few weeks to get them.
John got some to use as-is to fill parking lots on his layout.  They look pretty okay...  Definitely good parts fodder.  I might have to snag a handful myself for my auto rack project.

Lee

[Dave Schneider]

I found the info on the 1970s trucks.
These are C in C models (http://www.pfc-cinc.com/page/page/295095.htm) and they have models based on:

1974 Chevy C-60
1978 Chevy C-65

They also have a nice 1966 Ford Galaxie along with a selection of the usual and unneeded sportscars.

They also have an endless product list of small scale military vehicles. It is depressing to see so many fine models of things I don't need. I guess guys love tanks and such more than trains.

Best wishes, Dave
 

[cfritschle]

Also, while I tend to agree with Andy that the model vehicles placed on a layout are just scenery, they can also be the most identifiable scenery items in terms of setting the era you are modeling.

Carter

Brilliant reply Carter.

You bring a "civilian" in to see your layout and other than a establishing an era with say a steam locomotive, many folks would have a difficult time telling if your layout was dated 1960, 1980 or 2000.

But put some accurate vehicles out there as part of the scene and BAM the light goes off and they can figure out for themselves what era you're modeling.  And to me that a sign of victory as a modeler if someone can see your pike for the first time, guess what time period you're trying to emulate, what part of the country you're trying to represent and what season it is.

Engines, freight cars, buildings... Are pretty ambiguous to most people, but put some vehicles out there and you stand a better chance of the light-bulb going on as opposed to having to tell them.  If you have to tell them the era– Well to me that's like a magician having to tell you how a magic trick is performed.  

Michael,

Thank you, but I can not take credit for that statement because many others have voiced it as well.

And to further demonstrate the effect of having recognizable vehicles on the layout, each year my wife, who is an elementary school teacher, invites her class to visit our home for a day.  I take the day off work, and operate the layout for the children, usually in a group of three or four at a time accompanied by a parent.  

Well, most of the children are too young to recognize the various makes of automobiles and trucks, but a few years back, the mother chaperoning one group started pointing out the various makes of automobiles to the children.  I was totally amazed by it!  I am sure this woman did not know the difference between an F-7 and a SD70M, but she sure could identify the 1:160 scale automobiles.

Oh, and as a side note to the home visits, we occasionally have an aspiring model railroader in one of the groups.  

Thanks for sharing those photos here. Really nice! That black Eldorado is one of the nicest N scale cars I have seen. I have a small collection of Bachman cars that need new wheels. Could you pass on some of your secrets for the sources of new wheels?

I found the info on the 1970s trucks.
These are C in C models (http://www.pfc-cinc.com/page/page/295095.htm) and they have models based on:

1974 Chevy C-60
1978 Chevy C-65

They also have a nice 1966 Ford Galaxie along with a selection of the usual and unneeded sportscars.

They also have an endless product list of small scale military vehicles. It is depressing to see so many fine models of things I don't need. I guess guys love tanks and such more than trains.

Best wishes, Dave
 

Dave,

Thank you, the chassis and wheels for the Eldorados came from Tomix Toyotas that were way oversized, even larger than 1:150.  I will probably attempt more conversions using the Chinese architectural models.  All I do is compare the chassis to the body and start removing what I don’t need.  It is all trial and error.  Sometimes I wind up “quartering” the chassis to shorten and narrow it.  I don’t think I have ever had to make one longer or wider.  

And, the C in C Chevy trucks represent 1973 through about 1990 models.  I have seen trucks with that cab style advertised as 1990 models, but I think prototype production may have ended in 1989.

I'd love to know the source of your Chinese architectural models as well. Those wheels do the job nicely.

I'd also love to see a better shot of that GMC-stake-bed-turned-pick-up, if you could. Does it actually reform into a scale-accurate and specific GMC model, or close enough for government work?

And the bus doesn't fair as bad as I thought it would. Did you ever finish that model?

Bryan,

I will try to get some better photos of the GMC pickup.  The cab is the correct size for a 1955-56 GMC light duty truck, but the grille work is more accurate for a medium duty GMC truck.  The pickup bed came from a Tomix Elf, but it is somewhat similar to an early 1960s GMC pickup bed.  Jake Schultz had an article on the kitbash in the September/October 1991 issue of N-Scale magazine.  And, the bus is still unfinished.  I am debating on “restoring” it to its 1950s look, or to the bus that originally inspired the project in the late 1980s.  It had been converted into a motor home and was stored in a shed not too far from my home.

And Lee, I haven’t started the project yet, but the chassis from the Chinese van looks like it will make a good replacement chassis for the Boyd/autorack 1968 full-size Fords.

I don’t like to waste anything if I can help it, but sometimes a project may be years in the process.  

Carter

[Freighttrain]

Corvette
appears to be a Corvette/Opel GT hybrid.  Unfortunately my layout plans don't provide a any location distant enough to hide that 'Corvette' properly...

You ain't got a scrap yard or a mechanics garage?Normally where you find that manufacture anyway........ ;D

[TiVoPrince]

Corvette
appears to be a Corvette/Opel GT hybrid.  Unfortunately my layout plans don't provide a any location distant enough to hide that 'Corvette' properly...

You ain't got a scrap yard or a mechanics garage?Normally where you find that manufacture anyway........ ;D

Not
my experience.  Opel GT didn't have much of a chance against a 'land yacht' Buick, wrecked while parked at only 7 months ownership.  Hardly had a chance to do much with it other than adding a proper 8-track and fixing a balky clutch that was more the doing of 'mystery repair' by a previous owner than a manufacturer issue. 

Other than oil changes and a warranty covered failed battery my Saturn Vue (rebadged Opel Antera) has been a joy.  Then again if I had owned a 1970's Kadett it could have been a far different experience...

[cfritschle]

I'd also love to see a better shot of that GMC-stake-bed-turned-pick-up, if you could. Does it actually reform into a scale-accurate and specific GMC model, or close enough for government work?

Bryan,

I looks like it may be awhile before I can get some additional photos of the pickup, so here is one that I already had after zooming in and cropping.



I can not finding any documentation that GMC offered an 8-foot styleside bed for the 1955-56 models, so this pickup has to represent one that had a "new" bed installed after 1960.  This works for me since older pickups retrofitted with replacement beds from the wrecking yard were a common site in Idaho in the late 1960s and 1970s. 

Carter

[DKS]

Carter, you've done an absolutely brilliant job of alchemy, turning lead into gold.

[SirTainly]

Amazing work, proof that you can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear!