Classic Metal Works 1974-76 Buick Estate Wagon in N Scale?

[thomasjmdavis]

Nevermind....a bit of research came up with the following really confusing listing (Walthers link calls it a 54 Ford, but in the listing, it says 57 Chevy).  So....does this mean that they are making an N scale version of a 57 Chevy truck?  Or is the 1957 being assumed because their HO garbage truck is a 57 Chevy, and they are just dropping the box on the back of one of their 54 Fords or IHs.
https://www.walthers.com/54-ford-garbage-truck-har Which although it says Chevy in the title, looks like a Ford in the art.

Here is the HO version (which is a 57 Chevy) for comparison https://www.walthers.com/57-chevy-garb-truck-harr

[StarCruiser]

By the profile in the artwork - it's the 54 Ford...

[cfritschle]

Can anyone tell me what makes the 1957 garbage truck "1957"?  The cab looks like one of their pre-existing 1954 Fords (flatbeds, etc, or compare to the pickup also shown in the link from @cfritschle http://wig-wag-trains-cart.com/vehicles-11/cmw-n-vehicles?Page=1&Items=12).  Did the particular truck body not come into being until 1957?

For a garbage truck, I probably can live with a 57, as I cannot imagine that the "correct for my layout" pre-1956 would be that much different.  A quick search shows that somewhat more primitive compacting trucks existed beginning in the late 1930s.

I think "1957" is a typo.  A 1957 Ford would have the same body style as the 1960 F-Series that Classic Metal Works makes in HO, but with a different grille.

[cfritschle]

Walthers has the Buicks, along with a new tank trailer (with a 1954 Chevy?) on their website showing they are expected on 5/31/2020.  https://www.walthers.com/classic-metal-works/new-product-center/just-announced/in-stock/n/page/2 
I am guessing the tractor will be the 1954 Ford rather than a newly tooled Chevy.

N Scale Supply has some graphics, but the Chevy shown on that website appears to be the HO 1957 Chevy.  http://www.nscalesupply.com/Newsletter/CurrentNewsletter.html

And Bill Giacci of CMW Holdings Ltd sent an email to the N Scale Vehicle Association Yahoo group stating GM changed their licensing policy in 2017.  So, manufacturers now can get a license from GM to produce the smaller models, as long as the model is marketed as an "adult collectible" rather than a child's toy.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That's quite awesome. Those wagons look killer.

Like... aside from the fake wood, why can't we have cool looking wagons like that today?

[BCR 570]

Hi Ed:

My understanding is that estates or wagons are more popular in Europe (where road taxes are often calculated on the size of the vehicle and displacement of the engine) and thus are a bigger influence on vehicle choice.  Narrower roads, smaller garages and parking stalls also come into play.  In North America vehicle sales have swung heavily in favour of crossovers and SUVs, to the point where some manufacturers have scaled back their traditional vehicle offerings.

Personally I enjoy the compromise which estates/wagons offer between cargo capacity and handling.  I love mine:




The artwork for the 1974 Buick wagons looks very promising and I am looking forward to getting some.  Those style of wagons with the faux wood side panels and chrome roof rails were very common in the 1970s.  With these and the Ford F-100s in British Columbia Railway from Atlas, I have a few vehicle purchases this year (for the layout, that is  ).

Tim

[cfritschle]

I received an email from Scott at N Scale Supply.  Scott contacted CMW and confirmed the tractor with the tank trailer will be the 1954 Ford. 

The N Scale Supply web page has been updated to list the 1954 Ford for both the tank trailer tractor and the garbage truck.  http://www.nscalesupply.com/CMW/CMW.html

Walthers still has these trucks listed as Chevrolets.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Hi Ed:

My understanding is that estates or wagons are more popular in Europe (where road taxes are often calculated on the size of the vehicle and displacement of the engine) and thus are a bigger influence on vehicle choice.  Narrower roads, smaller garages and parking stalls also come into play.  In North America vehicle sales have swung heavily in favour of crossovers and SUVs, to the point where some manufacturers have scaled back their traditional vehicle offerings.

Personally I enjoy the compromise which estates/wagons offer between cargo capacity and handling.  I love mine:

Oh nice, she's a looker.

My GS is my first non "wagon" car ever, but I still maintain that it counts because it's a hatchback. That said, I was just thinking about how many more wrungs I need to climb on the corporate ladder to get myself one of these: https://www.audiusa.com/models/audi-rs6-avant/2020-preview

[wazzou]

I was just thinking about how many more wrungs I need to climb on the corporate ladder to get myself one of these: https://www.audiusa.com/models/audi-rs6-avant/2020-preview

Getting one is one thing...paying for the maintenance is something altogether different.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Getting one is one thing...paying for the maintenance is something altogether different.

Oh God I know. It's why I'm not sure the aforementioned Buick is going to stick around past its warranty period.

[sirenwerks]

That said, I was just thinking about how many more wrungs I need to climb on the corporate ladder to get myself one of these: https://www.audiusa.com/models/audi-rs6-avant/2020-preview

Too many gravel roads out here for something that low. When I can, the Sportwagen is going to be upgraded to something with higher clearance. But just remember, more wrungs don't make it right.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Too many gravel roads out here for something that low. When I can, the Sportwagen is going to be upgraded to something with higher clearance. But just remember, more wrungs don't make it right.

Haha. I don't know. My hope is that as I climb I can make the life of those further down better too. It may be surprising to those of you who've known me for a long time but I'm a pretty decent boss. At least that what my reports tell me after I put down the rubber hose.

[cfritschle]

Classic Metal Works has added photos of pre-production models of the IH R-190 tractors and Lowboy trailers to their Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/classicmetalworksfans/photos/a.185217504845289/3099954743371536/?type=3&theater

I have started an album for illustrative materials for N scale vehicle models scheduled for release in 2020 in the N Scale Vehicle Association's Group.io discussion group.  https://groups.io/g/NScaleVehicleAssociation/album?id=240021

Sometimes it is nice to have a single site to see what is coming down the road.   

However, you will need to be a member of the group and login to view the album.   

[wazzou]

Not a big fan of the Hotwheels like mag wheels on the trailer.
The trailer looks pretty useable but not the wheels.

[cfritschle]

Bryan,

I agree about the wheels on the pre-production samples.  If they don't improve them on the production models, they should be rather easy to change out with wheels from Trainworx.