This forum is for collectors of emergency vehicle models to discuss any aspect of the industry. Feel free to post comments on current releases, future models, items for sale/trade, or items wanted.
When these slot cars began to make an appearance they were made by Faller and Aurora. At that time the scale was much closer to true HO. As time progressed they became larger but the HO stuck. In addition they were often marketed with HO trains. Again even if the scale wasn't true, that was the marketing. The same goes for early MB cars. They started out much closer to HO and slowly grew over time for more playability.
Just for the record, the book written about Aurora's HO scale Model Motoring illustrates a Fire Engine that never made it into production...
I had two of these Model Motoring sets when I was a kid and paid for them with the money I made on my paper route...
The only realistic looking emergency vehicle I had on my track was a 1962 Ford Galaxie Police Car...yellow, with a black roof, but they came in other colors, also...
Another one of my 'cars' was a 1962 Ford 4-door station wagon in red with a 'woody' side finish...and how tempted I was to take a 10 cent bottle of Testor's 1203 red paint and turn the thing into a Fire Chief's car...but for some reason, I never did...
I received a Model Motoring set for Christmas 1960. Lots of fun, even with the vibrator cars. Nobody in house could watch TV when set was on.
Best set I ever saw was the 1/25th scale AMT with real steering and actual lane change option. A neighbor had one, and expanded the setup a good ten fold in a double garage. I ruined several AMT bodies in crashes with the single car, a 64 T-Bird, I owned.
Hey larry......Those 10 cent Testors bottles of paint are now about $2 each! Growing up back in the fifties I built plane kits & 98 cents was tops for me. Always wanted the Renwal Atomic Cannon kit, but it was $4.98....
When these slot cars began to make an appearance they were made by Faller and Aurora. At that time the scale was much closer to true HO. As time progressed they became larger but the HO stuck. In addition they were often marketed with HO trains. Again even if the scale wasn't true, that was the marketing. The same goes for early MB cars. They started out much closer to HO and slowly grew over time for more playability.