Here are the dimensions I took from the Del Prado US Models advertised as 1/87 or 1/80.

I have a few drawings I compared them with to help get the actual figures

Pierce Quantum Rescue - Las Vegas, listed as 1/80
Overall Length:
Measured: 5.8035"
Length in 1/87:504.64", 42.05'
Cab length:
Measured: 2.213"
Length in 1/87:192.5"
Scale: 1/76.7
Wheelbase
Measured: 3.3925"
Length in 1/87: 295.15", 25.6'
Scale:???
Width:
Measured: 1.2335"
Length in 1/87:107.3"
Scale: 1/77.8
Height
Measured: 1.5915"
Length in 1/87:138.5"
Scale: 1/80.4

Pierce Quint
Overall Length:
Measured: 5.0175"
Length in 1/87:436.5"
Scale: 1/87
Wheelbase
Measured: 2.6225"
Length in 1/87:219.5
Scale: 1/88
Width:
Measured: 1.1185
Length in 1/87:97.3"
Scale: 1/88
Height
Measured: 1.5685
Length in 1/87:136.5"
Scale: 1/92

E-One HP75
Overall Length:
Measured: 5.024"
Length in 1/87: 437"
Scale: 1/90
Wheelbase
Measured: 2.095"
Length in 1/87: 225.7"
Width:
Measured: 1.114"
Length in 1/87: 97"
Scale: 1/90

E-One 100' Ladder
Overall Length:
Measured: 5.4595"
Length in 1/87: 475", 39.6'
Scale: 1/91
Wheelbase
Measured: 2.6645"
Length in 1/87: 232"
Scale: 1/86
Width: 105.6"
Measured: 1.214"
Length in 1/87:
Scale: 1/82
Height
Measured: 1.8325"
Length in 1/87: 160"
Scale: 1/75

As far as these go, the Pierce quint has the best look and it shows in the calculations. However my 2 examples are sloppy in the paint and markings. The Quantum rescue looks pretty good in scale with the cab but the box is about 7 scale feet to long for 1/87. The e-One 100' ladder is a tad wide for 1/87 but it is advertised as 1/80. The E-One HP75 looks too skinny but scales out pretty close to 1/87. IMAO it lacks a lot of detail. For HO modelers it will take a lot of work to get it up to snuff. My Bohemia ladder is paced away but it too scales out closer to 1/80 than 1/87.

Over all they make OK shelf models. As far as quality scale models for the price ($20 + shipping) these models retail for, I think they are over priced. The Boley models retail for about half that price and have similar levels of detail, if not more. For a few dollars more the Athearns blow them away.

As for what is needed to customize or model these trucks there are a lot of cast in parts that can make it hard to replicate without the tampo process. It is also interesting that the models don't all use the same construction techniques and details.

Overall nice and they fill a niche that is absent in the HO scale arena. I will add them to my collection. I will also do an attempt at customizing. However I think if Del Prado wants to keep selling models in the US they will need to step up their game. The models no matter the scale vary widely in quality and level of detail. Again, at the price point, they will become easy to pass on without consistency and improved level of detail.

I will get some photos up in the next couple of days.

Jeff

Jeff, out of curiosity, how well did the American flag come out on the grille of the Pierce quint? On the Awesome Diecast page it looks pretty good, but the rig is at an angle where it's unclear just how well the flag looks. Also, is the cab of the E-One HP 75 that much narrower than the Pierce quint?

Jeff,

The flag on both of mine are not all that nice. I will get the photos taken and posted.

I made my measurements on the width at the rear body not the cab becuase that is the dimensio I had. I know the HP 75 scales close to HO but to the naked eye it looks quite narrow.

Jeff

Thanks for the info.

The E-One 75HP is a polished turd. The body lacks a lot of details. The ladder is simply pressed fit into the rear body body and lacks any turn table. The monitor that I assume is to be on the end of the ladder is in fact fixed to the cab roof.

It is my least favorite of the recent releases. This realy is a 5 foot shelf model.

Jeff

I hate to hear that since I've got one of these HP 75's on order. I was really looking forward to recieveing it.

Why is it so freakin' hard for a company to get something right, regardless of what scale it is? Why would a monitor that's supposed to be attatched to the end of an aerial ladder be attatched to the top of the cab instead? Please, no offense meant here, but are some of these model company people retards? I realize that Del Prado isn't up to Code 3's standards, but it isn't rocket science to replicate a firetruck, is it?.

Also on the DP HP 75, I've noticed in photos of this model that there are 2 or 3 trays for preconnects on the officer's side of the rig, but on the driver's side these trays are not there; there's just a silver panel. So, the folks at DP over there in China obviously had to look at a real E-One HP 75 in order to replicate it as a model, why did they only make the trays for the preconnects on one side of the truck??? Why did this model have to come out half-ass?

Jeff Silver, do you have any answers?

And how can an important detail such as a turntable on an aerial ladder be overlooked? There's one on the Pierce quint, why not on the HP 75? Attention to detail is one of the most important things that a diecast company can do. Unfortunately the ball was dropped when the HP 75 model was produced.

Delprado IS NOT a die cast company, Delprado is just a press publishing company !!!

Yes they are the publishing company but they did commission the models. The models they are selling are all over the place in terms of scale and quality. This is what you get for a few dollars a model.

The part that gets me is there is not a consistancy to how models are made. Simple manufacturing procedures would make one want to make the models similar in process to assemble. For example, some of the small models have the bumper as part of the base. Others have the bumper as part of the cab casting. Same for the ladders. One has the all the fly sections cast with the base. Another has 3 separate sections. But yet they do not extend. The HP75 simply has the ladder sections press fit into the body and the Pierce has a turntable and rotates?

Jeff

Jeff, would it be possible to remove the ladder from the HP 75 and replace it with the one off of the Pierce quint?

First off, I have to commend Jeff Webster for his impressive analysis of scale and comments that are certainly with merit.

Yes Del Prado is primarily a publishing company, but in my opinion, and that does count for something, if they want to sell diecast replicas, they need to be just that replicas! I have thousands of these trucks in stock, and if they don't sell, the kids don't go to college! So I will make my comments heard in Spain and hopefully the line will evolve into something better just like Code 3 did. Of course as quality increases so does cost. So there lies the dilema, do we produce inexpensive die-cast metal replicas for kit bashing and model railworad displays, or do we want to be on the shelf next to a Code 3 truck at $50? My vote would be to keep them inexpensive (under $20) and target a different portion of the market. But, hey, I'm open to suggestion.

The HP 75 is a decent truck if you're going to bash it or place it on a train table - is it the best replica out there? Even I agree it's not, but we are learning that collectors are more critical then anticipated and as such we will continue to focus on bringing the standards up while trying to keep these replicas inexpensive so for $60 you get 3 or 4 Del Prados and not just one Code 3.

Location: Florida

I have to agree with Jeff Silver. The HP75 (Which I bought from your store) is probably one of the best pieces out there (ladder truck in 1/87ish scale). It certainly knocks the toyish Boley Quint out for the count. It looks nice when put beside the Boley Heavy Rescues and not too bad near the Athearn Ford C Pumpers either.

I think the key is the quality for the price--The current quality/detail clearly does not dictate prices equivalent to Corgi or Code 3, BUT with that said, if you want decent kit bashable models for 15-20 bucks, DP is the way to go. Especially for guys like me whose kitbashing skills fall far below the amazing work you guys do. I won't feel so bad if I screw up a $20 model, but I could never bring myself to strip down a $50 Code 3 (Even if it was just to re-number the item--forget adding/removing pieces!!).

Maybe the best way to put it is this way: Code 3, Corgi, First Gear--Those are COLLECTIBLES (put them on display)

Del P, Boley--Those are MODELS (kitbash'em so they work in your layouts)

and what a dream boley's are to kitbash !.i have done so many different variation's it's amazing.seriously sad that all good thing's must come to an end.boley showed some real promise in the ho scale fire line.i am not knocking what they came out with.they could have continued an already great run.

Yes, the Boley's are very nice for kitbashing. I bought 3 of the newly-released Boley solid red quints today at a hobby shop (they had like 8 or 9 in stock!). Take the ladder off and cover up the diamond plating area where the hosebed should be with a piece of black automotive tape to represent a hosebed cover. The red wheel covers look pretty good and the simple white striping matches the other rigs in my fleet.