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+--- Thread: HO vehicles-am I missing something? (/showthread.php?tid=7250)
HO vehicles-am I missing something? - River Witch 14 - 12-18-2014
Since I have been working on my current layout,I have purchased a number of Classic Metal Works trucks and I have found
that only metal on these trucks are the screw or rivet that holds the cab to the frame and the wheel axles.
To me it just seem odd that the word "metal" in the product name would indicate more metal than just a screw and axles.
The only trucks that I have that are actually metal were made by Imex.
Perhaps I'm missing something here.
Let me hear your views.
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - AF350 - 12-18-2014
Interesting observation,
A similar observation is in the bigger scales is a die cast replica of corvettes which in real life are fiber glass
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - tomustang - 12-18-2014
Company names are not what they use to be.
Like Exact Rail, following the prototyle should be a requirement from their namesake, thought they didn't.
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - nachoman - 12-18-2014
Probably at one time their products were all metal. They found a cheaper or better way of manufacturing in plastic, and they went with it. But rather than lose brand recognition, they kept the same name. Same can be said for the Model Die Casting brand of trains. At one time, they were all die-cast metal. By the 1980s, they were mostly injection-molded plastic.
Or how about the HO scale items sold by the "N-Scale architect"? At least "Mantua Metal Products" shortened their name to just "Mantua".
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - River Witch 14 - 12-18-2014
Good points. Makes you wonder how companies can get away with that sort of misrepresentation.
It's like we are not getting what we pay for.
If for example in my original post, if the trucks are not made of metal then that word should not be in the company name.
Anyway-just my 2 cents worth.
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - Charlie B - 12-18-2014
ZEBCO fishing rods and reels...Zero Hour Bomb COmpany
Charlie
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - ak-milw - 12-18-2014
Classic Metal Works vehicles were all cast at one time, the newer ones are mostly plastic, but still the best looking out there.
8-)
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - teejay - 12-18-2014
Plastic is the "new metal" , I suppose , in merchadise-speak
T
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - River Witch 14 - 12-19-2014
Plastic is the new metal-sounds like 21st century alchemy. But I do agree that they are still good looking.
Also I want to apologize if I opened a can of worms with this blog.
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - shortliner - 12-19-2014
I think that there is no intention to deceive, but accept that it is now purely a brand name - like Acme Metal Die-casters who haven't cast anything in acme metal since day one of the company coming into existance
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - Mike Kieran - 12-19-2014
We must also remember the cost and logistics involved with a business' name change. Very few of the model companies can afford that kind of expense.
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - Sumpter250 - 12-19-2014
River Witch 14 Wrote:Plastic is the new metal-sounds like 21st century alchemy. But I do agree that they are still good looking. Also I want to apologize if I opened a can of worms with this blog.
Not to worry, they were, after all, only, "plastic" worms. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 
When most of these companies started up, plastic, was a rare commodity. Athearn originally used embossed sheet metal sides and roofs for their kits. I still have one of their "steelside" kits in my "stash". ( unfortunately, not in the original packaging )
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - River Witch 14 - 12-19-2014
Again some very valid points.
I agree,the cost etc. of a company changing it's name would be high.
Ah yes, a can of plastic worms. They would also come in handy for catching plastic fish.
I guess in the end "it is what it is"
Re: HO vehicles-am I missing something? - Sumpter250 - 02-24-2015
Catching plastic fish is easy ! The hard part is preparing them for cooking........you have to get ALL the mold release agent off their scales, or they taste horrible.
The plastic HO vehicles, are much easier to "modify" than the older metal ones. Here, one of the plastic "car-bodies-on-wheels"
got modified to a 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T :
There was a lot of " Add some styrene here, File off some part of the original casting there, body filler and file/sand new body to size and shape, paint, - - - before it was done.
This all was easier and quicker than trying to find an "existing" HO scale 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T.