01-17-2011, 09:26 PM
Don't worry too much about needing an "American" look. California had a large contingent of foreign cars cars years before other states had dealers for them. Also, the only cars that rust in California are those that are parked near the beach and are constantly sprayed with saltwater (not a very common occurrence). I would not fill the parking lot with high dollar jaguars, Mercedes, etc., but they would not be out of place if there is a reserved spot for the boss near the door. Older cars are very common in California. My newest vehicle right now is a 2004 Dodge Dakota. My wife's car is a 2000 Saturn wagon, and my weekend "toy" is a 1987 Firebird Trans Am. Two or three 1964 Mustangs in different colors would not be out of place. In the 1970's, the 1963 T'bird would be common out here. Those 1968 El Camino's would be very common out here. Forget Saturn if you are modeling the 1970's, the first Saturn was built in 1991. The old air cooled VW bugs were as common in California as Chevys and Fords. Even one or two 1955 Chevys would not be out of place on the street in the 1970s. I still see "shoebox" Chevys out here on the street from time to time. They were a lot more common in the 1970s and 1980s before the prices went crazy at places like Barratt-Jackson. The Hemi-Cuda was never common, but it looks identical to the Cuda with the 440 magnum, and they were quite common. In fact in ho scale, the differences between any v8 Cuda and a Hemi version is impossible to see without a magnifier. The "shaker hood scoop" was a popular add on to even base model 318 cars. A GTO is not a lot different looking than the Le Mans two door, very common. If you can find models without the "crazy graphics" packages that were popular on the muscle cars like the GTO Judge, then muscle cars will blend right in. Don't populate the layout with Cobras. Shelby didn't make that many, and they were so minimalist that they were not that popular except for racing. E-type Jags were very popular out here, and by the 1970's older ones were commonly used as daily drivers by young guys who could finally afford a used one.