Lee
Senior Member
Posts: 1,899
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Post by Lee on Mar 2, 2004 23:00:43 GMT 1
Hey, where ever and from whomever I can get what I am looking for. Even the shops that are only 1/87th do not carry everything. I had a talk with Trip and Cheryl Saturday and they are interested in bringing in new products but they are having a hard time making contact and arranging payment with both manufactures and wholesalers overseas. Any help that WE can give outfits like this would be of help to us all.
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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Post by stanhas87 on Mar 3, 2004 2:57:54 GMT 1
Dear Sirs:
It is my experience that one should look everywhere for what he/she wants.Recently,on an antique mall,I found a Lone Star Jeep and Vespa Scooter (1/87 of course) and EKO's opel Wagon and Tyco's Pet Semi truck.
On the subject of toy shows/swap meets there was this one that was active once a month in Orange County,California.Not an exclusive 1/87 show,but I found interesting pieces in there such as painted Alloy Forms,Barkas van,Minix vehicles such as the Sunbeam and more.Supposedly,eBay killed this event. Based in what I said above,is my opinion that with a little planning and research,one may find interesting pieces in there be it HO shop or event or not.Looking around does not hurt either.I always thought that with eBay.one does not need to do the latter.But that is not the case.
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Lee
Senior Member
Posts: 1,899
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Post by Lee on Mar 3, 2004 3:45:32 GMT 1
Looking in ones backyard is one thing. What I was talking about was looking on the other side of the world. ;D
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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Post by stanhas87 on Mar 3, 2004 3:55:02 GMT 1
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Lee
Senior Member
Posts: 1,899
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Post by Lee on Mar 3, 2004 4:10:27 GMT 1
Very good! Just what I was looking for. Thanks
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skunk
87thScale addict
5th B-day
Posts: 2,762
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Post by skunk on Mar 3, 2004 8:15:25 GMT 1
Oh... that last link offers a 1:43 scale Spyker... I wish that there was a drooling smiley face available to us, I could use that right now. ;D Regarding the availability of hobby shops over the 'net: While there are many things that I look for, there are also tons of things that I want, know where to get, but just cannot afford right now. My main issue is where to get the ducats, not where to spend them. One thing that would make me very excited, however, was if somebody set up a means to put money into European bank accounts over the internet w/o paying $35 in fees. This way I would be able to indulge in much more eBay shopping w/o costing me hugely, and also making life easier for the sellers in Europe. Joe's method of selling kits over eBay is a great idea that might work as cheap, global advertising for many small scale manufacturers. I just purchased T-shirts made in the Ukraine, shipped directly to the states from there, but paying a middle man in Canada (paypal). Wouldn't it be nice if Piftorak kits could be made accessible in the same way? Maybe I'll write Sergey (the middle man in Vancouver) an e-mail, suggesting an expansion of the business... Such availability might also induce some foreign hobby shop to stock a model that they would otherwise not have heard of, or not have been able to examine first hand.
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Lee
Senior Member
Posts: 1,899
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Post by Lee on Mar 4, 2004 2:26:06 GMT 1
Great idea, but has a few drawbacks. The first being the changing rate of exchange between the Euro and the US dollar also the US dollar and the Canadian dollar.
It would be a very interprising and forward thinking business that would set up paypal transfer anywhere in Europe. I could see it being profitable to charge say two or three percent of an auction fee over and above paypals charge or just a flat rate. It would still be far less than using overseas wire transfers. Something for someone who has free time on their hands to think about.
One way of handling it without putting up any of your own money would be to open individual accounts like a bank with individuals depositing money in advance. Then when that individual wanted something on the foreign ebay they would bid themselves but have "the business" handle the payments and shipment.
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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Post by stanhas87 on Mar 4, 2004 2:55:29 GMT 1
Dear Sirs:
I bought some vehicles from this Gentleman from Thailand and he had an account at my bank-Wells Fargo.Hence,I deposited the money at his account and e-mailed him the transaction Number.Up to now,it worked good. Yesterday I found another dealer from Thailand who has a bank-or financial instituition,more likely-in England who handles people's Money Orders.I do not know exactly how that works;I may have to review if there are any drastic taxes involved. Another dealer from Argentina had his money handled at Miami,Florida.This is a case,I think,where third parties take care of his account.I did not paid any drastic charges at this transaction,but it took a while until his transaction was confirmated. It seems that on transactions like that,third parties are needed in order to handle the money complications.
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BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
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Post by BillC on Mar 5, 2004 7:21:26 GMT 1
I have always used either a credit card or PayPal. You pay a small premium over the current exchange rate for PayPal, but it's the quickest and least expensive method I have found.
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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Post by stanhas87 on Mar 20, 2004 7:16:21 GMT 1
Dear Sirs:
In all aspects of 1/87 scale collecting,is the fact that this is limited to certain markets such as parts of the USA,Germany and parts of Europe. It is known how it started,but in all,these were add-ons for train modelers and in due time it became to be collectors items.The size of the vehicles,at times,were their biggest drawback.At a store like say,Toys R Us,these will be difficult to see,some adults will not want to handle them and I can see groups going against the store because the child swalowed one of these. Moldings are expensive;hence,be it a toy company or an HO modeler,the company will release models that would sell.That explains the large amount of Corvettes,Vipers,Mustangs and the like because it is felt that these will sell and if everything goes well,money can be used to model vehicles that are not so popular such,say,as a Dodge Diplomat.There are cases that such manufacturer wants to enter on a competitive market and will hear what the modelers want and release some of these;yet,he will still offer the string of the known Corvettes,porsches and the like. Mercedes vehicles are a majority of models in 1/87.As any list would demonstrate,an extensive line of cars,trucks,buses and even tractors form this manufacturers were modeled.BMW and Volkswagen will be runner-ups for the second place,and then comes the rest.American cars rank as a minority (the same is true for the real ones around the world) yet the best from Chevrolet,Chrysler,Ford,Studebaker and AMC (not this many choices here) were modeled.Alas,there are some Packards,Hudsons and Nash models.Trucks are better represented,even obscure ones such as Brockway were modeled.Not bad,eh? 1/87 models are made by big modelers-count Herpa,Wiking,Busch,Rietze,Brekina,AWM,Albedo and at times some of these did modeled vehicles in other scales.There is also the question of specialty,and Wiking will be the one offers a good range of agricultural models;Herpa is the promo king with calendars and everything;Rietze has at least 70 different models of buses;Brekina is the classic vehicle manufacturer;Albedo concentrates on trucks and AWM does a bit of everything;Roco and Trident offer military Vehicles and there always be Anguplas and EKO-a bit of everything,but not always that well done.Local manufacturers such as Igra will concentrate in Czeck vehicles and there is an equally good number of manufacturers that model Eastern European-East German,Polish,Romanian-vehicles;the small shops that offer Russian vehicles is equally impressive and most of these are reproduced in miniature.American cars thanks to Busch. Non Ho manufacturers are also an important contribuitor to 1/87 models and these were interesting as well.Matchbox,Mattel,Playing Mantis/Johnny Lightning,Playart,Norev,Zylmex,Dinky,Tomica,Siku,Schuco,New Ray,CMW,Boley did offered interesting models; of course,many of these were trucks or buses;the Scania bus from Playart and Dinky's HO coach are unique;no other models of these. Kits are divided in complete or only a section of the vehicle,and HO had plenty of these as well.Since the train people modify everything in site,along with several of the HO modelers,these are just a natural to be offered.And there kits of vehicles which diseppeared long ago or of vehicles that were not molded by anyone. And the vehicles made by private individuals-scratchbuilt,made from vehicle modifications complete the HO model offerings. How many HO cars are being done? How many are sold? It is known that Hot Wheels made a billion cars sometime last decade.The question to assess is how many Wikings-the oldest of the bunch-were made.Several million? Perhaps.With Herpa production estimated at 3 million an year,that will mean that 30 million were done on a decade.How about Busch,Rietze,the others? Different countries have different ways to report these figures.If any report is avaliable. It may be a good deal that Siku is associared with Wiking.This way,one can repeat the sucess that the other one is experimenting.In another words,1/55 scale models from Siku that are sucessful may be a sucess in 1/87 and vice-versa,but the contary may apply either.I do beleieve that Playing Mantis/Johnny Lightning should open its HO division;but again,they may loose money on that.Everything is possible.At all non-Ho manufacturers that I know,their HO offerings were always the smallest activity,except for CMW or Boley,who decided to do HO their main activity.IMEX is only one of the several Golden Wheels divisions;the latter have some HO vehicles himself. Stores,Internet? Both.One thing,however,is universal:none of these works if there not specialized people working for them.The later tendency is to find both of these run by people who want to make a fast buck.Hence the great amounts of failures.Also notice that the stores that I mentioned in this site been around for along while;hence they were run by people who knew what they were doing or about the hobby per se.A similar comparison can be said about Maisto: it became sucessful because its founder was a car nut,and knew what he was doing.As a collector,I will go for the store or site who would know about the hobby and avoid the ones who dont. Hopes apart,this became a great scale.And one adds other vehicles,then there is something for all tastes.Granted,an 1/87 Boeing 747 will be several feet long,but if someone wants to do it.............motorcycles are done too,and even the models done by private modelers are also nicley done.And that is the fascinating thing about it.
Nick K
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Post by Marc S. on Mar 20, 2004 7:40:50 GMT 1
With Herpa production estimated at 3 million an year,that will mean that 30 million were done on a decade. Nick, Careful - 3 million Herpa models per year include airplanes in 1/500th to 1/160th scale. It is assumed that the majority (ca. 60%) of sales ar Wings today. Granted,an 1/87 Boeing 747 will be several feet long,but if someone wants to do it............. I just saw a 1/100th scale 747 on display at a local hobby shop. Impressive, to say the least. You certainly won't notice the difference in scale if you put a Herpa truck next to it ;D Probably a display model for large travel agents. Not only the asking price of 350 euros stopped me from starting my (ca.) 1/87th scale airport...... Marc
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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Post by stanhas87 on Mar 20, 2004 7:45:05 GMT 1
Dear Marc:
Got it.Somehow,I was thinking in all of Herpa's activities,and that is not right.
Hence,at 60% of Herpas devoted to Wings,1.2 million vehicles are being molded;in ten years,that would 12 million cars. Thank you Marc,
Nick K
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BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
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Post by BillC on Mar 20, 2004 15:11:50 GMT 1
[quote author=STANHAS87 link=board=general&thread=1068525741&start=39#2 date=1079763381Granted,an 1/87 Boeing 747 will be several feet long,but if someone wants to do it.............motorcycles are done too,and even the models done by private modelers are also nicley done.And that is the fascinating thing about it. [/quote]
Nick:
A 1/87 scale model of a 747-400 would be 81 centimeters (2 feet, 8 inches) long and 69 centimeters (2 feet, 3 inches) wide and 22 centimeters (8.7 inches) tall. That's a large model! Then imagine how much space you would need for a scale runway!
Of course, it would open the door for 1/87 scale models of those fascinating ground support vehicle models. ;D
Bill C.
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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Post by stanhas87 on Mar 20, 2004 15:27:33 GMT 1
Dear Bill:
I saw the 1/100 model of the 747 that is mentioned by Marc,and that thing can occupy half of an eating table! The Titanic,on the other hand,would take an entire sofa,to say the least!
Going back to reality,these were mentioned to demonstrate that even in 1/87,some vehicles can be really big and as you mentioned,these can open the field for support vehicles (the ones the Herpa molds for their airport support are fascinating and yes,I know,they are not 1/87).On the case of ships,dock cranes will be a nice addition to a say,diorama.
Now,back to the subject,HO can be a good reality hobby no matter one chooses to mold.If enough space is avaliable,then the possibilities are endless.
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BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
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Post by BillC on Mar 20, 2004 16:45:53 GMT 1
The Titanic,on the other hand,would take an entire sofa,to say the least! Yup, it would be a shade over three meters long. Think I'll stick to the nice Performance 807 in the new Wiking set. ;D I like 1/87 because it is big enough to have good detail and small enough to be able to create a nice diorama in a small space. I also do 1:160, which is great for small spaces, but not so good for detail.
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