Fire Apparatus Model Forums

With many agencies, including the CHP going back to the Tahoe for the new year, it is time to start pounding on the diecast manufacturers to get us new models, in scales other than 1:64. There is no current year police vehicle model available in any of the larger scales. If we don't make it known that we need something, they wont do it. I don't have a ton of faith in Greenlight, but at least they have the 2020 Tahoe coming, and did the current body style Interceptor Utility and Charger in 1:64 scale. That is more than we have seen from anyone else. I am afraid if we don't start contacting the manufacturers, us larger scale guys are going to run out of subject materials soon. I sent off emails today to RBI MotorMax USA and Hong Kong. I would encourage you to do the same. You guys that post on 10 or more pages, can help spread the word. Or we can run out of models and all be relegated to 1:64. It only takes a minute, if you care.
hk@motormaxtoy.com
sales@mjtoysinc.com

RIch,

This is an excellent point. I do think the demise of the message boards has contributed to this. at one point there were only a handful of places we posted and a manufacturer could see everything there. Now with sooooo many FB pages it is tough to get a grasp on the true interest.

I also wouldn't put faith in GL to put out anything in larger scales. Especially when their sand box scale models are all over the place in terms of design and looks. Also just look at their recent 1/43 models form the FRR line. They couldn't even copy A+ material to get to the market. I want to love them but they just keep underperforming.

Jeff

You are right on many points Jeff. I think too, that with the demise of the PolisKarr forum and lack of interest here and on EmergencyModeler, that manufacturer reps have no place left to go to judge potential. With so many of the Recognition Builders posting the same shit on up to 20 pages/groups, most tire of it and leave. I know I am down to just one Facebook page. And the majority of posters there post the same thing on every page or in every group they can find. There is no longer a collective voice, just a bunch of "look at me" stuff. You can not overlook the fact that the inaccurate models, like the Welly Charger RT with molded in deck spoiler passing as a police car, has taken away any incentive to do a correct version. Why should they? They pass non Pursuit Chargers off as police cars, and they sell them by the case. And say something about it not being a police car, and see what you get for responses. I hope for a return to the days when we had great models, parts, and great communities where we shared our passion. Sadly I don't see it coming any time soon.

Rich I agree, we need to be emailing them and contacting them about our interest in larger scales.

My question is Rich, Is this something that a few like minded collectors could invest in and make happen on our own? I have no idea what it cost to bring a model from nothing into something. Nor would I know where to begin. But, it would be pretty amazing to have a hand in something. Something FRR like?

Rich and Jeff you are both right on track, part of the reason I have just about quit making customs and settled for making decals for other builders.

Rich, I sent you a PM.

So I have been kicking around the idea of shared cost production, resin, and just about anything else I can come up with. I am always drawn back to the same problems. The mediocre bash for cash/quantity modeler wont buy a high end resin piece. A great many modelers don't have the skills needed to take it apart, strip it, paint it, and put it back together to resemble something close to factory built. So that brings us back to diecast. There in lies the problem. Unless a company can recover tooling costs, and make money on the initial run, they wont do it. Tooling is not as expensive as some would like you to believe. However, you have to add the tooling cost to the production cost. Factor in raw material cost, actual molding and injecting, clean up, paint, assembly, graphics, packaging, shipping, import fees, and you see right away that its going to be tough to recover costs. Then you have to pay royalties to any of the auto makers, plus their BS MRG's (minimum royalty guarantee) which means you pay the greedy auto makers for models you are projected to produce, whether you produce them or not. So we are back to already established toy or model companies, that have all of this in place. Resin is an alternative, but I just don't see them selling in the large quantities needed. Now GM has announced the new Tahoe and Suburban, with all new sheet metal. Greenlight has the 2020 Tahoe coming in 1:64, and it will be obsolete six months after it hits the market. Its just not a win-win these days for anyone, modeler or manufacturer. I don't have the answers. But I still look for them.

Rich wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 13, 2019 2:53 pm

A great many modelers don't have the skills needed to take it apart, strip it, paint it, and put it back together to resemble something close to factory built.

That's partly because most people want instant gratification, it takes time to take things apart and reassemble.

I wish there was a way to make it happen. I understand there is so much unforeseen cost that goes into making a model and our hobby is slowly but surely getting smaller and smaller, and with that in mind, I'm not sure how else to make it happen either.