Whats going on with Classic Metal Works (CMW) vehicles?

I love me a good boycott! Unfortunately, I'm afraid N-scalers aren't going to make much of a dent in their bottom line...

 

Yeah... I reckon so... BUT, in our current high-tech world of Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites the power of a concerted effort to bring this to a wider audience might just get some of the 'licensing Nazi's' at these automaker to reconsider and accept "a lil' bit of sump'n... is better than a lot'o nut'n".

 

George, That is my understanding of the situation. Any "Chrysler" brand, past or present is subject to the new licensing fee.

I am sure that when the license for the 1950 Dodge Meadowbrook was negotiated, it covered the DeSoto and Plymouth as well. As Tony mentioned, the only tooling change required to make the three "different" models was the grille. And quite frankly, you really do have to look carefully to see the Plymouth grille really is different from the Dodge grille. The difference in the DeSoto grille is much more obvious.

And for a little more background, CMW had a 1956 Dodge Royal/Coronet in development that was to follow the Meadowbrook. It was during this development period that Chrysler stopped CMW in their tracks. Bill Giacci posted the bad news, but was not allowed to go into any detail. Another Bill who had negotiated a licensing contract with Chrysler that had gone sour a few years earlier was much more candid, and basically explained that no manufacturer of HO or N scale models could possibly hope to make a profit based on the new fee structure.

What is really sad is that I remember the days when an automaker would help fund the cost of the tooling so young people could have realistic looking scale models of their cars. Now they just see it as another potential revenue stream.

Carter

 

CMW...too ancient for me.

 

I know. I remember. There was a time when manufacturers catered to customers and tried to court future ones. They've gotten too big to care now.

 

Well, you may have a point there. I had forgotten about all that online stuff, not being terribly "hooked in" myself. Certainly the public mood is such that the timing of such a move would be perfect.

For what it's worth, I had already decided that any future cars of mine would be Fords--and that is kind of a startling decision for me for oh so many reasons. But it's time.

 

Take this discussion to their Facebook page. Talk about the licensing and how this is hurting the modeling community. Make Chrysler look like the bully. children can't build models anymore...

I put a bad comment about Rust-Oleum on their Facebook page. They went nuts. I got E Mails wanting to know what's wrong. They sent me a toll free number to contact them.

Yesterday someone posted an additional comment of what "crappy" paint Rust-Oleum is. Did I start something?

The Testors Facebook page is full of people "venting". No comments from Testors. (They probably laid off their Facebook person)

 

Studebaker stopped making cars in '66, but the company lives on! They allow their branding on certain things (vintage-look radios, etc.) and they had a Hummer-like concept truck in the show circuit about a decade back. I'm a Studebaker guy, and I've got plans for a Stude dealership on my eventual N scale layout!! Already have the rarest-of-rare Studebaker MTL and Bev-Bel boxcars. Still looking for a couple more that escape me!

 

That's great, Pete.

Rust-Oleum, eh? I thought I was the only one. Or had entered the Twilight Zone or something. Everyone recommended it--so I used it. What a mistake. What do you used for primer instead?

I somehow never think of corporate behemoths having Facebook pages. I guess it makes sense, now that they're people, too. I'll hop on over there!

 

Well folks it's time again for the annual N scale CMW VEHICLE RESUSSITATION thread!!!

When we last discussed this topic... CMW was claiming some new N scale releases would be announced.

Lo-and-behold... they announced the Ford Courier business wagons, a few new box trucks and tank trucks... OH... and re-runs of the TD-3801 transit busses.

Well... they came in early 2014... and some sold out almost from the day they arrived at the distributor/dealers. A few hobby shops still have some available... but... I'm sure they are not widely available. Even eBay has few listings... and they are at full retail or a slight discount from the $16.25 to $16.50 MSRP.

Recently... I visited the CMW website... due to an email announcement I received about NEW PRODUCTS!!!!

OH CR@P... all of the announcements were for more HO Scale releases. WHAT A freak'n tease!!!! NO New N SCALE ANNOUNCED .

After all of the polls I participated in last year... emails sent to CMW asking for new products... hope and expectations for a regular announcement of new N scale models has not materialized. I hope that there are some new announcements by the upcoming train shows in June 2014... it would really be disheartening to have another year without hope for new CMW vehicles.

 

Well... I can tell you that I wasn't pleased with the quality of the latest CMW releases.

I did snag two of the three two-packs of the Ford Courier business wagons; the third was "already gone" from a major retailer.

After reading "on another network" that these weren't as nice as the earlier releases, I figured I'd better open mine. Sure enough, the chassis is a poor fit to the body, leaving a significant (for N Scale) gap between. The average viewer wouldn't notice these, but I did, particularly with respect to their previous product.

I won't be searching high and low for the remaining two-pack. In fact, I won't be searching at all.

In terms of the quantity-- I think CMW learned its lesson and way underproduced this time. No chance at these landing on eBay for $3.95 a set. Plenty of tractors and trailers still out there though.

 

I can imagine for CMW to know how many of a run of N scale anything is obviously tied to tossing a dart at the wall. They have retreated into and are well entrenched in the 1950's(save for the initial Ford Galaxy and Chevy Impala). I don't think that's the majority of N scale modelers. I could be wrong though. I didn't see any results of the surveys they had. I've seen a couple of other photos of this new release on social media and I was surprised at the quality. I would guess that in trying to keep costs down this crept up. Or maybe the factory "over there" just stuck it to them. Who knows?

 

If only

Quite a few N-scalers are modeling not only the 50's, but the 60's as well--and many of the 50's cars were still around in the 60's. Trucks even more so. I would love to get my hands on more 50's cars and trucks. What we're seeing is that manufacturers, possibly because the N scale market is smaller than HO, began focusing on those N-scalers who model modern railroading with its enormous locomotives and cars. It's hard these days to find quality 40' box cars with roofwalks and so on, just as it is to find quality 50's vehicles. I'm glad I scooped up so many of these items before they disappeared from the shelves.

I know there are modelers who want to get into N-scale so they can fill their basement empires with modern trains that wind along for a mile or so through gentle curves, but there are still plenty of the original N-scaler around: the person who has one little room in which to build believable models and so models the 50's (or earlier) with shorter rolling stock. I don't have any idea whether the modern-era modelers are the majority of N-scalers or not--but both the hobby's magazines and the manufacturers have definitely been pushing that idea for the past 4 or 5 years.

I wonder if this is why CMW has decided to give up on us. They can't do modern cars because of legal restrictions--and they can't do 50's because they think there aren't enough N-scale modelers who want them?

Perhaps the answer to CMW's unresponsiveness really can be laid at the door of polls.

 

Oh myyyy... and I thought I was being overly critical of the latest versions I received!!!

I also noticed a drop-off in quality... but I just lent it to my bad luck... basically that I got the bad run of cars.

But to have two others (thus-far) having found flaws in their items make me worry that CMW is just not being serious about the quality control at all. We already have discussed the 'high riding' trucks and busses from their previous few releases... but... to have the new models begin to exhibit additional issues is getting a bit concerning.

I have one item that I didn't return to the e-tailer because I thought it was kind-of funny and figured it was a very unique error. I didn't even open the package because I felt it was like a 'collectable' due to the mistake. NOW... I'm wondering if there are MANY of these mistakes out there and whether this is just a sign of incompetence on the part of the Chinese factory that is producing them.

I wasn't going to make an issue of the model (its one of the Ford Courier wagons) since the other two I purchased were okay.
Now I'm going to take a picture of it and post it on here so you can see the problem.

 

I'm usually a big fan of CMW... but in this set of photos from their recently released Ford Courier sedan delivery vehicles... the quality control of their products is coming under scrutiny. The postal delivery van seems to have been in a serious accident... good thing there was an ambulance nearby. Though... perhaps the next time CMW should have a hearse included in the set.

 

Chaya, I am just using the SWAG method as to eras and us N Scalers. Tying that to recent locomotive and rolling stock offerings and what moves and doesn't move at the LHS. I too wonder if this is the excuse CMW is looking for to dump us N scalers. I really feel for the more modern modelers(I model 1975-1985 PC/CR on the home layout) for automobile selection. Unless your modeling the upper crust areas of town that need all those "Smarts", Mercedes and Audi's from Busch. And don't forget the modern Mini's from Herpa. Trucks are not too bad across the board luckily. Of course there could always be more. What's interesting is I keep thinking of one of our club members home layout that's well stocked with CMW offerings from autos, light trucks, and heavy duty trucks. While not a great representation of the various auto's produced in the 50's, it still has that 50's look and feel very well. And another member and I joke about his more modern NTrak modules as "brought to you by FoMoCo" with all the Atlas vehicles on it. I feel for manufacturer's these days with all that's going on(production issues, licensing, etc) and trying to keep the price point that we consumers are willing to pay. I may start messing with Shapeways to try and get some different autos for the layout.

 

Considering the amount of tax payer dollars that have gone into, and disappeared, bailing out the auto industry I’d think those folks wouldn’t have a legal leg to stand on with regards to “Proprietary licensing”.

As far as the disappointment with sales.

I’ve heard this refrain from virtually every manufacture, big or small, that produces N-Scale.
Ten times the amount sold in HO vs N.

If N-Scalers’ are supposed to number better than 50% of HO-ers’; why doesn’t the sales figures show that ratio?

 

One would think the auto companies would be glad to promote their products in scale models... but... they are probably looking for the Mattel 'Hot Wheels' type of toy manufacturer that will produce 100's of thousand of copies to be sold worldwide and charge them the highest price possible for their proprietary licensing. They probably cannot license the same product to other 'hobby' or 'die-cast collectable' manufacturers that may only do a few thousand copies unless they are charged similarly. Otherwise, the large toy manufacturer would likely complain demanding the same lower cost deal.

Well... I still agree that the model train importers/manufacturers are skewed toward HO scale due to the larger market share... but... I would say that N scalers should need as many if not MORE vehicles on their layouts. CMW is generally mimicking this need in N scale by packaging 2 car/trucks per pack.. versus... only on car/truck per pack in HO scale. I like the value of getting two items in the package... however... I'd rather get only one item with much more variety.

 

That's been my question, too.

I wonder if it isn't just the nature of modern commerce. N-scalers are buying more stuff than ever because there are now more of us than ever. That has to be true. So why are there fewer offerings than ever? And in Brian's example, if there are more modern era modelers than ever, why still no modern cars? In our new modern, globalized commerce, only the very top of the top crust of the market is served. Quite simply, the little guy doesn't matter anymore. I'll give you one example that I admit most of the guys here may not be able to relate to: women's clothes. (Then again, your wives may have complained...) There have always been at least two markets there. There are the women who want sexy, limp, thin, tight, frilly, garish things that don't even last a year. Then there are the other ones who want practical, comfortable, quality clothes in pleasant colors that don't look like a peacock threw up on them. (I'm one of that latter type). In today's post-Crash market, manufacturers have almost completely halted production of comfortable clothes for women that will last more than a season. There aren't fewer of us than before: there are more of us than ever thanks to the baby-boomers--and believe me, we're begging for our clothes back. But no response. They quite simply don't care, for the simple reason that they don't have to anymore. Diversifying your offerings is an expensive undertaking, and they've learned that they no longer have to diversify their offerings. Giving us new N scale cars would just be charity work on their part.

The world of commerce has completely changed in the past 5 years.

At least, that's my take on it. Call me cynical. If we're lucky, Brian will love Shapeways and become the next N-scale manufacturer!