Okay, so far, from the top:
1. HO Scale city and touring busses.
Busch has just released a long awaited GM "Fishbowl" bus, you know, the "classic" city bus that every city had at least one of. P:reviously the only way you could get one was by getting the amazingly hard to find Pirate Models cast-metal kit, and as we all know the Busch version will be no comparison at all in terms of fidelity to scale and quality. (Growing up in Halifax, NS, these busses were the backbone of the fleet and I can't wait to do one up in "Metro Transit" colors and put it on a flatcar.)
2. Late 60's and early 70's muscle cars.
Man, where have you been? Quite a few people (myself included) lament that it seems that that is all that is availible! Yes it is nice to have some of those classics but if you are a period modeler, what do you need filling up your streets and parking lots? Sedans! Lots of non descript sedans! Not everyone had a Corvette or Mustang you know. Um, anyays, you can get 67-68 Camaros from Life Like (I seem to recall), 65-66 Mustangs from Herpa, Corvettes practically from any manufacturer but Herpa and Busch are best, I don't think I've ever seen a Challenger or Super Bee but I know you can get a Charger from Mini Metals, which has a pretty extensive line of cast-metal finished products (on a side note, are these guys owned by Ertl? Pretty much everything in their line, with a few exceptions, are availible from Ertl in the 1/18th scale line).
3. Step vans.
Ok, I'll admit there is a dearth of these. Yes, the UPS truck is good, but wee need a "standard" design delivery van (like one I could use to replicate the infamous Chip Wagons that are everywhere, and a Canada Post van would be cool too).
4. Big tow trucks with Sleeper cabs.
I do recall seeing a big tow truck released by Herpa but not with a sleeper cab. It seems to me that all one would need to do would be to take any Herpa truck with a sleeper cab and extend the frame a touch, and add the tow body. Admittedly, it would be nice if those were released separately, but until they are that's what we can do. One or two of these around a wrecked transport truck in a ditch would be a neat little showpiece, as well as a (cheap) dig at the competition :D .
5. Older Kenworth cab-over.
Yes, this one has not been released. It would be nice to have as well.
My preferred list of vehicles pretty much replicates what everyone else wants, stuff like:
1. Ford LTDs/Crown Victorias of the 80's (good copcars, taxis, G-Man cars I believe Komachi said)
2. Chrysler K-cars. I've had 8 of them and would buy another. But more to the point, in the 80s and 90s these were EVERYwhere.
3. Big 70's station wagons. I've never seen these done by anyone, outside the super-crude Bachmann models.
4. Yes, Chevy Impala 4 doors. I had a 1970. Big, comfortable, and I owned the road in it. They were again the standard non descript sedan that it seemed everyone drove (police, taxi, etc.)
5. Japanese imports from the 70s and 80s. You never see these outside of the Datsun/Nissan Z-cars. Things like Toyota Corollas, Coronas, and Tercels. Nissan Sentras, Stanzas and Datsun B510s. Old Mazda and Datsun trucks. That kind of thing.
Some things that are availible now (satisfying some of us, lol) are the Mini metals 1978 (but with a bit of fudging, correct up to 1989) Chevy Impala, availible in police, taxi and "civilian" versions, and their 1967 Ford Galaxie (availible the same way). As well, mid 1970's Plymouth Furies and Dodge Monacos are availible from Herpa and/or Busch. Admittedly these are a post 75 model, but it would be nice to see an ex-Mt. Pleasant Police 1974 black-and-white Monaco with two dark-suited, sunglasses-wearing blues-playing outlaws in the front seats.... :D
"What was it the engines said?
Pilots touching, head to head,
half a world behind each back?
'They should have made this double track'"
