# HO scale McDonalds. Well... sort of...



## Triple D (Dec 21, 2014)

I'm just getting back into the hobby after a 30 year hiatus. First step; I finally finished re-assembling what remained of my 60 or so buildings and decided to see what else was new in the world. Little disappointed, although not surprised, that McDonalds wasn't in the HO world yet (exception being the European one). I wanted something a little on the "dated" side if things so I dissected what was left of a duplicate KFC, a barn and some odds and ends and came up with this guy. Perfect? Heck no. It'll get the job done once I have signage though. Hopefully. Maybe.

Looks a little better in-person.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

I'll have a Quarter-Pounder with cheese, but hold the pickles, please!

Looks great!


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## Bwells (Mar 30, 2014)

Nice work!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

All it needs is the Golden Arches. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

wow that came out nice :smilie_daumenpos: I like it What are you going to use for signs ?


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## Triple D (Dec 21, 2014)

Thanks for the kind words guys. And for everyone that thinks it's ghetto... thanks for not bursting my bubble. 

Signs... ugh. I wanted raised arches and lettering.. 3D, but it's not meant to be. I'll probably head to McDs one day when I'm out of groceries and see what crap I can order with some good logos. If that's a bust I'll be left printing something which should look... well, awful. I'm totally open to ideas on this one. 

I've got a couple other buildings I'm whipping up in the laboratory that'll need signs too... same problem. So put your thinking caps on for a Der Wienerschnitzel and a Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge!

Oh yeah, wanna help a guy out? I want to free up some cash to get rolling on this bad boy. That said, I've got 3300 Matchbox cars I need to sell. Any takers? Lol


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## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

As far as a signs goes check out Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/McDonalds-E...ndcrafted_Artisan_Jewelry&hash=item20e44d9ec4 This may work and you can ask them if they can make them with the M cut out and no hole for the earing hook.

Also if you look up EPIC Creations 3D Printing on Facebook if you give them the size you want they can make it. I use them they do good work fare pricing to. You can also Google McDonalds find a logo and size it down then color print it I do it all the time for my signs


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## Mr. SP (Jan 7, 2015)

*Arches*

It will be a challenge but long ago Life-Like made a McDonalds hamburger kit. Life-Like didn't get permission from McDonalds and got sued. The kit was taken off the market but once in a while one can be found at swapmeets and train shows.
The Life-Like kit was of the original McDonalds restaurants
Have fun hunting


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## morrjr (Dec 20, 2012)

There's a used Life Like McDonalds up for sale on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIFE-LIKE-H...061314?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2c94ec16c2


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## Joefrumjersey (Apr 16, 2013)

Nice model. To me it looks more like a Pizza Hut but golden arches work too. Good work.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Look at the price! 
Must be real gold arches on it.

A sheet of styrene would make some nice arches.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

That price is probably lower than what a "legal" one would be if it was produced today with McDonald's licensing paid......


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## Mr. SP (Jan 7, 2015)

*That's It*



morrjr said:


> There's a used Life Like McDonalds up for sale on ebay.
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIFE-LIKE-H...061314?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2c94ec16c2


That's the kit by Life-Like I was talking about. I had one about forty years ago in the above link


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## SeaTroller (Feb 2, 2013)

I've got this ceramic McDonalds HO scale, if you are interested.
Actually a 1996 McDonalds club collectible.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Cool! What scale would that be, roughly?


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## SeaTroller (Feb 2, 2013)

As close to HO as I can Tell
4" wide, 5 1/2" deep, 3 1/2" tall including arches.


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## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

Triple D said:


> I'm just getting back into the hobby after a 30 year hiatus. First step; I finally finished re-assembling what remained of my 60 or so buildings and decided to see what else was new in the world. Little disappointed, although not surprised, that McDonalds wasn't in the HO world yet (exception being the European one). I wanted something a little on the "dated" side if things so I dissected what was left of a duplicate KFC, a barn and some odds and ends and came up with this guy. Perfect? Heck no. It'll get the job done once I have signage though. Hopefully. Maybe.
> 
> Looks a little better in-person.


Any updates pictures signs ?


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## Triple D (Dec 21, 2014)

KAL5 said:


> Any updates pictures signs ?


No signage. Since I threw that one together last month I've realized I can just build from scratch and get exactly what I want. That said... McD's is scheduled to be replaced so I can go for a little more realism. 

Aside from signs still needed for McD's, I've also got the Taco Bell I posted that'll need a road sign. Been busy on a few others that need signs too, I just haven't posted pics because they look a little incomplete without building signs. I've recently built:
- Safeway (flippy hat roof 60s style)
- Texaco (mid 60s Matawan style)
- TraveLodge (60s)
- *****'s (that's a defunct chain like a Dennys for those of you that don't know)
- Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge w/ gate lodge office (mid 60s)

There's about 10 others that are on my to-do list including the new McDs. Just a lot if signs I need to figure out. 

I also dissected a Burger King kit I had and changed it up. Always bugged me that it was the biggest and most bland building in town.


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## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

The Burger King is that the Tyco kit one. If you get a chance I would like to see a picture of that I have that kit and wanted to change it up to.


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## Triple D (Dec 21, 2014)

KAL5 said:


> The Burger King is that the Tyco kit one. If you get a chance I would like to see a picture of that I have that kit and wanted to change it up to.


I'm had some trouble getting a true color rendering of it but this is close. I chopped two windows from the front, and if I remember right there was a space between the windows on the side. Chopped that out too and tapered it back a bit after the windows so it wasn't so long looking. Blocked the roof in the back to shorten it a bit more. On my iPhone here I can just get the one pic at a time, but the drive thru side is the same theory... just shorter with black trim.

The roof had to be hacked and fit back together on the right side, and it would've gone well but I forgot to wipe the extra glue until it was too late and it basically ate the shingle pattern on one of the corners. Looks good in person though. 

Aside from being big, it was just boring. I weathered the brick a bit with joint compound and a wipe of charcoal colored paint. Did the same with the roof and then painted all the window trim. I also put in a false panel on the rooftop to lessen the depth a bit... still need to put AC and vents up there. The real difference is in painting the Whopper sign and rooftop red boxes to look the way they're supposed to.

Overall I'm pleased. On a layout you'd never know it had been mutilated. Well... I'd notice because it's mine and I'm my worst critic... but nobody else would.


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## Triple D (Dec 21, 2014)

Joefrumjersey said:


> Nice model. To me it looks more like a Pizza Hut but golden arches work too. Good work.


Yeah, it doesn't look like a real one by any means... just a loose likeness. But fear not, I'm redoing the McDs from scratch once I finish the others on my list. I'm also going to do a Pizza Hut so hopefully side by side they'll look different.


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## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

Nice I like the look of the Burger King. You are going to redo the McDs are you going to use a new building or just remake the one you started with ?


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## Triple D (Dec 21, 2014)

KAL5 said:


> Nice I like the look of the Burger King. You are going to redo the McDs are you going to use a new building or just remake the one you started with ?


Thanks on the BK. 

As far as McD's goes I'm starting from scratch once some of these other projects are done. I really don't know why it didn't occur to me before I started that McDonalds that I could just do a scratch one. That one is just an old KFC with 30 pounds of leftovers glued on. The funny part is I probably could've built two better looking scratch ones in the time it took me to rummage and do that one. 

I'm kind of an idiot is what it probably boils down to... I was at a hobby store pricing some stuff out after I built that and I passed endless pieces of plastic and wood and you name it. I did a double take and thought to myself holy crap, this would've made life so much easier. Lol


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## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

Triple D said:


> Thanks on the BK.
> 
> As far as McD's goes I'm starting from scratch once some of these other projects are done. I really don't know why it didn't occur to me before I started that McDonalds that I could just do a scratch one. That one is just an old KFC with 30 pounds of leftovers glued on. The funny part is I probably could've built two better looking scratch ones in the time it took me to rummage and do that one.
> 
> I'm kind of an idiot is what it probably boils down to... I was at a hobby store pricing some stuff out after I built that and I passed endless pieces of plastic and wood and you name it. I did a double take and thought to myself holy crap, this would've made life so much easier. Lol



Well would you want to sell the building so you can buy some of the materials :SELLIT:


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## Triple D (Dec 21, 2014)

KAL5 said:


> Well would you want to sell the building so you can buy some of the materials :SELLIT:


I really wouldn't feel good about selling it so to speak... one of those things where you're hesitant to have your name attached to something that's not perfect. Don't get me wrong, it'll make a nice model just to be seen on a layout, but close inspection won't reveal the best quality in detail since it all started life as something else. Plus it was my first attempt ever doing a non-kit building.

I'd have no problem just giving it to you if you pay shipping though. Send me a PM and I'll give you a few more pics and if you still want it we can work out the details. 

And again, it's not like I'm ashamed of it or anything... I've just realized that going from scratch takes it to a whole new level is all.


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## KAL5 (Sep 4, 2011)

PM sent


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