Locating 1983 grenadier Autoduel miniatures

[Darth Diablo]

Good morning fellow Autoduelists.

I am in need of assistance, in 1983, SJG partnered with Grenadier to produce the official Car Wars gaming piece line.
As many of you remember, the line was called Autoduel miniatures and was designed specifically to the Classic Car Wars scale (N scale???)

It was a one time run with only maybe about a dozen types of blister packs produced, but they were very functional, a solid enough representation of your combat ready vehicle (that is if you didnt already customize your minis after purchase...)

33 years later, these pieces are almost impossible to locate for purchase.

Does the membership here have any info on where I can get my hands on so AutoDuel miniatures?
Last year, Autoduel miniatures appeared on eBay as auctions TWICE.... And you know... Of course I lost those auctions!!!

Pffffft, my only other option is to start raiding model trainshops for Nscale cars and go on a mission to customize, but Id rather use Autoduel instead

Please help meeeeeeeeeeee!

[Herod]

You could try PM'ing this fellow. I never worked out anything with him as I got some from someone else.

http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=132832

[Parody]

There's plenty of alternatives available that are a lot easier to find and cheaper than the old Grenadier minis. We use Micro Machines and scaled everything to 1.5x, but N scale minis, Hot Wheels, and others are all options.

[ColBosch]

Originally Posted by Darth Diablo

Good morning fellow Autoduelists.
Last year, Autoduel miniatures appeared on eBay as auctions TWICE.... And you know... Of course I lost those auctions!!!

At least three times. I got five blisters off eBay about two weeks ago, for $10 each, and was the only bidder. I snagged Station Wagons, Pickups, Cycles, Sidecars and Turrets, and Assorted Wrecks.

[Magesmiley]

I keep an eye out for them as well. I've seen a few here and there, so they do show up. I've got a full set that I picked up on Ebay a few years ago for about $100 which are still in their packaging (and I can't quite bring myself to open them, so I'm still trying to pick up some loose ones).

Some other options that are currently available for 1x Scale:

Irregular Miniatures

Howard Models (the 1/16" Scale cars are just about perfect).

Some of the above painted.

[Ogre_]

Microworld Games has some 1x options too.

[davester64]

I think I have some loose pieces available. I was possibly running one of those auctions you lost.

I will have to check when I get home tonight.

[owenmp]

Darth Diablo,

The Autoduel! Miniatures, first produced by SJ Games then Grenadier, are slightly smaller than their matching counters in Pocket Box Car Wars and Pocket Box Truck Stop. Autoduel! Miniatures fit very well on the top of Car Wars counters.

Regularly searching eBay, eBay Canada, eBay U.K., and eBay Australia using the terms "car wars" and "autoduel" may result in a few hits for Autoduel! Miniatures. They certainly are rare but a few appear online each year.

Several metal miniatures have been produced for the auto racing boardgames Formula De and Formula D. I am looking at eBay as I type this message, and there are several sets of sports cars available. The plastic miniatures in the Formula De and Formula D boardgames are also useful for Car Wars. Like the original Autoduel! Miniatures, those plastic miniatures are slightly smaller than their corresponding Car Wars counters.

Note 1X Car Wars scale (1" = 15') is smaller than N scale, and the under development Car Wars Sixth Edition will be using a different scale than Car Wars Fourth Edition. The excerpt below from ADQ Vol. 1, No. 2 may be helpful to you regarding scales of Car Wars miniatures.

Send me a private message if you want to discuss this subject further. Good luck in your quest, and Happy Fourth of July.




Backfire
Autoduel Quarterly Vol. 1, No. 2
Summer 2033 (1983)

. . . Also, as a N scale model railroader, I find that your Car Wars miniatures are not quite useable with the 1/160 N scale equipment. As a matter of fact, your vehicles are closer to 1/192 scale (1/16" = 1') than the advertised 1/180. There are many figures available in the 1/192 scale in any good architectual supply store.

-- David A. McConnell
Manhasset, NY

. . . You're right about the scale situation -- N scale was a rough approximation to the 1" = 15' scale that we came up with solely for Car Wars, and 1/192 is closer. Thanks for the supply store tip.

-- David Ladyman

[ColBosch]

Originally Posted by Magesmiley

I keep an eye out for them as well. I've seen a few here and there, so they do show up. I've got a full set that I picked up on Ebay a few years ago for about $100 which are still in their packaging (and I can't quite bring myself to open them, so I'm still trying to pick up some loose ones).

I ripped mine right the hell open. Things are made to be used, not stored.

[Magesmiley]

Originally Posted by ColBosch

I ripped mine right the hell open. Things are made to be used, not stored.

I'm usually that way on most stuff - I used to play Magic unsleeved with Moxes and Black Lotuses a great many years ago.

I'm also a collector of Car Wars items and books though. I had a bunch of 1x minis already and getting ahold of loose figures from this line struck me as slightly easier than additional in the packaging. So I'm still sitting on them.