V-8 Model Kit

Discussion in 'The Hobby Lobby' started by 65electra401, Jan 12, 2009.

  1. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Just a quick history lesson on the old Visible V-8-

    The kit was originally made by a company called Renwal out of Mineola NY. It came out in the early 60's. Renwal also made a Visible Chassis that accepted the V-8. The Visible Chassis kit has working brakes that use water instead of brake fluid. The manual transmission and rear differential were clear as well and functioned just like the real thing. Even the steering box was visible. The chassis when built was over 3 feet long. Renwal sold their visible kits to Revell when they closed. Revell has re released all the visible kits except for the chassis.

    I have a complete mint unbuilt Renwal chassis kit and the original Renwal V-8 kit if anyone is interested.
     
  2. 73-462GS

    73-462GS GS Mike

    I did one when I was about 10 or 12 and I am 62 now. Mike D.
     
  3. Dale

    Dale Sweepspear

    :shock: Sweet!

    That's right! There was a chassis that went along with it! I remember wanting it real badly as a kid to go along with the engine model! :pray:

    :TU:
     
  4. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    I'll post a picture of the one I have
     
  5. Dale

    Dale Sweepspear

    They could have taken it all the way and had a visible car body.
    And then you could put the visible man and woman in it.

    :laugh:
     
  6. cstanley-gs

    cstanley-gs Silver Mist

    I may know someone who could be interested....whats your price?
     
  7. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Here is the original issue V-8 kit and the chassis kit. Check out dad with the pipe! I love the artwork on the older kits. I wonder how much second hand smoke junior inhaled? The chassis kits are very hard to find in unbuilt condition. Most of the time you find them either built or partially built. If anyone is seriously interested, I'll take $1000 for the pair. Ive had the chassis kit for a long time. Its one of the best ones Ive ever seen. Its complete and inventoried. Comes with all the original paperwork. I consider this kit the Holy Grail of model kits. I almost hate to let it go because I'll probalby never have another.


    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Dale

    Dale Sweepspear

    My 'ol man always had a pipe hanging out of his mouth. Maybe that's why I...oh, never mind, that was another thread.

    That is just too cool.
    I'm not so sure I would be able to part with them either. How can you resist not building them? I'd be torn.

    :TU:
     
  9. cstanley-gs

    cstanley-gs Silver Mist

    Wow...too much for me... but I think if you advertised you'd get it.

    There are chassis kits alone on ebay for $750, and they are not mint. They have parts in zip lock bags. No V8 included either.
     
  10. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Another visible kit you guys should check out is the "Visible Mustang". It was a visible P-51 fighter plane. It had working motorized landing gear and propeller. I have an original and two of the 50th anniversary kits. I put one together with my dad when I wa a kid.

    The P-51 kit is readily available on Ebay. They always have several up at any given time.
     
  11. SportWagonGS

    SportWagonGS Moderator

    And the spark plugs were little light bulbs that flashed in the correct firing order. I have the viable rotary engine, battery powered with flashing "spark Plugs"
     
  12. 65electra401

    65electra401 My 225 ain't a Cadillac

    i thought my brother used a pulley on something... Maybe it was from the motor to trans. I think the motor has a belt connecting to the trans and the trans only has a chain from the output shaft to the rear axle. My brother stole the pulley off of my dads old table saw since it was extremely small and used that in place of the original. It made it fly! :3gears: although it ate through the belts really fast. :rolleyes:

    -Jason
     
  13. 65electra401

    65electra401 My 225 ain't a Cadillac

    but as for the visible v8...

    I've been thinking. I have been pondering getting one of those small electric motors and hooking it up to the output shaft of the tranny where the hand crank is. Do you guys think it would turn that motor too fast though and hurt it? I dont want to get it together and end up having it break! haha.

    But i just feel like it would be really cool to have it run "on its own". They had the 4 cyl version which comes standard running on batteries and it also lights up in the correct firing order, but i REALLY wanted the v8. And it is nice to see that the v8 is still carboureted rather than fuel injected! :laugh:

    -Jason
     
  14. jamyers

    jamyers 2 gallons of fun

    The original ones that were battery powered ran by a motor in the starter housing that turned the flywheel, iirc

    Regarding the Brigg-Stratton 3hp approach, that's what I did with Dad's lawnmower. Unfortunately, I neglected to get prior approval for that particluar project - and even though it ran just fine once I got it back together, I still got in trouble. Dads can be just SO picky...
     
  15. 65electra401

    65electra401 My 225 ain't a Cadillac

    HAHAHA!!! That is so hilarious! My dad is the exact same way! hahaha. Both my brothers and i are really into cars and stuff and my dad doesnt know the first thing about them. It's funny how that works out...

    And i figured i wouldnt be able to make it work like the original thats why i figured id get one of those small electric motors. The only thing is that i feel like it might break if i try and run it that fast being as the parts are plastic. well im assuming they are all plastic anyway.

    -Jason
     
  16. 70sLark

    70sLark Well-Known Member

    Plastic does friction weld easy ;)
     
  17. RAMKAT2

    RAMKAT2 Randy

    If you recall, Hot Rod magazine (or maybe it was Car Craft) did an April fools article several years ago about a new top secret plastic V8 engine which turned out to be the visible V8. They made it look like it actually ran for awhile, at least in the photo's, but it ended when the combustion heat took over and burned it to the ground.
    One of those "so stupid it's kinda funny" stories.
     
  18. 65electra401

    65electra401 My 225 ain't a Cadillac

    This model is taking forever to come in the mail... I ordered it on monday and it still hasnt come in yet. I'm real excited to put it together. I will post pics of it when i am done, and while in the process of being built. It does stink though that it has to be manually turned... Its just not as fun if you have to do it yourself. Then you cant sit there for hours gazing at the moving parts. :laugh:

    -Jason

    They should make a real visible v8... made out of glass. :laugh:
     
  19. 65electra401

    65electra401 My 225 ain't a Cadillac

    Scott (LDPOSSE on v8buick), my brother, said that is how he broke his original 8 tooth sprocket too, but his ratio was closer to 1:2.

    I just showed him the article here and he said he'll have to post on this thread. And he's going to upload some pics of the current state of our cart too.

    -Jason
     
  20. jamyers

    jamyers 2 gallons of fun

    But you can run it forwards and backwards...looking on the bright side. :laugh:
     

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