Big V8s

[unclescott58]

Here are two fun kits I recently finished. In fact, I just finished the Revell Visible V-8 last night. It in general was a nice little walk down memory lane. I'm surprised that I didn't miss the features that Revell deleted from the kit from the last time I built one. It seems to work better without the electric features it once had. 

The second is Franzis' Ford Mustang V-8 Motor. I put that one together in one evening about a week ago. My, how far technology, model design, and mold making has come in the last sixty years, since Renwal introduced their classic (now Revell) Visible V-8. The Franzis kit is by far superior in every way. It's bigger in scale. 1/3 vs. 1/4. The electric components are much easier to install. And they work perfect. Plus we know for sure what motor the Franzis engine is modeled after. It's Ford's '65 Mustang 289 K code engine. Where we're pretty sure that the Renwal/Revell model is mainly based on the the Studebaker 232/259/289 V-8? But, there are a few things that are not exactly correct for a Studebaker motor. Plus the manual that comes with the Franzis kit. It's really a book, rather than a manual. It's square bound, and 104 pages. Over half of them dealing with history of the Ford Mustang and V-8 motors used in Mustangs over the years. With beautiful color photography in the history section. And wonderfully clear instructions on how to build the kit itself. A manual well worth keeping, after one finishes the model.

Again, I had fun building both models. It's easy to praise Franzis' 289. Yet at the same time, the old Revell Visible V-8 is still a pretty good kit. Especially when comparing the price of the two kits together. Yet despite the price, I liked the Franzis kit enough, that I'm considering picking up their Porsche 911 motor down the road.

Also, as of Friday night, I have found and purchased from a vendor on eBay, AMT's Transparent Chevy 289. And I'm talking with a friend about buying a Testor's Visible Hemi kit he got as a gift years ago, and has shown no interest in building. Now if I could just find Revell's Slant Six kit. Complete and at a reasonable price. I'm not holding my breath on that one. But, hopefully in the near future, I can compare and display the AMT Transparent Chevy, the Testors' Visible Hemi, and the Franzis' Porsche 911 motor, with my Revell Visible V-8 and Franzis Mustang motor. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[unclescott58]

Being out of work because of coronavirus. But, still be paid. I decided to go ahead this morning and order the Franzis' 1/4 scale Porsche 911 engine kit. Like I said above, I was so impressed with their Mustang motor, I couldn't resist buying the Porsche 911 version too. I'll post pictures here, when I'm through building it.

[unclescott58]

Not a V-8. But, another Franzis engine model complete. The Franzis Porsche 911 engine. 1/4 scale. Like their Mustang engine I built above, another great kit. Took just about four hours to complete. Everything looks great. Fits great. And works great. Other than price, I love these Franzis kits. 

 

[unclescott58]

A question of scale. As you know, I've built 3 "visiable" large scale engines in the last couple of weeks. Finishing the Porsche engine this afternoon. When I sat the Porsche engine by its sister Ford engine made by the same company. It brought up the question about what scale are these models really? Franzis claims their 289 Mustang motor is of 1/3 scale. Their Porsche 911 motor 1/4. Yet side by side, the 2.0 litre Porsche motor looks bigger than the 4.7 litre Mustang motor. Putting the 1/4 scale Porsche boxer 6 by the Renwal/Revell Visiable V-8, also claimed to be 1/4 scale, it looks enormous. Time to get out the old tape measure.

Not counting the water pump. Just the engine block. The Franzis Ford 289 measures out to about 8 inches long. Talking to a friend who knows these engines fairly well, he says that should be right for 1/3 scale Ford 289. The real 289, block, not counting water pump, is about 24 inch long. Good so far.

The Franzis 1/4 scale Porsche 911 motor measures about 12 inches in width, at it's widest, not counting the exhaust manifolds. From top of one valve cover to the top of the other valve cover. 12 inches. At 1/4 scale, this means the real engine is 4 feet wide! I think Franzis has got their scale wrong on this one. At the same time I don't have the specifications on the Porsche engine ready on hand to check how big the real engine is. 4 feet just seems too big to me. 

The 1/4 scale Visiable V-8? Tough to check. Is it really a Studebaker V-8 or not? But, just looking at it compared side by side to the 1/3 scale Mustang V-8, it looks right for the difference in the two scales. I have not measured the Visiable V-8. And I don't have the specs for the Studebaker V-8 right at my fingertips. So we'll leave that alone for now.

I'm sure in my vast library, I do have the exact specs for all 3 real engines. And I may have to do more research in the future. But, I thought in the meantime I'd bring it up to you guys, and see what you think? 

It will be interesting to get the AMT Transparent 283 V-8 I have coming from a seller on eBay. AMT/Ertl claimed it to be in 1/6 scale. It will be interesting to see how compares to the other three? 

 

 

[unclescott58]

I know, no buddy cares for this thread, looking at the responses. But, I like it. So I keep adding to it. 

If you are instrested, I thought you might like to see how AMT's 1/6 scale Transparent 283 model kit compares in size to one of the other, engine kits I've built recently. Here it is compared to Revell's 1/4 scale Visiable V-8. 

 

[landman]

Boy, that brings back memories. My uncle had purchsed the visible V8 and we all built it together with my cousins. That must have been around 62-63 something like that.

[Sam I Am]

Just found this thread. Those are awesome models!  I have no clue where one would display those huge kits.  Really looking forward to seeing the rest get built. 

[Joe Thomas]

Visible V8 attempt No. 1.

First attempt when I was a kid and what's left. (1960 copyright )

 

 

 

 

Attempt No. 2 as a teenager

(copyright date of kit unknown)

Resurrected it about 10 years ago and made it into a painted non-functioning display.  (too many broken parts to save).  Took it out of storage yesterday and freshenend it up.

 

 

Attempt No. 3.  New in the box purchased off of Craig's list for $100 about 5 years ago. This is the 1987 copyright motorized version.  Some flaws that need correcting that  were learned over the years.   Make sure camshaft is free of mold marks, add upper cam bearing caps (see second pic of second attempt) , round off bottom of lifters, add thrust washers to remove play in camshaft.

Here is a pic of the upper camshaft bearing support used to keep the cam from flexing

 

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by Joe Thomas

[Joe Thomas]

 

posted in error,  deleted

Edited May 29, 2020 by Joe Thomas

[Joe Thomas]

Heads and short block done.  Need to straighten out the camshaft. Enough fiddling for today.

[Joe Thomas]

Today's progress,  valves and pistons operating by the electric motor.

 

Edited May 30, 2020 by Joe Thomas

[alan barton]

I've enjoyed your collection unclescott, even if they are not exactly my cup of tea.  I have a story to tell about these large engines though.

About ten years ago I had a part time job in a truly magnificent motoring bookshop here in Perth.  Sadly the general downturn in the retail world killed it off after fifteen years but the Pitstop Bookshop was one of those places that all gearheads would love. One of the conditions of employment was that you had to have a strong interest in cars or motorsports.  Even the girls out the back in the storeroom ran a Falcon hardtop muscle car, a flip front Mini Cooper etc etc. It was a great place to work and  the best job I ever had.

Knowing my interest in models, the owner, Peter, came up to me one day and said "Haynes Workshop Manuals are releasing a scale model of a four cylinder engine - do you think we should get some in?".  I explained that in my modelling circles there would be limited interest but on the other hand, I was a high school auto shop teacher as well and there might be some educational value. "Get 10", I suggested.  Peter ordered 50!

I have never been so wrong in my life.  Those things flew out the door faster than we could order them in! I forget how many we eventually sold but it was in the hundreds.  I built one and had it on the front counter and absolutely every customer had to press the button to see it whirl around.

We got heaps of enquiries about a V8 so Peter asked me to investigate.  I found the Revell V8 in a local hobby shop so bought one and assembled it.  What an absolute dog!  Screws snapped, the casting was warped for the cylinder block, it fought me all the way and was very substandard compared to the Haynes 4 banger.  I told Peter that if he wanted to spend the next six months answering calls from irate customers, sure, go ahead and order them in.  Wisely, he didn't.  Shortly after the store closed up, Haynes released a V8 but I never got to try that one for size.

looks like you both did way better than I did!

Cheers

Alan

[Joe Thomas]

Calling Attempt No. 3 done.

[Joe Thomas]

Allan Barton

If you want to try again,  make sure you get a 1987 or earlier version.  The tooling that was created in 1958 is pretty worn now.  Not saying your still going to have to fiddle to get it to work.

[Joe Thomas]

Next up is this Smithsonian 4 cyl. kit purchased in DC years ago.  From what I've read, the new kits on Amazon use a more brittle plastic that splits when the assembly screws are installed.  The plastic in this kit is softer so we will see.

 

 

[Joe Thomas]

Finished

 

 

Edited June 30, 2020 by Joe Thomas

[Greg Myers]

At close to $200 the Franzis' 289 better be a little more than the old Renwall / Revell Visible V8

[64Comet404]

One engine kit yet to be mentioned is the Revell 1:3 scale Ford Turbo four-cylinder. I bought one of these to replace the one I partially built and wrecked as a kid. Unfortunately there were missing pieces, and some warped parts (the camshaft is banana-shaped!). I hope that the next one I find at a reasonable price won't have the same damage.

[slusher]

Really great engines Scott!

[DonW]

On 8/23/2020 at 3:15 AM, 64Comet404 said:

One engine kit yet to be mentioned is the Revell 1:3 scale Ford Turbo four-cylinder. I bought one of these to replace the one I partially built and wrecked as a kid. Unfortunately there were missing pieces, and some warped parts (the camshaft is banana-shaped!). I hope that the next one I find at a reasonable price won't have the same damage.

In fairness the subject of the thread is 'Big V8s' although some 4-cyls have crept in! 

[unclescott58]

On 7/30/2020 at 10:42 AM, Greg Myers said:

At close to $200 the Franzis' 289 better be a little more than the old Renwall / Revell Visible V8

It’s very much is well worth the money. It and 911 engine are two of the nicest kits of this type I’ve ever built. I love them both. 

[DonW]

22 hours ago, unclescott58 said:

It’s very much is well worth the money. It and 911 engine are two of the nicest kits of this type I’ve ever built. I love them both. 

One thing strikes me as odd about the Porsche kit - it's got pretty exotic induction with its six trumpets, but the silencer (muffler) and tailpipe look a bit tame. Maybe just a big bore tailpipe would suit it better. Otherwise, yes it is a lovely thing. 

[bisc63]

unclescott58, those are some nice builds! I have one or two of those "little" AMT 283 kits in my stash, and I hope I can do as clean a build as you've done here. (not an easy task with all that clear styrene) Keep it up!

[unclescott58]

8 hours ago, bisc63 said:

unclescott58, those are some nice builds! I have one or two of those "little" AMT 283 kits in my stash, and I hope I can do as clean a build as you've done here. (not an easy task with all that clear styrene) Keep it up!

I should update the photos on the “little” 283 motors. I’m actually building two of them. The clear plastic one. And a non-transparent, need to paint version. Both are quite aways along. Basically just need to paint and assemble the fuel injection units, to finish them up.

[bisc63]

Would love to see your progress on those!