Renwal The Visible Automobile Chassis

[Ben]

I have the chassis kit, Fully inventoried, unstarted in a box in great shape.  When I got it, there were a few broken pieces but there was a guy on EBay that had parts and a “how to build correctly” DVD that I got the replacement parts and DVD from. I had the engine but sold it. I bought the visible Hemi engine to go with it though. Pretty sure I’ll never build it, I have nowhere to put it! LOL

[Deuces]

On 12/3/2016 at 4:56 PM, macart52 said:

Howdy neighbor. I'm down here in Cape. My wife was watching my screen and here ya go.

http://www.drivehq.com/file/df.aspx/publish/tonhazelaar/wwwhome/chassis-renwal.html

Great! Now I want one....

[Deuces]

On 11/19/2017 at 4:17 PM, MrObsessive said:

Casey, along those lines the same thing could be said of AMT's 1/6 scale '57 Chevy Fuel Injected engine kit. I have that one and I don't remember it ever being reissued since it first came out. That one's a very super detailed kit with literally working everything. I think I've only ever seen one built, and that was in a hobby shop where the owner had one in a case.

I've not checked on eBay for average prices of what they go for now, but they weren't great sellers AFAIK, and I don't see that one coming back anytime soon either.

I have 2 of those fuelie 283 engine kits... Hope to build one soon... Or maybe both....

[64Comet404]

I saw one of those kits for sale yesterday at the Fulton, NY show. It was the first one I had ever seen for sale, and it was reasonably priced ($250). I just couldn't justify buying it, even though I could have told myself that it was an 'investment'. 

[Deuces]

Pretty sure someone snatched that one up...

[Mr. Metallic]

I recently found one on eBay and passed along the info to my friend Chuck Darnell. He digs this kind of stuff and has a great collection of rare and unique items, especially big scale stuff. He's the guy that built the 1/8 Uncertain T that got some magazine coverage back then. So i figured he'd be into it. It didn't have a box, so he had to cross his fingers that it was complete, but bought it anyway.

When it arrived it turned out to be complete, and he set about building it right away. It took him about a 10 days, but it's all done, and all he can say is that it is MASSIVE. He does have the V-8 to put in it when the mood strikes. Next time I go to his house I'll be sure to get better pictures, but here's a couple he sent me. Note the 1/8 dragster under it for some idea of the scale.

[Tom Geiger]

Cool! I don't believe I've ever seen one of those chassis in person!

Old story time...  when I was a kid we live in foreign countries since my father was US Army.  The post exchange had a Sears counter where you could order and receive Sears catalog orders.  That left us kids living our dreams through the Sears Wish Book Christmas catalog every year.  Around 1969-70 they had both the V8 and Chassis.  I asked for both for Christmas.  As a kid I believed this would be big enough to drive around.  I drew pictures of the modern roadster body I would build for it.  Sweet dreams.

Christmas came and my father just got me the V8, no chassis!  I was devastated.  We built it together that winter... which means he built it while I watched... and I was disappointed that it just sat on it's stand and whined when you ran it.   I wasn't into it.

I don't remember what ever happened to that V8, but I do have a Revell Slant Six apart and missing parts in a box.

Edited December 7, 2018 by Tom Geiger

[GLMFAA1]

Nice picture of the chassis, I hope he does have the clear hubcaps. One thing that the renewal originals had was a replacement parts lists where you could send for pats that broke, I used mine a lot since the camshaft always broke in the engine,  I loved the suggestion of using Vasoline to make the parts move easier. Does any one have the radial engine?

greg

[hvymtl]

That chassis is amazing I had the v-8 when I was about 11 yrs old by the time I was 13 I had a fittimg end to it . myfirst engine I blew up 

I attached a bunch of d=cell batteries tapped together and put pos to pos  and neg to neg and yall can finger out the rest . Lol now tohave it in one piece of a kit again would be nice but then I would not have the story to tell 

 

Michael 

[Deuces]

On 12/6/2018 at 3:43 PM, Mr. Metallic said:

I recently found one on eBay and passed along the info to my friend Chuck Darnell. He digs this kind of stuff and has a great collection of rare and unique items, especially big scale stuff. He's the guy that built the 1/8 Uncertain T that got some magazine coverage back then. So i figured he'd be into it. It didn't have a box, so he had to cross his fingers that it was complete, but bought it anyway.

When it arrived it turned out to be complete, and he set about building it right away. It took him about a 10 days, but it's all done, and all he can say is that it is MASSIVE. He does have the V-8 to put in it when the mood strikes. Next time I go to his house I'll be sure to get better pictures, but here's a couple he sent me. Note the 1/8 dragster under it for some idea of the scale.

Holy smokes!!!! ??

Edited January 7, 2019 by Deuces

[Tom Geiger]

On 12/6/2018 at 8:38 PM, GLMFAA1 said:

  I loved the suggestion of using Vasoline to make the parts move easier.

I bought the slant six engine on eBay.  The entire thing was  full of Vasoline. I had to soak it in CSC for a week!

[mk11]

My high school shop teacher had one in pieces in a box. He let me take it home to reassemble and bring back. Wish now that I'd bought it from him.

 

 

[1967RMP]

Still (mostly) bagged!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Unused-1960s-RENWAL-Visible-Automobile-Chassis-Model-Kit-1-4-Scale-NR/133411085304?_trkparms=aid%3D333200%26algo%3DCOMP.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20171011185948%26meid%3Dfacd476a5e34468cac862a2f92f7c0a3%26pid%3D100229%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D392778095808%26itm%3D133411085304%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2053904%26algv%3DItemStripV3%26brand%3DRenwal&_trksid=p2053904.c100229.m3211

 

Edited May 21, 2020 by 1967RMP

[Bugatti Fan]

Those big separate engine and chassis kits, great for museum and technical displays, but as a sideboard model in a domestic situation...………..Maybe not.

[Deuces ll]

I wonder if the tires are dry rotted???..... ?

[Chuck Kourouklis]

I'm guessing not - tires are this sort of stiff vinyl or nylon-feeling plastic a bit like what Lindberg big-scale tires are made of, two halves with a flat tread piece you encircle between them.  Separate white wall rings.

Man, thought I got a deal on mine a few years back - if the link above is any indication, now I know I did. ?

 

[Deuces ll]

$1450.00 bucks????..... No thanks!.... ????

[pontirat]

On 10/13/2016 at 5:20 PM, Tom Geiger said:

 

 

On 11/1/2018 at 4:43 AM, The Skipper said:

Hello guys! I was preparing an article on this kit for our chapter, and to get additional info, I was doing a search and I found this forum and post. What I know about this kit is the worst news you could ask for.

I'm 70 ars old, started building in 1956. The Renwal Chassis was one of my early ones, along with the V-8, both built in the early 60's. It survived until 1979 when I was moving from my first house to my second. A friend helping me move was picking it up to carry to car, and decided to do something extremely stupid. He asked "Do the shocks work?" before I could stop him he set it on the floor, bounced it, and managed to break off all four wheels. At that point, I obviously was livid. I ran him out of the house and said never even speak to me again.

Having dealt with Revell, knowing they had released the v-8 and being people I knew and had often spoken with, I called them up to inquire about parts. Now comes the bad news. The chassis molds, like my model, had been so badly damaged from an accident, they were never reparable and were destroyed. Not until the internet, and decent search, was I able to start seeking a replacement. I know have 1 to restore, all parts there, and 2 brand new, never opened ones. Those 2, I lucked out on on E Bay when the sellers, not knowing what they had had no reserve. Got each one for under 400.00. 

As for it's popularity and cost originally, the price was never a factor, they became unavailable anywhere within months of production. There is quite possibly any other kit, I know more about than this one.

Gene Rasmussen,

IPMS

NMRA life member

 

i just found this page, lol!  I still have parts of the chassis, probably 90% or more?.  I'm 66 yr, my dad bought it for Christmas when I was 15 yr.  I already had the V-8, it did mate up perfectly.  It moved and was able to shift the manual 3 speed.  He always said to trash it, later in years because it broke throughout the years.  I told him it was probably the best present, he'd ever got me!  He's gone now, can't seem to trash it!

 

[pontirat]

i just found this page, lol!  I still have parts of the chassis, probably 90% or more?.  I'm 66 yr, my dad bought it for Christmas when I was 15 yr.  I already had the V-8, it did mate up perfectly.  It moved and was able to shift the manual 3 speed.  He always said to trash it, later in years because it broke throughout the years.  I told him it was probably the best present, he'd ever got me!  He's gone now, can't seem to trash it!

 

[partoy]

I have the Renwall chassis kit in the box, partially built. It appears to be complete except for the steering wheel and horn ring, haven't confirmed that yet, but so far I haven't found anything else missing yet. If anyone in the group, or anyone reading this happens to have either part, I would like to purchase it or them.   

[Bugatti Fan]

Brian, you could try a complete restoration job on that chassis that your dad bought you for Christmas all those years ago. What with all the finishing goodies we are all used to that were not around when that chassis kit was produced should be an interesting project.  Matt, same suggestion about your part built kit.

 

It's the sort of thing that the International Model Car Builders Museum in Sandy, Utah might be interested in as their display is about the development of the hobby. Unless they have one already of course .

 

Edited February 27 by Bugatti Fan

[ModelsByBill]

Only saw one on eBay right now and he's not sure if it's 100% complete or not.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/176934454572?itmmeta=01JPTN4YQ50GYDXY9G0JG5R2P9&hash=item29321d852c

Does anyone have any leads on an unbuilt kit ? 

Edited March 20 by ModelsByBill

[ModelsByBill]

I had one my parents got me for Christmas when I was 15 or so. Unfortunately mom gave it away when she was cleaning the house out after my dad passed.

Always wanted to get a Visible V8 and attach it to the transmission.

Are there directions for that ?

Any help would be appreciated !

[Brian Austin]

I have to wonder what the price point the chassis kit would be if it were reissued.

Large kit, small market.  🙂

[1930fordpickup]

On 3/23/2025 at 10:48 PM, Brian Austin said:

I have to wonder what the price point the chassis kit would be if it were reissued.

Large kit, small market.  🙂

I would think it would be a preorder to run that mold. Say you have  to buy 3 when your order.  Do the molding companies even have a machine with a big enough platten to bolt it up anymore?