Revell- TV Tommy Ivo "Showboat" Four-Engine Dragster (Completed 12/29)

[jbwelda]

aha so that's why some of those headers on the tree have that funny bend to them! never knew that!

jb

Edited December 25, 2013 by jbwelda

[Force]

Yes 2 pipes are pointing downwards and if you count the pipes on the black and white picture you see that the middle pipes are grouped 3,4,3,4...there are some hight difference so it's quite easy to see.

[Terminator-Fox]

i honestly don't think it's gonna happen trying to line the pipes up down the center. I just don't see how it's gonna be done either even if I did try it.. I do like how it looks regardless and am probably just gonna leave it. Can't stand to take it apart anymore. This is just the 3rd model I'm going to complete in well over a decade.

As far as part fitment on the kit? Ehhh I've definitely had better that's for sure. Lots of trimming, cleaning flash etc.

Edited December 25, 2013 by Terminator-Fox

[jrherald420]

If your happy with it then leave it!! Only person that you need to make happy is you. I like it regardless of the pipes.

Edited December 25, 2013 by jrherald420

[Terminator-Fox]

Thanks James!

[John Teresi]

Steve……..it is just about impossible to line up the pipes down the middle………I built 3 of these cars and still could not get them to line up……..you did a fine job just as it is…….good work my friend

[Terminator-Fox]

Oh jesus! Mine is no comparison John! I bow down. I love that Wagon Master!

[Force]

The Showboat kit is a fiddly kit to build and the pipes are not easy to get right at all, so I understand if you don't want to do it over again and again.

When I saw Wagonmaster at the NHRA Museum at Pomona, and on all pictures I have seen, it has another layout of the exhaust pipes, they are shorter and point straight up so they are not leaned backwards as on the Showboat...yes the Wagonmaster is built on the original Showboat but the pipes was appearantly changed at the same time as the Buick wagon body came on.
The Showboat they show today is a replica of the original that was built some years ago as the Wagonmaster still exists.

Edited December 26, 2013 by Force

[Terminator-Fox]

The Showboat kit is a fiddly kit to build and the pipes are not easy to get right at all, so I understand if you don't want to do it over again and again.

When I saw Wagonmaster at the NHRA Museum at Pomona, and on all pictures I have seen, it has another layout of the exhaust pipes, they are shorter and point straight up so they are not leaned backwards as on the Showboat...yes the Wagonmaster is built on the original Showboat but the pipes was appearantly changed at the same time as the Buick wagon body came on.

The Showboat they show today is a replica of the original that was built some years ago as the Wagonmaster still exists.

You know I noticed that too with pics of the Wagon Master. I had scene Scale City offers a resin Wagon Master kit and they say to use this kit as a donor but the pipes are completely different on the real car. Building this car I can't help but think about the ingenuity these guys had back in the early 60's to build this headache!

[jbwelda]

hey john, in that first pic you posted they seem to line up better than in the second...is that just the camera angle or something? that wagonmaster is awesome. saw the real thing at NHRA museum some years ago but didn't note the pipe arrangement.

terminator: if it were me I would probably leave them as is too. heck I never even got up the nerve to build the kit myself though in my research on buick nailheads I think I will steal some parts from one of them to use on my next nailhead build.

I have a buildup of the kit I bought on ebay some time and the center pipes are all katty-wampus...yours look much better to tell the truth, at least they look consistent in their angle from center. and I have a 1/18 die cast (GMP?) in which they are perfect but usually die casts are at least when youre paying 100+ for them.

jb

[John Teresi]

hey john, in that first pic you posted they seem to line up better than in the second...is that just the camera angle or something? that wagonmaster is awesome. saw the real thing at NHRA museum some years ago but didn't note the pipe arrangement.

terminator: if it were me I would probably leave them as is too. heck I never even got up the nerve to build the kit myself though in my research on buick nailheads I think I will steal some parts from one of them to use on my next nailhead build.

I have a buildup of the kit I bought on ebay some time and the center pipes are all katty-wampus...yours look much better to tell the truth, at least they look consistent in their angle from center. and I have a 1/18 die cast (GMP?) in which they are perfect but usually die casts are at least when youre paying 100+ for them.

jb

JB………yes,it was just the camera angle………and that model in the picture is the one I gave to Tommy Ivo………he pointed out to me that the pipes were wrong……..so the next one I built……..I corrected the pipe angle………this is a picture of it……..and a side note……..since this picture was taken I even shortened the top pipes a little bit………thanks

[jbwelda]

john I gotta admire you (for more reasons than this actually) for building that not once but TWICE! and your way with a camera is pretty spectacular I had to look at those pics of the transporter more than twice to notice it was a model! only thing that gave it away is the 5 foot tall (out of scale) grass!

jb

[John Teresi]

john I gotta admire you (for more reasons than this actually) for building that not once but TWICE! and your way with a camera is pretty spectacular I had to look at those pics of the transporter more than twice to notice it was a model! only thing that gave it away is the 5 foot tall (out of scale) grass!

jb

Jb…….you have a great eye………I have hated these pictures……..these pictures were taken about 3 years ago……..since then I have found a better spot at the park…….and I always make sure the grass has been cut……..I need to re-shot the model when I have time…….thanks

P.S. ……..Steve,sorry for hyjacking your thread……..you can delete if you like…….no problem

Edited December 26, 2013 by John Teresi

[Dave Van]

Great build so far......I have a few of those kits in the stash.

My Dad was racing director for Valvoline 1960-70 in So Cal. Tommy was one of their first 'big' names to run the Valvoline logo. Parent company Ashland didn't see the benefit to race car sponsorship but Tommy changed Ashlands mind!!! Tommy gave me a factory built 4 engine kit when it first came out....Revell had given him a few of them. I was too young to realize what it was and it got destroyed. All I have today is the drag chute with a decal on it.....thought that was super high detail back in the day!!!

I need to build one......

[Terminator-Fox]

No way John I love the Wagon Master, and the fact you built one for Tommy is so awesome.

I actually just saw a GMP Showboat model on ebay. Think it sold for $142 or something

Edited December 26, 2013 by Terminator-Fox

[Nitrozilla]

Steve, do not sweat the headers. I didn't like the ones that came with the kit and I didn't grasp the odd ones either so before attempting them I decided to make my own.

Took me a few days using solder and still had to tweak them. There are still issues, but they are good enough for the girls John goes with.

Man, I have GOT to get back on that build........

[John Teresi]

No way John I love the Wagon Master, and the fact you built one for Tommy is so awesome.

I actually just saw a GMP Showboat model on ebay. Think it sold for $142 or something

Steve…..yes,those GMP 1/18 scale die cast "Showboats" are getting rare……..so they are getting expensive………but,they are cool looking

Joe…….good one Brother……..it`s hard to please those girls sometimes ……..hope to see you back on your 4 engine build soon…….she`s looking really cool.

Edited December 26, 2013 by John Teresi

[Terminator-Fox]

Yes Joe finish that awesome build! And I got your decals today. It's so appreciated you have no idea. Now I can get to finishing this thing up!

[Nitrozilla]

You're welcome

[Truck parts]

That's a cool.I built one many many years ago.

[Terminator-Fox]

Well guys I finished up the Showboat this morning. I am very pleased with how it turned out. Definitely a tricky build. Parts fitment was sub-par so I just did the best I could. Straight out of the box build. This is my third completed model after getting back into this hobby after more than a decade of building. It's not 100% perfect by any means but it sure is an awesome looking dragster

I just wanted to say a big thank you to:

Bill Allphin (gtx6970) for parts referencing me on his unbuilt Showboat kit. He was a big help.

Joe Goss (Nitrozilla) for sending me his decals as a couple of mine got screwed up. And not wanting anything in return. Very gracious of him and I appreciate it so much!

My pictures aren't the best and I hope to have a thread with much nicer pictures when my buddy can take some for me. Hopefully this can hold you guys over for a little bit. Thanks for all the comments and encouragement!

The Showboat!

[W-409]

That turned out awesome! I really enjoyed following this WIP Thread and there was lots of work on this one! You did it very nicely and that's really unique and cool build - haven't seen many of these completed.

Great Job!

[Terminator-Fox]

Thanks Niko

[John Teresi]

Steve…..you gotta be very proud of what you built…….only the 3rd model built in years…….and you built one of the hardest models to build ……great job.

[Terminator-Fox]

That means a lot John. Thank you! And for the pics of your builds. Maybe someday I could be half as good as you!