Hi all, Looking for a see through model engine kit like the one pictured below. I've only found this one and one other and was wondering if anyone else knew of any. This one below might work, but I just want to explore all options before I make a purchase. It's just for my son (6 year old). He wants to know 'how engines work inside dad'. Thanks Scott By the way, this one pictured is a 1:4 scale, about right for size I'd say.
I bought one at Hobby Lobby that is an inline four, but it is still neat. The sparkplugs even light up...
ive got 3 of those kits., one renwall. the other 2 are revell, same kit. they shouldnt be to hard to find out there.. as a kid i had the qtr scale chassis as well skull
I think the one you have pictured is similar to a GM and actually turns over and lights up. EDITED: There are others available as well: Chrysler 426 HEMI, Ford 427 SOHC, and a couple of others. But those don't turn over. They are cheaper, but smaller, and not transparent. Here's a link to several of them: http://www.amazon.com/Revell-Visible-V-8-Engine/dp/B000XQ8X5U/ref=pd_sbs_t_3 Scroll down to see the others. IF it's for educational purposes and seeing how stuff inside works, it's hard to beat a Briggs & Stratton lawnmower engine. You can get those almost for free, and, if you do it right, it will run when you're done. BTW, you probably want to avoid two-strokes, at least the first time around. The four-strokes are more straightforward.
there is this one. I know this particular one is not see through but there is another version of this kit that is molded in clear plastic. It is smaller than the kit you have pictured. this kit has LOTS of little parts, almost as many as the real engine. Also has a bunch of rubber parts & some photoetched stuff. if your son is a beginner this one will be extremely challenging. possibly too challenging for a 6yo. the renwall/revell one you have pictured is also a challenging kit, some steps you will need to help him with if you go with that kit. Revell also has a couple of other visible engines, a turbo 4 banger (2.3 liter ford I think) and a Wankel rotary. There is also this one.. Maybe a little more kid friendly. I have not seen this kit in person so I cannot say for sure. http://www.discoverthis.com/motorworks.html Go to egay & type visible engine in the search box & you will see there are several differnent engines available. I think I remember seeing a harley V twin visible kit as well. Hope this helps.
Those visible V-8s are a nightmare to put together. Trust me, I'm an experienced modeller, and it gave me such a headache, i never made it past the long block! It has many, many very small pieces that are easy to loose, nothing fits right... This kit is a reissue of the same one my dad built back in the 60's. When my dad wanted to teach me about engines when I was a kid, we took apart a Briggs 4 stroke and then cut the cylinder and crankcase so when we reassembled, it was a cut-away. We even cut the flywheel in half, to see the mag, but the plug still sparked! ( we put a handle on the end of the crank..)
another vote for the lawn mower 4 stroke when my son was 8/9 we did one for a science fair display took it all apart painted &son made place cards explaining each part&how it worked wired it onto peg board in an exploded view.......... must of done some good he's now in final stages taking my model A apart painting IT&putting it back together.....worth every minute >we still talk about it<
at 6 your boy could have a mini bike with a briggs and stratton, if you have the space to ride that is, remember the first thing little kids do is go wide open throttle so be ready, doesnt matter how many times you tell them not to they still do, lol..a model would be fun to.
If you really want to mess with his head, search out the old Wankel rotary kit...made by Entex, I think, & maybe others. Getting the kit to work right was almost as much of a hassle as making a real Wankel engine run correctly.
I've had one of those sitting on the shelf in the garage gathering dust for years. Finally took it to a swap meet with a bunch of other stuff last weekend. Lots of people looking at it. Finally sold it for $30
I've got a couple. One is together and complete the other is in a box. The one in the box needs some TLC and assembly but there great for learners.
Consider something real with a possible range of future options! Get him something like an SBC...lots of people would give you one needing rebuild or in an unpopular size... and spend a few bucks to have the pieces tanked and get an el cheapo harbor freight stand. For now, just paint the castings and help the kid assemble it with one piston and one pair of valves set to work, head left as a lift-off. For the present need, it will do the educational job and have a better chance of hooking his interest than a bunch of ill-fitting Renwal plastic. If it really grabs his interest...get the lump bored and turn it into a project one piece at a time over the next few years. Get a 350 simply because cheapest to rebuild! When he's older...he will already have an engine that can be fitted into almost anything worth building. The kid will be off the street and out of trouble, and if he is always saving his pennies for a cam or an aircleaner, he won't even be able to afford drugs and a switchblade!
Get him a real early hemi and rebuild it, he'll learn and you can sell it when your done. That should keep you two busy for a week or so.
My neighbor just sold one like in the first post at their yard sale this past weekend . It was unassembled in the box for a buck. I though about grabbing it but have too much stuff as it is.
Anyone here remember the old Monogram 1/8th scale small block Chevy from about 1960? It had a see through section around the #1 cylinder, if I remember correctly. It also had a clear GMC 4-71 blower housing too, also IIRC. Wish I still had mine. Also didn't Entex make a visible Honda 750 engine in the '70's (yeah, I know it's OT).
The sad part is that the original see-thru engine had a faux battery with a switch that would turn the engine via the starter. That had the light up spark plugs. It was a bitch to make it work right, but they did work. I don't believe the new ones work other than by hand.
^^^^what he said, the newer ones just have a hand crank, no battery. Easier to put together I guess. I can't help wondering what dies they were using, coz it was a real bastard to get everything to fit right.
i remember when i was 11 my Dad helped get my mini bike running right, the exhaust valve had sunk into it's seat, he didnt know about grinding down the stem to get clearance so he ground down the back of the exhaust cam lobe, it ran fine for years, he knows better now and so do i..lol
I knew a guy that had a battery operated see-thru engine engine kit back in the 60's. I don't remember all the details of the story he told me, but he did something like take a model train controller plugged into an outlet and wired it into the little engine. He said he cranked it wide open and basically blew the model apart LOL... I wonder if it "threw a rod". -Chris
I kind of like this idea too. I hadn't really considered it, but my 'plan' was to have him in an early to mid 50's chevy pickup when he turned 16. With the straight six and manual trans and disc brakes added. I figure it won't be too fast, will stop well and he cant haul around a bunch of people to distract him (unless they are riding in the bed) Drugs and a switchblade, thats funny. Scott
There exists a Moto Guzzi visible motorcycle. The whole thing, and it all works, IIRC. But that one has always been expensive, and there just HAS to be a lot of small parts. Cosmo
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