Projects Replica of the Ivo's Showboat dragster

Just WOW!

 

This shows the relocated arm and steering gear box. I also drilled and tapped the vertical square rod from the steering arm up inside the steering gear box and added a 0-80 bolt in top hole and the bolt will now turn the wheels for now.

I then turned the two crankshaft dampeners and retaining nuts.


Here one is in place on the front right bank.

Next I fabricated the gas tank using wood sections glued together and while waiting for glue to set I turned the gas cap with the tank neck as part of the cap.


Here is the basic tank and then I added the fuel line connections.

Here is it being test fitted in place, next will be the platform that it sits on.

Here is the layout patterns using old school CAD and then transferred to brass sheet. I used the back edge of a hobby knife blade to score the fold lines.

This shows the platform soldered in place.

Here the tank is in place. Note the fit between the steering gear, crankshaft dampener, frame and axle with the notch for the steering linkage when turned per original. The front engine brace is in place, but I think the rod needs to be a larger diameter so it will get changed. I also need to figure out how to make the screen door spring that retained the gas tank.

I then moved onto the rear engine braces which provided opportunities for tricky soldering with resin blocks come into play. Yellow Ochre is used in soldering to prevent soldering certain parts together. Kind of like painting dirt in a joint. In this case the bolt face and threads and flange surface were painted.

This is the tricky part of soldering so far. I used a very hot tip with a drop of solder and touched it in place watching for the instantaneous flow around to the back side and withdrew quickly and cooled the joint with water so the resin block would not melt. This enabled perfect alignment of the brace.

Here are both braces in place. The mating flanges will be filed so the perimeters match.

Now onto the other frame fittings like the clutch bell crank linkage support bracket.

 

After a few hours of detective work reviewing dozens of photos I think I have now added all the supporting fittings that are added to the frame. The only challenge was soldering the small body mounting flanges which i fabricated first and tapped with 00-90 threads, I saw cut to a breakaway point and used the parent strip as a handle for soldering.




I then moved onto the clutch pedal and clutch bell crank brackets. I then formed the kill switch and dashboard brackets again tapped 00-90.


I then moved onto the brake system which is only to the rear wheels and I was able to have the hand brake arm pivot and move the plunger forward in the reservoir. Geometry even works when reduced in scale. I also hand turned the ball knob on the end of the handle.








Next I did a CAD drawing of the dashboard of which I had a great reference picture from Bruce and drilled the holes for the 2 1/4" Stewart Warner gauges. The four center ones are the oil pressure 0-100 gauges for each engine and are mechanical, with a oil line to each engine. But first I had to make the dashboard mounting brackets and while in the area I made the engine kill switch panel.

Here you can see the access to the kill switches.

Here is an overall view of the frame fittings in place.


Next will be the gauges and then onto steering linkage slow going but fun.

 

I know that I have said this before but I just wanted to say that this build/creation is amazing. Such attention to detail.

 

With all the work you are putting into this do you get insurance of some kind while building?

 

No the agent says that with our homeowners everything should be covered. Originally I asked about a rider and that was his response, but also take pictures for reference.

 

The steering linkage started with the steering wheel. I turned a stand off tube with a flange for tapped holes and ribs with the length being the distance being that between the steering wheel and dashboard.
I then hand formed the rim after annealing the rod and butt soldered the joint. I then indexed the rim on a fixture and marked 15 degree increments for the finger grips and then filed notches to locate the split rings while being soldered in place. Once soldered the top and sides were filed away leaving the bottom finger grips.
The center arms were then cut and bent for the dish and drilled with clearance mounting holes to match the flange and soldered in place on the center of the rim.
I then made the steering wheel mounting bearing attached to the frame then cut the linkage tubes from the wheel to the front steering gear. The tubes cleared the exhaust pipes when in place and can be turned with the steering wheel. The center hub was turned from aluminum and mounted to the steering wheel inserted into the center tube.







Steering wheel in place with linkage to the front steering gear.

Next I will move on to the eight gauges, four oil (0-100) and four temperature (100-250) these are Stuart Warner 2 1/4" size.

 

I was about to make a wheel for the IVO car, had the ring formed, drew up the spokes to machine them, was going to use drive rivits for the finger notches and called GRANT Ind to have them rubber dip it. Went over to a customers shop and he had the wheel and hub w/cap hanging from the rafters, all that was needed was re-chroming. This is what most people don't understand about re-creating when a part is unavailable--Time -Effort-Material and giving the customer the bill for $900 if a real one didn't show up

 

I am hoping to thin the Dip-it to simulate the rubber coating once the wheel is chromed first.

 

I turned the eight gauges of the four in the center are oil pressure the other temperature. I drilled the line holes while in the lathe and turned down to thin wall for the lines to be inserted into as seen in the rear view.



Next I cut the brass foot pedals along with aluminium inserts. The aluminum blanks were then placed on a semi course flat file and hammered flat into the file teeth making sure they stayed in place while hammering. They were then trimmed again to match the brass blanks. While not exactly matching the original texture; visually it works well when in place in the car.

Next came the foot guards with the gas peal being different with horns for the linkage. I drilled and tapped a 00-90 hole for later use. I then test fitted in the center hole and later changed to the last hole once the clutch hold down was added.






I could not figure out what the switch next to the steering wheel did and have no images clearly showing it. I contacted Bruce and he said it was a clutch pedal hold down that enabled the car to be pushed around without someone having to sit in the car. He also shared that threaded hex bar was used which enabled adjusting as well as strength to hold the position over extended time if needed. When in the adjusted position a jam nut locked it in place. The switch also was in the orientation of the tang which helped in setting it. Someone had to be in the car to both set and release the hold down due to the amount of pressure on it. Keep in mind the two clutches are on the same linkage.




The gas pedal pivot is mounted to the driveshaft torque tube. I will have to make the right engine bell housing that the torque tube is mounted in place to.

 

My God man. Your skills are incredible. can't wait to see the finished car! Lippy

 

Your attention to and finding all these arcane details is mid boggling.

 

I want to buy it when finished. I could hock the '57, my tools, furniture...

 

Quarter scale would be mind blowing. This inspires me more than anything to learn 3d modeling, to draw this out in 3d. It would take years, but the result would be incredible.

 

I fabricated the bell housing using a combination of brass and carved wood in the two main parts which bolted together. I drilled holes for the clutch arm location and added brass tubing for the fitting. I painted it to replicate aluminum.





I moved on to adding the clutch pedal linkage. I checked the location of the bell crank support bracket and realized that the drilled hole was too far to the right in order to align down the center between the engines which necessitated drilling a new hole to the left about an 1/8". I then made the bell crank with the end holes tapped 00-90 to hold the tie rod ends. Rods were cut to the needed length with drilled and tapped ends to be able to adjust the tie rods and hold with jam nut. The center rod to the right bank of the clutch arm which will also carry the center rod to the front clutch arm of the left bank of engines.











Next will be the torque tube from the bell housing to the rear end which looks like it will be a bit of a challenge. The gas pedal is supported off this tube which is a shield for the driveshaft.

 

These are from HOT ROD coverage of GNRS 2020

It shows the current version with the Buick wagon body but maybe you can pick out some more details from them.

 

I have been following but have yet to comment, so here goes: Fantastic workmanship! Great attention to detail. Awesome in everyway!

Now for a true story. This morning I was reading an older Hot Rod Deluxe (2013) while watching an episode of Father Knows Best on Antenna TV. I was reading an article about the Showboat Dragster and Tommy Ivo. On television Bud was sitting in a hot rod roadster with rough flames. His father sent him on an errand. When Bud and his pal knocked on a door, it was opened by Tommy Ivo. What are the chances? I nearly fell over.

 

dreracecar, Any idea what the car weighs? Thanks, I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I think Ivo told me close to 4000# . nothing about the car was liteweight-- except for IVO
NHRA only allowed Ivo to run the car, feared that if others built one, the thought of a 4000# missile out of control going into the stands/crowed

 

Thanks, I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I finished up the clutch linkage by drilling the front shield and soldering a through rod for the clutch shaft. Added the clutch arm with rod connecting to the rear clutch arm.



I then moved onto the torque tube and it proved to be as challenging as I thought it would be with compound angles. I started with 7/16" diameter tube with short sections from the rear end and the bell housing. Each was square with the flanges and mating bolt holes. After several marking cutting and twisting I finally was able to get mating angles on all three tube sections and then soldered them in place while attached to the rear end and bell housing. Excess solder was then cleaned away. I tested the clearance with a driveshaft tube and it worked. Next came the reinforcing beam which I think was also used for lifting into place, I painted it black for ease of aligning the beam parts.









I then located the attachment bracket for the gas pedal. After finishing and painting it was refitted into position. The gas pedal was fabricated along with the torque tube and first was to fit the pivot point on the underside of the pedal. I then fabricated the bracket connecting it to the torque tube then added the pedal. Once in place I added the connecting rod to the bell crank.








I then moved on to the throttle linkage adding the two support brackets carrying the throttle shaft, then the end link connecting the rod from the bell crank, and then the center links that will attach to the two engine banks.










Next will come the rear disc brakes now that I have 1/4" thick brass to saw the carrier from.

 

Ken, it was not a "lifting support" on the driveshaft tunnel, that's a bolt flange because on the original car the tunnel was 2 piece and bolted together once the driveshaft was in place. On the clone there was no need to split the tunnel and add the bottom flange since there was no need to remove it (no driveshaft) and nobody would see it. I just welded 2 bolt together straps on top of the tube for effect

 

Ken check the throttle pics again, It was one tab on the center shaft like a inverted "A" with holes on the legs. the rod ends were on opposite sides and crossed with the link going to shafts the connected the injection and a single tab on those. On the clone I had to mess with the butterflys in order to get the rotation correct so that the throttle would function correct when the peddle was depressed.

 

Bruce, thanks for the feedback, I wondered if that was the case when I was building it and since only one side I assumed what I did. I will debate as to whether or not to add the bottom flange for the same reason you did. As for the throttle links they are just in place until I add the final linkage. Yes I saw the inverted "A" in one picture and I am starting to wonder if the engines are not exactly to scale and that I may have to ad lib with what I have. Thanks again, and I really can appreciate the challenges you had building this.

 

99.735% of the people looking at will not see the differences. Bunch of mistakes and omissions on the clone do to time, money, availability, nobody ever noticed----- carry on

Take the tunnel and put a slit in the flanges on both ends down to the center flange and call it good

 

Ken, every time I look at this thread, I am reminded of a modeler who built a very nice Miller, that was in some magazines back in the '70's.

 

I was able to get the rear brakes addressed over the weekend despite a few honey-do interruptions. Having excellent reference pictures from Bruce I was able to make short work of them. Especially having a piece of 1/4" stock for the outer carriers. Here is a sequence and the pictures are pretty self explanatory. I may go back and make the outer carrier part out of aluminum, but will see down the road.























Next I will add the parachute release handle and then revise the clutch shield.

 

Fascinating build, This should be in a book. What will you do with this when completed?

 

I want to be there when you bleed the brakes. Great work, just keeps getting better and better.

 

It will just be in my collection unless someone wants to buy it. When I am gone then one of the kids will end up with it. I like to build unique subjects not normally built by others; and I build as a form of pain management.