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TV Tommy Ivo’s Wagon Master: The 4×4 Dragster With Four Engines And 2,000+ HP

In the early 1960s TV Tommy Ivo and a small crew set out to build a four-wheel drive dragster with four Buick nailhead V8s. It was designed to be the fastest dragster in history but the men had overlooked one crucial factor – traction.

In its original incarnation the car was called the “Showboat,” a nickname that was assigned by Hot Rod Magazine and secretly hated by Tommy. When the driver of the TV Tommy Ivo Showboat saw the lights go out and hit the gas all four wheels would spin simultaneously, engulfing the car in a cloud of tire smoke as it launched down the 1/4 mile.

Fast Facts – The Buick Wagon Master

Originally called the Showboat, the car was later given a body inspired by the Buick station wagons of the era, becoming the Buick Wagon Master.
The car is fitted with four Buick nailhead V8s, the two left hand engines work together to power the front wheels, and the two right hand engines work together to power the rear end.
When the driver hit the gas the 2,000+ hp car would instantly overpower its tires, smoking them most of the way down the 1/4 mile.
As a result of this traction problem the car wasn’t particularly competitive however it quickly became a crowd favorite for obvious reasons, and it spent years touring the country doing display runs.

TV Tommy Ivo – Building The Showboat

TV Tommy Ivo is one of the best remembered characters from the early days of American drag racing, he earned his nickname as he was a well-known television actor from the 1940s into the 1960s, appearing in shows like the Lone Ranger, Leave It To Beaver, Father Knows Best, Petticoat Junction, and Margie.

The four Buick nailhead V8s work in tandem in two pairs, the left two engines power the front wheels, and the right two engines power the rear two wheels.

Ivo got into drag racing in the 1950s and built a twin-engined, Buick-powered dragster that became the first car to break the 9 second barrier. It would go on to become the first gasoline-powered dragster to record speeds of 170 mph, 175 mph, and 180 mph.

In 1957 the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) had banned the use of nitromethane fuel, and so drag racers were left scrambling to develop cars that ran on regular gasoline. Ivo’s solution to this was simple – more engines would equal more power, and thus more speed.

After building and successfully racing his twin-engined Buick dragster he decided that twice as many engines would be faster, and twice as many driven wheels would be faster still. Ivo hired Kent Fuller to design a new custom chassis that would accommodate four fuel-injected, 464 cubic inch Buick V8s.

The total displacement is 1,856 cubic inches or 30.4 liters and the car produced over 2,000 hp, no one is quite sure how much power it made because there wasn’t a dyno in America that could accommodate it due to its unusual four-wheel drive layout.

Unable To Race

When the car was completed and ready to race Ivo received the bad news that the TV studio he worked for wouldn’t let him race. It was too dangerous and it was felt that racing a four-engined dragster was an activity with a high risk of death or serious injury.

As it happens the studio executives were right, and one day years in the future Ivo would be severely injured while racing the car.

Above Video: This was the last time TV Tommy Ivo took the Wagon Master for a spin, years after his terrible accident driving the same car.

As he couldn’t race Ivo asked the young Don Prudhomme if he would consider doing it. Prudhomme jumped at the chance, establishing his own career while he was at it. It quickly became clear that the Showboat was too powerful for its tires, it would light up all four as the car accelerated and Ivo said “you just had to hope you were still pointing in the right direction when the smoke cleared.”

The physical size of the car combined with the prodigious power output and the obvious safety concerns led to the NHRA banning four-engined cars and essentially forcing the Showboat to become a demonstration car, not a competitor.

The Wagon Master

Ivo would go on to race a number of other single-engined cars very successfully well into the 1970s. A future owner of the Showboat would change the car by adding a faux Buick station wagon body to it, renaming it the “Wagon Master.”

Ivo would drive the car in this configuration a number of times including one run in Saskatoon in 1982 that resulted in him crushing three vertebra in his back after running over a lump in the asphalt caused by subsurface ice. It ended his racing career, but he would climb back behind the wheel of the Wagon Master one final time in 1996 for another display run – see the video of it above.

The Wagon Master is now being listed for sale for the first time in many years, it’s clear by looking at the images that it’s in excellent show-ready condition however the operational aspect of the car isn’t mentioned. Anyone wanting to use the car for display runs would need to investigate this before bidding.

If you’d like to read more about this highly unusual four-wheel drive, four-engined car you can click here to visit the listing on Mecum.

Images courtesy of Mecum

The post TV Tommy Ivo’s Wagon Master: The 4×4 Dragster With Four Engines And 2,000+ HP appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/tv-tommy-ivo-wagon-master/
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For Sale: An Adventure Ready Land Rover Series IIA

Of all the classic Land Rovers that were built the Series IIA is arguably the most popular, it sits between the earlier Series II and the later Series III, long before the Defender came along with its flush grill and fenders, coil spring suspension, and fancy-pants one piece windscreen.

Perhaps the reason for the popularity of the IIA, sometimes written 2A, is that it featured in a number of hugely popular films and documentaries like Romancing the Stone and Born Free, helping to embed it into the public consciousness.

Fast Facts – The Land Rover Series IIA

The Land Rover Series IIA is most easily distinguished from the later Series III by the fact that the headlights are inset next to the grille and not fitted to the fenders, though some later Series IIAs did have this arrangement.
As with all Series Land Rovers, the Series IIA was offered in both long and short wheelbase versions, typically abbreviated as SWB and LWB, and it was the first Land Rover to get the option of a straight-six engine.
Unusually, Series Land Rovers have bodies largely made from aluminum alloy panels, as steel was in short supply in the years immediately after WWII.
All Series Land Rovers used body-on-frame construction and various parts could be quickly removed if not needed, including doors, the tailgate, and the roof. The windshield can be folded down if needed.

How Land Rover Actually Began

The story of the origin of the first Land Rovers is the stuff of legend in four-wheel drive circles. In the time shortly after WWII ended Britain was overflowing with American Jeeps, one of which ended up on the farm of a man named Maurice Wilks.

Wilks was using the Jeep for general farm work, not unlike a tractor. Along with his brother Spencer Wilks he designed a very simple new vehicle that incorporated the best features of the Jeep as well as some tractor functions, like a PTO (power takeoff) for powering farm equipment.

Spencer and Maurice Wilks with an early Land Rover prototype. Image courtesy of Jaguar Land Rover.

As it happens both Maurice and Spencer were senior figures at the Rover Car Company, and so they titled their new creation the “Land Rover.”

The Series IIA Appears

Series Land Rovers were built over four primary generations in a huge variety of styles, Series I, Series II, Series IIA, and Series III. The Series I was the first generation vehicle, it had a spartan design but performed its duties well, and quickly became an unexpected bestseller for Rover.

The Series II came next, this was a slightly more refined vehicle and a little less agricultural, but still very much a Land Rover in every sense of the word. The Series II would only stay in production for three years from 1958 to 1961 when it was replaced with the Series IIA, which would then stay in production for 11 years from 1961 until 1971.

The Series III was the most refined of all the Series Land Rovers, though it should be noted that I am taking some liberties with the word “refined” here. These were still tough four-wheel drives designed to work for a living.

The Land Rover Series IIA Shown Here

The Land Rover you see here is a 1964 Series IIA that has benefitted from a comprehensive restoration, and a number of upgrades to make life a little more comfortable for the owner – all without compromising its abilities off-road of course.

The interior of this vehicle benefits from the addition of leather upholstery, a modern stereo, checker plate floors, upholstered doors, and windscreen demisters.

It’s a short wheelbase version of the model fitted with the correct 2.25 liter inline-four cylinder petrol engine. Power output was a somewhat humble 72 bhp and power was fed into a manual four-speed transmission, then into a transfer case to either all four wheels or the rear wheels only depending on what was required.

Both high and low range were offered, and the vehicle rides on live axles on leaf springs front and back with stopping handled by four wheel drum brakes.

This Land Rover is now finished in an eye-catching red, it has a black leather upholstered interior, ands the floors have protective diamond kickplate guards. An alloy bulbar has been fitted up front with a Keeper winch and twin spotlights, there are also alloy sill guards fitted, and a four-point alloy roll cage.

Inside you’ll find a classic Land Rover heater and windscreen demister, and a modern JVC stereo head unit – a feature the original examples were never offered with.

The vehicle is now being offered for sale by RM Sotheby’s on the 7th of October in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The price guide is $40,000 – $50,000 USD and it’s being offered without reserve.

If you’d like to read more about this Series IIA or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.

The post For Sale: An Adventure Ready Land Rover Series IIA appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/land-rover-series-iia/
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(via Barn Find: The Auburn 653 Phaeton Discovered On The TV Show...

(via Barn Find: The Auburn 653 Phaeton Discovered On The TV Show “American Pickers”)

from Tumblr https://somar78.tumblr.com/post/664061614720516096

The Only Allard K1/2 Ever Made – A Rare British/American Roadster

The cars built by Allard directly influenced the thinking of both Zora Arkus-Duntov, the father of the Corvette, and Carroll Shelby, the father of the Shelby Cobra. Both men were racing drivers for company founder Sydney Allard back in the early 1950s, where they quickly learned the advantages of having a powerful American V8 in a lightweight British sports car.

The car you see here is believed to be the only Allard K1/2 that was ever built, it started out as a standard Allard K2 however the owner changed his mind, and instead opted to have a K1 body applied to the more advanced K2 chassis.

Fast Facts – The Allard K1/2

The Allard K1 was released in 1946 and sold for two years, the car featured a body-on-chassis design with independent front suspension and a live axle rear. Power was provided by a Ford Flathead V8.
The Allard K2 was released in 1950 with more advanced coil sprung front suspension and some other upgrades to make the cars more appealing to non-race drivers.
Sydney Allard, the company founder, was formerly a highly competitive racing driver with multiple entries in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Targa Florio, and a win in the Monte Carlo Rally.
The Allard K1/2 was built to its unusual specification solely due to the original owner’s change of heart halfway through the car’s building process. He changed his order from a K2 to a K1, and so a K1 body was fitted to a K2 chassis.

Sydney Allard – The Man Who Changed Everything

Sydney Allard is a man who should doubtless be remembered far more broadly than he actually is, he’s been nicknamed the “father of British drag racing,” he won the Monte Carlo Rally (Stirling Moss came second) in 1951 driving a car he designed and built himself, and he developed a slew of road and race cars over the years that would have an immeasurably significant impact on sports car design on both sides of the Atlantic.

Above Video: Sydney Allard and his wife Eleanor Allard (also an accomplished racing driver) returning to his factory after winning the 1952 Monte Carlo Rally.

Sydney Allard started out racing motorcycles before switching to a three-wheeled Morgan, and from there to regular automobiles. He enjoyed success at every level but it would be in the world of automobiles that he would find his true calling.

Before the Second World War erupted across Europe, Allard was already building high-performance cars that were powered by affordable, reliable, and easily attainable American V8 engines – specifically the Ford Flathead V8 in the company’s early years.

In 1936 he won his class at the Brighton Speed Trials in a Ford V8-powered car and he would continue racing Ford V8 and Lincoln V12-powered cars right up to the outbreak of war, in fact Allard won the last speed event to be held in England before WWII – the Horndean Speed Trials of 1939.

During the war Allard’s company would shift its focus from racing cars to the war effort, repairing army vehicles – usually Ford-built Jeeps and Ford trucks. Once the war ended he wasted no time returning to competition, racing in the Filton Speed Trials on the 28th of October 1945 – just 56 days after hostilities ended.

The Allard Motor Company

Throughout the late 1940s and 1950s the Allard Motor Company would become a highly regarded automobile manufacturer, offering race cars, sports cars, and sporting grand tourers. The company’s efforts on the race tracks of Europe would see them hire a number of engineers and racing drivers including Zora Arkus-Duntov and Carroll Shelby.

Allards were built to a simple formula, a British sports car with good handling could with an affordable, powerful American V8. It would prove to be a highly influential recipe.

Both Arkus-Duntov and Shelby raced for Allard at the same time, piloting the lightweight sports cars at eye-watering speeds down the Mulsanne Straight on the Circuit de la Sarthe, fast learning to appreciate the qualities of a British sports car with an American V8 engine.

A short time after this in 1955 Arkus-Duntov would be responsible for getting a V8 and a manual transmission fitted to the first generation Chevrolet Corvette, and turning it into a genuine sports car.

After retiring from racing Carroll Shelby would turn his attention to creating his own car company, starting with the Shelby Cobra – a vehicle he developed by fitting a Ford V8 into a lightweight British AC Ace sports car.

The Allard Motor Company would only operate for 13 years, opening its doors in 1945 and ceasing operations in 1958 with approximately 1,900 cars built. Today the surviving Allards are highly sought after by enthusiasts and they’re a regular sight at classic motor racing events.

The Allard K1/2 is powered by a highly modified Ford flathead V8 with a capacity of 295 cubic inches, Edelbrock heads, an Edelbrock intake manifold, and triple Stromberg 97 carburetors.

The Allard K1/2

It’s not every day that a genuine one-of-a-kind Allard comes up for sale. As mentioned above this car was ordered as a K2 before the buyer changed their mind and opted for a K1 style body. This buyer was based in the United States, and this is where the car was delivered, through the John Forbes Agency of Boston, Massachusetts.

Later in its life the car was given an amateur, part-time restoration that took the better part of 30 years. In 2003 it was acquired by a new owner who commissioned a professional restoration, and it remains in excellent condition today.

It’s been driven fewer than 600 miles since the restoration was completed, and it was finished with a slew of period correct touches like Smiths gauges in a wooden dashboard, black steel wheels with chrome rings and hub caps, and restored brightwork throughout.

The car is powered by a 1947 Ford flathead V8 that has been bored out to 295 cubic inches and equipped with Edelbrock heads, an Edelbrock intake manifold, and triple Stromberg 97 carburetors.

In 2017 the car was bought by sculptor and furniture artist Wendell Castle, and it’s being offered for sale out of his collection as part of the RM Sotheby’s sale in Hershey, Pennsylvania. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.

The post The Only Allard K1/2 Ever Made – A Rare British/American Roadster appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/allard-k1-2/
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Full Documentary: What’s Under Your Hood? – A 1973 Film About

What’s Under Your Hood? is a 1973 film that was created to teach people how various mechanical systems in their cars work. It runs just 10 minutes in length, but despite its relative brevity it does an excellent, concise job of explaining all of the car’s major parts.

The majority of people who drive everyday don’t have a clear understanding of how an engine actually works, let alone the transmission and differential. Modern cars are typically so reliable that their owners no longer need to know how to wield a wrench.

This film uses a series of animations and cutaway models to give a fantastic look inside engines, gearboxes, carburetors, ignition systems, etc to show how they function. The explanations are all easy to understand making the film suitable for ages from 8 (or so) on up.

This short film uses a series of animations and moving cutaway models to explain how all the major parts of an automobile engine work.

In the coming years as we continue to transition towards electric and perhaps also hydrogen vehicles it’ll be interesting to see a new generation of films like this being made, to explain how they all work and what makes them different from the gasoline and diesel engines of old.

The cars and mechanical systems used in this film are all emblematic of the era it was made, with pushrod engines fed by carburetors and power sent back into a live axle on leaf springs. That said, the fundamental principles of an internal combustion engine are the same whether you’re driving a car from 1973 or 2013.

The post Full Documentary: What’s Under Your Hood? – A 1973 Film About appeared first on Silodrome.

from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/full-documentary-whats-under-your-hood/
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Barn Find: The Auburn 653 Phaeton Discovered On The TV Show “American Pickers”

This is the 1935 Auburn 653 Phaeton that was discovered in a barn in season 12 of the popular TV series American Pickers. The car had been sitting in storage for decades in South Dakota, owned by collectors Jan and Sandy.

American Pickers host Mike Wolfe made a deal with the couple to buy the car in the condition it was in, and he promised to get it running and bring it back so that Jan could finally have a proper drive of the Auburn he treasured for all those years.

Sadly Jan died before this could happen, but Mike took the car back to the farm when it was running and took Jan’s wife Sandy for a ride as she cradled a picture of her late husband.

Fast Facts – The Auburn 653 Six

The Auburn 653 Six was developed rapidly in 1934 alongside the Auburn 851 Eight as more affordable models for the upmarket company, that might bring in some much needed revenue in the midst of the Great Depression.
Both of these new models were styled by Gordon Buehrig, one of the leading automobile designers in the United States who also penned the Auburn 851 Boattail Speedster, the Cord 810/812, the Duesenberg Model J, and a slew of other important cars from the era.
The Auburn 653 Six was developed with five body styles, the most luxurious of which is the Phaeton (shown here), other styles included the Cabriolet, Coupe, Sedan, and Two-Door Brougham.
Power is provided by a an 85 hp Lycoming six cylinder engine with a swept capacity of 210 cubic inches (3.4 liters), power is sent back to a live axle rear via a three-speed manual transmission. Impressively the 653 can achieve 23.7 mpg (combined) making it an economical car to run by the standards of the time.

The Auburn 653 Six

When the program to develop the Auburn 653 Six and its sister car, the Auburn 851 Eight, began in 1934 it was a dire time for the company. The Great Depression had descended over the United States in 1929 and by the mid-1930s luxury car makers had largely used up their financial reserves, and were dropping like flies.

Above Video: This is the episode of American Pickers where the car is first discovered and bought, Mike had to work hard to get the price down from the original asking price of $80,000 USD.

Legendary designer Gordon Buehrig was given a budget of just $50,000 to develop the two cars, and a deadline of a few months. It was a herculean task, but Buehrig managed it, creating two Auburns that are now considered among the most beautiful cars of their type from the era.

As the name suggests, the 653 Six is powered by a six cylinder engine, specifically the Lycoming L-head straight-six producing 85 hp from its 210 cubic inch (3.4 liter) displacement.

Power is sent back through a three-speed gearbox to a live axle rear end, and when ordering you had the option of choosing a Columbia Dual-Ratio rear axle which (in combination with the transmission) would give you six forward speeds.

Considering the severe financial conditions of the Great Depression the Auburn 653 Six represented a slightly more frugal approach to luxury motoring, certainly when compared with the larger straight eight, V12, and even V16 engines being fitted to other cars in the luxury market. The 653 Six even offered 23.7 mpg (combined), excellent fuel economy for a vehicle of this type at the time.

Sadly the Auburn 653 Six and Auburn 851 Eight wouldn’t be enough to save the company, and in 1937 the production lines of all three related marques ended – Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg.

The Auburn 653 Phaeton From American Pickers

The car you see here is now almost certainly the most famous Auburn 653 in existence thanks to its memorable appearances in two episodes of the hit US TV series American Pickers.

Above Video: This is the second episode about this Auburn from season 14 in which Mike takes the car back and gives Sandy a ride with the top down.

As mentioned above, the car first appeared in season 12 where it was discovered in a barn and bought by show host Mike Wolfe. As mentioned above he made a promise to get it running and bring it back to let the former owner Jan drive it, however he had tragically died before this could come to pass.

Mike kept his promise however, and returned the now running car to its long-time home and took Jan’s wife Sandy for a ride with the roof down as she held a picture of Jan – the three occupants set off to the local casino so Sandy could show the Auburn off to her friends.

The car is now for sale through RM Sotheby’s, it’s been preserved in the condition it was in during the filming of the episode above from season 14. The car is running and driving, however the new owner will have to decide if they want it fully restored or preserved in its current condition for posterity.

If you’d like to read more about this car or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing. The current guide price is $30,000 – $40,000 USD, it’s being offered with no reserve, and the sale is due to take place on the 8th of October in Hershey, Pennsylvania.