Revisiting the Visible V8

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Renwal Visible V8 box artMany budding gearheads got their very first look inside an automotive engine with the Visible V8, a clear plastic 1/4-scale replica with working internal parts. Here’s a fond look back at one of the longest-selling model kits of all time. 

 

 

In 1958, the Renwal Model Co. introduced the Visible V8—“a transparent, operating auto engine assembly kit,” in the company’s words. Impressive in size but relatively simple to build, the quarter-scale model employed a clear plastic cylinder block, heads, and rocker covers, allowing a look inside at the working internal components. An electric motor (hidden in the starter) drove the crankshaft, rods, pistons, and valvetrain, while a miniature distributor illuminated tiny light bulbs that served as simulated spark plugs.

A hugely popular model in its day, the Visible V8 could be found not only on kids’ bedroom shelves, but in science and auto shop classes, too. As a working replica it wasn’t terribly sophisticated, but it did provide a clear and useful depiction of how auto engines work. Fun and educational: What more could we ask? If you had one back when, you probably have fond memories of the Visible V8—or maybe you even still have yours.

 

Visible V8 assembledOriginal Renwal Visible V8 circa 1960 built by MothersWorry at Fotki. 

 

While fairly realistic in function, the Visible V8 is not a replica of a specific production engine, though it most resembles an early Cadillac or Studebaker V8. Renwal soon offered a companion Visible Automobile Chassis kit to carry the Visible V8 engine—and would eventually offer an entire line of educational toys and models on the see-through theme, including the Visible Man and the Visible Woman.

 

Visible_Automobile_Chassis_RenwalRenwal Visible Automobile Chassis. Photo courtesy of
www.Oldmodelkits.com.

 

In around 1975, Revell Models took over the manufacture and marketing of the Visible V8, and good news—the company still offers the kit to this day. You can find it in hobby stores or online selling in the $50 to $60 range. The current version is quite similar to the original except that the internal assembly operates via hand crank instead of an electric motor. (These days, there are also a number of similar units offered by other manufacturers, should you care to shop around.) If you’d like to revisit the Visible V8 for yourself, or for a young person you know, you can find the particulars at Amazon.com. 

 

Revell V8 stillCurrent model Revell Visible V8 

 

Revell Visible V8 box artRevell Visible V8 model kit box art 

23 thoughts on “Revisiting the Visible V8”

  1. I sure did build the visible V-8. ( nobody had the nerve to build the “Visible woman”) Twice, in fact. Once, as a lad, in my model building hey-day, say 10-12 years old, and I remember it being a disaster. The distributor gear was a poorly designed setup, plus being a kid, I wanted to finish it, glue all over and the plugs never did flash, and it barely spun over ( or not at all) Then, when I was 14 or 15, I tried again, and I think they addressed the distributor gear problem, but still don’t remember the plugs flashing for very long. I think the new ones did away with all that. The 2nd one spun over though, and it was pretty cool watching the valves work. It was actually a pretty hard model to build correctly, for a kid. Once I got my license, the real ones were my focus, and models faded away. I think this model, single handedly, helped me understand how an engine worked.

  2. A childhood friend had the Visible V8 and I had a cutaway Chrysler Slant Six. Both of us were around 10 years of age at the time. I remember using a nail file to carefully file all the gears and smooth over the plastic nerds from the trees. I don’t know what happened to it. Through the years, like so many other things, it got pushed to the back of the closet and eventually got tossed out, I guess. I wish I still had it today.

  3. I Loved my Visible V-8. As much as any single thing, it inspired me to become an engineer. Only one thing: the instructions said to use vegetable oil as a lubricant. Big mistake. It turned to goo and gummed up everything. It gave me a lifelong distrust of instructions!

    • I remember the same thing! The veggie oil gummed everything up. I used rubbing alcohol to carefully clean everything, then used 3M machine oil. It worked much better. Don’t know what happened to mine, it probably got thrown out when I moved out.

    • I remember they also has a visible 3 speed transmission that would mount on the rear just like a real tranny, I think the whole assembly would then fit the visible chassis. I wanted both, but never did get them, only the visible V8.

  5. I had one, and I remember that it didn’t work quite right. I can’t remember specifics but I think I was having the same distributor problems as Howard. The gears were loose or didn’t fit quite right.

    I was excited to build it and learned a lot about how things went together. When it was done I said “now what?”. Once you knew how things worked together it wasn’t very stimulating and took up a lot of space on the shelf. I probably tossed it before two years passed. Girls might have helped distract me too.

    It was worth building though. I don’t think a hand cranked version is as interesting as seeing it run on it’s own, and some kid is going to get carried away and throw a rod. Maybe 3D printing will bring kids a version of one of those miniature engines that are often featured here.

  6. I built more than one, in fact, I seem to remember a kit called, “The Working Diesel”. Saw one once, but couldn’t stop to buy it and never saw it again. Both the “Visible V8’s” worked beautifully, never had any problem. Dunno where they went…..life as a musician tends to make you leave things behind….in other countries even. I went from that, to HeathKit Electronics and made damn near everything they made as well. It all worked!!! H, L, and C

  7. I got mine in 62 at ten years old.My father helped me build it.He was not a car guy but built hi-fi for a hobby, so mine worked perfectly.We used vasoline as a lube.I still have it and a partially started kit that was my cousins.

  8. Still have mine… still works. I’m sure my kids will e-bay it when I’m gone. Yep, Vaseline is the lube. Sits in a display case in my basement with some old model cars and racers.

  9. I think I was 12 or younger when I built mine. Later, after blowing up the 6 cylinder in my Chevy, I had the courage to tackle rebuilding a V-8 from the junkyard in my garage before putting it in the Chevy.

  11. Enjoyed building one when I was 12 or so, everything worked well. I used sewing machine oil, provided by my Mom. I caught on to how it worked. Visible V8, Briggs and Stratton had a hold on me. I am 57 now, and in the process of assembling a Chevy V-8 for my brothers’ street machine…. Still crazy after all these gears…

  12. Discovered a visible in-line six cylinder engine model in a local Dollar store just before Christmas – price was just under $30. This was not the Chrysler slant-six model; looked more like a Chevy six.

  14. I built the Monogram answer to this model, which was a 1/4 scale small-block Chevy V-8 with all sorts of options including different induction and exhaust headers ranging from factory stock to any drag/hot rod setup desired. It worked with a crank at the transmission, had two visible pistons behind clear plastic panels, an opening that allowed viewing the flywheel spinning, and a three speed stick shift. The supercharger was made of clear plastic so you could see the vanes spinning. I still have mine and most of the accessories.

    • I still have my Monogram engine also,complete with instructions and intakes(3 2’s,6 2’s) the base has a red button to push and see the front two pistons go up and down and a belt to run water pump,pulley’s etc………

  15. I always wanted to build the Visible V-8 when I was a kid, but got the Visible Wankel rotary engine instead. It got built, but never really worked smoothly. It did, however, show me how that strange engine worked when I was only about 8 years old. If memory serves, the Visible V-8 is actually based on the Packard V-8 engine–I think I recall comparing features about 10 years ago when a friend built the current version of the model.

  16. They (or another company) also made a 985 Pratt & Whitney radial aircraft engine. Still have it, taught me how they worked.

  17. Yep, built the V-8 & chassis in early 60’s then my little brother’s friend decided to sit on it and ‘drive’ it busting the frame badly. Kept them all these years and recently picked up another chassis at a local auction with a good frame. Also have a Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engine that really looks neat. There was also a visible turbo 4 cylinder based on the SVO Mustang engine.

  18. Great article, great nostalgia. My Dad built one for me when I was just learning the basics of modeling. Worked great! Gave me a basic understanding of how engines worked, and I attribute some of my love for classic car restoration to this model and my Dad. Thanks!

  19. I just bought the Visible V8 from my local antique shop for $35 built up, yes it’s a bit rough, but complete nonetheless. At first I thought it was the revell 70s issue, the. I realized I actually have the 1958 Renwal original issue. Pretty happy with it and it works great all the plugs light properly still, just getting a bit loud when it runs. I’m still planning on getting the current revell reissue to make it myself.

  20. The tranny was part of the Visible Chassis kit. It had a working reverse gear and clutch, which used a sticky-backed sandpaper friction disc and operating pressure plate. The chassis kit also had a working differential and (one) working hydaulic drum brake

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