History TV Tommy IVO the early years

I did a search and he is in a lot of threads but mainly the later cars. So this thread will be on his early years, the single engine his first dragster, the Barnstormer, and the twin engine.

Even though it is just the early years there are a BUNCH of photos but not too much reading this time but still some good stories.

Well this is going to have to be a several part history lesson he was involved with so many cars.

So many fans of Tom probably because for us old timers we had no internet, no facebook, instagram or any other social media we had TV that your father would say go turn it up, go turn it down, change the channel that is why we were so slim LOL.

Tom was for us a SUPER STAR, we saw him on TV and movies every Saturday when your parents would drop you and your siblings, and any other local kid that cooched a ride, at the Saturday matinee and we would see Tom on the big screen.

So it was easy for us to imagine we were him it was like we knew him somehow we could relate to him so when he started drag racing he was The Man.

THE FIRST, SINGLE ENGINE


Rare Colored photos of Tom's Single Buick were taken from snapshots that Tom had in an Envelope in his Desk.



Early Version of Zoomie Headers...



Drag News Feburary 15th 1959




The Dynamic Duo Tommy Ivo & Kent Fuller. Photo taken at San Fernando Raceway




Tom tried running a 392 Hemi a brief period, but quickly switched back to Buick Power.

The car's performance didn't improve and he said he ended up with a lot of oil in his face.




Here's the Buick Smokin'em with what Tom called his "Speed Tires".

The Car Picked up 4 mph to 159 but the ET Went Away. Can't win too many races that way. So back to the M&Hs.



Tom posing for a photo at San Fernando Dragstrip







1959 1st Annual Smoker's Fuel & Gas Championships. Tom's Buick in staging lanes, ready for pushing by Prudhomme's 55 Buick.



The single buick making its usual launch during eliminations.

 

The Nailhead resting between rounds Bakersfield 1959.




Tom won Top Gas Eliminator at the 1st Smokers Fuel & Gas Championships, winning against many top contenders like Howard Cam's Twin Bear, Lefty Mudersbach's Twin Chevy & Jack Chrisman's Blown Hemi Sidewinder. Photo courtesy of Tom Hanna

That's Kenny Safford of The Shark Car fame perched on the roll bar



Tom against Lefty Mudersbach's twin chevy




The Single Buick was noted for its spectacular wheel stands, this has Don Prudhomme in the seat at Riverside Raceway in late 1959 after he purchased the car from Tom.




Here's a great side shot of the Single Buick taken at Lions Drag Strip in Long Beach, CA. Check out the Key Push Bar, Tom still has it.

A strange coincidence about this photo. I saw is photo for the first time in 1998 and was shocked to see myself in the background looking atthe Ford coupe. That's me with the glasses. Tom gives me a bad time about this photo saying "Why aren't you looking at my car?" Photo credit Richard Heath - Full Throttle News



Photo from Hot Rod 1960 Annual. No Photo Credit Given




Cockpit shot of Tom's Single Buick simple, Fuller Design. Note all the drilled lightening holes.





Here is the Buick with a Blower. The story goes like this...Fuller wouldn't build me the Twin Buick until I ran a blower on the Single Buick. So I ran so much underdrive on the blower and retarded the mag so much, it's a wonder that the Buick would get down the 1320. Tommy



One of Tom's nick names was "Instant" Ivo. We ragged on him because of this photo and started calling him "Sleepy" Ivo. Tom's comeback was "You can't see the RED Light in Chrisman's lane."

 

Tom had the following shots taken when the Nailhead ran a blower so he could prove to Fuller that he ran the car with a blower.
















So Fuller started construction on the Twin Buick in 1959 and the Single Buick was sold to Don Pruhomme.



By Late 1961 Don had sold the chassis to a team in Denver and had a 392" Chrysler again. Notice that a second key was made for the car by Fuller, but Tom has the original.



So that is the FIRST dragster next up

THE BARNSTORMER.

If you want to post up any photos you have of the FIRST DRAGSTER feel free to post them now but hold off on other IVO car photos until we get to that cars history thanks.

 

very Cool - the history that he made, and being such a terrific guy, makes him a true living legend

 

I attended my first drag race at old San Gabriel on Easter Sunday, 1959. Tom put Jim Nelson on the trailer, in the Drag Master, to win TE. Jim was running about 5 mph faster, but with the 2 speed La Salle, Tom was out on Jim two cars right off the line. Jim and Dode were upset that this kid with the unblown Buick got over on them. Tom went over and flashed his patented Ivo smile and they shook hands. The good old days!

 

Very cool! Considering I was like 1 year old during this time period, I don't recall it at all.

What rear end is that in this photo?

 

worth a look

 

Rear end is a Halibrand V8 quick change with a fabed scatter shield.

 

Ok part two

THE BARNSTORMER FUEL DRAGSTER



This one's time line has me a bit confused as to when it was run and who was doing most of the driving? Tom, Prudhomme, or Pellegrini? Anybody know?

It looks like it was built at Tom's new chassis fab shop in 1962 but after the single engine, dual engine and 4 engine and or running at the same time I can't quite figure it out.


Tom had just opened his chassis shop in 1962 when he heard Dave Zeuschel was breaking up his partnership in a dragster with Frank Cannon. Tom immediately offered Zeuschel a chance to partner with him, with his first chassis built by his new company with a car that wasn't even yet built.

Dave agreed with the idea and said "It's too bad that we couldn't run the World's Fair Race in Seattle." He told Tom that he been previously booked in to race there.

This race was dubbed so, because of the World's Fair that was in Seattle at that time. Tom had been on tour for a year with the 4 Buicks Showboat so "A WHOLE WEEK" was a lifetime to Tom!!! Rod Peppmuller, Ivo's main fabricator at the shop, didn't get much sleep for the next several days while the Barnstormer was being constructed.

But the following Saturday morning they were qualifying for the bigWorld's Fair Race in Seattle, and ended
up winning it against Don Garlits. It might have been easier to back off on the HP as they were 1000 miles away from home and it was the first outing for the new Barnstormer.

But that wasn't Ivo's or Zeuschel's style. Quoting TV Tom "But...Oh what a way... to step from the gas dragsters into the fuel dragster ranks. You can see by the pictures it was pretty much put together with "spit" and "bailing wire". BUT IT WORKED WITH AN ASTOUNDING SUCCESS, RIGHT OFF THE BAT!!!"





The Barnstormer became the first car to run 190 mph. This was first accomplished at Lions Dragstrip in Long Beach CA.

The next weekend they did it again at Pomona and then San Gabriel Dragstrip. Each track paid a $1000 bond for being the first fueler to run 190 at their respective tracks. WOW!!!

Actually, that's $750 unless you hold the bond until it matured, but the money was needed badly to run the car to let the bonds mature.So it turned out to be a smaller amount.







Barnstormer early Bakersfield (Z holding heads staged photo)




Barnstormer early Bakersfield (Z running away staged photo)


Early Ivo Z (no chrome) Bakersfield 7 wide



Early Barnstormer in color





Ivo, Z racing Crossley



Barnstormer Wheelie




Barnstomer at dawn

 

Banstormer early Bakersfield (race floating tires)



Barnstormer early Bakersfield. Woa, WINNER!!





With the way the spectators use to sit so close to the cars when they ran at Lions dragstrip. Zeuschel use to add a touch of "Oil of Murban" to the fuel. It would make the exhaust smell like Shinola shoe polish and mesmerized the fans as to what Ivo was running for fuel.

Tom & Zeuschel tried a touch of Perfume one time to really make the fans nuts. But it had such a sweet smell it made the fans sick as it would linger in the air for a long time after a run on a calm night.

Both additives were alcohol based and burned with no ill effect on the motor. But it sure started some rumors as to what made the car so fast and quick. Maybe liquid Shinola shoe polish.




Tommy waiting in the pits with two youngsters stare. Note the brownie camera




Tommy being pushed by Caddy





Barnstormer vs 3 wheeler (Sidewinder?)




On 10-27-62 at San Gabriel CA the Barnstormer became the first car to make a seven second run. It was backed up with an engine exploding in the lights 8.10.

A heart stopping event for the crowd at that time.





The tail Section of the Barnstormer was originally built for another car...this one.



Ivo was building a new in-line Buick twin engine dragster when NHRA decided to lift the fuel ban at NHRA tracks which allowed the dragsters run Nitromethane again.

The Gas only rule had been enforced for several years. The rear body section that was on the in-line twin was cannibalized from the Twin Buick so the Barnstormer could receive a new face lift with out a big expenditure of cash.





This was the rig Ivo used for his first tour in 1962 with the Barnstormer. Tommy toured every year for the next 20 years.

Tom's first national tour in 1960 was with Twin Buick Dragster with much the same kind of open trailer arrangement.

But when he landed a staring role on the "Margie" show, a situation comedy for TV. It interrupted his racing activities for the year 1961 and Don Prudhomme took over the driving chores of the 4 Buick Dragster the "Showboat.

Tom had to make a major decision whether he was going to continue with his movie career or if he was going to press forward with his budding racing career as both of them needed to have his full time attention. So it had to be one or the other.

After having a successful acting career for 19 years, that was "old hat" and racing was new and exciting. So he gave up his prosperous acting career for his deep love of drag racing.

Can you imagine parking this in a motel parking lot overnight? Not today!!! There world be a bare parking space when you came out in the morning. Tom put little locks on the fuel cans so he'd know if they'd been tampered with. The steel box on the trailer tongue housed a complete engine.

 

Barnstomer continued

Barnstormer full body no paint





Tony Nancy fabricated covers for the engine and drivers cockpit in case it was raining. Other than that. Everything else that was needed to run the car was in the trunk of his "Truck-Caddy". In this photo Tom was using a friend's Ford Station Wagon.




Barnstormer McFee?? don't know who McFee is anybody know?




At one time or another Tom raced against just about everything that was ever built. But in this case the guys that ran the "Turbinique" (sp) powered go cart said, let's just set the cart at a standstill out on the track in the lane that your not running in, when you make a pass we'll get a picture of both cars with a big plume of smoke coming off your tires to make a slick promo picture.

Always game for free promotion, Tom agreed. -----"Open mouth and insert foot"!!! Still trying to get the "hook" out of his mouth -------- Tom says, not only did they get this picture, but they also took one of the same pretend race but sooner than this one which showed the go cart out in front.

They plastered that one all over every magazine in town with ads saying how fast the cart was, "Jack the Giant Killer!!! The half full glass of the deal for Ivo was that the cart driver said that the Barnstormer's"weed sprayer" header wash almost blew him off the cart when it went by him.



Tommy posing.



Barnstormer at San Gabriel (Best picture of car)




Barnstormer at Bakersfield in 1965




Chute out in pits



Tommy doing some chute handling.

 

And the last of Barnstomer.

Barnstormer in the pits a nice color shot.




March 1963 Bakersfield CA Smoker's Fuel and Gas Championships ... AKA.. "The March Meet"





In the late 50's Tom was know as "Instant Ivo", because of his quick reactions on the lights and flags, in "flag" days!!! This was before he was dubbed TV Tom.

Here is an especially good day for Tom's ego!!! "Striking" the "Snake" Prudhomme off the starting line at Bakersfield who's driving the Roland DeLong's Hawaiian AFD.

With his instant reactions Tom wasn't "Struck" by the venomous "Snake".




Now that Zeuschel and Ivo were no longer in partnership. Ivo made the transition to tuner just fine. It wasn't like he hadn't tuned an engine before or let's say two or four engines in one car.

Tom was a much happier camper when he was the sole owner of the car as he took pride in doing everything from sweeping the floor to being the CEO of Tommy Ivo, Inc.

Another problem was that Zeuschel and Tom were both of German decent. And try putting two "hard headed" Germans together to run a race car and the result was there were some long "silent" rides home from the dragstrip in the tow car from time to time.





So that is the Barnstormer finished, feel free to post any more shots, or info you have of it.

next and last up

The dual engine dragster

 

Somewhere in the recesses of my mind I remember something about Shinola and fuel. So that's where that came from.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post all of this and or all of the pictures. Its some great history!

Bobby

 

Great Pic's & History Lesson ! Thanks !

 

Ok here is the day you all have been waiting for LOL

The last car of TV Tommy Ivo we will be covering in this history

The "V" dual engine dragster. (not to be confused with the OTHER inline dual engine dragster of tommy's)

This one is, LONG, 63 photos but not too much reading

The Twin Buick V configuration was built in Kent Fuller's Shop in 1959 on Woodman Avenue in Sherman Oaks, CA



Both engines will face forward, with the right engine running backwards.



The Double Ring flywheels meshed inside a custom housing fabricated by Fuller. The clutch will run off the left Engine




Here's a good shot of the rear engine plate and the clutch housing.




These photos give you a good view of the angle that the engines sat in relation to each other. Check out the enlarged polished exhaust ports. (I tried and still can't figure out what he was talking about you can see just one exhaust port in the upper photo)






Here's Tom's good friend & tire wiper, Don Prudhomme bolting on the front timing cover.



Tommy doing some of the building.

 

Here is a good shot of the uneven length of the axles. The Push Bar Key is from Tom's Single Buick Dragster.



Tom watches Fuller bolting the top rail to the back of the engine plate. Note the missing top rail spacers that will be bolted in later to the front engine plate. Makes for easy engine removal when the Nailheads need service.




One of the Twin's first trips down the 1320 taken in early December 1959 at San Fernando Raceway with its Early Tin & 92" Wheelbase. Photo credit Walt Stevens




On it's second outing at Riverside Raceway, December 20th 1959.

Pictured left to right Tom McCourry, Bob Muravez, Skip Torgesen, Kent Fuller, Rod Pepmuller, Tom Ivo talking to Two Fans.

Pepmuller whispers in Fuller's ear, "The car's really short Fuller".

The Twin still carries the early tin and you can see the rear wheels are set way back.Notice in later photos that Fuller moved the rear wheels forward at least 6".



This shot should give you good comparison, it also has the new body.



Taken in the Staging Lanes at Riverside Raceway on December 20th 1959. Tom looks a little bored... Photo Courtesy of Steve Gibbs



Riverside Raceway on December 20th 1959 the second outing for the Twin Buick, it ties the 9.02 et Drag News Record held by Jack Chrisman's Sidewinder.




Riverside Raceway second outing the Twin turns 162 mph



Go to this link and HEAR this record run.
http://www.standard1320.com/Ivo/Buicks/TwinBuick/IvoTwinLions1959.wav



On January 3rd 1960 at Lions Drag Strip in Long Beach, CA the Twin Buick lowers the ET record to 9 Seconds Flat.




On February 7th 1960 at Pomona it runs a 8.95 ET. The first gas powered car to break into the 8's That's Fuller rolling up the chute...and Tom's thinking WOW

 

Always an Isky Cam user Tom gave Isky something to Crow about.




Tom's Twin Buick against Tom McEwen in the Albertson Blown Olds at Fontana Tom lost this run but beat the McEwen/Adams Olds three straight at Lions in Long Beach.




Final Round at the 1960 Smoker's Fuel & Gas Championships. The Odd Couple Chrysler-Olds against The Twin Buick. Look out it's Wheelie for Tommy





Guess Pepmuller was right, "Car's too short" . Tom had this race in the bag, he had been running great all day... He was VERY disappointed.




On the road at Denver Colorado. Waiting in the staging lanes.



Don Prudhomme strapping Tom in tight...we don't want him to fall out. Nice polo shirt for safety.





Blowing the local competition away ...I don't think they had a chance against the mighty Buicks.




Tom, Don Prudhomme & Chuck Land "Man, we just set a new Track Record."
Colorado photos courtesy of Pete Garamonne.



Next Stop...Minnesota. That's the track owner in the seat...Tom's providing a driving lesson. "Now if you press on the left pedal..." Tom knew how to get invited back Minnesota photos courtesy Ron "Big Yohns" Johnson (who has his one history story here http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...picture-thread.228509/page-1780#post-11789560)





Tom said they made over 10 runs that fine Minnesota Day. All the Swedes Loved it...




Minnesota on the return road with Don Prudhomme photo courtesy PitCrewPete Starrette

 

Last shot from Minnesota.

In the staging lanes. Ready for the push start from Prudhomme.



Next Stop...Detroit Michigan. More Track Records...More wins




Why is Tom Smiling? Cause he just put away the local Top Fuel Dragster and won Top Eliminator. Note the safety short sleeved "T"shirt






Oh...Oh... Seems the track owner told Tom that the Howard Twin Bear ran here last week and turned 190mph and stopped without a chute. OOPPPSS Tom nor the Twin Buick were hurt in the mishap.





Top Eliminator at the First NASCAR Nationals in 1960.






Beginning of the end

While on Tour, Tom sold the Twin Buick to Speed Craft Speedshop of Maywood IL. Ron Pellegrini (who drove many of Tom's cars) eventually bought out the other partners in the car.

Ron set a new record of 8.23et @ 193.87 mph in 1962




That's Ron Pellegrini on the right, Ivo facing us and Pete Gizzo in the white pants having a huddle before the race with the Big Wheel out of Minneapolis for the Drag News #2 Spot at Cordova Dragway.





Great shot of the nailheads. As we talked about before with only 6 exhaust pipes between the engines.

 

A photo that Ron had taken by a professional Photographer to be used as hand-outs at the Races. Note the "Key" style push bar is gone. Tom kept it when he sold the car to Ron LOL.





Ron shipped the Twin Buick back to California for the Winter of 1960/61. Tom installed Tony Nancy's Blown Buick on the left side and proceeded be the 1st Gas Dragster to break 180mph at San Fernando and setting a mph Record.




Exhaust in the face isn't a problem claims Ivo. OK Tom, we believe you. What's the Mask For?



Several shots of it with Tony' Nancy's blown engine installed.













L-R Bob Muravez, Tony Nancy, Skip Torgesen and Tom in the seat. San Fernando return road Winter 1960

 

In 1963 Ron sold the Twin Buick to Billy Herndon of Tampa Florida. Billy had the chassis lengthened out to a whopping 122" like other cars of that time



Another shot of the Long Car. Herndon in the Seat.

FOR SALE



The Twin Buick now rests in Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum in Ocala, Florida.






While waiting for Fuller to complete the 4 Motor Showboat Tom had a Twin In-Line Buick built and ran it a few times on the West Coast before shipping it to Ron Pellegrini to campaign in the Midwest.



Very little history on the in line dual out there. But Tom was FAR from finished he went on to campaign many more cars that have been covered on the hamb already so this is the end of what we are going to cover in this history. Been one hell of a ride. thanks for looking in.

If anybody has any more photos of any of these cars jump right in and post them up.

 

Awesome... Awesome to see how the stage was set for the rest of the story!... TY

 

@loudbang I saw this car when I was little, of course then I was more impressed with the fact that it had two motors (engines for the purists),I have seen pics of it over the years and never paid any attention to the fact that it was running a quicky.

Someone help an old geezer out what are those axle bells? Truck bells or?????

 

Got me we need the quick change guy to jump in

 

Good idea
@GearheadsQCE a little help here. Please?

What are these axle bells?

 

Here's a pic I took of Tom a few years ago at the March Meet. Always looks pretty much the same, older, but the same.

 

Dont forget TV Tommys' UK tour.

In September of 1964 Ivo along with a handful of other prominent American drags racers embarked on a journey to take drag racing to foreign shores for the Blackbushe Drag Fest, Hampshire, England. First visit of the U.S. team to the UK for a series of six meetings. Organised by BDRA Chairman Sidney Allard and the legendary Wally Parks of the NHRA, the American drivers and the best of the Brits battled it out in front of a 20,000+ crowd. The American line up consisted of the AA fuelers of Don Garlits and 'TV' Tommy Ivo, the blown gas dragsters of Bob Keith (Dos Palmos) and Tony Nancy with the revolutionary rear engined 8 litre Plymouth rail 'The Wedge' as well as his '22 Junior' Chevy rail, the two monstrous Willys coupes of K. S. Pittman (7.5 litre blown Chrysler) and 'Ohio' George Montgomery (6 litre blown Chevy), two forerunners of the funny cars in the factory experimental cars of Ronnie Sox (Mercury Comet) and Dave Strickler (Dodge), the rear engined Porsche rail of Doug Church, the AA/Modified Moonbeam sports car driven by Dante Duce and finally the motorcycles of Bill Woods (Harley Davidson) and Don Hyland (Triumph).



All the cars had to be transported by ship to the UK and Ivo's trailer was too big to go into a cargo hold so it had to be lashed to the front deck. On the way over, the weather got very bad and the ship was rolling heavily. The Captain reportedly told Tommy that if any of the lashings broke, rather than try to re-secure the trailer, it would be cut loose and shoved overboard. Needless to say, Ivo was more than a little worried until the weather abated.








Drag racers in suits? Whatever will we see next. Here, a few of the racers on their way to England aboard the USS (America?) are dressed for dinner. Left to right, Tom McCourry, Tony Nancy, Steve Swaja, Ronnie Sox, Tom Ivo and Buddy Martin.















Ivo and Wally Parks with a piece of English "Safey Safari" equipment.








Ivo, with help from local "mechanics" (all wore white coveralls), works on the Barnstormers 392 hemi.








Tommy prepares for an exhibition run. There were six events staged over the last week in September and the first week in October. All were held at RAF airstrips. Volunteer vehicles had to be fitted with push boards and their drivers quickly educated on the correct way to push start a fuel dragster.










Ivo at Blackbushe with the Phelps' Plymouth push car behind.
















Both Garlits and Ivo autographed this picture of a race during the 1964 England tour for Fred Babcock, who generously allowed us to use it as part of the Barnstormer history. Garlits commented that he and Ivo staged to do Battle. Ivo, puckishly, added the succinct comment "I Won" to his signature.








This is from when Ivo was in England in 1964. It was the last round between The Garlits and Tommy for the best of the 5 races win. At this point they had each won 2 races. As this photo shows, Ivo wasn't about to let up under any circumstances. The thing was so crabbed over, it had the right front wheel of the ground, instead of the left wheel from the torque as usual. Plus you can see by my hands, the steering wheel was way over center. Tires blazing and the throttle wide open. The effort payed off as Ivo won 3 out of the 5 races.

 

Great history! He's always been one of my favorite racers. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thanks, "Loudbang" - what a great collection of pictures!

 

Thanks for you time put into this.....awesome history