Revell 1/25 Formula 1 speedboats - anyone know more?

[robdebie]

In 1990 and 1991, Revell USA and Revell Germany issued three car kits that included a Formula 1 speedboat and a trailer:

• Revell USA 1/25 Mach I Formula One Team, catalog number 7240, 1990 (see https://www.scalemates.com/kits/revell-7240-mach-i-formula-one-team--499727)
• Revell USA 1/25 Yamaha Formula One Team, catalog number 7241, 1990 (see https://www.scalemates.com/kits/revell-7241-yamaha-formula-one-team--947549)
• Revell Germany 1/25 F1 Racing Boat & Trailer & Ford Bronco, catalog number 5236, 1991 (see https://www.scalemates.com/nl/kits/revell-5236-f-1-racing-boat-and-trailer-and-ford-bronco--144150)

Does anyone know more about the Formula 1 speedboats in these kits? Do they represent a specific design? The second kit has an enclosed cockpit, but are they identical otherwise?

I remember seeing the Formula 1 speedboat races on TV back in eighties, and I might want to build one, one day. But right now I know hardly anything about the subject.

Thanks in advance!

Rob

 

Edited September 13, 2022 by robdebie

[espo]

The two kits, #7240 and #7241 were offered here as well. I don't recall # 5236 but it may have also been offered. At the time these were released they were close to some of the boats being raced at the time. Rules changed and so did the boats shape. I wonder how popular they would be if Revell reissued them. I would buy one or two, but that wouldn't make it financial successes for Revell. 

[stitchdup]

I've got the yamaha and bronco set. If I recall correctly the boat was pretty simple. I can look it out and get pics if you want

[espo]

1 hour ago, stitchdup said:

I've got the yamaha and bronco set. If I recall correctly the boat was pretty simple. I can look it out and get pics if you want

I wouldn't mind seeing it if it's not too much trouble. I really wish now that I had bought them when they were offered here, but being a multi- kit, they were more expensive than what I wanted to spend at the time for the subject. 

[robdebie]

1 hour ago, stitchdup said:

I've got the yamaha and bronco set. If I recall correctly the boat was pretty simple. I can look it out and get pics if you want

Yes please! My interest in these models is growing, I just watched some YouTube movies of races from the eighties. In the open version, the driver/captain/pilot was not strapped in, and often ejected in a crash.. The color schemes are nice, resembling race car color schemes from that era.

Rob

[stitchdup]

1 hour ago, espo said:

I wouldn't mind seeing it if it's not too much trouble. I really wish now that I had bought them when they were offered here, but being a multi- kit, they were more expensive than what I wanted to spend at the time for the subject. 

 

13 minutes ago, robdebie said:

Yes please! My interest in these models is growing, I just watched some YouTube movies of races from the eighties. In the open version, the driver/captain/pilot was not strapped in, and often ejected in a crash.. The color schemes are nice, resembling race car color schemes from that era.

Rob

I'm at work just now but will get pics when i get home

[Don Sikora II]

I believe the clear windscreen and closed canopy pieces are the only difference on the two versions of the boat. The front part of the trailer is different between the two kits because the hitch heights on the Bronco and the Chevy truck are different.

Edited September 13, 2022 by Don Sikora II

[espo]

The boat engine on the first kit looks like a Johnson outboard. The second boat looks like a Mercury out board. The third I'm unsure of but looks like it could be an Evinrude outboard as they were rebranded Johnson engines. I would like to get the Mercury outboard for a possible boat project to build a model of a boat I owned years ago. 

[64Comet404]

6 hours ago, espo said:

The boat engine on the first kit looks like a Johnson outboard. The second boat looks like a Mercury out board. The third I'm unsure of but looks like it could be an Evinrude outboard as they were rebranded Johnson engines. I would like to get the Mercury outboard for a possible boat project to build a model of a boat I owned years ago. 

The way I always understood it was:

Johnson: parts that weren't up to Evinrude standards

Mariner: parts what weren't up to Mercury standards

Force: They're not up to Mariner standards, but the engine will run until 1 second past the warranty expiration!

There were a pile of store-brand outboards made by OMC which contained pieces of older Evinrude and Johnson design work. There were some badge engineered Mercs, but not as many as compared to OMC.

Then there were the Chryslers...

[espo]

19 hours ago, 64Comet404 said:

The way I always understood it was:

Johnson: parts that weren't up to Evinrude standards

Mariner: parts what weren't up to Mercury standards

Force: They're not up to Mariner standards, but the engine will run until 1 second past the warranty expiration!

There were a pile of store-brand outboards made by OMC which contained pieces of older Evinrude and Johnson design work. There were some badge engineered Mercs, but not as many as compared to OMC.

Then there were the Chryslers...

My personal experience with outboard engine goes back to the middle and late part of the last century, so I really have no idea of how things are today. Back then the Johnson brand and Evinrude were little more than a trim difference. There may have been more than that but nothing I was aware of. Had a Johnson 35 hp at one time with zero problems. Later I had a 75 hp Chrysler engine on a 14.5 ft Glastron tri-haul. The only problem I had was a starter drive that would hang up on the flywheel.   I would remove the engine cover and beat on the end of the drive till it backed off of the flywheel. The shop said it was the starter drive at fault and I replaced it and had no further problems.  My last boat was a 1979 Glastron/Carlson Craft deep V haul with a 200 hp Mercury engine. Had a diaphragm in one of the three carbs go bad and was replaced under warranty. This is the extent of my personal experience with outboard engines.  

[Dave Van]

Never built one.....but got a test shot in a purple-maroon color.  Need to see if it is even complete. Seems like a simple kit. 

[espo]

3 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

Never built one.....but got a test shot in a purple-maroon color.  Need to see if it is even complete. Seems like a simple kit. 

I would like to see a picture of what you have, especially if you're going to build it. 

[Exotics_Builder]

I've got buried in the stash along with the bass boat.  I won't be able to look for it until Saturday.

[robdebie]

Les, Dave and Gerry: if anyone of you guys could take some pictures of these boat kits, I would be a very happy modeler! Thanks in advance.

Rob

[oldcarfan]

I'd buy a couple of these, just to have both versions. Same with the bass boats. I wouldn't care if they came with a tow vehicle or not. The boats look really nice all by themselves just in a display case.

[rattle can man]

did anyone ever post pictures or instructions?

[robdebie]

7 hours ago, rattle can man said:

did anyone ever post pictures or instructions?

Harry, thanks for reviving this thread. The instructions or photos of the parts were not posted unfortunately. I'm still interested in building one of these F1 speedboats. I remember that the European races were broadcast on TV in the Netherlands. The races were spectacular, flimsy boats and lots of power. I remember the open cockpits - crazy..

Rob

[Exotics_Builder]

In the last couple of weeks, I dug it out of the moving box and will take some photos today.  I have one of the racers and the bass boat.  I will not be building the racer and will likely trade it off.

Here's a link to online instructions: https://public.fotki.com/bill-rules/instruction-sheets/revell/chevrolet/revell-7240-mach-1-/

 

Edited May 17, 2024 by Exotics_Builder

[robdebie]

1 hour ago, Exotics_Builder said:

In the last couple of weeks, I dug it out of the moving box and will take some photos today.  I have one of the racers and the bass boat.  I will not be building the racer and will likely trade it off.

Here's a link to online instructions: https://public.fotki.com/bill-rules/instruction-sheets/revell/chevrolet/revell-7240-mach-1-/

Thanks in advance for posting your photos! And a big thanks for the link, I hadn't seen that before. I think I'm starting to understand the two different versions now.

Rob

[espo]

1 hour ago, Exotics_Builder said:

In the last couple of weeks, I dug it out of the moving box and will take some photos today.  I have one of the racers and the bass boat.  I will not be building the racer and will likely trade it off.

Here's a link to online instructions: https://public.fotki.com/bill-rules/instruction-sheets/revell/chevrolet/revell-7240-mach-1-/

 

I might be interested in a trade for the boat and trailer and the truck as well if you're not thinking of building it. What sort of kits are you looking for? 

[dave branson]

Here is 1 I built. I did enjoy building the model. 

[Exotics_Builder]

4 hours ago, robdebie said:

Thanks in advance for posting your photos! And a big thanks for the link, I hadn't seen that before. I think I'm starting to understand the two different versions now.

Rob

The photos of the kit parts.  Cowling is MIA, I need to find that or is this good enough?

 

[Exotics_Builder]

4 hours ago, espo said:

I might be interested in a trade for the boat and trailer and the truck as well if you're not thinking of building it. What sort of kits are you looking for? 

Cowling is MIA.  I need to find that.  The truck is long gone.  So, I only have boat and trailer.  I'd be interested in a trade, but I need to find the cowling.  Don't know why it is not in the box.

[dave branson]

The cowl is in the 2 nd picture it comes in 2 pieces half is on the sprue with the bottom hull and the other half is on the tree other side of the trailer

[espo]

17 hours ago, Exotics_Builder said:

Cowling is MIA.  I need to find that.  The truck is long gone.  So, I only have boat and trailer.  I'd be interested in a trade, but I need to find the cowling.  Don't know why it is not in the box.

I would still be interested in a trade for the boat and trailer. The cowling you mention, is that for the engine or the area between the driver's seating area and the stern and engine mounting area?