OMG - the 2nd owner of TV Tommy's famous T-Roadster's painted it blue. The 3rd owner Jack Rosen had George Barris destroy it with 4 headlights, 8 tires, metal flake upholstery, etc. Mercifully, Jack restored it back to original and it's now safely on display at the NHRA Museum!
This 1959 photo of Tommy in his FAVORITE CAR OF ALL!!! This racecar had 3 owners and, after sitting in the rain for 30 years, finally ending up in the Don Garlits Museum. It was solid rust when found, but was soon restored back to the jewel it is.
Tommy's most famous car, after a strange detour through Winnemuca, Nevada, was eventually cloned for a billionaires private museum. You can't tell it from the real 1961 model he's sitting in here. Bruce Dyda fathered the flawless clone which, amongst much fanfare, was debuted at the NHRA Museum.
In 1971 Ivo ran this car at Epping, NH. It was there again in 2013 at the NHRA Reunion. In between, it was a true BARN FIND! Though not restored spot on (see the cowls) it's so beautiful that Tommy's proud to have his name on it anyway.
This trailer was built for a jet car in 1980, but now carries the dragster shown in the last picture in the panel above. It's a perfect example of why Ivo used glass and not plexiglass - look at the goofy reflection given by the wavy plexiglass...
Tom Auger owns this 1977 TV Tommy Ivo Funny Car - it's still a work in progress. Additionally, he also owns Tommy's last Front Motor car AND the Glass Trailer in which it rides (shown in the previous two photo's). Talk about a GREAT FAN...!!!
Bruce Larson restored this dragster - the one that TV Tommy rolled up into a ball at Pomona. He debuted it at the Columbus Reunion and Tommy got to fire it up ONE MORE TIME. Then Bruce TOOK A RUN IN IT...!!! He's got some big ones...
Randy Haapala restored Ivo's Arrow body for his fantastic private museum. The chassis is still a work in progress but if it's anything like the art work paint STAND BACK!
Two time NHRA World Champion Tony Pedregon did Tommy the honor of restoring (to better than new condition) Ivo's first Funny Car.
www.randysdragracingmuseum.com
He's fitted it to a present day chassis for nostalgia
racing. It had rusted away in the desert for years.
Ron Johnson restored the original glass sided trailer that Tommy built back in 1966 (top). In 2014, it was found in a junk yard in (middle) and is now used as the transporter for Ron's cloned Ivo Top Fuel dragster that TV Tommy built in 1963 (bottom).
Ron Johnson cloned Tommy's first fuel car and had it at the Columbus Reunion, sans paint. Ivo an Ron have had nothing but fun at the Cackle Fests since than. In this photo, it was the fastest and quickest going.
IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS. Tommy met Ron Johnson on his first tour in 1960 and they've been friends ever since. Ron has immortalized Ivo with his 1st Fuel Dragster and Glass Trailer master pieces. There just aren't words enough to say to his good, good friend -THANKS!!!
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