This Unconventional Quadruple V8 1981 Buick Wagonmaster Is Available Now

Years later, as a prominent car aficionado, Runyon expressed his lifelong desire to own the very dragster that fueled his youthful aspirations. With the help of a friend, the dragster, located in California, was finally tracked down after initial reluctance from the owner to sell. Luckily, a change of heart led the owner to agree to sell it to Runyon. After years of cherishing it, the collector is now giving someone else the opportunity to acquire this extraordinary vehicle, set for auction in Kissimmee, Florida in the coming weeks through Mecum Auctions.

Assembled by racer and personality Tommy Ivo (also known as “TV Tommy”) on a Kent Fuller chassis, the vehicle boasted a flamboyant design. The Buick, nicknamed The Showboat, made its debut on July 23, 1961 at the San Fernando Drag Strip with two Nailhead Buick engines powering each side, one set for the front wheels and the other for the rear wheels. Despite its eye-catching appearance, The Showboat was eventually restricted by the NHRA to exhibition runs only after Ivo initially raced it himself. The dragster was last seen in action in 1996 at Goodguys Nostalgia National in Raceway Park.

“During that era, we didn’t subject them to dyno testing, but I reckon that The Showboat must have churned out around 1600 to 1800 horsepower from all four engines,” shared Ivo during an interview with a Car and Driver journalist in 2009. “These were naturally aspirated engines functioning on gasoline due to the NHRA’s prohibition of nitro at the time.”

Painted in black, orange, and red hues with a sleek black interior, The Showboat received accolades, gracing the cover of a 1961 Hot Rod magazine issue and featuring as the centerpiece in the September 2012 edition of Hot Rod Deluxe magazine. Notable features include Cragar rear wheels, a luggage rack, roll cage, parachute, and shiny chrome side exhaust stacks. Originally crafted as a conventional dragster, it underwent a transformation to become the Wagonmaster in 1981 by a previous owner.

Among the 32 vehicles to be offered from the Runyon collection, which Gary and his wife Jackie have decided to part with, are multiple 1960s-era Corvette models (Gary proudly identifies as a “Corvette enthusiast”), a 1964 Turbosonic dragster custom-built by Barris Kustoms, a 2016 Pagani Huayra, and a unique 1936 White Model 706 Glacier National Park Tour Bus. Personally, I’m eyeing the 1957 Ford Ranchero E-Code in a charming Colonial White over Silver Mocha combination.

Curious about why Runyon is parting ways with his assortment, he mentioned being 71 years old and expressed the desire to personally see them off to good owners while it’s still possible. In the midst of purchasing their desired residence in Hawaii, both he and his spouse acknowledge that they won’t be able to bring all these belongings along with them. The solitary vehicle he plans to retain is Parnelli Jones’ 1963 Indy Car, as he had previously assured Jones about maintaining it in Indianapolis for the occasional visit.

Remarkably, this marks the second complete assemblage that the Runyons have placed for auction; back in 2017, they auctioned off a collection of 52 cars through Mecum and embarked on a fresh start. He mentions another reason for relinquishing his secondary set is due to his children showing no interest in these vehicles. When jokingly asked about adopting a new child, he simply chuckled.

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