An interesting one off car

[Furore Phil]

Ok, not a kit, but a one off.

Before you see the pictures, this is a road legal car, built in the uk, fibreglass body, custom chassis with the body based on a Ford Capri.

Nothing special, but I didn't mention the engine... it's fitted with a v12 Roll's-Royce Merlin... for those that don't know that engine was fitted in the Spitfire ! a piffling 27 litres. It doesn't have the supercharger fitted so only produces 850 bhp

Enjoy :

http://www.spainvia.com/Merlincar.htm

[Daley Down Under]

Interesting bit of trivia - my old landlady in Plymouth shacked up with Paul Jameson in the early 80's.  He was an interesting guy to talk to over a beer before he disappeared upstairs.

['Mendip Wurzel']

Considering this engine was built in the 1930s with its supercharger and double overhead cams etc we haven't actually moved on much in terms of engine designs, other than sensors everywhere.

I can understand why they called it the beast....

[paintman]

Not exactly a "green" machine I recon......single figures to the gallon no doubt!!

['The Gaffer']

Interesting bit of trivia - my old landlady in Plymouth shacked up with Paul Jameson in the early 80's.  He was an interesting guy to talk to over a beer before he disappeared upstairs.

Its a funny old world

Not exactly a "green" machine I recon......single figures to the gallon no doubt!!

I would say gallons to the mile

[Bulldog Bri]

Not exactly a "green" machine I recon......single figures to the gallon no doubt!!

Doubt it would even reach single figure!!! I expect it's more Gallons to the Mile!!!

Didn't someone fit one in a Rolls Royce car?, and got sued by RR 

This is the only Merlin powered Roller I can find on the net though. What a beaut!
http://www.supercars.net/cars/4769.html

[Quarrycars]

I remember the original Merlin engined car from the '60s, it had a RR grill, I belive the chap who built it had a transmission rebuilding buisness and was able build a trans for the beast. I think the original was destroyed in a fire and a new car was built with a 'real' aero version of the Merlin instead of the Rover tank engine used in the original.  About the same era another company made a fiberglass front end for the Mini with a RR grill and also received a 'cease and desist' order from Rolls. Ironicly BMW now own both RR and Mini, if they built a 'Mini Rolls' they would probaly get sued by Cadbury! 

['The Gaffer']

Ironicly BMW now own both RR and Mini, if they built a 'Mini Rolls' they would probaly get sued by Cadbury! 

How true that is, Cadbury are not the favourite company in the South West UK right now.

[pedro]

It looks a bit like a Scimitar on steroids. I noticed the website said it might have been a Meteor. This was the vehicle version of the Merlin that was installed in the Centurion tank -  I used to play with the recovery version when I wore green many many years ago! (and no,  I wasn't in the army when Centurion was a rank not a tank!)
There is also a vehicle based on an Overland Manchester chassis with a Meteor B12 Centurion Tank engine in the Haynes motor museum.

[Richard]

(and no,  I wasn't in the army when Centurion was a rank not a tank!)

You sure ? 

[pedro]

Found a video of the car with the Rolls radiator. It was an early iteration of the one pictured (there were three bodies). The first body was destroyed by fire and I think the 3rd (the Scimitar on steroids) was the result of a legal case that banned the use of the RR radiator.
Odds The Beast (1972). With its 27-litre Rolls-Royce Merlin (Meteor!) engine fitted to a home-made chassis, the one-off Beast was aptly named, it could theoretically top 200mph with ease, while returning less than 5mpg. Apparently it still exists in Spain owned by his son but without the Rolls radiator in the form pictured.
Interesting video on U Tube from an early Top Gear

There is also a reference to a Rover SD1 with a meteor engine fitted!!!!
Isn't it wonderful what you can find on the interweb!!!

['The Gaffer']

25 gallons of oil - "Quite expensive for an oil change"