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Talking about Merlin engines...
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2001 10:30 am
by Geoff Love
This talk of Merlin Spitfire and Mosquito engines has triggered a thought in the
distant recesses of a story I heard about years ago. Seems some eccentric
fitted a Merlin engine to a London bus chassis and cobbled together a single
seat body for it. I heard he tried to drag race it on the promenade at
Brighton. Does anyone else know if this is true?
Geoff Love.
Ray wrote:
> Mine are all used up scraping old Merlins.....
>
> --
Re: Talking about Merlin engines...
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2001 11:10 am
by RonMGTC@aol.com
In a message dated 11/16/2001 12:57:01 PM Central Standard Time,
engconn@losch.net writes:
>
John Goddard did something similar a few years back in Oz.
There is even a book called Aero Engined Cars at Brooklands (or something
like that).
It was a relatively "common" thing to do for a while. I recall something like
5 or 6 different cars being made. Some Merlin, some Napier, some Allison,
etc...
Ron
Re: Talking about Merlin engines...
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2001 1:22 pm
by murray arundell
Don't know about that but a guy in the UK definately some how grafted a
Spitfire Engine into a lengthened MGB GT body. I've also a photo of an MGB
GT with a Jaguar V12 sitting in it. A good job too as from outside you'd
never now..........
Of course the question is........ "Why?"
Murray Arundell
----- Original Message -----
From: "Geoff Love" engconn@losch.net>
To: "Ray" spook01@home.com>
Cc: "MG-TABC" mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com>; "Mark McCombs"
loadcel4@infinet.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2001 4:32 AM
Subject: [mg-tabc] Talking about Merlin engines...
> This talk of Merlin Spitfire and Mosquito engines has triggered a thought
in the
> distant recesses of a story I heard about years ago. Seems some eccentric
> fitted a Merlin engine to a London bus chassis and cobbled together a
single
> seat body for it. I heard he tried to drag race it on the promenade at
> Brighton. Does anyone else know if this is true?
>
> Geoff Love.
>
> Ray wrote:
>
> > Mine are all used up scraping old Merlins.....
> >
> > --
>
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
Re: Talking about Merlin engines...
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2001 1:58 pm
by Geoff Love
Interesting mods, but not, of course, for the purists. I had a pal years ago in
the UK who stuffed a Jaguar "C" type engine into an Austin Healey 3000. That
looked unchanged from the outside, but inside was a different matter.
In answer to your question, he did it because he wanted a fast car, and couldn't
afford a new Jag. It went like s--t off a shiny shovel.
Geoff Love.
Murray Arundell wrote:
> Don't know about that but a guy in the UK definately some how grafted a
> Spitfire Engine into a lengthened MGB GT body. I've also a photo of an MGB
> GT with a Jaguar V12 sitting in it. A good job too as from outside you'd
> never now..........
>
> Of course the question is........ "Why?"
>
> Murray Arundell
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Geoff Love" engconn@losch.net>
> To: "Ray" spook01@home.com>
> Cc: "MG-TABC" mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com>; "Mark McCombs"
> loadcel4@infinet.com>
> Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2001 4:32 AM
> Subject: [mg-tabc] Talking about Merlin engines...
>
> > This talk of Merlin Spitfire and Mosquito engines has triggered a thought
> in the
> > distant recesses of a story I heard about years ago. Seems some eccentric
> > fitted a Merlin engine to a London bus chassis and cobbled together a
> single
> > seat body for it. I heard he tried to drag race it on the promenade at
> > Brighton. Does anyone else know if this is true?
> >
> > Geoff Love.
> >
> > Ray wrote:
> >
> > > Mine are all used up scraping old Merlins.....
> > >
> > > --
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
> >
> >
Re: Talking about Merlin engines...
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2001 4:16 pm
by Roger Furneaux
>anyone else know if this is true? >>
Partly, if memory serves correctly, but unlikely to have been a bus chassis.
>
>John Goddard did something similar a few years back in Oz.
>There is even a book called Aero Engined Cars at Brooklands (or something
>like that).
Written by Bill Boddy, the esteemed editor of "Motor Sport" magazine. have
got a copy somewhere. these cars are still being built by the richer and
more eccentric members of the V.S.C.C. (Vintage Sports Car Club)
ocTagonally
Roger
Re: Talking about Merlin engines...
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2001 6:09 pm
by Want1937hd@aol.com
Not long ago I got to sit in a 1908 Mercedes that had a WWI Hisso aircraft V8
installed back in the 1920's. The car in now in Germany under restoration.
Bob TC 4956
<< John Goddard did something similar a few years back in Oz.
There is even a book called Aero Engined Cars at Brooklands (or something
like that).
It was a relatively "common" thing to do for a while. I recall something
like
5 or 6 different cars being made. Some Merlin, some Napier, some Allison,
etc...
Ron >>
Re: Talking about Merlin engines...
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2001 1:11 am
by Jeff & Merryl Redman
G'day Murray!
From the sublime to the ridiculous - at the last Uralla GP (I mean the
'last', as this round-the houses thrash has been buried) there was a bloke
driving a bug-eye Sprite powered by a 3.8 XKE engine/gearbox/diff.
Bonnet closed = y'd never know.. but what a way to go!
Jumbo Goddard's name came up a few messages back.
Interesting bloke. Had a Brandy Alexander for breakfast with him on the
northern beaches of Sydney a long time ago. He was bullet-proof -- I was/am
not! He'd just finished screwing together an 8 litre Bentley engine into a
3 litre chassis. To top things off he fitted a pair Garrett turbos to the
thing.
Didn't know he'd played with Merlin-engined toys.
It sure makes my blown TC seem passe.
Regards
'reddo
TC 3306
----- Original Message -----
From: "Murray Arundell" arundell@ecn.net.au>
To: "Ray" spook01@home.com>; "Geoff Love" engconn@losch.net>
Cc: "MG-TABC" mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com>; "Mark McCombs"
loadcel4@infinet.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2001 8:19 AM
Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Talking about Merlin engines...
> Don't know about that but a guy in the UK definately some how grafted a
> Spitfire Engine into a lengthened MGB GT body. I've also a photo of an
MGB
> GT with a Jaguar V12 sitting in it. A good job too as from outside you'd
> never now..........
>
> Of course the question is........ "Why?"
>
> Murray Arundell
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Geoff Love" engconn@losch.net>
> To: "Ray" spook01@home.com>
> Cc: "MG-TABC" mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com>; "Mark McCombs"
> loadcel4@infinet.com>
> Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2001 4:32 AM
> Subject: [mg-tabc] Talking about Merlin engines...
>
>
> > This talk of Merlin Spitfire and Mosquito engines has triggered a
thought
> in the
> > distant recesses of a story I heard about years ago. Seems some
eccentric
> > fitted a Merlin engine to a London bus chassis and cobbled together a
> single
> > seat body for it. I heard he tried to drag race it on the promenade at
> > Brighton. Does anyone else know if this is true?
> >
> > Geoff Love.
> >
> > Ray wrote:
> >
> > > Mine are all used up scraping old Merlins.....
> > >
> > > --
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>