Talking about Merlin engines...

[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..... > > --

[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

[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/ > > >

[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/ > > > > > >

[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

[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 >>

[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/ > >