[ROVERNET - UK] Slightly OT but not quite
Ray
raywilkins at optusnet.com.au
Tue Mar 7 10:59:42 GMT 2006
I have just bought the February edition of the UK mag 'Classics'. Yes, I
know we get it about 2 months late seeing as though we are on the other side
of the world and it has to come out by Tea Clipper etc etc.
One of the articles concerned a Rolls Royce Merlin V12 (from a WWII
Hurricane fighter) put into RR Phantom based chassis and handmade bodywork.
Very interesting. It made mention that the engine was a genuine Rolls Royce
and not a Rover built version. Can anyone expand on this? Did Rover make
these engines in wartime? And were they only used in fighter planes? I've
not researched this topic extensively but I do know of a Rod Hadfield from
Castlemaine here in Oz who put a supercharged Merlin V12 in a custom built
'55 Chevvy which was supposedly the most powerful road registered car in the
world! The website is www.rodshop.com.au/project55.htm.
It would be interesting to hear of Rover's involvement with these engines.
Cheers,
Ray Wilkins
Melbourne, Australia
1976 P6B
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