WIX Archives
Re: Merlin-engined RR
Posted by Jim Harley on Fri Dec 14, 2001 01:34:08 PM
In reply top Merlin-engined RR posted by Ron Henry on Fri Dec 14, 2001 01:28:03 PM
: Going back some yrs - 70s, maybe - there was a guy called
: John xxxxxx (might have been Dodd) who had an automatic ge
: arbox overhaul business. He had a Rolls from that period a
: nd he allegedly fitted a Merlin into it. Tho I never saw t
: he car, I saw pics, and it had something that looked like
: a Merlin in it. However, I've often wondered if it was the
: unsupercharged tank engine derivative (Comet? or Meteor?)
: . Nevertheless, it was very quick, and became well known,
: and he got loads of publicity thro it. Eventually, I think
: it caught fire and burned out.
I hail from akron, ohio...po-dunk home of the FG-1 corsair...and among other notables..Art Arfons. According to my dad and grandfather...who lived about a block away from his house back in the day...every saturday morning Art would fire up his Allison powered supercar...unfortunately I don't have the pictures my grandfather took...but I do remember seeing them when I was a kid. My grandfather said he also had what he thought was a Merlin tucked into his garage. This was the 50's and 60's mind you and it may have been a spare allison.
Jim