The Swandean Spitfire

Sadly Michael Wilcock died recently there is a short obit in this evenings local newspaper, but no mention of his greatest creation.

The building of Paul Jamieson’s six-wheeler was chronicled at the time in ‘Motor’ magazine. I seem to remember about 1974.

I also recollect seeing the other Meteor-engined 1930s style Rolls-Royce special at a Vintage Sports Car Club race meeting at Silverstone a few years ago….in the spectator’s car park! 😮

Does anybody remember Paul Jamieson of Dorking?
Here are some pics of his Merlin(Meteor) engined cars circa early 1970’s. I think he built John Dodd’s car and always regretted selling it because of the reputation it had with its new owner.

Paul Jameson sadly died some time after 2003, not sure of the date. The car was sold to John Dodd and is now owned by his son, Paul Dodd.

Does anybody remember Paul Jamieson of Dorking?
Here are some pics of his Merlin(Meteor) engined cars circa early 1970’s. I think he built John Dodd’s car and always regretted selling it because of the reputation it had with its new owner.
I think I am right in saying Paul sadly died a few years ago and maybe someone can tell me what happened to his fabulous collection of Rolls Royce aero engines.

XTM,

I think Paul’s 2nd vehicle, the six wheeler, was a genuine Merlin powered vehicle and built in response in part to the lurid publicity of the ‘Beast’.

From memory it used two Mk X Jag rear subframes and axle units to get the power down to the road. The engine was in backwards and drive to the transmissions was by vee or cogged belt…not too sure on that last bit.

I had a little spin around the yard in the Chassis. It must have been over 30 years ago!!

Magnificent. 🙂

Mark

Merlin engines in cars

Does anybody remember Paul Jamieson of Dorking?
Here are some pics of his Merlin(Meteor) engined cars circa early 1970’s. I think he built John Dodd’s car and always regretted selling it because of the reputation it had with its new owner.
I think I am right in saying Paul sadly died a few years ago and maybe someone can tell me what happened to his fabulous collection of Rolls Royce aero engines.

There were two lovely small vintage style red racing cars, each with beastly engines up at Duxford this morning hurtling up and down. I would like to know what engines they had, word has it they are worth £2million each! I cant remember the exact name but it said ………. restorations on their van.

If HiOctain is right (Bugatti) they should have sounded like “ripping calico” but personally I would be surprised at 2 RED Bugattis as they are traditionally powder blue. I wonder if one was the glorious Napier-Bentley, an old Bentley Chassis with a Napier SeaLion shoehorned in. It ascends Shelsley hillclimb in a cloud of tyre smoke and has a throaty roar rather than the refined glory of the Bug. Led Zep vs Dame Kiri, if you like.

Actually, I’m getting a bit confused, reading about cars on here and Carvairs on the Autosport Nostalgia car racing forum: http://forums.autosport.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=10&daysprune=30&sortorder=&sortfield=lastpost&perpage=40&pagenumber=2

(“Transport by Plane”)

I always fancied a Rover SD1
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk/projectcardetail.asp?id=4

Looking forward to achieving 200mph, without a front windscreen, but wearing sunglasses; get me the name of the manufacturer someone, as mine wouldn’t stay on at 50mph!

Nice work though shoe horning that into the SDI, it intrudes into the cabin a bit, but the Rover dashes were a bit on the naff side , so nothing lost there.

After looking at the Dodd’s car, (at Southend in about 80-81), I went home and designed (alright scribbled) a mid engined car, with the the engine linked to a formular one type of transaxle.

Thinking about it now although the theoretical power output of a Meteor, should be within the capabilities of such a transmission, I think the huge torque of the thing, might be a little too much , but of course it should be possible to custom build something nowadays, alas I no longer have the same enthusiasm to build one now….

Yes it’s the Dodd car I meant Mark, I always thought it was Griffon, don’t know why. I believe his son owns and has restored the Beast.

I always fancied a Rover SD1
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk/projectcardetail.asp?id=4

There were two lovely small vintage style red racing cars, each with beastly engines up at Duxford this morning hurtling up and down. I would like to know what engines they had, word has it they are worth £2million each! I cant remember the exact name but it said ………. restorations on their van.

Try Bugattie (sounds like french bread) but Italiaan.

goG in mess RESTORANT!

The Swandean Special isn’t the only Merlin-powered ‘racer’.

Check out: http://www.thunderbolt.benjafieldsracingclub.co.uk/

….and wind up the volume on the video clip!! 😎

I have seen that clip before, doesn`t it sound just spot-on? 🙂
Incidentally, Thunderbolt has a Rover Meteor, not a Merlin.
The Centurion Tank would probably also sound like a Spitfire if it could do 150mph!

Pete

The 1935 Bluebird was powered by a Rolls Royce ‘R’ engine. This vehicle is in the USA as far as I am aware. On a similar theme, ‘Triplex’ was powered by 3 Liberty aero engines. Powerful, but a complete death trap! Golden Arrow was Lion powered, there are photo’s of it in the ‘Napier In The Sahara’ thread.

Dean

There’s also that over sized Capri looking thing that someone built in the ’70s with a RR Griffon engine. Ugly looking thing, but mightily powerful! Had a Rolls Royce radiator grill on the front, until they saw it and insisted it was removed. It is still around, but I can’t remember the name of it.

That does rather sound like John Dodd’s ‘Beast’.

Rolls/Rover Meteor engine, a Merlin derivitive used in the Centurion tank.

Mark

There’s also that over sized Capri looking thing that someone built in the ’70s with a RR Griffon engine. Ugly looking thing, but mightily powerful! Had a Rolls Royce radiator grill on the front, until they saw it and insisted it was removed. It is still around, but I can’t remember the name of it.

There were two lovely small vintage style red racing cars, each with beastly engines up at Duxford this morning hurtling up and down. I would like to know what engines they had, word has it they are worth £2million each! I cant remember the exact name but it said ………. restorations on their van.

The Swandean Special isn’t the only Merlin-powered ‘racer’.

Check out: http://www.thunderbolt.benjafieldsracingclub.co.uk/

….and wind up the volume on the video clip!! 😎

This would appear to be the second Thunderbolt with a Merlin engine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_R

‘Just heard from a relative of Michael Wilcox. He died yesterday. He must have been a fun guy… keen on Bentleys, and owned a Spitfire Mk XVI, SL721, which flies in Canada nowadays.

Thoughts are with the Wilcox family

Thunderbolt

The Swandean Special isn’t the only Merlin-powered ‘racer’.

Check out: http://www.thunderbolt.benjafieldsracingclub.co.uk/

….and wind up the volume on the video clip!! 😎