At first glance this Rolls Royce might look like any other Concours car. Then you see the 6 pipes peeping out the side of the hood.
That would be the 27 liter Rolls Royce V-12 Merlin Mk 1 airplane engine.
“The Merlin didn’t just power Spitfires, Hurricanes, and Lancaster bombers, it saw service in MTBs (motor torpedo boats) and tanks. So successful was the Merlin that 149,659 units were built, some 37,000 under license by Packard in the U.S. Lord Tedder, Marshal of the RAF and the man charged with development of aircraft during the Battle of Britain, attributed victory to “three predominant factors: the skill and bravery of the pilots, 100-octane fuel and the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine.””
The 7 year process was done to Rolls Royce spec levels. These are all functioning dials needed to properly operate the engine. Note the amazing detailing in the door panel.
“The catalog credits veteran English dealer Nick Harley—the man who bid $10 million for the Bugatti Royale at auction in 1987 and now enjoys life in his fortress-like retreat on the Côte d’Azur—with the creation of this “special-to-trump-all-specials.” However, a quick call to Harley reveals there’s more to the story.
“Chassis 64GX left Crewe as a standard Phantom II saloon, but in the late 1970s, Rolls-Royce collector Nicholas Harley of London decided to create a showcase of British engineering might. The restoration that ensued spanned approximately seven years, during which time the Phantom II frame was lengthened, reinforced and fitted with this lovely Gurney Nutting-inspired body constructed by Wilkinson’s of Derby, and a 27-liter Mk I Merlin V12 engine was fitted, fed by two fuel pumps delivering 100 gallons per hour.”
via SportsCarMarket.com
Subscribe via RSS
