John Dodd's Beast [Archive]

HotRodGang

26-11-08, 10:00 AM

Anyone interested in this piece of UK Rod history could check out this link.

http://www.evo.co.uk/features/features/228789/the_beast.html

BaronVonVVankel

26-11-08, 01:55 PM

Good to see its still going! :)

1960Zody

26-11-08, 01:56 PM

Wasn't there another Merlin engined car around the same time as The Beast?
Seem to remember it being in Hot Car.
Rear engined two seater maybe???

kc

26-11-08, 01:57 PM

Wasn't there another Merlin engined car around the same time as The Beast?
Seem to remember it being in Hot Car.
Rear engined two seater maybe??? think that was also a john dodd creation...

timetravel

26-11-08, 02:26 PM

Wasn't there another Merlin engined car around the same time as The Beast?
Seem to remember it being in Hot Car.
Rear engined two seater maybe???

Yes it was on the cover of Hot Car May '77. It was Paul Jameson's and was rear engined and a two seater as you say, it also had six wheels and a FGR body which looked a bit like a Vauxhall VX4/90 at the front

1960Zody

26-11-08, 02:31 PM

Yes it was on the cover of Hot Car May '77. It was Paul Jameson's and was rear engined and a two seater as you say, it also had six wheels and a FGR body which looked a bit like a Vauxhall VX4/90 at the front

And i may be wrong, but didn't it burn to the ground shortly after the feature?

ian.stewart

26-11-08, 02:41 PM

Wasn't there another Merlin engined car around the same time as The Beast?
Seem to remember it being in Hot Car.
Rear engined two seater maybe???
I know the car was rebodied after a fire, it also had a RollsRoyce grille on it, but after a High Court case, the grille was removed, and at one time looked like a capri on steroids, It was up at the last Knebworth nationals, I think it was owned by John Dodds son, I did hear it was again fire damaged shortly afterwards and written off.

mr1958cadillac

26-11-08, 02:46 PM

I remember seeing this car up the Chelsea cruise back in the old days, what a mad car

How on earth they made it all fit in that body is beyond me...?

mr1958cadillac

26-11-08, 02:55 PM

Wasn't there another Merlin engined car around the same time as The Beast?
Seem to remember it being in Hot Car.
Rear engined two seater maybe???

Never heard about that one.... But there was a 55 Chevy built in the states that has a merlin engine fitted.... Looks mental

http://www.rodshop.com.au/projects/sm55proj902_11.jpg (http://www.rodshop.com.au/projects/55proj902_11.jpg)
http://www.rodshop.com.au/photos/sm55proj602_4.jpg (http://www.rodshop.com.au/photos/55proj602_4.jpg)

Check it out on You tube. :)

ian.stewart

26-11-08, 03:26 PM

There are a few Vids on Youtube of the car, and I am certain it was never a merlin engine fitted, nor was it even a Rolls engine, it was a Rover V12 from a tank, fitted with merlin covers, it still made sensible HP, I think all merlins had a integeral crank case mounted centrifugal supercharger, early ones single stage and later ones were 2 stage blowers.
now watch me get shot down,

my53anglia

26-11-08, 03:33 PM

The Jameson chassis. PJ at the wheel.

http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr7/alextr6/Rods/Merlin-powered-car-2001-001.jpg

1960Zody

26-11-08, 03:38 PM

There are a few Vids on Youtube of the car, and I am certain it was never a merlin engine fitted, nor was it even a Rolls engine, it was a Rover V12 from a tank, fitted with merlin covers, it still made sensible HP, I think all merlins had a integeral crank case mounted centrifugal supercharger, early ones single stage and later ones were 2 stage blowers.
now watch me get shot down,

Practical Performance Car did one of those

Meteor engine in an SD1
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk/projectcardetail.asp?id=4

With a 'Start-Up' video here..
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2sIqRiQVmeA

BaronVonVVankel

26-11-08, 04:24 PM

Never heard about that one.... But there was a 55 Chevy built in the states that has a merlin engine fitted.... Looks mental

Im a bit confused which car ian is refering to but...
as i understand it, the 55 Chevy was built in Australia and is fitted with the American Packard built version of the Merlin as fitted in the P51 Mustang.

kev elliott

26-11-08, 04:58 PM

I may be wrong but isn't that '55 Australian? The name Rod Hadfield seems to ring a bell...

kc

26-11-08, 05:01 PM

I may be wrong but isn't that '55 Australian? The name Rod Hadfield seems to ring a bell... think your right kev, sure its australian...

DavieLights

26-11-08, 06:42 PM

There was some discussion of these cars over on HMVF (Historic military vehicles forum) a while ago . Seems most of the engines being called Merlins were actually Meteors as fitted in various tanks . It was also suggested that John Dodd owned the cheque book behind the rolls & it was built by somebody else . Think there was also an SD1 Rover with one in .

Marcol

26-11-08, 07:02 PM

Ian you're basically correct.

The engine in John Dodds' car was a Rolls Royce Meteor ( Basically a Merlin without the blower). These were built , under licence, by Rover. But were still a RR engine.

All the rocker covers had Rolls Royce on them be they built by Rolls Royce , Rover or Ford in the UK or Packard in the States.

Cragarsarecool

26-11-08, 08:26 PM

I may be wrong but isn't that '55 Australian? The name Rod Hadfield seems to ring a bell...

Castlemain Rod Shop rings a bell too..

AL

26-11-08, 09:45 PM

Yes it was on the cover of Hot Car May '77. It was Paul Jameson's and was rear engined and a two seater as you say, it also had six wheels and a FGR body which looked a bit like a Vauxhall VX4/90 at the front

I saw this at one of the Crystal Palace drag shows, they tried to start it outside on the bridge, it stank of petrol & I'm sure they used a cartridge gun via a hole in the bodywork to try to start it, they ran out of cartridges before it fired up.

.....it still made sensible HP.....

There goes this weeks understatement!

scottie

26-11-08, 09:51 PM

new beast??

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?p=1&f=23&t=245424&h=0

scottie

kapri

26-11-08, 09:53 PM

think your right kev, sure its australian...

I've a write up here in an Australian mag sent to me by Paul Kelly . Made interesting reading as it had to be inspected stage by stage by the registration authorities ( rather like having the building inspector round to your house).

hershambob

27-11-08, 06:34 PM

There was some discussion of these cars over on HMVF (Historic military vehicles forum) a while ago . Seems most of the engines being called Merlins were actually Meteors as fitted in various tanks . It was also suggested that John Dodd owned the cheque book behind the rolls & it was built by somebody else . Think there was also an SD1 Rover with one in .
correct,ive seen build up pics from the guy that built it,and ithink he built the six wheeler as well(seem to remember pics with a plane over it at blackbushe)he was also building a merlin powered 1920s rolls royce which i saw,had a wooden boattail and had spare engines