The car is called Marina Rolls Royce and sometimes Andrews Special. It uses an early Rolls Royce V8. It was racing in the pre '61 class but the only record I can see for it racing originally is in '63. I saw it at this year's Silverstone Classic.
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I guess the Rolls Royce V8 is larger than those commonly fitted to MGBs. Although without a size reference they look similar to a Rover V8. As the Roadmaster project put a big block Buick in a B it is just a matter of how much cutting and welding you are up for.
I've learned a little bit about Rolls Royce engines over the years from my friend Walt at Moyer Motorcars (http://moyermotorcars.com/). (Check out his very cool new website ;o)
Rolls Royce's V8 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_%E2%80%93_Bentley_L_Series_V8_engine) is an excellent design, but with emphasis strongly favoring refinement over performance.
I've often thought that the Rolls V8 might be a cool choice to swap into a Jaguar XJS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_XJS). You'd be going from a 5.3L V12 to a 6.75L V8. They both have aluminum blocks. I wouldn't be surprised if the Rolls V8 actually weighs less, although I've never seen its weight published. The V12 is long and narrow (with a 60 degree V) whereas the V8 is shorter and wider. Both bolt to the same GM automatic transmissions, right? I wonder what responses you'd get at car shows.
I thought somebody posted some pics of a RR V8 powered Bonneville roadster, a 27 T as I recall.
Dave
Someone I know in St.Louis has talked about selling his Rolls V-8...........Any interest? I'll ask if there is...........
It would be different for sure......but wouldn't you get tired of asking for mustard every time you stopped?.
Not to mention having to describe your horsepower as "sufficient".
Odd story. I knew a lawyer once (no, sorry, not another lawyer joke) anyway this guy owned a Rolls, probably about 70's vintage which was sitting in a parking lot with flat tires. So I asked him about it. Seems he had become very disillusioned with driving the car. For some reason he had bought it with the high, and some might say very unreasonable, expectation that when people saw him driving it he'd get a "thumbs-up" as in acknowledgement that he had finally made it. Instead he was most amazed, perplexed, and disappointed to find that the preponderance of gestures he received were the old third finger salute, in acknowledgement of which he eventually parked the car and simply walked away from it.
Now I don't know if it might have been his own actions that brought this about. I don't know if he runs down pedestrians, frequents the slums, or goes about with his chin in the air. I suppose all these things are possible. I do know that he bought a bar (a pretty nice, comfortable place) and was slowly migrating away from a corporate practice. Seemed a decent enough sort for a lawyer.
So I've just got to ask. Does this say something about RR, people in general, or some deep psychological buried jealousy humans harbour?
I've always wondered.
Jim
I have only ever had a Rolls Royce to drive for 24 hours as a 50th birthday treat. Fortunately, I did not have any of the problems your lawyer friend had. The car was nearly 40 years old which may make a difference and we live on a reasonably civilised area. We parked up for a while in a country park while we had our sandwiches and walk. When we returned to the car a couple with 2 children were taking their pictures by it.
Found it, RR powered modified roadster at Bonneville, no info on the owner or driver.
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waydaminute....Rolls Royce Merlin ?? No wonder it "fliys"/sorry, too easy