Friday 28th October 2011

Pic Of The Week: The World's Fastest Rolls

A proud desktop reminder of things that make Britain Great

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Matt Wright's Crewe-build 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow may still strongly resemble the bespoke British gentleman's express that left the production line decades ago, but thanks to the transplant of 588cu Chevrolet V8 it's somewhat faster. Fast enough to run an impressive 7.94 second quarter mile.. at 175mph!

So as you look at this picture on your desktop and the stirring tones of the British National Anthem drift through your post-lunch office reverie, just remind yourself of one important fact.

The bl**dy Germans won it after all.

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[Bahnstormer]

Love the badge-bar - tres cool !

[thewheelman]

It's so wrong, yet so right.

[soad]

thewheelman said:

It's so wrong, yet so right.

I was thinking that.

[TORQ]

Love this, often follow the fortunes of the turbo'ed one in Practical Performance Car. Although I wish they didn't chop the roof.

This is also cool: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/1350-hp-roll...

[456lbft]

I notice that they felt the need to fit flush (aerocatch) bonnet pins! Nice ironic detail that..

[central]

I'm pretty sure it's in action at the Pod tomorrow.

[PhilJames]

Just looks like composite bodywork on another car, rather than a real Rolls' with a chevvy V8 transplant.

[B10BRW]

I can't remember the exact figures, but I am sure John Dodds Merlin engined Rolls was quicker at the Pod in the early seventies, than the times for this Rolls.

The sound, sight and smell of the Spitfire engined Rolls is something I will never forget

[B10]

Shame that they could bore out the RR engine from 6750cc to the 7.5l, that the Chevvy engine is, plus a Bentley turbo and use that. However I assume that all the trick stuff that is easily availble for the Chevvy engine would be very expensive for the RR engine.
BTW why do we often use, in the UK, cubic inches when describing US engines?

[B10]

Ah missread 588cu for 388cu. Makes much more sense now.
www.wgracing.co.uk
"Back in 1974 Rolls-Royce deemed 220 BHP “Sufficient”. Fast-forward to 2011 and the owners of this Silver Shadow have other ideas. Now packing a 9.6-litre twin-turbo V8, the car puts out 1300 BHP at the wheels – and 2300 BHP in race-spec

The first shakedown pass at Santa Pod saw an 8.092 ET and 168.5 MPH. The development map is conservative with just 18 psi boost and 50% duty cycle for the injectors so there’s lots more to come once engine tuner John Sleath turns up the wick"

Gosh!

[eliot]

PhilJames said:

Just looks like composite bodywork on another car, rather than a real Rolls' with a chevvy V8 transplant.

Looks like steel to me:

http://www.wgracing.co.uk/news.php

[Mini1275]

[central]

B10BRW said:

I can't remember the exact figures, but I am sure John Dodds Merlin engined Rolls was quicker at the Pod in the early seventies, than the times for this Rolls.

Not a chance.

[Jon C]

central said:

B10BRW said:

I can't remember the exact figures, but I am sure John Dodds Merlin engined Rolls was quicker at the Pod in the early seventies, than the times for this Rolls.

Not a chance.

Agreed. Johns car was a wonderful feat of engineering. It was not particularly quick, certainly nowhere near the sevens.

[urquattro]

B10BRW said:

I can't remember the exact figures, but I am sure John Dodds Merlin engined Rolls was quicker at the Pod in the early seventies, than the times for this Rolls.

The sound, sight and smell of the Spitfire engined Rolls is something I will never forget

Dodds merlin engined RR was something else, from ancient memory now, something like an armoured car chassis, merlin engine, RR body theme etc. RR threatened to sue re grille and flying lady use I think.
Dodds was a very skilled hydraulics engineer ?? and travelled all over europe in this monster, he was uncatchable on autobahns, outrun german police porche and everything else. God know what the rear view mirrot did when you looked and saw this thing coming at extraodinary m.p.h. Think it did the 200 mph when wound right up.
Please correct any crap facts in above and wonder where this superb bit or british engineering ended up.
Keith

[Dangermouse78]

urquattro said:

Dodds merlin engined RR was something else, from ancient memory now, something like an armoured car chassis, merlin engine, RR body theme etc. RR threatened to sue re grille and flying lady use I think.
Dodds was a very skilled hydraulics engineer ?? and travelled all over europe in this monster, he was uncatchable on autobahns, outrun german police porche and everything else. God know what the rear view mirrot did when you looked and saw this thing coming at extraodinary m.p.h. Think it did the 200 mph when wound right up.
Please correct any crap facts in above and wonder where this superb bit or british engineering ended up.
Keith

As I recall Dodds was a gearbox engineer, he had a custom built g/box to cope with the torque from the Merlin engine

[ADP68]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxMxFE37Sxw
He still runs an auto gearbox company in Spain and advertises in the RREC mag.

[eliot]

ADP68 said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxMxFE37Sxw
He still runs an auto gearbox company in Spain and advertises in the RREC mag.

Fantastic stuff.

[KDIcarmad]

Sad they had to use a yank engine! Very British!

A Daimler V8 (later Jaguar) was used to great effect in drag race. I understand over a 1000bhp was reach. That sound better than pulling out a Rolls Royce V8 to put in a cheap yank one! This would have meant more work as no offer the shelf performance parts.

If you want classic British and a yank motor buy a Bristol! More British now than Rolls Royce!

[Liquid Knight]

Yep. Now this could be a case of great minds thinking alike or someone who works in PH Towers is a member of the PPC forum.

http://www.ppcmag.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&a...