Monday 20th April 2009

Wildcat V10 In The Works

Melling shoehorns 600bhp Viper engine into latest customer car

---

The first Melling Wildcat with an optional V10 Viper engine is under construction at the firm’s Rochdale factory.

PH paid a visit to Melling last week and saw the project in build. As our picture shows the engine is a tight fit inside the box section frame, to which it will be rigidly bolted as a structural member.

V10 is a tight fit in the Wildcat chassis

According to our hosts, the Viper engine is a standard 8.4-litre ‘crate’ engine supplied from the US making 600bhp and with the standard Tremec TR6060 6-speed manual gearbox. We’ve not heard any performance predictions just yet, but as the Wildcat is roughly two thirds of the weight of the 1500kgs Viper we can confidently predict the V10 Wildcat will go like stink!

We’re still waiting for a Wildcat powered by Al Melling’s recently announced ‘redevelopment’ of the AJP V8 he originally designed for TVR, but the Viper V10 does have a Melling heritage all of its own. It was the Melling design consultancy that first reworked Chrysler’s cast iron V10 truck engine in aluminium for (then Chrysler-owned) Lamborghini. The Melling engine had four valves per cylinder but was never used by the Italian manufacturer. Sadly, when Chrysler decided to use the engine in the Viper the corporate bean counters axed the Melling designed valvetrain in favour of a simpler two valve per cylinder set-up.

This one has 460bhp NASCAR power

Meanwhile we couldn't resist showing you the red Wildcat pictured here, complete with V10 registration, and the personal transport of Mrs Melling. In spite of the number plate the car runs a Chevy V8 in full 460bhp NASCAR spec, complete with a single carburettor, a live rear axle and what sounds like a straight-though exhaust. Apparently Mrs Melling has a fondness for American muscle, having previously owned various versions of the Chevrolet Corvette. Yee-haw!

You should be able to see – and hopefully hear - the car at a couple of TVR Car Club events this summer, including the Chatsworth House Gathering which Melling Sports Cars has been invited to attend next weekend.

Bernie's Jag gets ready for action/auction

Oh yes, and that is an original Silk Cut Jaguar racer sitting next to the V10 Wildcat chassis in the Melling workshop. Apparently the car belongs to Bernie Ecclestone and will shortly be up for sale. The Jag’s Melling designed Jaguar V12 racing engine hasn’t been run for 18 years, so the car is back in the workshop to be returned to fully-working condition for the next lucky owner.

[cvegas]

The engine in the Jag sounds amazing. If you get the chance to see one run (Festival of Speed, etc.) then take it.

[dom9]

I love those Silk Cut Jags - BEAUTFUL!

The Wildcat, however, I am still not sold on...

[griffter]

a Chevy V8 in full 460bhp NASCAR spec, complete with a single carburettor, a live rear axle and what sounds like a straight-though exhaust.

Put me down for the 'sports pack': cart springs, lever arm dampers and drum brakes?

[White-Noise]

The jag has not been run for 18 years and kept in a garage!! That is a sin!

What a beautiful car.

The Wild Cat is also actually growing on me and with a V10 should be rather interesting. I just find the styling is almost there but something just doesnt work quite for my eye. Still, good to hear about this

[Gridl0k]

What else does the little man have hiding away then?

18 years?! I'd start it at 7am every Sunday just to fk the neighbours off.

[wooooody]

Not the most salubrious looking production facilities,especially the condition of the floor. I would have expected a good sealed surface and a clean & clear working area (maybe the Jag is just there for the photos?) for a new-build product.

[Beefmeister]

Does the Wildcat have any form of roof? I've not seen any pics of it with a roof of any kind...

[pokethepope]

Beefmeister said:

Does the Wildcat have any form of roof? I've not seen any pics of it with a roof of any kind...

You can spec a hard top apparently:

http://mellingwildcat.blogspot.com/2009/01/dispite...

[Wolfsbait]

I'm sure it's been said before and I'll get pulled up for repeating it, but what's the big deal with this pseudo-TVR kit-car????

Low tech nonsense.

[jazzyjeff]

Wolfsbait said:

I'm sure it's been said before and I'll get pulled up for repeating it, but what's the big deal with this pseudo-TVR kit-car????

Low tech nonsense.

It's not a kit car, it's factory built...

JJ

[Gizmo!]

And in this week's irrelevant Melling news, the Wildcat is available with a range of engines.

Seriously, has motoring journalism come to this?

[Gridl0k]

Gizmo! said:

And in this week's irrelevant Melling news, the Wildcat is available with a range of engines.

Seriously, has motoring journalism come to this?

On the one hand I can sort of see where all this Melling stuff comes from, UK manufacturer and acknowledged engine expert etc and that nobody is forcing you to read the stories etc etc but I definitely get the impression someone at Haymarket has shares or something..

[Cam Man]

Usual Melling PR drival with added name drop and cancelled project!!! Why isn't he using his 4 valve head on the V10 engine that he "designed" for Lamborgini?

[louismchuge]

You've got to love all those rubber strips laid down under his Mrs car!

[Chris Rosamond]

Gridl0k said:

Gizmo! said:

And in this week's irrelevant Melling news, the Wildcat is available with a range of engines.

Seriously, has motoring journalism come to this?

On the one hand I can sort of see where all this Melling stuff comes from, UK manufacturer and acknowledged engine expert etc and that nobody is forcing you to read the stories etc etc but I definitely get the impression someone at Haymarket has shares or something..

No shares, but the truth is you can't visit the Melling works in Rochdale without taking away an armful of stories. It's all part of the fun!

[eowen]

jazzyjeff said:

Wolfsbait said:

I'm sure it's been said before and I'll get pulled up for repeating it, but what's the big deal with this pseudo-TVR kit-car????

Low tech nonsense.

It's not a kit car, it's shed built...

JJ

efa

[eowen]

Just how much IS haymarket being paid by Mr Melling?

[Nickellarse]

Gridl0k said:

What else does the little man have hiding away then?

18 years?! I'd start it at 7am every Sunday just to fk the neighbours off.

My understanding is that the little man has a hanger full of exotics and racers all looked after by a very lucky old man. They do get started, but not tinkered with.

[Gridl0k]

Nickellarse said:

My understanding is that the little man has a hanger full of exotics and racers all looked after by a very lucky old man. They do get started, but not tinkered with.

I'm sure there's a Max Moseley joke in here somewhere....

[tridave]

jazzyjeff said:

Wolfsbait said:

I'm sure it's been said before and I'll get pulled up for repeating it, but what's the big deal with this pseudo-TVR kit-car????

Low tech nonsense.

It's not a kit car, it's factory built...

JJ

lets face it the TVR was a badly built kit car, this one ?