Building "Thor"

Author
Discussion

Storer

Original Poster:

5,024 posts

214 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
A two word title that hints at the subject of this thread.

Building.............. yes I am going to build something!

Thor............. the Norse god of Thunder/Lightning!

I am planning to build a car based around one of the two 27 litre V12 Meteor engines I own. It will have very stubby exhausts and will spit flames and a fair bit of noise....hence the name!

For those that don't know, the Meteor engine was used in the Centurion tank built from 1945 to 1960 and was based on the 27 Litre V12 Rolls Royce Merlin engine that powered the WWII Spitfire. Rover and Nuffield were contracted to build the engines so that Rolls Royce could concentrate on the Merlin for aircraft.

Without the Merlin supercharger the Meteor "only" produced 650hp at 2500rpm and 1500ftlbs torque at 1500rpm.

I am not planning a speed machine but something to generate a big grin. My inspiration for this project was a visit to Brooklands Museum and the Napier Railton. I know it has a 24 litre W12 aero engine but you will have to allow me a bit of poetic licence (working old aero engines are also like gold hen's teeth and should be left for those that need them in their old aircraft IMO).

I have a chassis, diff, wheels and tyres, steering, front axle, switches, gauges, sheet alloy, fuel tank, springs, dampers plus various other bits. I am busy preparing my workshop ready for the build at present and accumulating information on the engines and other components.

There is no budget or timescale for the build but I expect it to be years rather than months. It will add up financially as many parts are from the 1920's/30's for the running gear including many vintage Bentley bits!

I know others find this sort of thing interesting (as I do) so I intend to post the build progress on here for you to watch and comment on.

I come from the Ultima forum and have a GTR that I rebuilt. Since it was completed and on the road I became aware that it generates a lot of interest and pleasure for others on the road or pavement. Hopefully "Thor" will be similar and may inspire others to do something different.

Life is short, so anything that makes it more pleasurable just has to be done.

Pictures will follow when I get stuff into my workshop.


Paul

Altrezia

8,517 posts

210 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
Bookmarked.

VinceFox

20,566 posts

171 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
aye, i'll have some of this. good luck.

No Sound

304 posts

128 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
Good luck with project. I would be very interested in seeing the build from the start and remember to post lots of pictures.

TotalControl

8,017 posts

197 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
This is going to be mental.

205alive

6,087 posts

175 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
Will there be rivets?

Art0ir

9,401 posts

169 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
Altrezia said:
Bookmarked.
+1!

HariboLecter

4,432 posts

174 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
In.

aspirated

2,539 posts

145 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
Subscribed. Definitely subscribed. biglaugh

SystemParanoia

14,343 posts

197 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
in the mean time..

27 liter space heater for the workshop? hehe


... im in! smile

e600

1,315 posts

151 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
Storer said:
A two word title that hints at the subject of this thread.

Building.............. yes I am going to build something!

Thor............. the Norse god of Thunder/Lightning!

I am planning to build a car based around one of the two 27 litre V12 Meteor engines I own. It will have very stubby exhausts and will spit flames and a fair bit of noise....hence the name!

For those that don't know, the Meteor engine was used in the Centurion tank built from 1945 to 1960 and was based on the 27 Litre V12 Rolls Royce Merlin engine that powered the WWII Spitfire. Rover and Nuffield were contracted to build the engines so that Rolls Royce could concentrate on the Merlin for aircraft.

Without the Merlin supercharger the Meteor "only" produced 650hp at 2500rpm and 1500ftlbs torque at 1500rpm.

I am not planning a speed machine but something to generate a big grin. My inspiration for this project was a visit to Brooklands Museum and the Napier Railton. I know it has a 24 litre W12 aero engine but you will have to allow me a bit of poetic licence (working old aero engines are also like gold hen's teeth and should be left for those that need them in their old aircraft IMO).

I have a chassis, diff, wheels and tyres, steering, front axle, switches, gauges, sheet alloy, fuel tank, springs, dampers plus various other bits. I am busy preparing my workshop ready for the build at present and accumulating information on the engines and other components.

There is no budget or timescale for the build but I expect it to be years rather than months. It will add up financially as many parts are from the 1920's/30's for the running gear including many vintage Bentley bits!

I know others find this sort of thing interesting (as I do) so I intend to post the build progress on here for you to watch and comment on.

I come from the Ultima forum and have a GTR that I rebuilt. Since it was completed and on the road I became aware that it generates a lot of interest and pleasure for others on the road or pavement. Hopefully "Thor" will be similar and may inspire others to do something different.

Life is short, so anything that makes it more pleasurable just has to be done.

Pictures will follow when I get stuff into my workshop.


Paul
I have been having the same feelings of late, must be something
In the water. I put a bid in for the Cent' engine that was on e bay recently, thankfully declined. You sir are bookmarked and I look forward to the story unfolding, any pictures of your bitsa collection. Will it have a purpose built chassis or an old commercial chassis as I had been contemplating.
Regards

clindores

16 posts

129 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
Bookmarked. Will be an interesting and unique build. Do you have any idea when you will have finished building the beast that will be known as Thor? smile

LordFlathead

9,641 posts

257 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
Excellent choice of engine although this will be the second Meteor engine build on a car in this forum. The last one went into an SD1 Rover thumbup

Bookmarked biggrin

eltax91

9,842 posts

205 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
aspirated said:
Subscribed. Definitely subscribed. biglaugh
This

Thou

108 posts

189 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
LordFlathead said:
Excellent choice of engine although this will be the second Meteor engine build on a car in this forum. The last one went into an SD1 Rover thumbup

Bookmarked biggrin
I remember this. Crazy piece of engineering.

Balmoral

40,660 posts

247 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
Storer said:
I am planning to build a car based around one of the two 27 litre V12 Meteor engines I own.
Come on man, at least make some effort!

CB2152

1,555 posts

132 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
I have got to see this. Also bookmarked!

Hooli

32,278 posts

199 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
Balmoral said:
Storer said:
I am planning to build a car based around one of the two 27 litre V12 Meteor engines I own.
Come on man, at least make some effort!
hehe



I can't wait to see this thumbup

smn159

12,448 posts

216 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
Have you started yet?
bookmarked!

vrooom

3,763 posts

266 months

Saturday 27th July 2013
quotequote all
this gonna be good!!