Driving The Beast! 27-litre V12 Spitfire engined car on the street. Jonny Smith gets the chance of a lifetime to drive the ex-Guinness world record Spitfire aero engine Beast on the street. Built around a 27-litre V12 Mk35 Rolls Royce Merlin engine, The Beast has been in the same family since it was conceived back in the early 1970s. Eccentric owner John Dodd ensured the car became infamous, no doubt helped by Rolls Royce taking him to court and suing him for using their grille. Dodd lost the court battle and left Britain in his Beast for Spain, where he lived until his death at 90 years old last December. John drove the car right up until his death!
No power steering, 2.25 tonnes, 27,000ccs and 2mpg…
Follow this link to see the Car and Classic Auction: https://www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1972-john-dodds-the-beast-8bEqL4
Thanks for stopping by The Late Brake Show
To watch episodes like this early become a Patreon of the channel by clicking this link: https://patreon.com/TheLateBrakeShow
This episode is proudly supported by www.carandclassic.com, the biggest marketplace in Europe for classic cars with over 35,000 vehicles on sale via online auction and classifieds.
https://www.instagram.com/carandclassic/
https://www.facebook.com/carandclassic/
https://twitter.com/carandclassic
https://www.youtube.com/@CarClassicTV
Click this link for more: http://www.carandclassic.com/thelatebrakeshow
***********
Merch shop: https://thelatebrakeshow.com/shop
******
Become a Patreon supporter: https://patreon.com/TheLateBrakeShow
******
Website: http://www.thelatebrakeshow.com
******
SUBSCRIBE for a broad-church of automotive appreciation spanning EV, classic, modified and future tech.
********
Filmed & edited by: Sam Renton https://www.instagram.com/samuel_joseph/?hl=en
Thumbnail by: Daniel Hilliard www.hilliard.design
****************
Jonny Smith
Creative content maker, car presenter & car pervert for hire since ’98
Website: http://www.carpervert.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jonnycarpervert
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/carpervert
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
1:42 Who was John Dodd?
3:13 Rolls Royce court case
3:39 Fibreglass bodyshell
4:40 Fire damage
5:00 Meteor traded for Merlin
5:46 Suspension and steering
6:43 Start up process
8:20 Guinness book of records
10:12 FOR SALE NOW
10:30 Interior
11:34 Driven on autobahns
12:05 Engine weighs 1000kg
12:19 ENGINE BAY
14:12 Engine tech spec
17:18 ULEZ exempt
18:05 ENGINE START PROCESS
20:30 ROAD DRIVE
26:35 How did it feel?
#mostpowerfulcar #merlinengine #johndoddthebeast #thelatebrakeshow
source
In a week where other journalists are driving a 1000hp normally aspired roadcar with negligible NVH (the Aston Valyrie) Jonny gives us this alternative take on things
Never change Jonny, never change…
How can they get themselves to sell this car?
Thing sounds and smokes like an oversized Trabant on steroids.
The Press seems to be ALL over the place on the alleged top speed of this thing in those articles you showed. Claiming everything from “200 MPH”, to “300 MPH”; NEITHER of which, of course, it is even remotely capable of.
you left the primer switch on
That drive single handedly increased the global temperature by 0.1 degree 😅
The engine that won the war kids.
I want this
Johnny sometimes I just watch these because I like your presenting … very calm, clear and easy to watch – best in the league in many ways … but I'm also a pedant … surely it's got to be your name first then the name of the show?
The classic mistake was made, only inside microphone… We want to hear it from the outside! Drive by!
Funny, sounds like a SAAB V4.. 🤔
Some years ago I saw it sat in a workshop in Spain , not far from the runway at Malaga airport, came as quite a surprise seeing it in such a mundane setting.
You should take Greta Thunberg for spind 😊
I wonder what car vertical would say about this. The panel gaps look bad
Crazy Brilliant Amazing
Jonny, I always remember a similar car that was built in the '80s. I was two Ford Capri's welded together and it had two rear axles and a V8 engine if my memory serves me right that also had a Rolls Royce front grille. Great video.
Saw it at Guildford cruise back in the 90’s. Took up a few car parking spaces 😂
He fired it up and went like fook up the road
ALL THAT SMOKE …REALLY GOOD FOR THE LUNGS …..
When British people say "There's no replacement for displacement", this is what they mean.
How dare you?!
🤩
Well done that man!
The new bmw kidney grill is absolutely stunning, you don't like it because you grow up in the 80s and 90s models, you are an absolute old timer with shitttttt taste in cars. G81 touring is better looking then the Rs6 and Rs7 all they long
He should have found a way to accommodate the supercharger! 😉
What a load of bollocks this ulez is my wife's TT diesel has to pay but a 27 litre car doesn't and neither does my V8 X5 makes no sense whatsoever
It remains me 007 the man with the golden gun the car that turns in to a plane ✈
What an event driving the beast, top piece Jonny.
I would love to see someone put a supercharger on it
Saw this at santa pod, awesome
Is there room for Chris packham and greta in the back….? 😂