The Beast 2 – Rolls Royce Merlin powered car

Paul Jameson built motor cars out of the ordinary. Ask him why and he replied, “why not ?”.
The first creation of Paul Jameson (See Motor Magazine 8 June 1974) was to install the engine Rolls Royce Meteor V-12 26.9 liters (600 hp 2550 rpm) Master of the tank Cromwell Mk.IV HG3101 Meteor in a car adapted to the dimensions of the imposing mechanical. The body had a general shape of Ford Capri with a front cover of Rolls-Royce. He sold it to the specialist of the automatic transmission at the time, John Dodd, for the record was the only one able to install it reliable transmission at the time. Paul Jameson had called to the rescue by desperation. John Dodd had managed to register the beast (The Beast), but unfortunately, after a fire in Sweden, the car was burnt and nothing was salvageable.

John Dodd in car with Rolls Royce Merlin engine in 1973

Long before that sad day, Paul had already begun to think of another model. He had been disappointed by the purpose of the first and decided to create a real beast.
The starting motor would be a Roll-Royce Merlin 724-1c of 1760cv (1951). The Merlin engine became famous because he fitted the Spitfire and the Mustang during the Second World War, but 1760cv version of 724-1c actually fitted to the DC-4M Canadair North Star Argonot.

Spitfire

Canadair DC-4M Argonaut North Star

The version 2 of The Beast started in December 1973. As with the first version, Paul used section tubes 10 aluminum to build the car chassis. The articles of the time say it was more than anything else DIY. The floor of the steel is Bête2, it was assembled with some 3500 rivets d’aviation. The monster 6 wheels weighs 2 tonnes, without bodywork. Has a length of 5,66 meters.

The Rolls-Royce Merlin was at the center of the chassis so that the load distribution is almost 50/50. Three trains Jaguar MK 10 served for 2 rear axle and the front axle of the 6 wheels. 2 Hydramatic gearboxes fitted to each rear axle and transfer box home (whose gears can turn up 7500 rpm) provide power distribution when the Merlin runs at its maximum speed 3000 rpm. The driver can control the speed of change through a sequential control B&M.

The brakes are from a Range Rover. The 2 engine radiators are located right at the back of the beast and come from a Ford truck. They are each equipped with a large cooling fan (Kenlowe).

Apart from the impressive instrumentation, the electrical system is 24 volts and a pair of large batteries is perched above the rear suspension. A row of heavy alloy reservoir is aligned with the side rails, providing a storage capacity of 25 gallons of fuel (100 octane) per side and a total of 10 gallons of oil. Is 189 liters of gasoline and 37 liters of oil !

The V12 is reinforced by a turbo 2 floors blowing about 18 lb. it feeds 48 valves driven by 2 head camshafts. Each of the 12 cylinder also has two candles (aviation oblige), a pair of magneto Rotax feed all. This is an injection engine. The Beast is floor of Dunlop tires and rims Wolfrace.
The maximum speed is 185 mph in 3000 rpm, is almost 300 km/h .

Prospective drivers will certainly need training for instrumentation (Equipped among other altimeter) and good noise-canceling headphones for the soft purr of the engine just to his left, separating fact the seat of the passenger single !

No body painted black but for his baptism, Paul Jameson had no real idea to dress.

The Beast 2 could not stay naked, Paul threw a body contest in a magazine specializing in fiberglass. This is Harry Smith, who won the competition. The dressing hearkened 2500 £ coins and various other models were used for lighting or bumpers, Volkswagen, Vauxhall, Ford Transit, et Jaguar XJ6. I let you find the pieces !

A contest of models I guess

Paul Jameson died 1989, the Beast 2 was kept by a collector who bought it. Paul sold his 2 latest models.

The 2 brothers left, father right, Paul in the middle, all in the automotive.

For info, Paul Jameson to built a third version of The Beast, always from a Roll-Royce Merlin, but this time in sedan 4 wheels. This car is now owned by John Dodd and is based in the south of Spain where he still lives. I just put you a little picture, many websites dealing with this exceptional model. A nice video is also available on YouTube, I let you do ...

It's nice to have news of the cars featured in SixMania from time to time, today it’s Hot automotive magazine that asked where the Beast had gone 2, and he is a reader, Henry Norberhuis who reported it to the Netherlands.

It is now attached to a private Metropole Museum in Druten, in the Netherlands and here is a photo made by the newspaper Hot.

(17/10/2019) New for the Jameson Beast II, it was deposited at the Metropole Private Museum because its owner decided to part with it, So she was waiting for an auction resale in the basements of this Museum with 300 other exceptional old cars.

It turns out that Paul’s father heard about this sale and was quick to contact Metropole to try to buy the car back to the family.. And he got there. The story doesn't tell how much he bought the Beast II, but we hope it will be well preserved.

I add you some new photos published following this sale.

Paul's father after acquiring the car.

Cockpit detail, it seems that there is an altimeter, Do you see it ?

The engine is visible from the body.She is at the bottom, look carefully…

We also have a great video of the vintage Beast II !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3Ealcx95xY