FJJP, I hate to take issue but you've been caught by the Dodds bullshine. The car certainly looked impressive from a distance, but close up the reality was verey different. Dodds made a lot of noise about this car and was proved to be an utter charlatan in the end. It was NOT a Merlin but, as I said, a Rover built engine from a tank. Perhaps the RR rocker covers decieved you? The Tyres were rated at 130mph. The stories about the German Police being unable to catch it were invented, as it is doubtful the car could have exceeded 130mph tyres notwithstanding. Tales of it doing 200mph or roadblocks as the owner claimed, were utter rubbish. RR threatened to take him to court for usurping a trademark if he continued to claim it was a Rolls, and I do not believe that they would have had anything to do with such a shoddy piece of work, it really was an utter heap. Someone somewhere will still have a copy of the (Autocar?) mag article that exposed this sham, it made interesting reading. Somewhere I have some pictures of the car at Epsom racecourse. I will see if I can find them.