I had a strange hobby of collecting Aero engines and "Bits" that still worked, I had Merlin's,Griffon's Alvis Leonides, Issotta Frashini W18s, many different types of Props and engine ancillary items, the problem was my hobby started in the 1980s became a sort of small and sought after business, which I had not intended, indeed many of my working engines finished up in the US of A, however by the end of the 1999/2001 it was more and more difficult to find "Good Uns" so my accidental secondary business slowly subsided until as now I only have very simple items left from that "Romantic Hobby"....even with all my contacts I have not heard of any serviceable Merlin's available at less than Lottery winners prices....but it had to be due to rareness of said beast.
