RR Merlin Spares
 

The thread on the Mosquito got me to thinking how on the world do people keep the Merlin powered airframes in the air. Is there a ready supply of spares, or shops who build new cranks, cams, pistons etc etc. Hope so and long may they prosper.

There's a guy in California who rebuilds Merlin and Packard Merlin engines, whether he actually makes parts I don't know. (Dave Zeuschel Racing Engines I think)

Dave was killed in a F-86 Sabre accident many years ago perhaps 15-20.

The gentlman you might be thinking of is Mike Nixon of Vintage V12.

http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/vi...13433&signin=1

Mark22

Yes it was 1987 (it says here). Gosh, that long ago...?
Also Dwight Thorn in California and a chap called Tor (?) Sandvik at JRS in Minnesota (?), who was the late John Sandberg's engineer, both do Merlin rebuilds in the US, largely for the Reno racing market I think. Not sure that they machine new parts though... Wasn't there another thread on "new Spitfires" on here a while back?
Pretty sure that Mike Nixon did the Merlin that ended up in The Fighter Collection's most recent Hurricane restoration (now emigrated to Canada!).

Got my info from viewing the addresses on packing cases when 'Dirty Doug' owned Blackbushe, so I'm not surprised it's out of date!

You're thinking of the late Sam Torvik, who passed away a few years back. Since then, the JRS Enterprises engine shop has closed.

Reno Merlins these days are prepared by Mike Barrow and Rick Schanholtzer, Dwight Thorn having retired a few years back. I believe that Jack Hovey still overhauls Merlins, but not for racing.

I had a feeling I hadn't quite got his name right - I hadn't heard that he'd died. There was a good article in Pilot about Torvik, Nixon and Thorn several years ago - longer than I had thought I guess!

Why go all the way to America to get a Merlin when you can have one built in the UK?
Maurice Hammond has been quietly building Merlins for a good few years now.

Some one mentioned the TFC Hurricane that's gone to Canada,It had the engine rebulit a Retro Track and Air, there the people that rebuild all the BBMF Merlins. As for making parts I would contact them they seem to have thousands of drawings and are making new camshafts,rockers,gears,liners etc.