Home » What Would You Do With This Ex-Miss-Budweiser 37-Liter Rolls Royce V12?

What Would You Do With This Ex-Miss-Budweiser 37-Liter Rolls Royce V12?

Griffon Ts
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Air, land, sea – no matter where you need pistons pumping upwards of 2,000 horsepower, this Rolls Royce Griffon 74 can do the job with incredible performance. Well, not in its current state, as it’s on a rolling display stand. Still, this 37-liter V12 is a notable piece of aeronautic and nautical history. Now, it can be yours so long as you’re willing to spend more on it than a brand-new and tricked-out Mazda Miata.

Rolls Royce originally designed the engine for aircraft in World War II, and the Griffon powered such machines as the Supermarine Spitfire Mk 24, Bristol Beaufighter, and Avro Shackleton . If you’ve heard of the famous Rolls Royce Merlin engine, consider the Griffon to be an even larger version of that. This particular example also has factory-installed fuel injection and a two-stage (you read that right) supercharger. Production ran from the early 1940s through 1955.

Vidframe Min Top
Vidframe Min Bottom

Some examples, like this one, were evidently built as spares. What does one do with a 37-liter V12 that no longer needs to defend the skies against the Axis powers? We’ve come up with some ideas, but before we get to that, you should know why this one says “Miss Budweiser” on the valve covers.

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That nomenclature dates back to the 1980s when someone prepped this engine for use in a hydroplane. Although it evidently never saw action, it’s clearly painted for the job. According to the seller over on Bring A Trailer, the Miss Budweiser hydroplane won 22 races between 1980 and 1984 with a nearly identical engine:

The Griffon is reputed to have 1000 more horsepower than the Rolls-Royce Merlin, which was the standard engine at the time in the Unlimited Class. Miss Budweiser ‘Juggernaut’ took first place in its first twenty heats of competition, erasing the former standard of fifteen consecutive heat wins.

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Here’s a quick example of what it looked and sounded like back in 1985:

In short, the Griffon now up for sale was initially meant to go to war but ended up in line to be a dominant force in hydroplane racing. By 1985, the racing team moved on and this 37-liter V12 remains unused. The current owner bought it in 2022 and hasn’t done much with it since. The real question for whoever buys it is what to do with it now.

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Our staff took turns deciding what might be best and there are some fabulous answers here. That said, nobody was as bold as Griffin Riley, who proposed that this become the basis for the most extreme racing lawnmower possible. Frankly, I think it might stretch the wheelbase a bit too much but that doesn’t mean that I don’t wanna see it.

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SWG who is very much alive and well had maybe one of the most altruistic and beautiful takes possible. “Those Budweiser valve cover gaskets are killer. I’d use it to pull a team of Clydesdales as they relax on a pulled trailer with some delicious hay.” Those horses are working hard pretty much every time we see them so why not give them a break and let Miss Budweiser do the work for a change?

Finally, our (mostly) behind-the-scenes graphics and production guy Peter Vieira might have the best fantasy application overall, as he would take this aircraft engine turned boat motor and return it somewhat closer to air duty by strapping it into a belly-tank-bodied salt-flats racer. As an example, Pete posted the gorgeous speed seeker below, a creation of the watch company Bell & Ross.

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Why not? If Jay Leno can drive a tank-car why can’t we have a Rolls Royce airplane boat car? Perhaps one could even add bespoke titanium marshmallow skewers, as startup can apparently be a bit roasty:

Here’s another great example of a Griffon firing up, complete with a few throttle blips. Note just how much air is flooding back toward the operator here, from contra-rotating props no less:

What would you do with something this large, this powerful, and this important to the history of speed both in the air and on the water? Let us know in the comments below and if you happen to have Mazda Miata money lying around, you might want to have a crack at the auction over on Bring A Trailer.

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TOSSABL
TOSSABL
1 month ago

Holy Molly, do those sound angry! I mean, I rather enjoy the deadly silent EV acceleration, but, there’s something visceral about 12 massive cylinders belching flames.

I was going to suggest that a Budweiser scion build a beer truck for their private parties around it, but SWG’s horse-puller is a way better idea

TOSSABL
TOSSABL
1 month ago
Reply to  TOSSABL

Btw, I know it’s only one ‘l’ : that’s a Kreosan shoutout 😉

Chunk Applegrabber
Chunk Applegrabber
1 month ago

Obviously, I’d LS swap it.

Eric Werner
Eric Werner
1 month ago

Honestly, I’d find a way to get it to the Hyrdoplane & Raceboat Museum <https://thunderboats.ning.com/page/mission-1>. They have a 1980 Griffin Bud, and could probably use an engine like this.

If you’ve never been, check the museum out. Lots of cool raceboat history, and hydroplane restorations happening all the time. I believe they are close to finishing up the 1979 Squire Shop.

Birk
Birk
1 month ago

That Aztec has a whole lot of space behind the driver…

MATTinMKE
MATTinMKE
1 month ago

Open engine hot rod for me. Some kind of stretch thing with tires taller than the hood.

Data
Data
1 month ago

The Autopian should buy it, stick it in a Sea Doo and let Mercedes take it for a spin.

Totally not a robot
Totally not a robot
1 month ago
Reply to  Data

Pretty sure it would take Mercedes for a spin.

Cheap Bastard
Cheap Bastard
1 month ago

“What would you do with something this large, this powerful, and this important to the history of speed both in the air and on the water? ”

Shove it in DT’s flat rendered Jeep for the ultimate Allied victory.

(If that one don’t fit there’s a flathead Zephyr V12 near me that might):

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto/d/hayward-zephyr-v12-flathead-engine/7786762267.html

Automotiveflux
Automotiveflux
1 month ago

Either a matching vintage boat or an open engine hot rod of some sort

4jim
4jim
1 month ago

Would a 2.5T 6×6 military truck with a camper box be too small for this motor?

Birk
Birk
1 month ago
Reply to  4jim

Camper box would be shrunk to fit the fuel tanks. I’m still with you on this project, though. Maybe a big flat tank that sits under the camper box?

IRegertNothing, Esq.
IRegertNothing, Esq.
1 month ago

It’s mostly an engine you would get for display, but I think it should be hooked up to something and ready to run so you can hear it. A static display seems like a waste. How many gear reductions do you think it would take to use it to power a paper shredder?

Totally not a robot
Totally not a robot
1 month ago

I’d like to see it hooked to a paper shredder with no gear reductions.

Ecsta C3PO
Ecsta C3PO
1 month ago

The question then is how many shredders can it power simultaneously? It could shred a whole towns classified documents in seconds.

V10omous
V10omous
1 month ago

Tractor pull

StillNotATony
StillNotATony
1 month ago

Remember the YouTube series ‘Will it blend?” With my blender powered by this monster, the answer is ALWAYS yes.

2×4? Pfft.

Large tree? No problemo.

A light armored vehicle? Let’s give it a whirl!!

Musicman27
Musicman27
1 month ago
Reply to  StillNotATony

This is by far the best idea here. (So far…)

Boxing Pistons
Boxing Pistons
1 month ago
Reply to  StillNotATony

Winner!

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
1 month ago

I’m kinda surprised there’s not vintage class hydroplane racing at this point…or maybe not, as the whole sport is pretty niche, if tremendously cool. I’d do that, tear around in a restored ’80s racing boat.

Birk
Birk
1 month ago
Reply to  Jack Trade

Growing up watching these, I’d be surprised if there were many of the vintage boats left (or substantial structure in those that are left). Smarter guys (and gals) moved onto “safer” boats, and the not smarter ones, well, they don’t do much of anything anymore.

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
1 month ago
Reply to  Birk

Makes sense to me, esp given that it’s not like these things are sold to consumers for just tear-assing around the lake on the weekend. Thank goodness for that.

Eric Werner
Eric Werner
1 month ago
Reply to  Jack Trade

No true “vintage class” because it’s just so expensive to keep these boats running. Seattle hosts one of the H1 Unlimited hydro racing stops, and there will usually be a few vintage boats that will turn a couple laps. This year, we have the 1957 U-77 Miss Wahoo, 1969 U-7 Notre Dame, and 1973 U-73 Pay ‘N’ Pak. Typically 3 laps, but still SO nice to hear those engines fire up.

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
1 month ago
Reply to  Eric Werner

That sounds amazingly cool. I never even knew this was a thing until recently (grew up in the midwest), but I do one day hope to make to a race just to experience the thunder.

Eric Werner
Eric Werner
1 month ago
Reply to  Jack Trade

If you are still midwest, Madison, IN, has been a regular stop on the H1 Unlimited circuit since 1951.

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
1 month ago
Reply to  Eric Werner

Sadly, I live out east now, but I’ll admit to kinda liking the movie, if only b/c it felt like turning an old Sports Illustrated piece into a film.

Hoonicus
Hoonicus
1 month ago

Cybertruck conversion. Leave no one unoffended.

Musicman27
Musicman27
1 month ago
Reply to  Hoonicus

I’m not offended.

Hoonicus
Hoonicus
1 month ago
Reply to  Musicman27

*sniff* Elderberries?

TOSSABL
TOSSABL
1 month ago
Reply to  Hoonicus

Now, that would be a great troll!

Musicman27
Musicman27
1 month ago

I’d find an old van (i’m talking 1976-ish GMC), slap it in the middle and make the ultimate drag sleeper.

Last edited 1 month ago by Musicman27
Rad Barchetta
Rad Barchetta
1 month ago

Stuff it back into a Spitfire, of course. A Triumph Spitfire.

Ecsta C3PO
Ecsta C3PO
1 month ago
Reply to  Rad Barchetta

Would you like some car with that motor?

Maymar
Maymar
1 month ago
Reply to  Rad Barchetta

Beat me to it, because an engine that weighs more than its host vehicle is a rational idea!

Toecutter
Toecutter
1 month ago
Reply to  Rad Barchetta

This is an idea that I am all for.

Phuzz
Phuzz
1 month ago
Reply to  Toecutter

The Griffon seems like your sort of engine, as although it’s much larger capacity than the Merlin, they deliberately designed it to reduce the physical size, so it’s only got a slightly larger frontal cross section than the Merlin, and thus only slightly more drag.
That seems like a Toecutter sort of engine to me 😉

Toecutter
Toecutter
1 month ago
Reply to  Phuzz

The engine is supposed to be covered up by the bodywork to keep drag down. To fit one in a Spitfire would require a total re-design of the front. Something akin to this GT6, the Spitfire’s coupe brother:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/the-mad-mad-machines-of-bonneville-speedhunters–295971006753697926/

TheDrunkenWrench
TheDrunkenWrench
1 month ago

I’d love to see it decimating tires in an Australian burnout car.

Richard O
Richard O
1 month ago

Put it in an RV. It should now be able to make it up a hill.

MaximillianMeen
MaximillianMeen
1 month ago

Give it to David to replace the 3 cyl range-extender in his i3.

You’ll go far, David. You’ll go very far.

Data
Data
1 month ago

I don’t think the 2.4 gallon tank will take him very far at all with this beasty.

Totally not a robot
Totally not a robot
1 month ago
Reply to  Data

What are we thinking, half a mile per tank?

MaximillianMeen
MaximillianMeen
1 month ago

Eh, remember, it just has to charge the battery. Five seconds of run time should manage that. A 2.7 gal tank should be good for at least 10 secs of run time.

Parsko
Parsko
1 month ago

Series hybrid C3 Corvette.

Dave
Dave
1 month ago

Step 1: Find a Viper with a blown engine
Step 2: Replace V10 with this glorious monster
Step 3: Paint Viper in appropriate livery
Step 4: Drive it and hope not to die

Rippstik
Rippstik
1 month ago
Reply to  Dave

Step 5: Probably a fiery death.

StillNotATony
StillNotATony
1 month ago
Reply to  Rippstik

There is no probably about it.

TOSSABL
TOSSABL
1 month ago
Reply to  Rippstik

But, what a way to go out!

Sid Bridge
Sid Bridge
1 month ago

Yes, the Miata is always the answer… even though the question is “How did you die?”

Musicman27
Musicman27
1 month ago
Reply to  Sid Bridge

At least you died happy.

Geekycop .
Geekycop .
1 month ago

Heavily customized Diamond T with a beavertail deck to haul my mini to track days.

Alexk98
Alexk98
1 month ago

The answer was in the article twice, and as is always the answer, Mazda Miata. Absurd and pointless? Of course! But I think we all want to see a Miata with one of these in it. Nevermind the details of “stretching the chassis” and “it won’t fit”. You *can* make it fit if you really want to.

TOSSABL
TOSSABL
1 month ago
Reply to  Alexk98

Thanks for the link: perfect for my rainy day on a roof

Arch Duke Maxyenko
Arch Duke Maxyenko
1 month ago

Put it in a vintage wooden speedboat

Nycbjr
Nycbjr
1 month ago

this is the correct answer!

Zorah
Zorah
1 month ago

Vintage! Like a 1970s jet boat with red white and blue metal flake paint so shiny and deep.

Motorhead Mike
Motorhead Mike
1 month ago

I’m not sure I would use it for that, but the Lincoln Zephyr v-12, that’s linked to above, would be perfect for that. Damn good answer though.

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