Daytona69

mandm1200

That is one sweet C3. That whole deal went on before I joined. Everytime the name comes up, the same members reply. I guess the owner didn't listen to advise that was given. I have been a member for over two years and haven't seen any project even close to it. That seemed to be a once in a decade or once in a century project. It would be interesting to see someone to build something of that nature.

MsVetteMan

Ya okay....

427Hotrod

Jeez....we're starting the official Merlin thread with 1360 HP this time?? I think that's a high water mark!! By the time this thread gets done, it will be 1360 RWHP..then it will be converted to crank HP of somewhere around 1700 HP..then that will be 1700 RWHP...then that will be.......then it will be converted to sea level in Siberia on a Tuesday.......

I know the last owner said he got it all straightened out. But unless he changed some SERIOUS hardware...that dude ain't never seen HP anywhere near that!

I saw the dyno sheets from when Merlin had it.....there are N/A small blocks here that make more power on pump gas.

But I do understand the paint was very impressive..I think Pacific Corvette did it.

Steve..that's his name...had a dream. he just didn't have the skills to do it himself and there were quite a few folks who made a LOT of money off him because of it. There were some totally unbelievable expenses with that deal. But as everyone said, it was his money and it was neat.

But I always questioned the attempt to build that much power with unported small aluminum heads, a small hyd cam and then put it through a trans that would never last long and then through a stock IRS. Good show car stuff though!


JIM

Z-man

What did the dyno sheets say??

murvette

I met this gentelman at the anual corvette and high performance swap meet in puyallup washington. His car was on display with pacific corvette and their display booth. I do most of my shopping at pacific corvette and the paint guys are my mentors all very nice people. I had a early access pass and stopped by to say hi and that was the first time I had seen the ( merlin ) complete and show ready and that car was incredible. I told the owner that his car was awsome and I was suprised how modest he was , he drove the car to the show and that it was the maiden voyage and he thought he made a big mistake that the car was to powerful and was having second thoughts about the car,he said it was hard not to spin the tires. He was kind of bummed out. I told him that it was nice to look at and that he should be proud. This is a once a year swap meet that I look foward to all year so I got back to shopping .After the frenzy later in the day I wanted to see the car again and went back and there he was and he had a huge smile on his face everyone loved that car . we talked for quite a while he was a very nice humble person and took no credit for the creation he told me all you need is a lot of money. I told him that the car was done in very good taste and that it was his car. any way he asked if i wanted to come back sunday at 400pm so I cold hear it run (the car was indoors) the guys at pacific corvette said you have to hear this thing run and stand behind it and feel the compression . The mechanic at pacific corvette said this car blew his mind. Well whoever has the car now got a good deal It's a real jaw dropper.

Bangkok Dean

But there are a few of the regulars here that don't take advise easly, but we still like them and enjoy what they are doing no matter how ugly.

Jughead

BUT, for $260,000 I think I'd spend my $XX.XX on a Cobra replica and pocket the rest. At least I could drive it.

It is his money and he worked hard for it, he can spend it how he wants. I can't afford to have anyone work on my Vette, some people can.

theandies

litevette

moosie982

You, We all, should be on the lookout for TwinTurbo's project, and to add more fuel to the build it like ya wanna debate, he, Marck is doing it all himself. It will be crazy. Peace,,,Moosie

MsVetteMan

Straight from BJ's website (I'm pretty sure they don't lie).......


OPTIONS
COLOR - BLACK
TRANS - 6 SPEED
CYLINDERS - V8
ENGINE SIZE - 522
HORSEPOWER - 1360
VIN - 1Z67J4S407349

moosie982

Do you, think that Barrett-Jackson has a dyno or just stated what they were told, + if they wanted maximum money for the car they'd probably enhance their numberrs a bit, but no doubt that Merlin was making a bunch of horsepressure ,,Peace,,,Moosie

427Hotrod

I don't know what the guy did to it after he bought it from Steve. He was on here drumming up support for it right before it hit BJ. He said it was straightened out...but 1360 HP? He never mentioned pulling motor and dyno testing. Basically had it running better.

The dyno info was sort of priveliged information...so I don't want to go into too many details, but I can tell you that the actual chassis dyno tests were MUCH, MUCH less than half that number!! Even after EFI tuning, fixing burnt plug wires, resetting valves etc etc.

I'm sure it sounded cool though.

JIM

CrossedFlags77

I saw the car when it was sold at Barrett Jackson. Got some pictures of it and watched it go across the blocks. Definetly a cool car.

You want to go Merlin hunting. I want to find out who owns it.

Ak. Mal

Actually, his name was Steve Kamis. He was a programmer for Microsoft and he neither had the time nor the ability to create the car. He did have the ability ($$) to have his dream car built for him though. When it was built it was about excesses and everything he ever dreamed about his car being. When it was done, it was more than most expected and it became a love it or hate it custom Corvette.

Everyone has their own opinion about it, but the truth is, there is some nice engineering and fabrication that went into the car.

Twin_Turbo

It has a nice paintjob but as far as the engineering..I don't see it. I hated how they butchered the valve covers, I loved the fuel tank. The suspension was nothing spectacular, all VB&P stuff, not even a 12bolt IRS. IT was a nice suspension, I'm not denying that but for what he wanted to build he should have started with a full tube chassis and C5 suspension or something like that. With a goal of outrunning and outcornering a McLaren F1 that sure isn't going to cut it.

groovyjay

If he would have taken the project to the same level as Bob Johnson took his (best PT car ever) 'cuda, THEN merlin would have been something to shout about. Overheating Whipple topped IRON big block, "upgraded" stock brakes, VB&P mono leaf set up, 6-speed richmond etc... won't get you anywhere near the Viper and Ferrari Territory...

After having said that I still liked to follow the project, Steve helped me out with many things. The car looked real nice and I never had any problems with Steve just the opposite.

Budman68

Didn't take much.

Merlin at the FW Custom rod show

The Club the owner belongs to.
http://www.christianclassiccruisers.com/index.html

You could probably email the club and find the owner.

Budman68

Not a great display for $250,000+ car. Sad...