ZD75blue

More pics

http://www.lateral-g.org/distad/

68 Yellow 468

Wow!

That car is exceptional! Different no doubt, but exceptional none-the-less.

As I understand it, the fundamental issues with the car were tuning and overheating. Does that about sum it up??

Bryan

big632

Bryan. Heres my fundemental problem with the car.1200 hp not. I have on good authority it made no more than 600 hp on the dyno.It does not have the engine paremeters to make that number and is insulting to those who work their a** off to produce that kind of results.The car is beautiful,the engine a cluster f. The valve covers have been all fabbed up around the engine bay ,the cam is somewhere in the 500 lift range.I wish it was that easy to make 1200hp.Its eye candy to those that dont know any better.My beef is just with the bloated power numbers.

an81shark

i had a shop do my diff rebuild, is my car now un ownable

68 Yellow 468

Wow, I didn't realize that; thanks for the information. I never have much been one for exaggeration, and it seems like that is quite some stretch (600 - 1200 HP is quite a difference).

B.

7plagues

Im new here and im wondering what body kit the car has.

69 N.O.X. RATT

I have stayed out of most of the Merlin threads, but want to make a few commments on this one. I have heard the same info as 632Big; that it did not make much power on the dyno. It did make a lot of tq. The reason for the poor power numbers as I understand it is due to the motor being mistuned and no one there knowing how to tune it. A twin blown 522 should make 1000 hp pretty easy if the guy tuning it knows what he is doing. The problem Steve (Merlin) had is he had no idea what he was doing. He put his trust in a shop that screwed him. I would have felt sorry for the guy; but his constant comments about how rich he was, and how much money he made, turned me off to him. In the end I did not mind seeing his arrogant attitude fail. Unlike some I have no problem with the fact he did not turn any wrenches on it. It would take a life time of knowledge to be able to build a car like that. If you do not have that knowledge, and want the car done a certain way, you have to pay for it.

turtlevette

He did a good PR job on that car. Its typical of everything in life. Its not about how smart you are, or good you are or something you have is. Its about making people think you are smart ect.

Looks like someone got the car on TV, again a good job of marketing.

All is see is a big *** blown engine some pretty seats and wheels. But is the thing properly engineered so that the the first time you punch it, you don't leave the whole drive train behind you, twist the frame and crack the body?

Twin_Turbo

I agree with the above comments. I still remember all those posts where people were trying to give sound advice, only to be put down as jealous and what not more. I also remember the claim about outcornering & braking a McLaren F1, well a stock frame and the vb&p catalog's worth of goodies just ain't gonna cut it.

Z-man

I'll stick my neck out here...

Don't you guys think that if twin turbos can be putting out 2,000hp he could get 1,000 - 1,200hp (or torque) with his twin S/C big block setup? (I'm also looking at mine which is now at 650hp (700lb) on a small block.) Just curious...

SmokedTires

Yes, IMO a NA BBC that size should be able to make 1000hp, look at 632C2 or 540Hotrod(?) both are making hugh numbers NA. So with that said, I would think something has to be seriously wrong for a 522 twin SC not to be able to make 1000hp

Quick-Bowtie

I never log on to here but I thought I set the record straight on Merlin..

I am the guy who owns the car now..and am the third owner of the car since it was built. I understand how Steve may have rubbed some people the wrong way but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is a nice quality built car. As for someone stating the car only made 600hp..well that is just plain crazy! you could take a stock 454 and put the twin super charger set up on and make 600hp.. The first time the car was fired and put on the Dyno it made just over 870hp I still have the papers to back that up..the car was also not tuned and that was over 3 years ago and much improvements have been made to the car all cars need tweeking when there first done.. Since Ive owned it we have changed out the cam and did alot of tuning to the SMC (that is where the problems with the timing and fuel were). The car has infact made over 1200hp on the dyno actually right around 1350 to be exact. And Im sure different pullys and a little more fine tuning it would be capable of more. Facts are Fact and if you do any kind of research into what has been done you will find those numbers are very reachable.. Whipple Super Chargers say they promise 1600hp with about the same set up..its right on there web site. Now I dont care who likes the car or doesnt like the car or who believes me or not, Im not some rich guy that doesn't know how to work on my own cars and all the other B.S. being said..Infact I have a shop and work with cars 5 days a week..(although it seems like 7 days a week 24/7 ) I dont want to start some big pissing match I just wanted to say what was up with the car. I be the first to say Steve was raked over the coal's in the cost to build the car I do have over 250k in reciepts on the car..or claim any of the handling claims he made..The car is a show stopper and is extremely fast that is what I can tell you forsure, granted I paid a fraction of that because the car still needed work and everyone had given up on it. The car is done and will go to a new owner Friday night January 28th..Just trying to keep it real.

PatsLs1vette

Thanks quickbowtie ,ive always liked the car,thanks for setting the record straight.

thermoquad

yep, might as well just shred it---but i'll save you some effort and dispose of it for a price---guess i should've tanned the leather for my seat covers and wheelskin------now i feel kinda bad 'cause i don't feel unworthy enough

427V8

Thanks Quick-bowtie

Cali,68,L-79

You know you get older and hopefully wiser you learn how vauable time is and that you cannot get it back...especially family time. As I have grown older the value of my family time has increased exponentially and I can see no frame-off's in my future.
As for Merlin I used to be part of the nay-sayers against his "paying everyone off" "not getting his hands dirty" but I also have a friend that never gets his hands dirty nor works on any car and he has leaped past me like I was standing still. Now he owns a house and several cars I can only dream about owning. His life is sweat now with no worries, and no work. If I had not spent 5 years restoring my old 77L-82 which was totalled after all that work. I might now be a real estate mogel and not live pay day to pay day as a Navy Chief. Nor waste time working on a 68L-79 but get a fully retored 67 L-88 or a SL55 AMG or both.

So's whose right? Neither.
It's what's important to you. And only you can decide.
For me it's
1. family
2. career
3. investments
4. retirement planning
distant 5th - Vette

But that's just me.

WashingtonRacer

It did make around 850hp i believe that was done at 632C2's house infact. I did get the opportunity to go for a ride in it, and examine it from head to toe. it is a very well built car and definitly has the ability to push well over 1,200. there was a film that I filmed where we were going about 25mph and he just touched the throttle, and it begged to come to life, leaped to about 5k and we were going over 80 in what felt like a second. The ability is in there, it was the efficency of the motor and cooling system that brought on the limitations. Steve gave up before really letting it finish. He has his reasons and they were respectable ones. Lets just say he had gotten to the test and tune point and had one poor run, and threw in the towel. I am glad someone else has picked up where he had left off and hopfully worked out those kinks. As for steve, he was a good person, and "to me" never seemed to be bull headed. Never bragged about his cash flow. He would talk about it, but it was never in the form of bragging. he accepted me as an equal and I am a lowely 23yr old making 1 100th of what pocket change he probably had fallen in his coutch.


All the well, he was in inspiring person who made a corvette story that many had a wet dreams to.

Cali,68,L-79

Well put.

Pauld

Jughead

Merlin! Merlin! Merlin!