Other hidden treasures at the Golden Hill Storage Facility

maxum96 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 1:08 pm

Steve Nelson wrote:

Of course, Mr. Weeks seems to have a particular fetish for aero engines (this is a very good thing)..we got to see his "engine barn" as part of our tour last summer. The "Rosie" is one of his "character" tour guides..a bit campy, but fun.

It's my understanding that Kermit snapped up all the Allison engines he could to keep the boat racers from breaking them.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 1:56 pm

Interesting if slightly screwy theory. Unlimited have used surplus T-55 LYCOMING engines from CH-47 helos for well over 25 years. Except for a tiny handful of museum hulls that run ALLISONS or MERLINS @ well under maximum power settings (and all of those are former race team motors with all the racing hydro mods making them uneconomical to go back into an airplane), the last semi competative unlimited using a surplus aircraft engine was Ed Coopers U-3 that ran a turbocharged ALLISON and it last ran in a race heat over 10 years ago.
Kinda like cornering the market on OFFENHAUSER 270's to keep them off the track @ Indianapolis.
He sure does have an impressive wall of Indiana tractor motors

Wildchild · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 2:02 pm

JohnS wrote:

Fouga23 wrote:

I keep thinking how cool it would be to make a hotrod from a P-38 pod

Pretty sure this has been done for a film, but not seen it for a while....

Road Raiders (1989)

IMDb link --> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098207/

Cannot find too much from a quick Google, but seem to remember a P-38 pod being used on one of the vehicles.

old iron · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 2:37 pm

Wow, I believe that is an Auburn boattailed speedster to the right. That is SOME JUNKYARD!

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 3:01 pm

I believe it was tractor pulls rather than boat racers that were rapidly depleting the supply of serviceable Allison V-12s. Not sure if they are still the powerplant of choice for the mud slingers or not.

Fouga23 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 4:51 pm

Awesome

DH82EH · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 5:39 pm

I seem to recall someone telling me, that at one time, Allisons were selling so cheaply, that it was worthwhile to bust them apart for the silver in the bearings :shock:

That would suck large!

If that P-38 hotrod still exists, it looks like Mr.Weeks is in need of a fighter nose

Andy Scott

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

That stuff is all fiberglass. I think it was at Universal Studios in Florida? There was a thread on this many years ago.

JohnB · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 6:23 pm

old iron wrote:

Wow, I believe that is an Auburn boattailed speedster to the right. That is SOME JUNKYARD!

Probably a fiberglass replica.
Real ones are now going for $300,000-400,000 restored.

But even the replicas can bring $30-60,000 depending on their quality and parts.

maxum96 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:22 pm

Rob Mears wrote:

I believe it was tractor pulls rather than boat racers that were rapidly depleting the supply of serviceable Allison V-12s.

Now that you mention it, I believe that's what I heard. Tractor pullers, not boats.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:45 pm

maxum96 wrote:

Rob Mears wrote:

I believe it was tractor pulls rather than boat racers that were rapidly depleting the supply of serviceable Allison V-12s.

Now that you mention it, I believe that's what I heard. Tractor pullers, not boats.

ALLISON built somewhere North of 70,000 of them big ole puppies.

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 7:49 pm

I spy with my little eye:

Quote:

Those two on the right in yellow and black look like the engines and cowlings from A-26 44-35590, aka Nightmare from Earl Reinert. I remember #2 was frozen but we could still turn the prop on #1. Hope it gets fixed up by someone someday...

Wildchild · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 9:07 pm

bdk wrote:

That stuff is all fiberglass. I think it was at Universal Studios in Florida? There was a thread on this many years ago.

Yep. My dad took that picture and a picture of the P-51 next to it when they were there in the 90's (maybe). They are probably sitting in a back lot collecting dust.

Baldeagle · **Posted:** Mon Apr 08, 2013 11:20 pm

maxum96 wrote:

Rob Mears wrote:

I believe it was tractor pulls rather than boat racers that were rapidly depleting the supply of serviceable Allison V-12s.

Now that you mention it, I believe that's what I heard. Tractor pullers, not boats.

Kermit bought all of those Allisons at one auction at least 25 years ago, and I was always told that it was to keep them away from the boat guys. The story as I remember it was that the first high bidder got to choose how many he wanted at that price, and Kermit said, "I'll take them all." End of auction. They were all in storage in Miami in 1990 when I went to work for him.

I'm better at the older stuff, like the Wright J-4 next to the A-26 engines-

-

DH82EH · **Posted:** Tue Apr 09, 2013 6:09 am

I remember an article in a magazine from about the time that Kermit bought the Mosquito. The sentiment of it was that when Kermit started bidding at an auction, everyone else basically quit, cause they knew he wasn't going to! :lol:

In any case, it's good for the future of vintage aviation, that Mr Weeks has these units in store.

Andy Scott

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