Car & Classic Auctions – Unleash The Beast!

Just as Beowulf is considered to be one of the most important works of English literature, The Beast is arguably one of the most significant DIY builds the automotive world has ever seen and many parallels can be drawn between that ancient poem and John Dodd’s epic creation. Not only is it a heroic tale, it’s a heroic effort by John to put together such a uniquely special, one-of-a-kind machine.

Much like Grendel, the monster and main antagonist of the story, The Beast is an unyielding behemoth, a dominant force of power, destroyer and devourer of all-comers, but unlike Grendel – a fictional character born out of myth and legend – The Beast is the real deal. It actually exists in the world, purely because it can and it has amassed its own rich legacy along the way. A legacy based upon its gargantuan proportions (19ft long and weighing in at 2 ¼ tonnes), ludicrous power figures and myriad outlandish tales cultivated over the years, which you can either choose to believe or take with a pinch of the salty stuff. Whatever the veracity of said anecdotes may be, the car remains an incandescent and indelible highlight in the grand automotive landscape. It truly is an example of beauty and the beast, but in the case of John’s car, they’re one and the same.

All allegories aside the vehicle itself is the result of John Dodd’s desire for “something different”, an ethos that he certainly stuck to, and although there are the obvious Rolls-Royce associations (it is officially registered with the DVLA as a Rolls-Royce coupé after all) due to that wonderfully over the top Merlin aeroplane engine and its original RR-emblazoned grille, The Beast is very much an individual. A snarling creature standing proudly on it’s own muscular hind legs. And what of the engine? Well, John wanted to create a car that could not only “beat anything on earth” but he was also adamant on keeping the build entirely British and when completed back in 1972 there wasn’t a lot out there that could keep up with The Beast’s 27-litre V12 engine pushing out, as it was, around 700bhp, allowing the car to cruise at a simply staggering 200mph. This was patriotism at its finest and in engineering terms there’s nothing quite as quintessentially British as a Rolls-Royce with a Spitfire engine under the bonnet now is there?

To tell The Beast’s story we have to go back to the ’60s. John Dodd was working as a gearbox specialist at the time and was approached one day by fellow engineer Paul Jameson who asked John to develop an automatic transmission for a rather unique vehicle that he was building. At this point the car was just a rolling chassis, with a Meteor engine from a tank, naturally, but Jameson needed a solution to a rather onerous problem: transferring the ridiculous amounts of raw power from that mammoth motor to the rear wheels. So enamoured was John with the project, however, that he subsequently bought the thing from Jameson and that’s when The Beast really started to take shape.

And take shape it did. After being sent off to dragster specialists Fibre Glass Repairs for a bespoke body the Beast was now fully adorned with a beautifully extravagant, but somehow fitting, silhouette. Expertly moulded onto that box section chassis, with its mix of Jaguar and Wolseley suspension, The Beast cut quite a dash and with a rear load space that makes our Volvo 940 estate look like a Matchbox car in comparison it’s surprisingly practical. This isn’t just a shed-built “bitsa” car, though, thrown together with vague hopes of a cohesive finished product. No siree. The Beast is a big fat wedge of proper British engineering. From the finely sculpted body to the custom interior and ‘step up’ three-speed auto gearbox The Beast was designed and built by one man with an unerring passion and unwavering dedication to excellence.

At this point, with the bodywork sorted, John immediately had the car road-registered and it was quickly featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the most powerful car on the road at the time. Dodd’s plan was in full swing but there was a rather large bone of contention, as far as Rolls-Royce was concerned anyway, and that was Dodd’s decision to use one of its signature grilles, complete with Spirit of Ecstasy, on the front of The Beast. As a nod to the car’s original Meteor engine and subsequent Merlin motor (after a fire that totalled the previous powertrain), the decision to use that famous front end was seen by Dodd as an homage rather than a send up but the brass at Rolls-Royce weren’t convinced. Now this wasn’t exactly a vehicle that could fly under the radar undetected for long and Rolls-Royce caught wind of the car and its antagonistically perceived grille – as the story goes – by way of a German baron who had seen The Beast fly past him on the Autobahn and consequently, and rather enthusiastically contacted the British auto maker in the hopes of acquiring its “latest model”. A brilliant story but we have it on good authority that this was, in fact, made up by Dodd himself to bait Rolls Royce for his own amusement, the scallywag.

The ensuing trademark infringement court case was real though and is well documented but suffice to say such was Dodd’s tenacity and sheer devotion and belief in his creation that he fought tooth and nail in his own wonderfully eccentric way, going as far as arriving to trial – complete with Rolls-Royce emblazoned sweater – on a horse after being told he was behaving with a cavalier attitude. Utterly brilliant, you can’t not love the man. Sadly, just as Grendel would ultimately lose out to Beowulf, The Beast too would fall foul of the law and would be forced to capitulate to the powers that be in this particular battle. However, John managed to keep hold of the car despite huge legal fees and after swapping out the grille for a replacement bearing his own initials, he emigrated to Spain, taking The Beast with him and never looking back, forging ahead to fight another day, as was his way.

The car continued to be enjoyed by John and has been in regular use ever since, eventually making its way back to UK shores, and that was kind of the whole point. John didn’t build The Beast as a museum piece, he built it because he wanted to drive it and drive it he did. Well now you can too, should you be the winning bidder, because the car is fully registered, street legal and hilariously even ULEZ compliant! You may be familiar with our Auction Car of the Week series here at Car & Classic but this surely has to be auction car of the year! We urge you to head over to the listing for a full rundown on condition and specs, along with a whole host of stunning photos of the car, but we’re pretty sure you’re either going to bid without question or not even entertain the thought. Either way The Beast is impossible to ignore.

You can also check out our video of the car on the Car & Classic YouTube channel, including an interview with John’s son and current The Beast custodian David. Beast by name, beast by nature, it remains an incredible example of just what is possible when there are no pesky rules or limits in place to stop you. Make no mistake, this is truly a one-off, once in a lifetime opportunity that’s never to be repeated.

Rest in Peace John and thank you for such an epic and inspiring build. As long as The Beast is terrorising the roads then your indomitable spirit lives on.