Got this from EAA Warbirds.

I know some guys put Chevy engines in their experimental planes. Well, here's someone who stuck a Rolls Royce Merlin in a Chevy...

I think I have met my match...

Ben.

This is one of the many uses found for surplus engines of this type Post war. They were especially notable in Marine/ Racing boat installations.
One of the reasons Jack Roush Got into Aviation Manufacturing and rebuilding. He had a love of war birds and found a shortage of available engine blocks and pistons/parts. They were being modified and used so much in racing. He decided to try and preserve and improve upon some of the hard to find parts. He remains a go to shop for the P-51 Rolls Royce/Packard Engine rebuild.

I actually met him on accident one time. I flew into a grass field not far from Michigan International Raceway. The new C-172SP I was showing to a friend and happened to run the battery low, showcasing the nifty avionics. There was an old man who owned the strip and lived on site. He pointed to the T-6 parked next to mine. We ended up running a aviation battery jump cable and charging my battery. He said, " I know Jack wouldn't mine a bit helping you guys out" A few min later, this old beat up Buick comes up the drive and Jack Roush steps out. Evidentially he borrowed the old mans beat up car to run over to the track for business.

Oh..did I also mention that I met Dale Earnhardt in 1998 at Charleston International, the evening of his Daytona 500 victory. He smoked a cig right next to me, and just smiled.