- Offered from the William B. Ruger Jr. Collection
- Cosmetic restoration by the legendary Fran Roxas
- Recent engine rebuild by well-known specialists
Dennison-Jayne
- Exhaustive history, restoration, and maintenance file
- Enjoyed by one of the foremost American Phantom III
enthusiasts
- Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Full Classic
Chassis no. 3DL184 was one of the final Phantom III examples
completed and was bodied by H.J. Mulliner as an elegant formal
limousine for display at the 1939 Scottish Motor Show. The show was
canceled due to World War II, and the Rolls-Royce was shipped to
the United States, where it was delivered to Mrs. Arthur Burrage of
Boston. Another early owner was the famous radio tenor and early
automobile enthusiast James Melton, who used the Rolls as his
everyday car in Connecticut for some time in the early post-war
era.
The car returned to the UK in 1951, under the ownership of the Earl
of Sefton, only to move back stateside when it was sold in 1963 to
William Thill of Dubuque, Iowa. Mr. Thill maintained the car until
1997, after which its owners included the well-known American
Rolls-Royce connoisseur Robert Shaffner. It was from Mr. Shaffner
that William B. Ruger Jr., a longtime admirer of the Phantom III's
sophisticated design, acquired this car.
Mr. Ruger had the Phantom III cosmetically restored by the
respected Fran Roxas with new Shell Gray and Tudor Gray paint and
complementary upholstery. The engine was completely rebuilt by
Dennison-Jayne Motors of West Chester, Pennsylvania, a noted
American specialist in the Phantom III V-12, and a new radiator was
fitted. Typical of the Ruger automobiles, all mechanical work was
properly done, with an eye towards future use on the highway, hence
the installation of sealed-beam headlamps. The car remains in very
good overall condition, with nearly fresh paint and interior, and
recorded 80,176 miles at the time of cataloguing; original finishes
are still visible on the chassis, and the engine shows the patina
expected from careful use.
For the enthusiast seeking to enjoy a Phantom III on CARavans,
Rolls-Royce rallies, and other touring events, look no further.To
view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/hf19.
