Vehicle Description
Introduced in 1936, the Rolls-Royce 25/30 HP was a direct
replacement for the 20/25. While smaller and more sporting than the
flagship Phantom, the 25/30 HP was by no means an "entry-level"
Rolls-Royce. It featured much of the same technology and
engineering excellence found on the larger Phantoms but scaled down
for improved maneuverability and more nimble handling. The new
25/30 featured numerous refinements to the powertrain and chassis
intended to address customer feedback regarding the performance (or
relative lack thereof) of the 20/25. Most notable was a significant
bump in displacement from 3.7-liters to 4.25-liters. The
overhead-valve inline-six featured a seven-main-bearing crankshaft
to ensure refinement and durability. The extensive redesign
included better brakes, improved suspension, and stiffer chassis.
While there was no doubt about its superiority, the model was
short-lived, and Rolls-Royce sold approximately 1,200 examples of
the 25/30 before the arrival of the entirely new Wraith in 1938.
Following standard practice, Rolls-Royce offered the 25/30 as a
chassis only, leaving the choice of design and coachbuilder up to
the selling dealer or private customer. Styles were as varied as
the tastes of individual buyers, and the adaptable 25/30 chassis
served as an excellent basis for a wide variety of uses, of which
J. Gurney Nutting took full advantage, creating supremely stylish
and impeccably crafted bodies. From the company's base in the
trendy Chelsea neighborhood of London, Gurney Nutting's lead
designer A.F. McNeil penned some of the most memorable and
breathtaking designs of the 1920s and 30s, making their mark with
Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Daimler, and others. The talents of J. Gurney
Nutting are none more apparent than on this supremely handsome
25/30 HP streamlined coupe, chassis number GUL 80. This gorgeous
automobile has been enjoyed to the fullest by a series of
passionate, enthusiastic custodians, and it is offered in excellent
condition with a matured, high-quality restoration that welcomes
regular use. Rolls-Royce production records on file reveal GUL 80's
fascinating history. Allied Motors Limited of Bombay, India,
ordered a new 25/30 for stock, specifying 2-door Close-Coupled
Light Coupe coachwork by Gurney Nutting, design number 185. The
gorgeous and sporty coupe was finished in black & grey with green
upholstery and equipped with Ace wheel discs, a sunroof, an
enclosed spare wheel, a Lucas fog lamp, dual wipers, and more.
After delivery to India via the SS Soudan, GUL 80 was used as a
dealer demonstrator for Allied Motors, during which time it
appeared in Indian advertisements and brochures and was believed to
have been loaned to or sold to the Maharaja of Kotah, Sir Umed
Singh II. By 1939, GUL 80 traveled back to England, purchased by
Capt. C. N. Hague, of Castle Dyke, Sheffield. Capt. Hague was the
first long-term owner, keeping the handsome and sporty coupe in his
care until 1953. In 1958, Mr. John Warne of Halifax, England,
discovered the beautiful coupe sitting on a used car lot. He
immediately fell in love with its flowing and purposeful design and
employed it as his primary transport for several years. Warne
reluctantly parted with GUL 80 around 1963 when his job required
the services of something more fuel efficient. The car remained in
the UK through 1974, when it went to a new owner in California,
staying there until 1994 when it returned to England. In 2001, a
Finnish enthusiast named Stig E. Fagerstedt had been on the hunt
for a 25/30 to restore. After inspecting and rejecting several
candidates, he stumbled upon GUL 80 in the classifieds, and while a
bit out of his budget, and he was taken by the car's stunning lines
and fascinating detail. The car was offered as a running/driving
project, with a rebuilt chassis but needing extensive structural
woodwork and metalwork. When another buyer backed out, Fagerstedt
was elated to be offered the car and was soon loading it up for the
long drive home to Finland. Fagerstedt found the interior woodwork
had been restored in the 1980s by Don Steinert of Grants Pass,
Oregon, and the interior had new red leather around the same time
and had all been carefully preserved in excellent order. An
exhaustive, meticulously documented restoration followed, with the
bulk of the work completed by 2003. Stig later discovered an issue
lurking in the depths of the engine, necessitating a complete
tear-down and rebuild in the spring of 2003. Undaunted, he
completed the rebuild in his home workshop, documenting every step
of the process. Stig Fagerstedt's passion and skill resulted in a
gorgeous, well-sorted, and competent car brimming with character.
Eight volumes of records and correspondence accompany it, along
with a hardbound book highlighting key points of the history and
restoration. In the most recent owner's care, the GUL 80
participated in the 2020 21 Gun Salute Concours d'Elegance and
Rally in India, marking its first return to the Asian continent
since the late 1930s. After successfully completing the 4,000km
rally with barely a hitch (fully documented in an accompanying
book), it returned home to North America and has since been
maintained in excellent order. Marvelous details abound, from the
original style Ace wheel discs to the functional sunroof and a
fully restored factory tool kit nestled inside the boot lid. While
the restoration has matured with use and age, the car remains
deeply appealing and highly attractive. It is a fabulous car to use
on tours and rallies, while its striking good looks are still
worthy of turning heads in casual show events. Elegant, sporting,
and rich with captivating history, GUL 80 is an eminently desirable
Rolls-Royce certain to delight any marque enthusiast. Offers
welcome and trades considered For additional details please view
this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7384-1936-rolls-royce-25-30-gentlemans-coupe/
