Vehicle Description
1930 Rolls Royce Phantom II Dual Cowl Phaeton
Rolls Royce has a long history of accommodating the well-heeled
buyer by providing the chassis and drivetrain to a customer, and
that customer goes to a custom coach builder and orders exactly the
car they want. We have a few examples of this at the Classic Auto
Mall. A hand-built car built to the precise specifications and
individual requirements.
For consignment, a car with some serious history, and a wonderful
example of truly custom coach building. This car started out life
with its original owner taking delivery with it being a Sedanca
DeVille, (Open chauffeur cockpit, and an enclosed rear passenger
compartment), where it has 100K miles clocked on it. After the
world war, it was converted to a hearse, and logged another 100K
miles. After this point, it was converted to a caravan, where it
took passengers to Moscow, toured China, and the continent logging
another 120K miles. At 44 years old at the 320K mile mark it was
re-bodied as a Dual Cowl Phaeton.
Exterior
This current coachwork was the result of a collaboration between
the coach builder Dick Brockman, (well known for his polished
copper bodied Rolls, and one of the last great Coach builders of
his era), and architect Charles Lawrence. Lawrence provided
Brockman with an entire sketchbook of highly detailed drawings as
to exactly what he envisioned the perfect Rolls-Royce to be, and
Brockman took those interpretations and produced the beautifully
proportioned vehicle you see here before you today. A dual cowl,
meaning a bulkhead along with a second windshield that separated
the driver from the passengers, configuration bathed in beautiful
cream paint with chocolate fenders and a tan canvas top and all
open to the elements on the sides. Upfront the essential chromed
grille with radiator surround topped with a "Spirit of Ecstasy''
winged goddess, is flanked by a single large round headlight on
either side, and 2 additional fog lights residing just above the
front simple curved chromed bumper. Beautifully proportioned
chocolate color covered fenders with a signal light at their peak,
roll gently downward to a running board which cozies up with the
rear fender leading to the back of this saloon. These fenders frame
cream colored 20 inch steel wire wheels and wrapped in 7.00-20 wide
white sidewall tires. A long, long cowled hood stretches rearward
from the front grille and leads us to the front windshield with
beautiful polished framing. As this hood travels rearward, it
passes a strapped on spare tire on either side all matching the
cream wire wheels and wide white sidewalls, neatly tucked into each
fender. A searchlight is mounted to the right hand driver's side.
Between the passenger and drivers compartment is the metal cowl of
this car's namesake along with another windscreen. On the back, a
beautifully crafted wood and stainless-steel trunk is mounted to a
rack providing plenty of storage space. Paint is as excellent as
the detailing of this car, and just the sketchbook is worth the
price of admission as you peruse the details which play out in
reality on this one-off Rolls-Royce.
Interior
A simple tuck and roll curved leather covered bench in saddle brown
and also in near perfect condition offers plenty of room for the
driver. A solid mahogany dash with a polished chromed central
instrument cluster and fabulous gauges of the era, resides within
this dash. The large right hand drive steering wheel is black
bakelite and a few other knobs and pulls are in front of this
wheel. Some more saddle leather covers the sides of the toe kicks
and goes well with the brown carpeting in front. In back for the
owners, is another curved tuck and roll bench and when the rear
cowl is lifted one can note the miles of legroom this rear
compartment offers up. More brown carpeting for the expansive
floor, and all door panels and sides are covered in saddle leather.
The rear cowl can be left up or lowered for more of a tucked in
feel for the passengers. All this compartment is covered with the
tan canvas top which has a beautifully executed framing of wood,
and polished steel along with some cream stretchers going across
the top.
Drivetrain
A lift of either side of the hood and we can see a fully restored
468.14ci inline 6-cylinder engine. It has a 1-barrel carburetor and
a 4-speed manual transmission. Our decoder states the engine and
transmission are original although restored/reworked many times
over its lifetime. A wonderful presentation under this long
hood.
Undercarriage
Underneath all fully restored and neatly painted black. There is
some minor chip off of the paint noted at the back of the fuel
tank. Wonderful leaf springs are covered in leather gaiters to
protect them from the elements. These springs are on all 4 corners.
Mechanical drum brakes are also on all wheels and a stock style and
wonderfully custom fashioned exhaust system makes its way rearward
past all this beautiful suspension and undercarriage with nary even
a hint of road dirt.
Drive-Ability
A test drive revealed all the spacious interior comforts this car
affords its more than likely wealthy passengers. It starts easily
and runs smoothly, and performance was up to the exterior and
interior snuff. It runs beautifully and all functions are in
working condition.
Quite a history to this storied Rolls Royce, and the definition of
custom coach building having been through 3 iterations, seen lots
of roads and countries, and now available for your
consideration.
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.
