Vehicle Description
West Coast Classics are proud to present this extraordinarily rare
and fully documented 'James Young' coachbuilt 1965 Rolls-Royce
Phantom V, Chassis No. 5VE21, one of only 11 open drive Sedanca de
Ville bodies built by the renown coachbuilder, and with this
particular example as shown at the 1965 Earls Court Motor Show!
Recently acquired from the renown Blackhawk Collection and as
listed in the legendary Rolls Royce "The Elegance Continues" bible
Unique coachwork by James Young on a Phantom V chassis James Young
produced 11 open-drive Sedanca de Ville bodies for Phantom V
chassis This example was the only car built to the Sedanca de Ville
version of design number PV15 Formal roofline True 7-passenger
interior Chassis no. 5VE21 Engine no. E10PV Body no. 9053 Shown at
the 1965 Earls Court Motor Show Formerly owned by renowned
enthusiasts Dr. Erle Heath and Dr. Samuel Scher 6.2L V-8 engine
Automatic transmission Build sheet Rolls-Royce Foundation records
Californias Behring Collection book Known ownership historyFormerly
owned by renowned enthusiasts Dr. Erle Heath and Dr. Samuel
ScherElaborately detailed and lavishly equippedA fascinating,
sumptuous Rolls-Royce; the ultimate luxury statement of its
eraRecent 2022 Service Completed Featured in Lawrence Dalton's
"Rolls-Royce: The Classic Elegance" Hand-painted faux cane-work
Left hand drive 6,230cc V-8 engine 4-speed automatic gearbox
Independent front suspension with coil springs and anti-roll
torsion bar Rigid rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs 4-wheel
hydraulic drum brakes Bustle trunk rear styling Power windows
Leather upholstery in driver's cabin Wilton wool carpeting with
lamb wool overlays Burlwood interior accents Rear jump seats and
picnic tables Bar with cocktail requisites Square pushbutton door
openers Spirit of Ecstasy mascot Fender-mounted mirrors Smiths
instruments Whitewall tiresJames Young produced 11 open-drive
Sedanca de Ville bodies for Phantom V chassis, most of them
variants of the coachbuilders PV22 or PV23 touring limousines. The
example shown here, chassis number 5VE21, was the only car built to
the Sedanca de Ville version of design number PV15, a limousine
with a somewhat more formal roofline and a true seven-passenger
interior. As the car has a rather early body, number 9053, on a
later Phantom V chassis, it is believed that the coachwork may have
been built as a standard limousine and then converted by James
Young to a limousine de Ville for mounting on chassis number 5VE21.
Lavish appointments included a leather-upholstered rear compartment
with power-adjustable seat, facing a lighted bar, Mazal clock, and
Motorola tape deck, as well as dual front and rear air conditioning
systems.The body was liveried for Swinging London, in ivory white
and royal blue with panels of decorative sham cane. In this form it
surely turned heads at the 1965 Earls Court Motor Show, as is noted
on both its build sheet and in Rolls-Royce Foundation records; a
book published by its later home, Californias Behring Collection,
notes it received a bronze medal at the show. Afterward it was
delivered to the original owner B.P. Jenks, of Astbury Hall in
Bridgnorth, Shropshire. At one point it was used as the basis for a
Top Marques 1/43-scale model.The records of the Rolls-Royce
Foundation indicate that the car made its way Stateside when
relatively new; in July 1972 it was advertised in the New York
Times. Not long thereafter it was purchased by the colorful
collector Dr. Erle M. Heath of Pittsburgh. The car passed from Dr.
Heath to Dr. Samuel Scher, once a pioneering American enthusiast of
Brass Era automobiles, by now living in Palm Beach and more often
seen in modern coach-built Rolls-Royces.In 1985, this car was
acquired by the Blackhawk Collection where it was displayed amongst
some of the worlds finest cars. In 1992, the car joined a private
collection where it has remained out of the public eye for the past
30 years before returning to the Blackhawk Collection in 2022. With
the last of the James Young bodies being built on Phantom V's in
1968, there is no Phantom V like this one, a most unique automobile
with a personality all its own.The Phantom V served as the
Rolls-Royce flagship model for nearly a decade (1959-1968), during
which time fewer than 1,000 chassis were built. Of that figure,
very very few were fitted with the exclusive James Young coachwork,
let alone to such rare and distinct exclusivity as this particular
Sedanca example. Lofty, stately and extremely dignified and built
to be chauffeur driven, yet remarkably capable of 100mph +! These
cars were highly exclusive and equally conservative, using
traditional ladder chassis and even four-wheel drum brakes (power
assisted, naturally). The successor to the Phantom IV, this massive
limousine shared the Bentley S Type amp; Silver Cloud chassis but
used an appropriately longer wheelbase. Power was provided by the
firm's new light alloy V8 engine and all the Phantom V's had custom
crafted bodies by only exclusively appointed and "approved
suppliers'. Rolls-Royce built the rolling chassis only. Similar
styling to the Silver Cloud but much larger and with a multitude of
interior refinements like this particular example which including
seven passenger seating, division window, chauffeur equipment and
rarely air conditioning.In back, with occasional-use foldaway seats
stowed, legroom for passengers seated on the wide, deep sofa-like
bench is best measured by the acre. The left-side rear occupant has
controls for the radio, and a wood drinks cabinet provides
refreshments. Phantom Vs are among the most exclusive RR
automobiles ever built, and even by modern standards, their
smoothness of operation, ride quality, and general levels of
refinement still impress. This particular example is an exceptional
example of the marque from the finest of coachbuilders and with the
most distinctive and unique of appointments and would prove a fine
addition to any collection.
