Details
1929 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM I CONVERTIBLE COUPE
COACHWORK BY FLEETWOOD
Chassis No. S 317 LR
Engine No. 21179
Black with red leather upholstery.
Engine: Six cylinder, overhead valve, 7,688cc; Gearbox: four speed manual; Brakes: four wheel drums: Suspension: front, semi elliptic leaf springs, rear, cantilever leaf springs. Left hand drive.
The New Phantom, as the Phantom I was called, constituted only the third new car that Rolls-Royce had designed and was the direct replacement for the Silver Ghost. It retained the Ghost Chassis and Edwardian suspension but had a much modified engine and new plate type clutch. The bore was slightly smaller and the stroke longer to provide an increase in capacity to 7,688cc. The brakes were substantially improved by fitting a mechanical servo assistance motor driven off the gearbox, a design acquired from Hispano-Suiza which was to be used for a generation, before trusting the now normal vacuum type servo assistance.
The Phantom I was in production for only five years. The Derby built models ran parallel with American Springfield cars but ended in 1929, whereas the Americans continued until 1931. As with the Springfield Silver Ghost, made from 1925, the Phantom I was built in left hand drive form. Other innovations the American Phantom I introduced long before the Derby works adopted them were the Bijur chassis lubrication system, carburetor air cleaner, thermostatic radiator shutters and the disposable cannister oil filter. In America also they dropped the British practice of identifying both Ghosts and Phantoms as 40/50 horsepower models and called the Springfield Phantom the 40/65.
The majority of all Springfield Phantom I coachwork were built by Brewster who offered a magnificent range of styles to suit the customers preference. S 317 LR was first delivered with Brewster Lonsdale Limousine coachwork to Mrs. J. Welz of Brooklyn, New York, on September 23, 1929. As was very common with the Rolls-Royce chassis, it was so well built many owners swopped their coachwork or had a new one made and fitted to their existing chassis rather than buying a new car or model. This example had the formal Limousine body replaced with this handsome Convertible Coupe coachwork by Fleetwood which had previously adorned a Cadillac. This change is thought to have occurred around 1932.
This Convertible Coupe is a former CCCA National First Prize Winner and is quite stunning with its black paintwork offset by the brilliant chrome radiator wire wheels and sumptious red leather upholstery. While in modern concours judging this vehicle may lose some points for an excess of chromework the effect is highly rewarding. On a very close inspection the high gloss finish to the paint does have some micro blisters and slight flaws which have accumulated since the restoration. The engine bay as one would expect is also very clean and detailed. The car carries dual side mounts with side mirrors, and of course there is a dickey seat and golfers compartment to the rear. The rear tail lights include a rare Teleoptic Racine Wis turn indicator and a Trilin reversing light. The fuel system is working on the original autovac system and the vehicle is said to run and drive extremely well. The indicated mileage is some 3,000 miles. We suspect this may be the mileage covered since its Concours winning days. This is one of the sportiest coachworks you will find on a Phantom I and is not disimilar to the rare and highly desirable Brewster Regent design of which a mere 21 were originally built. Fleetwood became part of General Motors in 1929 and are particularly famous for their custom coachworks upon the Cadillac.
COACHWORK BY FLEETWOOD
Chassis No. S 317 LR
Engine No. 21179
Black with red leather upholstery.
Engine: Six cylinder, overhead valve, 7,688cc; Gearbox: four speed manual; Brakes: four wheel drums: Suspension: front, semi elliptic leaf springs, rear, cantilever leaf springs. Left hand drive.
The New Phantom, as the Phantom I was called, constituted only the third new car that Rolls-Royce had designed and was the direct replacement for the Silver Ghost. It retained the Ghost Chassis and Edwardian suspension but had a much modified engine and new plate type clutch. The bore was slightly smaller and the stroke longer to provide an increase in capacity to 7,688cc. The brakes were substantially improved by fitting a mechanical servo assistance motor driven off the gearbox, a design acquired from Hispano-Suiza which was to be used for a generation, before trusting the now normal vacuum type servo assistance.
The Phantom I was in production for only five years. The Derby built models ran parallel with American Springfield cars but ended in 1929, whereas the Americans continued until 1931. As with the Springfield Silver Ghost, made from 1925, the Phantom I was built in left hand drive form. Other innovations the American Phantom I introduced long before the Derby works adopted them were the Bijur chassis lubrication system, carburetor air cleaner, thermostatic radiator shutters and the disposable cannister oil filter. In America also they dropped the British practice of identifying both Ghosts and Phantoms as 40/50 horsepower models and called the Springfield Phantom the 40/65.
The majority of all Springfield Phantom I coachwork were built by Brewster who offered a magnificent range of styles to suit the customers preference. S 317 LR was first delivered with Brewster Lonsdale Limousine coachwork to Mrs. J. Welz of Brooklyn, New York, on September 23, 1929. As was very common with the Rolls-Royce chassis, it was so well built many owners swopped their coachwork or had a new one made and fitted to their existing chassis rather than buying a new car or model. This example had the formal Limousine body replaced with this handsome Convertible Coupe coachwork by Fleetwood which had previously adorned a Cadillac. This change is thought to have occurred around 1932.
This Convertible Coupe is a former CCCA National First Prize Winner and is quite stunning with its black paintwork offset by the brilliant chrome radiator wire wheels and sumptious red leather upholstery. While in modern concours judging this vehicle may lose some points for an excess of chromework the effect is highly rewarding. On a very close inspection the high gloss finish to the paint does have some micro blisters and slight flaws which have accumulated since the restoration. The engine bay as one would expect is also very clean and detailed. The car carries dual side mounts with side mirrors, and of course there is a dickey seat and golfers compartment to the rear. The rear tail lights include a rare Teleoptic Racine Wis turn indicator and a Trilin reversing light. The fuel system is working on the original autovac system and the vehicle is said to run and drive extremely well. The indicated mileage is some 3,000 miles. We suspect this may be the mileage covered since its Concours winning days. This is one of the sportiest coachworks you will find on a Phantom I and is not disimilar to the rare and highly desirable Brewster Regent design of which a mere 21 were originally built. Fleetwood became part of General Motors in 1929 and are particularly famous for their custom coachworks upon the Cadillac.