Details
1929 ROLLS-ROYCE 20/25 TOWN CAR
COACHWORK BY HIBBARD & DARRIN OF PARIS
Chassis No. GGP 73
Engine No. E5B
Black with grey interior
Engine: six-cylinder, 224ci, overhead valve; Gearbox: four speed manual; Brakes: four wheel drum; Suspension: semi-elliptical springs. Right hand drive.
This car was bought new and sent to Paris for Hibbard & Darrin to build the body. Following this it was shipped to Egypt to its first owner, E.N.Goar, a British Army officer in Alexandria. Chassis No. GGP 73 was subsequently purchased by a department store owner and then a Conoco oil executive; when oil in Egypt was nationalised the car was shipped to America.
With it are copies of a full set of chassis cards giving all details of the test figures, specification and chassis price of ¨1,185. The first guarantee was issued in Paris on 27/2/30 - after the body had been built. Everything is recorded in great detail, and the car comes with the original handbook, which starts with the following words, "An owner would do well to instruct his driver as follows....." Most importantly there is a letter written in 1968 by Mr Thomas Hibbard, who was by then living in Maine; he says he believes this car was possibly the only 20/25 for which his company built a body. In this letter Hibbard goes on to describe the "sylentlyte" construction which incorporated similarly cast aluminium front and rear doors. At some point during the cars life it had been fitted with a full length convertible hood in place of the original configuration. Since then, the rear portion of the hood has been made into a fixed Town Car complete with the attractive Hibbard & Darrin style rear quarter window. Whilst there are no coachplates on the car confirming that it is Hibbard & Darrin, the construction is very much of Hibbard & Darrin style. Furthermore Thomas Hibbard in his correspondence with the former owner, believed the coachwork to be original.
There is a large collection of plaques celebrating exhibitions and other events at which the car has appeared over many years. It was bequeathed to the museum in 1980 from the estate of Mr Hilliard Duncan of Houston. At that time the car was run regularly as it was Mr Duncan's pride and joy. The black paintwork is flaking from the aluminum and in need of attention. The car would also benefit from attention to the dashboard which has a faux veneer covering. The front seats are covered in vinyl. It is fitted with Marchal headlamps.
COACHWORK BY HIBBARD & DARRIN OF PARIS
Chassis No. GGP 73
Engine No. E5B
Black with grey interior
Engine: six-cylinder, 224ci, overhead valve; Gearbox: four speed manual; Brakes: four wheel drum; Suspension: semi-elliptical springs. Right hand drive.
This car was bought new and sent to Paris for Hibbard & Darrin to build the body. Following this it was shipped to Egypt to its first owner, E.N.Goar, a British Army officer in Alexandria. Chassis No. GGP 73 was subsequently purchased by a department store owner and then a Conoco oil executive; when oil in Egypt was nationalised the car was shipped to America.
With it are copies of a full set of chassis cards giving all details of the test figures, specification and chassis price of ¨1,185. The first guarantee was issued in Paris on 27/2/30 - after the body had been built. Everything is recorded in great detail, and the car comes with the original handbook, which starts with the following words, "An owner would do well to instruct his driver as follows....." Most importantly there is a letter written in 1968 by Mr Thomas Hibbard, who was by then living in Maine; he says he believes this car was possibly the only 20/25 for which his company built a body. In this letter Hibbard goes on to describe the "sylentlyte" construction which incorporated similarly cast aluminium front and rear doors. At some point during the cars life it had been fitted with a full length convertible hood in place of the original configuration. Since then, the rear portion of the hood has been made into a fixed Town Car complete with the attractive Hibbard & Darrin style rear quarter window. Whilst there are no coachplates on the car confirming that it is Hibbard & Darrin, the construction is very much of Hibbard & Darrin style. Furthermore Thomas Hibbard in his correspondence with the former owner, believed the coachwork to be original.
There is a large collection of plaques celebrating exhibitions and other events at which the car has appeared over many years. It was bequeathed to the museum in 1980 from the estate of Mr Hilliard Duncan of Houston. At that time the car was run regularly as it was Mr Duncan's pride and joy. The black paintwork is flaking from the aluminum and in need of attention. The car would also benefit from attention to the dashboard which has a faux veneer covering. The front seats are covered in vinyl. It is fitted with Marchal headlamps.