Lot 424: 1938 Rolls-Royce 25/30 with coachwork by Lagonda

Introduced in 1936 to replace the 20/25, the 25/30 was offered at a chassis price of £1,100, a saving of £85 over its predecessor. Power was increased by 15 per cent and as a result the car could cruise comfortably at 70mph and achieve a top speed of 80mph, allied to acceleration from rest to 50mph in a sprightly 15 seconds and an average of 17mpg even when driven hard; very impressive figures for a car that weighed over two tons. Carried forward from the 20/25 were shock absorbers known as torque reaction dampers which adjusted automatically according to the speed of the car, although the driver also had an overriding manual control. The radiator, steering and cylinder head were amongst other items improved for 1937 - the well proven pedal-operated chassis lubrication system was retained - and DWS mechanical jacks were fitted to all four wheels. Noted for its ease and smoothness of control, the 25/30 was particularly suitable for the owner/driver and many chassis were fitted with charming sporting coachwork. During the car's production run from 1936 to 1938 1,200 chassis were built and the survival rate has been good, after which the model was replaced by the Wraith, the main difference being that the latter had independent front suspension as on the contemporary Phantom III. Purchased minus bodywork by the vendor in 1996, GAR 4 subsequently underwent complete renovation. This work included overhauling of all the mechanical components, cleaning and painting of the chassis, replacement wheel bearings and brake linings, a new radiator core with top hose filter and an engine rebuilt with a later Bentley 4 Litre crankshaft, high capacity oil pump, flywheel, clutch assembly, camshaft and timing gears - all with matching numbers and all of which allow the engine to run at higher revolutions than originally - new cylinder block liners and tubes, new pistons and a new aluminium cylinder head with new valves; in addition a full-flow oil filter was fitted, together with a modern ignition coil (the original twin units remain in place), a Kenlowe electric fan and an interior heater. Other modern additions include a 50mm straight-through exhaust system (creating a very sporty 'burble'), a battery isolator switch and a stereo radio/CD player with four speakers. Once the above was completed, the car was fitted with a body originally carried by a 1938 Lagonda V12 and GAR 4 was ready for the road in October 2001; the following year it was equipped with an overdrive unit for more relaxed high speed cruising - reducing engine revolutions by 28 per cent in top gear - already much improved over standard courtesy of the car's higher revving engine and the lighter Lagonda coachwork. Built purely for the owner's and his wife's enjoyment, this Rolls-Royce has seen only limited use since. Described as being in otherwise excellent condition, the body has only a few minor blemishes on the wings and running boards, while the door panel fit is said to be also excellent, as are the original wooden door trims, the replacement 25/30 dashboard and the carpets and leather seats which were renewed during the car's renovation. With just 700 miles covered since its completion, and having been fitted with two new Blockley front tyres only in late 2006, this unique 25/30 combines Rolls-Royce engineering with the sweeping elegance of the Lagonda V12 coachwork allied to Bentley-like performance. Described as being in all round good condition, this is a fascinating, stylish and highly useable motor car.