Lot 305: 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I 40/50hp Dual Cowl Tourer

“There is not a single minor component of the chassis which has not its interest and is not carried out in a manner suggesting that the designers were able to deal with every problem, great or small, unhampered by the possible cost of solution, intent on making the best mechanism for the job in hand.” How succinctly the British magazine, The Autocar, reviewed ‘The New Phantom’ in May 1925. Later called the Phantom I, the new car was developed by Rolls-Royce over a four year period and announced in 1925 as a successor to the universally acclaimed ‘Silver Ghost’ which had already won for Rolls-Royce the accolade of “The Best Car in the World”. Chassis detail for ‘The New Phantom’ was similar in many respects to the ‘Silver Ghost’ and, although there was a trend for unit construction of engine and gearbox, Royce retained separate units for the new model. True to tradition, Rolls-Royce never quoted the power output of the car although it has been variously calculated at around 100bhp and under test The Autocar recorded a top speed of approximately 80mph. Factory records confirm that chassis number 70 EF came off test in February 1927, destined to be a ‘London Trials’ car, originally fitted with open tourer coachwork by Hooper & Co. Ltd. It was constructed on the long-type chassis and finally delivered to Rolls-Royce in complete form and duly tested in May 1927. Clearly extensively used in its capacity as a test and development car, there are records of various modifications and specification updates in its first year or so of use. Having satisfactorily served in its ‘work horse’ capacity 70 EF was refurbished for sale by the Company to its first owner, James C Tate of Rye, Sussex, who was invoiced for the car in December 1928, taking delivery in January 1929. The car was sold ‘with body tyres and accessories as fitted sold as it stands the whole in second-hand condition’. The car’s later history is not fully documented, however in later life it has been rebodied by Jacobs in its present traditional and elegant, dual cowl tourer form. In 1997 it was acquired from P&A Wood by Rolls-Royce aficionado Brian Brotherton and since that time has covered probably less than 2,000 miles as part of two private collections of Rolls-Royce motor cars. This handsome and sporting tourer, bearing the name ‘Amphion’, is presented in silver-grey livery with fine red pin-striping and red wheels and is smartly upholstered in pleated red leather with red leather trimmed carpets. It is fully equipped for touring with a four-piece opening windscreen with side wind deflectors, Napoleon rear passenger screen, full weather equipment including a black hood, hood envelope and full side screens. Driving equipment includes Lucas headlamps, mounted on a Barker lever-operated dipping system, a Boa Constrictor bulb horn, twin side-mounted spare wheels, a Lucas pillar-mounted spot lamp and Toby diver’s helmet-type rear lamps. Further equipment includes a rear-mounted luggage grid with period trunk, fishtail exhaust, a near-side running-board mounted toolbox and dash instrumentation all appears to be period and correct. The engine compartment is complete with under trays and the car comes with a wheel brace and rubber mallet. 70 EF, a capable and elegant vintage tourer, is offered with a Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, copies of Factory order and build sheets, Swansea registration document and is expected to be offered with a recently issued MoT certificate.