1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Towncar

Coachwork by Brewster & Co. (see text)

7,668cc OHV Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Single Carburetor
113bhp at 3,000rpm
3-speed Manual Transmission with Electronic Overdrive Fitted
Front Semi-elliptical Leaf Springs and Rear Cantilever Spring Suspension
4-wheel Servo-assisted Drum Brakes

*Elegant, formal coachwork
*Formerly of the John O'Quinn Collection
*CCCA Full Classic
*Delightful and Comfortable Long-distance Touring Car

THE SPRINGFIELD ROLLS-ROYCE

Rolls-Royce, Ltd., established a branch factory at Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1919. The Silver Ghost model went into production there in 1921, at first nearly identical to the British-built version. Over the years, the Ghost adopted a number of American features: left-hand steering, center-change three-speed gearbox, dual coil ignition and suspension modified for a smoother ride.

American Silver Ghost production continued for almost two years after it had halted in Britain, because modification of the "New Phantom," as it successor was called, was very complex. Left-hand drive, in particular, required considerable re-engineering. American Phantoms, when they arrived, had some features not available in Britain: Bijur central lubrication, a disposable oil filter, a carburetor air filter and thermostatically-controlled shutters on the radiator. Thus it was December 1926 before deliveries of the Springfield Phantom I, as the New Phantom became retroactively known, commenced.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

Most of the cars were bodied in the United States, either with cataloged Rolls-Royce Custom Coachwork, which was built by a number of coachbuilders under contract, or sent out for bespoke bodies. By 1923, Rolls-Royce had established an in-house coachworks on Waltham Avenue in Springfield, and then purchased Brewster & Co. in 1925. From that time, Brewster supplied the bulk of bodies to Rolls-Royce of America, among them a Lonsdale limousine body for S154PM.

S154PM was delivered on August 10, 1927, to Mrs. F.W. Remick of West Newton, Massachusetts. Mrs. Remick kept the car for a quarter century, after which it passed through a number of owners before being sold to Charles L. Pope III of Rochester, New York. About ten years later, Pope advertised it in The Flying Lady, magazine of the Rolls-Royce Owners Club, advising that it had been off the road for seven years, but had had significant work done prior to being laid up. In 1985 it was owned by Darrel Edwards in California. At some time it was converted from the Lonsdale limousine configuration to a St. Alban town car, Brewster's name for the town car version of the Lonsdale, in which form it survives today. In 2002 the Rolls entered the well-known Southern California collector Aaron Weiss, who kept the car for three years before selling it to burgeoning Texas-based collection of John O'Quinn.

Acquired by the current owner a decade ago from Bonhams' 2011 Greenwich Concours d'Elegance Auction, this Phantom has been kept in enclosed storage and sparingly used. Restored some years ago in maroon with black fenders, it has black leather seating for the chauffeur, and tan mohair in the passenger compartment. Handsome and upright, it represents a high point of Rolls-Royce production in America.