Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 30
1960 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Limousine Coachwork by James Young, Design PV15 Chassis no. 5LAS73 Engine no. PV36A
Sold for US$39,200 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 30
1960 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Limousine
1960 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Limousine
Coachwork by James Young, Design PV15
Chassis no. 5LAS73
Engine no. PV36A
Coachwork by James Young, Design PV15
Chassis no. 5LAS73
Engine no. PV36A
6,230cc OHV V8 Engine
Two SU Carburetors
220bhp at 4,440rpm
3-Speed Automatic Transmission
Independent Front Suspension – Live Rear Axle
4-Wheel Drum Brakes
*The 1960 New York Auto Show Car
*Original ownership from 1960-1984
*Featured in The Flying Lady recording a transcontinental tour in 1985
*Original USA delivery, left-hand drive specification
THE ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM V
Introduced in autumn of 1959, Rolls-Royce's new 6,230cc all-alloy V8 engine powered the Silver Cloud II and Bentley S2 sedans, as well as the Rolls-Royce Phantom V. The new Phantom V long-wheelbase limousine effectively replaced both the Phantom IV and the Silver Wraith. The latter's relatively short wheelbase made it difficult for coachbuilders to provide adequate trunk space in a comfortable seven-seater automobile; the Phantom addressed this shortcoming. Built on a much modified and strengthened 'Cloud II chassis employing the same 145" wheelbase as the IV, the new Phantom measured almost 20 feet in length, enabling coachbuilders to combine spacious interior accommodation with generous boot space and graceful lines. A lower final drive ratio ensured that top speed remained in excess of 100mph, and the new Phantom could all but match its stablemates for acceleration.
Over the course of a nine-year production run, 516 Phantom Vs rolled off the line, sporting a dizzying array of body styles all built with the express purpose of providing the utmost luxury to their lucky occupants — most of whom were unbothered with the task of driving, preferring, naturally, to be cossetted in the sumptuous rear passenger compartments.
According to Lawrence Dalton, "The James Young design elegance peaked with the Phantom V chassis." That chassis was essentially a Silver Cloud II stretched to a 144-inch wheelbase. Sprung by an independent front suspension featuring unequal length wishbones and followed by a live rear axle with leaf springs, the chassis was traditional Rolls-Royce practice. The brakes for the massive car were drums all around, with the fronts hydraulically-operated, while the rears were mechanically-actuated. Power came from the same 6,320cc overhead-valve V-8 that propelled the Silver Cloud II. The four-speed automatic transmission was also the same as that used in the standard steel saloon.
THE CAR OFFERED
If you had stopped by the New York Auto Show in the spring of 1960 and breezed past the Rolls-Royce stand, one of the cars you would have seen would have been this exact example, 5LAS73. There it sat proudly displaying the height of British luxury and the specific ways in which it could be tailored for you, not least of which was to have the extremely elegant offerings by James Young in terms of coachwork, over and above the more staid Park Ward versions.
It is not quite clear whether the car's original owner, C.F. Seabrook of Seabrook Farms Inc. had already commissioned the car, or if he was enamored with it at that show and acquired it there and then. Either way, he and his family remained enamored with it for some 24 years. It was not until 1984, when John Seabrook, presumably the son of the original owner advertised the car in the Flying Lady, Rolls-Royce Owners Club publication, where it is listed as having covered 36,000 miles from new.
The next owner was Barry Cooney of Portland, Oregon, who elected to buy the Phantom from the Seabrooks and drive it all the way home, recording his fascinating journey in the May/June edition of The Flying Lady, and noting stopping points including Mount Washington and the saloon that Wild Bill Hickock was killed in – the visual of this Rolls Phantom parked alongside both is certainly a fun contrast!
We are not fully aware of who the next custodians were over the ensuing years until it arrived in the present collection approximately a decade ago, but what is clear is that in the entire ensuing near 40-year period a mere 13,000 miles have been added to its 1984 tally, for a figure of 49,498 today.
After its more recent period of storage, the car is not presently running and will require full recommissioning to return it to the road. Regardless of this, its aesthetics remain in very tidy order, the paintwork being finished in a two-tone coppery red with rose metallic roof and the interior in magnolia leather hides to front and rear. Among interesting period accessories fitted are an aftermarket air conditioning control and a 'Horn Aplenty – 76 tune' horn machine, something that perhaps also added the entertainment on its 1984 cross country run!
Saleroom notices
Please note, this Rolls is equipped with the correct, 4-speed automatic.
Additional information
Looking for a similar item?
Our Cars specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistSpecialist section
Auction Viewings
- 16 August 2023, 09:00 - 18:00 PDT
- 17 August 2023, 09:00 - 18:00 PDT
- 18 August 2023, 08:30 - 11:00 PDT
