1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30hp Limousine

• Delivered new to Stirlingshire, Scotland
• Featured on the back cover of Rolls-Royce 25/30 and Wraith by Bernard King
• Offered from long-term ownership
• Recently fully serviced and recommissioned

Latest in the line of 'small' Rolls-Royces that had begun with the 'Twenty' in 1922, the much-revised 25/30hp arrived in 1936. The newcomer was a development of the immediately preceding 20/25hp model that had been introduced in 1929 featuring an enlarged (from 3,127 to 3,699cc) and more-powerful cross-flow version of its predecessor's six-cylinder, overhead-valve engine. Eventually the trend towards increasingly weighty coachwork prompted Rolls-Royce to revise the 20/25. Raising engine capacity to 4,257cc provided the required power increase while the policy of using more proprietary components begun towards the end of 20/25 production saw the new 25/30 adopt a Stromberg carburettor and SU fuel pumps. In its superlative build quality and all other respects the new Rolls-Royce 25/30 remained much as its immediate predecessor, lasting in production until 1939 by which time 1,201 cars had been built.

This particular Rolls-Royce 25/30 - chassis number 'GHO37' - carries six light, limousine-with-division coachwork by Barker & Co of London, one of the finest of all British coachbuilders and a firm associated with Rolls-Royce from the latter's earliest days. This particular body style is unusual in that it has twin oval rear windows. Supplied new to one J Hay Esq in Stirlingshire Scotland via the Clyde Motor Company, this car features on the back cover of Bernard King's seminal work, Rolls-Royce 25/30 and Wraith.

This lovely old Rolls-Royce comes from a sprightly 90-year-old lady whose late partner bought it in 1984. The car has been laid up for five years but run occasionally during that time. Reportedly in fine fettle when laid up, the car has just been fully serviced and recommissioned, and has been driven for 30-or-so miles. The engine is said to be quiet and the car to drive very well.

This is a tall spacious car with seating for seven people. The interior is very original with Bedford cord upholstery to the rear and black leather to the front, while twin occasional seats fold out of the division. The older two-tone paintwork is black over yellow and shows patination and age; it is, however, presentable and arguably best left as it is.

A large quantity of bills, including those for a full engine rebuild, come with the car, one of which relates to new tyres fitted not so many miles ago. A brand new spare is included in the sale.