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1937 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM III PRICE : Secondhand: £ 3,975 ; New: £ 1,670 (no tax) Petrol consumption: 9-12mpg Oil consumption: 115m. per pint Date first delivery: 16 july 1937 Milometer reading: 11,803 When time stands still for a car, and the years pass harmlessly over the roof of its heated garage, it can emerge decades later in the unique state of preservation which can only go with very limited use on the road. This exceptional Rolls-Royce Phantom III, with sedanca de ville body by Hooper, is such a car, and has travelled less distance in 26 years than many motorists knock up in one. The recorded mileage of 11,803 when the car was returned by us to Leicester is claimed by Francis Motors to be the total distance the car has covered since new. The condition of the car is an unqualified proof of the claim. On the exterior, the black finish and chrome are in almost the same glistening and unmarked condition as on the day of leaving the factory, and the cleanliness and unspoilt appearance of the engine are a revelation. Inside the car there is still the unmistakable aroma of the leatherwork, and only slight wear on the pedal rubbers, a few marks on the carpet, and creasing of the deeply upholstered seats, betray that the car has seen any use at all. In the rear compartment, the luxurious bench seat and folding occasionals, and folding table, cigarette box, vanity mirrors are much as the day they were made. To drive the car was perhaps a disappointment, because one forgets the time that has passed, and judges by the standards of today. There are a few irritating squeaks and rattles from the coachwork, and inadequate chassis rigidity to prevent the radiator and bonnet from shaking on a rough surface, and the engine is not as silent as had been expected. Although the driver of the Phantom III sits high, and has a commanding view along the tapering, angular bonnet, he is (and must be) conscious of the great width and of the tremendous amount of car behind him. Yet control, in spite of having more than a ton of the total 55cwt on the front axle, is surprisingly light, and the steering is reasonably responsive. There is pronounced understeer, changing to roll oversteer if a corner is taken really fast, but one remembers the cost of new tyres and drives more sedately. The brakes are an ingenious mixture of cables and rods, mechanically operated by a transmission- driven servo, and give excellent response except at waling pace, when there can be an embarrassing delay. Splendid Isolation With i'ts long wheelbase, the car strides over hump-back bridges and most road irregularities so unobtrusively that occupants scarcely notice them, especially those travelling in the almost perfect isolation from sound and movement of the rear "lounge"; but bad potholes bring a severe shock through the independent front suspension. Although it would not respond to the trick of starting with the ignition control, the vee-12 engine of 7,340 c.c. seldom failed to react to the starter. It is not as smooth as had been hoped for, but offers plenty of torque, illustrated by the top gear acceleration figures. Clutch take-up is smooth, with reasonably light pedal pressure. The gear change is on the right of the driver, in classic Rolls-Royce style, and has synchromesh on the upper three ratios. Beneath the front seat a trap of tools and spares with every item still in place, including details like valve springs and sparking plugs; and the larger tools are still in position under the bonnet, perhaps never used. Almost every item of the mass of equipment on the car is in perfect working order. Exceptions are the wipers, which are sluggish and erratic, and cigarette lighter and blind in the rear compartment. Such a car is essentially a collector's piece, for someone who appreciates its eventual historic value and will continue to treasture it. Yet, even bearing in mind the very high prices paid today for much earlier Vintage and Veteran machinery, nearly £ 4,000 for this Phantom III seems somewhat unrealistic. |