Rolls-Royce Phantom I Brewster Lonsdale Landaulet

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Widely regarded as ‘the best car in the world’ the 40/50 Silver Ghost, was going to be a very hard act to follow.

Introduced in 1906 and remaining in production largely unchanged until 1925 (after which it was still available to special order), what really set it apart was the perfection of its engineering, only possible due to its post-WW1 'chassis only' price of £1,850, a colossal sum at a time when a labourer’s weekly wage was about £2 and a decent family home cost about £500.

A relatively conventional design, it used side-by-side valves, cantilever rear springs and a separate gearbox. By 1924 even Rolls-Royce had to admit that its more sophisticated competition was starting to affect sales, not that they could rival the Ghost's silence and quality. Hispano Suiza in particular, who had a similar aeronautical background gained from the war effort, were offering more glamorous and better performing products.

From this point Rolls-Royce offered the Ghost with front wheel brakes, built under licence from Hispano Suiza, realising that a more substantial list of improvements would be required. Given the speed of automotive development in this period, it is testament to the original design and sheer quality of build that the 40/50 Silver Ghost remained in production at the top of the tree for 19 years.

In 1925 the ‘New Phantom’ was unveiled. Using the same chassis as the Ghost, the new 40/50 featured an all new engine with pushrod operated overhead valves located in two individual blocks of three cylinders with a single detachable head. Looking like an enlarged 20hp unit, great care was taken to silence the valve actuation, a complex task which had held off such developments previously. The stroke was increased to 139.7mm delivering more torque, while the bore was decreased slightly to 107.9mm giving a capacity of 7,668cc.

Although Rolls-Royce famously never quoted their engine power outputs (merely stating that they were sufficient for the task in hand), it is thought that they produced around 100bhp at their stated maximum engine revolutions of 2,750rpm. On the road however, they would happily rev to over 3,000rpm and whisk most touring-bodied Phantoms to well over 80mph.

The rest of the car remained much the same (although gaining an enclosed clutch and the distinctive shuttered radiator), production totalling some 2,212 Derby-built chassis by 1929 when the Phantom II was introduced (a further 1,241 chassis also being built in Springfield, Massachusetts, for the lucrative American market), the New Phantom being referred to as the Phantom I from then on.

This rather magnificent looking 1929 Phantom I is one of those Springfield-built cars and was bodied by Brewster & Co of New York in the impressive Lonsdale Landaulet coachwork that it still sports to this day. In remarkably original condition throughout, it was imported to the UK some time ago, being sold to the current owner 10 years ago by noted marque specialists, The Real Car Company of Gwynedd.

According to records kept by The Real Car Co, the Phantom had been put into storage in New York during World War Two and was not exhumed until 1958 when it was apparently treated to an engine overhaul with new +40 thou pistons fitted plus much other recommissioning work. The vendor and his son did more work to the car shortly after they acquired it in 2005, including fitting a stainless steel exhaust, a new electric fuel pump and a reconditioned fuel tank.

Used occasionally over the next five years by both father and son, the car was said to be running and driving well. In 2011 father decided to rewire the car, starting from the alternator and disconnecting the wiring at this point. Unfortunately he did not live to complete the task and the car has sat unused since, although it should not take too much effort to get it going again. The son advises that it was running a bit rich on its last outing and would benefit from a new carburettor jet which is included with the car but has yet to be fitted.

Now looking somewhat shabby in places, it would perhaps also benefit from some sympathetic refurbishment here and there but it would be a great shame to take things too far and risk losing the irreplaceable patina that has built up over the past nine decades and which gives the car such wonderful character.

Being offered here from a deceased estate, it comes with a large quantity of useful spares, a current V5C and five old MOTs from 2005 to 2009.