Rolls Royce – as British as tea at four PM. It’s the finest of the finest, automobiles fit for a king! But how about a Rolls made in America? Huh, really? You bet and this 1931 “Springfield” Phantom is just such an example, produced at Rolls-Royce’s former Springfield, Massachusetts assembly plant. This sedan runs and drives but is in need of a full restoration. Located in Deerfield, Illinois, this Bohman & Schwartz-bodied Phantom is available, here on Hemmings for $39,500. Mitchell G gets the nod for this unusual discovery!
According to classiccars.com, the first U.S. produced Rolls saw the light of day in February 1921. And as was typical of the time, what was produced was the chassis, suspension, engine, drivetrain, etc. as a coach builder, in this case, the aforementioned Boham & Schwartz would construct the body. Rolls-Royce did later open its own Springfield coach shop and in 1926, acquired, Brewster, a domestic player. After realizing the production of about 3K cars, the great depression, which got in the way of so many industrial components of the world economy, claimed the Springfield plant, shuttering it for good in 1931.
This Rolls Phantom has a sort of front half/back half visual going on. The front half, from the front doors to the radiator flows as a Rolls-Royce sedan should. The back half? Not so much so, it looks as if the designer ran out of ideas or paper, or money, or something – it gives this luxury saloon a half-stubby look. That said, the body, itself, shows as being sound with no sign of damage or rot. Unfortunately, it’s missing its bumpers.
The interior is well worn as the leather upholstery, which is probably beyond rejuvenation, appears to have lost its stuffing. The back seat area is loaded with detritus and the rear seat isn’t visible. Plenty of wood trim abounds – it shows as complete, but probably in need of refinishing. From what can be seen, the instrument panel gauges are clear and the switch gear, with maybe one exception, is all in place.
The listing states, “…the car has now been recommissioned and is running and driving“. And in case you have any doubts, there is a video included in the listing. The engine appears to be a 468 CI, in-line, six-cylinder affair good for 120 HP. The mileage is unknown and what was done to recommission it for operation is not stated. The transmission employed should be a three-speed manual gearbox.
I would say that this car is a rarity, it’s one of about 1,300 Phantoms assembled in Springfield. It is going to need a lot of, what is assuredly, very expensive restoration work but it’s a car so deserving. Once again, however, the question remains, how much interest, today, will there be in taking on such a project and who’s likely to step forward and accept the challenge?
Obviously designed by a person who read by Braille. Butt ugly.
Wayne, u sure its not Sheila, or Gary?? Yupp designed by a Yank, n built in’t States, but with the real McCoy Roller Motor, which are able to be Hotted up , given Lift Kits so you’d be able to round up yerr sheep flock’s, no problemo, soo Go Figure Trigger.
Interesting car. Looks rebodied to me, though I’m no expert. It wasn’t uncommon, for somebody affluent enough to have a Rolls or Duesenberg, to have one of the many coachbuilders available ‘modernize’ an aging design. This body, original or otherwise, looks to have taken its inspiration from European trends, Graber comes to mind. It’s be interesting to know the car’s history
All of those photos and none straight on the front or back.
Two six wire distributors, two coils, but only 12 spark plugs that I can see. What’s the other distributor connect to?
2 x 6 = 12.
That were standard practise for Rollers, Bentleys who at the time of its build, used the same Motors!
2 x 6 = 12
One set of 6 is connected to a distributor, the other set of six is connected to a magneto. It was considered unfavorable should your proper motor car have a failure to proceed due to poor fuel quality, which was an issue back then. It is possible to start a RR using the magneto alone.
Wonder if this one has a leather-cone clutch? I remember reading a “Model Garage” article (a feature in Popular Science from the late 1920s-1960s) in which one of the regular characters picked up a used Rolls cheap, and the leather clutch played into the storyline.
This one looks like a hearse. Not a good looking vehicle, that’s for sure.
Are you sure this is a 6? Phantoms are usually 12’s, and that would explain the extra distributor and wires
https://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z14396/rolls-royce-phantom-ii.aspx
I pulled it from here. It references the Phantom II but that car used the Phantom’s engine and is described herein.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Phantom_I
Here’s another, from Wikipedia – not always the most reliable source, but it corroborates Conceptcarz’s engine description.
One difference, the British edition used a four-speed manual transmission while the U.S. spec employed a three.
JO
The Phantom I and II were 6 cilinders, the III had a twelve cilinder engine.
I owned two Phantom II’s for a while, great cars.
The only pre-WW2 Phantom was the P-III, made only a couple of years prior to the R-R factory changing over from car production to military work.
I’m pretty sure this is a later body, as I don’t recall any 1931 Rolls-Royce ever being built with a slanted windshield of that degree. I would suggest anyone interested in this car contact the Rolls-Royce Owner’s Club {RROC] for further info on this chassis. The photo of the chassis number S 443 MR should provide the answers, as the club has all the early chassis build records.
Certainly rebodied from the cowl back in the mid to late 30’s. It’s so awkward I wonder if the back half was transplanted from an existing car? Looks a bit Oldsmobile or Buick.
I think you’re right on the mark. It is certainly not a 1931 body, as “pontoon” fenders didn’t come along until the late ’30s. It looks like the body was taken from a pre-war GM sedan, to give it an updated look. What a shame!
Anyway, whoever painted the Fabrikoid top white certainly didn’t do the car’s appearance any favors!
Forgot to mention, this body is likely a 5 passenger sedan with a disappearing division window, but may also have one side facing jump seat. I suspect there is not enough leg room for a pair of forward facing jump seats, but until I see photos of the division panel below the beltline, I can’t be sure.
My general feeling is this car was rebodied in the late 1930s. perhaps ordered by the original owner, to make the car look more modern. Most of the Rolls-Royce coachbuilt cars that were later rebodied were changed into 7-passenger limousines to use in commercial service, or into convertible coupes by lesser known coachbuilders.
Hopefully the current owner has the rear seat assembly, or photos of what it looked like so whoever restores the car can do it to original specs. It’s certainly a one-off car.
It also looks to me like a rebody using a US car. Note the high rear wheel arch clearance. Assuming the original body was removed, it was probably heavier.
Also, I remember about three decades ago that a person here in Australia imported from the US a Phantom without a body behind the driver and it had a lifting crane attached to it. The same fate might have happened to the car in this article.
I have a clock from an American Roll Royce. It is a Waltham Watch Company 8 day movement. !5 jewel adjusted.. Runs like a clock!
Sorry for this observation. Add another axle at the rear and you’d have a Mercedes 6 wheel (sans 4 wheel drive) WWII German staff car with a Rolls dog house.
The Phantom II I owned had coachwork by Gurney Nutting. Quite a bit more stylish if you ask me!