Rolls-Royce Springfield Phantom I Newmarket Convertible Sedan by Brewster, 1928
Rolls-Royce Phantom I
Rolls-Royce Phantom I•
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Chassis No.: S393KP
Engine No.: 20938
Body No.: B5521
Location: Amelia Island, Florida
$150,000 - $200,000 USD | Not Sold
Addendum
Please note that should the buyer be a resident of the United States an additional duty of 2.5 % is payable on the final sale price of the vehicle, including all applicable taxes and commissions.
40/65 hp, 7,668 cc overhead valve six-cylinder engine, three-speed manual transmission, solid front axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs and live rear axle with cantilever leaf springs, four-wheel servo-assisted drum brakes. Wheelbase: 146.5"
- Handsome Brewster Newmarket body
- Complete history from new
- Fresh paint and interior on lovely, low-mileage original car
In order to better serve American clients, Rolls-Royce established a branch factory at Springfield, Massachusetts after World War I. The Silver Ghost model went into production there in 1919, at first nearly identical to the British-built version. Over the years, the Ghost became more Americanized, with left-hand steering, center-change three-speed gearbox, dual coil ignition and suspension modified for a smoother ride.
Rolls-Royce introduced the “New Phantom,” the successor to the long-running but aging Silver Ghost, in 1925. Although the chassis was an evolution of the Ghost, the engine was new, with a detachable overhead-valve cylinder head and larger displacement of 7,668 cc. In 1928, an aluminum cylinder head was substituted for cast iron. The New Phantom was later designated “Phantom I” after a Phantom II was introduced in 1929. With a longer stroke than its predecessor, the Phantom I had tremendous low speed torque and could accelerate from a walking pace to top speed all in top gear.
American Silver Ghost production continued for almost two years after it had halted in Britain, because modification of the New Phantom was very complex. Left-hand drive, in particular, required considerable re-engineering. American Phantoms, when they arrived, had some features not available in Britain: Bijur central lubrication, a disposable oil filter, a carburetor air filter and thermostatically-controlled shutters on the radiator. Most of the cars were bodied in the United States with catalogued Rolls-Royce Custom Coachwork, which was built by a number of coachbuilders under contract, the majority of them by Brewster & Co. who came under Rolls-Royce ownership in 1926.
This Newmarket Convertible Sedan was delivered to its first owner, John B. Ellsworth of Simsbury, Connecticut, on May 11, 1929. He kept it for ten years before selling to a couple with New York City and Connecticut addresses. There was a succession of owners between 1949 and 1952, when it was purchased by Hayward C. Carleton of Norwell, Massachusetts. Carleton kept it until 1980, a remarkable period of nearly 30 years, when it was sold to E. Winthrop Hall of Weymouth, Massachusetts.
After acquisition in 2006 by friends of the long-time owners, the interior was redone in Andrew Muirhead Scottish leather. The rest of the car remained original and was brought to excellent condition by flushing and cleaning the fuel and lubrication systems and progressively sorting the electrics. For safety in modern traffic, signal lights were added, as well as a six-to-12 volt converter to enable the charging of mobile phones and the like. The windshield wiper was rebuilt and fitted with a variable-speed switch. The brakes were gone through and rebuilt and adjusted as necessary.
Thus outfitted, it performed elegantly and without issue from 2007 to this past year, making several lengthy expeditions, including an 800-mile round trip for concours and exhibitions in the New York area. Just recently the original green finish was meticulously replaced by new black paint, with a red accent panel in the belt molding. The hood was finished in polished aluminum, complementing the discs that cover the wire wheels. There are dual side-mount spares and wide whitewalls all around.
The car comes complete with a history file, including a copy of an early title from the first owner, an instruction for the “Sesame” combination lock for the running board toolbox and the original Rolls-Royce key fob and dash roundel inscribed with its chassis number.
