Penn reports back from the recent tour of New Zealand by a group of dedicated Rolls-Royce enthusiasts

This brief article is centred on what is probably the most famous marque in the world, but I doubt if there’s anything new I can add to the lore surrounding the Rolls-Royce legend. However, I do have my own perceptions of this legendary make. These perceptions are random reactions spotted along a spectrum that ranges from the numerous accounts of the superb engineering expertise to their incredibly imposing appearance — almost over the top with the earlier cars. Maybe it’s this, almost bizarre at times, appearance that is the foundation under the awesome reputation enjoyed by these stately sets of wheels. Instantly recognisable, a Rolls confers celebratory status on its driver and the driver’s friends.

Personally, when focusing on that evocative name I tend to think aero-engines and the Battle of Britain. The Rolls-Royce Merlin-equipped Spitfires and Hurricanes set standards of perfection, I believe, which ensured that good triumphed over evil — well, that’s what happens when you win any war, you get defining and naming rights. However, reality says that probably all the aero-engines in use with both the winners and the losers were equally good, because they had to be! I think the Merlin motor even got used in the post WWII Centurion tank.

Legendary Perfection

Okay, I’d better go to the other end of the spectrum. Let’s have a brief look at the motor cars by that same firm. Legendary perfection is the accepted wisdom here too, and that perfection reflected such a glow its owners could bask smugly in the image thus created. A Rolls-Royce of any decade is instantly recognized by virtue of a radiator designed like a Greek temple. Only Rolls-Royce could get away with it. So the man — or the woman — sitting behind it is clearly a very special person. It could be a crowned head or a sexy pop star, or it could be Bill Brown who happens to be a hard worker who hangs onto his money.

A Rolls-Royce does wonders for your image. Try and keep a politician out of the rear seats in a parade.

That said, a dozen or so Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club 20/25 Register cars and members embarked on an image-enhancing New Zealand tour at the end of January. This is the RR English club, which is organised in registers — one per model; The Silver Ghost Register, The Phantom Register, The 20/25 Register etc.

Richard Hadfield, chairman of the NZ section of the RREC, has a 20/25, and he’s also lived and worked in the UK and says these RREC tours are wonderful trips and the one real reason why he would consider moving back to the UK — the club’s European tours are hugely enjoyable. Richard also made the point that it was much more satisfying to tour or rally with similar cars to your own.

Touring in Style

I had a practical demonstration of that on the day I accompanied them during the tour. My respect for these speedy gin palaces was considerably enhanced when trying to keep up with John Stewart in his over 4.0-litres Silver Dawn (way more powerful than a 20/25), who was tail-end Charley, and who I figured could resolve our anticipated, navigational issues if I followed him (Cave Weta was in charge of that). However, our twin-cam 3.0-litre diesel couldn’t keep up with him. I couldn’t even use my advanced age as an excuse, because John has several years on me. So, it had to be superior map-reading and his clean living. Mark you, it just might mean Rolls-Royce builds a better car!

That first day was a shakedown for the cars, which had been freshly unloaded from their shipping containers. Richard and our people had organised a round trip through Kaiaua, Bombay, Miranda and to see Dick Langridge’s superb collection of 20-something Rolls- Royces.

The trip started at the Bombay BP Service Station on the Southern Motorway and, for a change, I was told to drive management’s 3.0-litre diesel while the boss handled the map reading. We followed the very well executed Tour Notes as a navigational exercise — that way she could be in charge of everything — the fact I had been taught map reading in the army was not allowed to hinder my woman’s development.

Astonishingly, we got lost a couple of times and that produced some tensions, eased however by my acceptance of the various criticisms of my driving offered as a cover by the navigator. Naturally, all the foreigners kept on course despite being strangers in a strange land and, I must say, we too thoroughly enjoyed ourselves (there’s nothing like a spat or two to heighten mutual attraction) on what was a perfect summer’s day.

Part of the way we broke the journey by parking all these imposing carriages outside the Kaiaua Fish and Chip shop. I had no end of enjoyment watching the foreigners adjust to our version of their ethnic tucker. It was chosen thus because the fish component is reputedly the best in New Zealand. However, what I was proud of was that the staff were teenagers (unobtrusively run by a young woman) doing a hell of a good job under pressure.

However, I was even prouder to bask in the vicarious glory of the superbly displayed collection of Rolls-Royces owned by Richard Langridge. Richard has spent a lifetime collecting the cars, and topped it off by housing them in a superbly laid-out enclosed courtyard of individual garages. A great showman, he made a little speech justifying his obsessive collector’s behaviour then threw a lever that opened every door simultaneously, revealing all these shiny silver Greek temples. WOW!

The urbane Poms took it in their stride, clapping and expressing their amazement in a refined way, but the Australians stood out as their complexions assumed their national colour.

We Kiwis phlegmatically pretended it was just another collection, struggling to stop our eyeballs giving the lie by bulging excessively. The truth of the matter is, however, that this is possibly the best such privately displayed collection anywhere — and certainly the best in Australasia!

A Successful Tour

The rest of the tour saw the cars travelling from Auckland to Rotorua-Napier-Wellington-(Southwards)-Picton-Nelson- Blenheim-Kaikoura-Darfield-West Coast-Franz Joseph-Wanaka-Queenstown-Dunedin-Tekapo-Mt Cook-Christchurch via Ashburton (where Rolls expert Bruce McIlroy holds sway). In Christchurch the cars went back into their shipping containers and our visitors departed after a suitable celebratory dinner. Richard and Lois Hadfield, however, planned to visit the Napier Art Deco weekend on the way back home.

I have some money sitting doing nothing and it’s burning a hole on my pocket; I can’t help but speculate about the economic recession and what unfortunate Rolls owner is feeling squeezed. I’m not going to live forever, and these cars do get to you, I thought they were just great.

Words and Photos: Penn McKay, Additional Photos: Richard Hadfield

This article is from Classic Car issue 220. Click here to check it out.

Driving any Rolls-Royce is a special occasion – but when you’ve got a brace of Phantoms you’re spoiled for choice

Driving through Auckland’s inner city suburbs these days can be a car spotter’s dream. Just take Ponsonby, Parnell or Newmarket for example — the numbers of wildly expensive and exotic machinery parked on the road can have one’s head spinning around like an out-of-control merry-go-round.

Bespoke machinery from Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, Bentley, Aston Martin and Maserati are all common sights — almost to the point that you become blase to it all. At times, I hardly even bother taking a second glance at that new Murcielago or F430 that’s just pulled up alongside me at the traffic lights, maybe Aucklanders are just getting too hard to impress these days?

However, I did take notice when I recently had the opportunity the briefly drive David Blackmore’s 2004 Rolls-Royce Phantom. Although I didn’t stray terribly far from David’s office, it was enough to get a feel for how the other half live. This car has the presence of a concours-prepared Mack truck. People with big smiles were pulling over in front of me just to get a look, while others dived for their cellphone cameras to get a shot of this imposing machine. They laughed, while tapping their friends’ shoulders to get their attention, and you could see them mouth the words — “It’s a Rolls-Royce!”

When you’ve shelled out the thick end of half a million on a second-hand car (and that’s a bargain) you want everybody to notice you — and they do, believe me.

The slower the traffic, the more time people have to see this stately battleship coming through. For a vehicle measuring over six metres nose-to-tail, the Phantom proves surprisingly graceful. Swinging out of the car park, I quickly noticed its tight turning radius, while on the road it felt smaller than the numbers suggest. You do sit noticeably higher, closer to the driving position in an SUV than a standard sedan, but there’s no sense of driving a truck, even though it may look like one to some. It’s quite difficult to adequately describe the Phantom without actually experiencing the car for yourself. It has thicker carpeting that your living room, better leather than any lounge suite, and a price tag that’s higher than an average Auckland house.

But what really had people guessing was the fact that I was following David in his magnificent 1967 Rolls Royce Phantom V. This car is equally, if not more impressive, and as we headed off we certainly created more than our fair share of attention.

German Roller

David Blackmore is no stranger to the pages of NZCC, as you may remember the recent article on his awesome 1932 Blower Bentley.

This 2004 Phantom is the newest addition to the Bentley Trust fleet, black on the inside, black on the outside, they don’t get any more impressive than this. David is rather partial to big, powerful, comfortable cars, and as we glanced over at his line-up of Bentleys he told me that his Arnage Turbo feels small in comparison to the big Roller.

David’s acquisition of the Phantom came after a call from a local prestige car dealership around a year ago. “David, we have just the car for you!”

Unable to resist the urge to at least take a look, purely out of curiosity more than anything else, David decided to take up the offer and view the car. When he walked into the showroom there it was — a blend of traditional luxury and contemporary hardware, wrapped in black, the first child of the marriage between the esteemed British marque and its new parent, BMW. At half the replacement cost of a new Rolls-Royce Phantom — and with room for a little more negotiating — David was driving this three-year-old seductive monster home within a few hours of sighting it.

Those who know David are well aware that he likes to pimp out his rides, and the Phantom is no exception. Rumour has it this Phantom was going to receive a few subtle extras, like a winged demon with horns — to be made by Weta Workshop — to replace the Spirit of Ecstasy, and even a row of spent cartridge shells in a spiny ridge along the bonnet, spring loaded naturally, to collapse if anyone was unlucky enough to be flung across them. Maybe even a Darth Vader licence plate.

However, none of these modifications were, as yet, clearly evident. Although purists will, no doubt, not take to the altered Rolls-Royce logos which now read ‘ROCKN ROLLS.’ These are so subtle that unless you’re close up, you can barely see they have been changed. There are also flame graphics on the side indicator lenses, and a small chrome skull adorns the rear license plate surround.

The current plate is a single T, with a very faint outline of P H A N and O M added to either side, not to mention the ‘bling’ in the form of large diamante lettering across the rear panel.

Breaking with Tradition

I’m not sure that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited could have envisaged such additional subtleties when it revealed the all-new Rolls-Royce Phantom in late 2002.

New custodian of the Rolls-Royce marque, BMW, was totally committed to launching a new company, a new plant and a new car, which was unveiled to the world in January 2003.

The Phantom was entirely new from the ground up, capturing the spirit of the world’s most famous marque, interpreted in an absolutely contemporary way.

Beginning with a blank canvas, the design and engineering teams were ultimately influenced by the philosophy of Sir Henry Royce — strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better, if it doesn’t exist, design it.

The outcome was a car incorporating cutting edge engineering technology, supreme quality and the finest in hand-built craftsmanship. The Phantom’s aluminium space-frame is the largest of its kind ever built for any car. More than 200 extruded aluminium profiles and 300 sheet parts result in low weight and extreme strength. The Phantom’s entire body shell weighs in at a meagre 550kg, but has a torsional rigidity at least twice as stiff as any previous Rolls-Royce.

The light weight, normally aspirated, 6.75-litre V12 engine develops a respectable 338kW and a peak torque of 720Nm at 3500rpm. Even more impressive, is that 78 per cent of it torque is produced at just 1000rpm, a tad over idle. This equates to effortless, staggering acceleration from standstill, catapulting the huge machine to 100kph in 5.7 seconds, and on to a limited top speed of 240kph.
Inside, is everything you’d expect from a Roller, with more leather hides and matching pieces of wood than you’ll find on a herd of cattle lost in Sequoia National Forest. Rolls offers numerous options so there’s ample opportunity to tailor this luxurious environment to individual specifications.

Self-levelling air suspension with electronic dampers and multi-link rear, double wishbone front suspension combined with an extra long wheelbase and high profile tyres give the perfect combination for a silky smooth ride.

The Phantom is also the first car in the world to feature the advanced PAX run-flat tyre system that allows the car to run for 160km at 80kph after a puncture. David informs me that because of the unique size of the tyres, the cost to replace each one is around $3500 — ouch!

Of course, what would a Roller be if it didn’t have a few unique gizmos to make it just a little more special, well in the eyes of prospective owners anyway. So, how about an electrically retractable Spirit of Ecstasy, which can be lowered out of sight whenever the Phantom is parked; wheel hub centres with the double-R logo which remain upright at all times; and unique, Rolls-logo umbrellas which stowed within each rear door.

Best of British

David is not a person to delve into the previous history of any of the cars he buys. Previous ownership, or where it’s been, is not really that important as far as he is concerned. Essentially, if he likes a car and is in the market to buy, then that’s what usually happens. Although in the case of his 1967 Phantom V, he did stumble across something interesting whilst bidding for it on eBay. Apart from the fact that the price was right and David just happened to hit the ‘buy now’ button at precisely the right moment, much to the dismay of other auction watchers, he found out the car had previously been owned by the British royal family, and had also been used by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham.

The fact is though, that David actually purchased the Phantom V so he could compare it to his brace of 600 Mercedes-Benz Pullmans. The best of German versus the best of British. Quite appropriate as, during the ’60s, Mercedes and Rolls-Royce boasted that their cars were the best in the world, the biggest, the most powerful and most luxurious.

After spending a little time in the classic Phantom, David quickly came to the conclusion that the two cars were in fact worlds apart. The Mercedes handled and performed significantly better in every respect, but the Rolls had the X-factor.

This gracious lady still has a presence befitting royalty, with its stately composure and glorious Mulliner Park Ward coachwork. In fact, not only was the Phantom V designed purely for royalty, it was also aimed at Heads of State as well as the very rich and famous. Eminent former owners of Phantom V Rolls-Royce cars include Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother, and John Lennon — whose car, famously, sported a custom psychedelic finish.

The Phantom V was the biggest Rolls-Royce ever when it launched in 1959 alongside the Silver Cloud II/Bentley S2, sharing the same 6230cc aluminium V8 engine and General Motors Hydramatic automatic transmission. The chassis clearly followed the Silver Cloud’s layout, but was lengthened considerably and strengthened with colossal reinforcements, complete with a wider front and rear track.

An extremely low final drive gear permitted understated progress at a speed only slightly above walking pace, which was used primarily for ceremonial occasions. Mind you, braking is often described as clumsy at best as the brake servo was coupled to the transmission.

At that time most Rollers carried Mulliner Park Ward coachwork. Rolls-Royce purchased Park Ward before the war, and bought HJ Mulliner later in 1959, amalgamating them in 1962, then later changing the name to just Mulliner Park Ward. Park Ward produced 156 bodies and HJ Mulliner Park Ward clocked up 152 bodies until the merger of both companies, representing the larger share of coachwork for this formal car.

James Young, a successful independent company, manufactured a total of 195 bodies, all based on exceptionally graceful designs by AF McNeill, some of which were finished as Sedanca de Villes.

The Phantom was perfectly suited to the coachbuilders’ art — mainly due to its vast wheelbase of 3.68 metres and exceptionally rigid chassis. The earlier production cars have single headlamps before they were changed to the later Cloud III-style twin items. The options list included cocktail cabinets, a TV, separate front and rear air conditioning and early telephone systems. Most Phantoms have an electric glass partition and fold-out occasional seats.

Now, if you’re thinking that this fine lady has escaped David’s subtle touches, then I’m afraid not. Following along in the same fashion as the later Phantom, David has very carefully included the ‘ROCKN ROLLS’ badges onto the side of the car — if you don’t look too closely you won’t even see them.

1967 Rolls Royce Phantom V

Engine Rolls-Royce V8
Capacity 6.2-litre
Bore/stroke 104.1mm x 91.4mm
Valves Two per cylinder, ohv
C/R 9.0:1
Max power 147kW
Max torque Not quoted by RR
Fuel system Two SU carburettors
Transmission GM400 four-speed automatic
Suspension F/R Independent coils springs/ beam axle, half semi-eliptic leaf springs
Steering Worm and roller
Brakes Servo assisted drum

Dimensions:

Overall length 6045mm
Width 2007mm
Height 1753mm
Wheelbase 3683mm
Kerb weight 2540kg

Performance:

Max speed 162kph
0-100kph 13.8 seconds

2004 Rolls Royce Phantom

Engine Rolls-Royce V12
Capacity 6.75-litre           
Bore/stroke 92mm x 84.6mm
Valves four per cylinder
C/R 11.0:1
Max power 338kW
Max torque 720Nm
Fuel system Direct injection
Transmission Six speed Automatic
Suspension F/R Wishbone front suspension with stabilizer bar and air springs, multi-link rear suspension with stabiliser bar and air springs. Automatic front and rear suspension levelling
Steering Rack and pinion, speed sensitive power-assisted
Brakes Ventilated disc

Dimensions:

O/all length 5834mm
Width 1988mm
Height 1633mm
Wheelbase 3571mm
Kerb weight 2529kg

Performance:

Max speed 240kph
0-100kph 5.7 seconds

Words: Ashley Webb Photos: Dan Wakelin

Penn falls under the sway of the world’s greatest passenger car marque despite his often denied Latin bias

I’m always more than a little in awe of this iconic marque’s products. I know that they’re not me — so incredibly imposing in every physical aspect, so much larger than life with that archaic radiator shell and the vertical louvres and so incredibly recognisable anywhere, anytime.

So why aren’t they me? Well it’s to do with that powerful presence they’re always thrusting at you, there’s nothing subtle about what is undoubtedly the world’s most recognisably prestigious motor car. Not that I’m subtle, dear me no! But I do like my cars to be sculptured curvaceously, implying hidden potential, and this isn’t Rolls-Royce style, and never has been. The world’s greatest passenger car never pretended to be anything but what it is — the world’s greatest passenger car, and recognisably so, instantly. Of course, why would the marque ever present itself in any other way? And this beautiful example is a prime example, but with one variation, it has an American-designed and built body mounted on the magnificently engineered British chassis.

Immense pains

It was bought nearly four years ago by Richard Hadfield, our featured car’s present owner, who took immense pains in a thoroughly executed restoration taking nearly two years, about 13,000km ago. Although the car was in very good order when he bought it from the Real Car Company in Wales, it was already a very old car with the all the usual hallmarks of attrition that time inevitably lays on even the best-kept cars. The paintwork was well past its best — and that was a repaint — the interior was showing the signs of wear that are inescapable for all furnishings. If you looked in the rear compartment of this car I believe that the word that would spring to mind would be furnishing rather than trimming, because it is, really, a small(ish) drawing room.

Apart from the sumptuous main seating, there is also a small occasional pull out seat — for a lady’s maid? — a beautifully built in and veneered liquor cabinet and six-inch deep carpeting, not to mention silken support ropes complete with Turks head ends, lashings of polished wood fillets and perfectly-fitting glass windows on four sides. All of which served to insulate the privileged occupying this luxurious suite from the world outside.

A young trimmer rapidly gaining a name for himself as a quality creator, Scott Wood, of Coatesville, meticulously recreated the original trim.

Chauffeur driven

The most unusual aspect of this particular car is obvious — it’s the body styling. Above the car’s rear sofa there is a landaulet-type folding roof. It’s not to be confused with a soft top, it’s much sturdier than that, and clicked into place from the inside — rather like a sports car’s hardtop. No wind noise, no drafts and no flapping material, it’s all beautifully designed and sturdily built to fold up, or down, with the precision expected of such a very superior car.

Not content with that body styling at the rear, over the driver’s compartment there is another removable roof section enabling those in front to enjoy a bit of wind in the hair motoring should the weather be balmy — so the front is clearly Sedanca de Ville.

No doubt it was originally designed to be chauffeur driven, but in these democratic days it is likely to be the owner enjoying the sensuous pleasures of open air motoring, God knows he’ll have paid enough to wish to enjoy it himself rather than the hired help getting the privilege.

It’s an unusual body styling for a Rolls-Royce, only known on this particular Brewster-built body. Several books on Rolls-Royce cars of the vintage and post vintage thoroughbred eras show this specific car. It’s been around for 75 years and will be around for another 75 years — and then some.

Brewster was a well-respected American coach-builder, and he designed this particular body for himself. It was a body styling more popular in the early ’20s and dying out by the ’30s, and that’s what makes it so unusual.
Brewster sold the car in 1948 when it went to a university professor called Bentley. Next it went to a Mrs Attee. Her father bought it for her and her husband. Mr Attee died sometime in the ’80s, but she kept he car for another 14 or so years until the Real Car Company dug it out and took it back to Wales (if you use Google you’ll soon find the Real Car Company in Wales, and there’s a long list of Rolls and Bentley cars featured and for sale.)

If you took away that unmistakeable radiator shell you have a very elegant body, with simple clean lines, and not at all overdone — compare it with many of the Packards and similar contemporary indigenous products of the USA, and by degree of comparison it’s actually very conservative, European and tasteful — let’s be judgemental here, many of the USA stylings were more than a bit ‘over the top’ everywhere except in their country of origin.

On the road

We drove around on a Sunday through Parnell, and the traffic wasn’t the serious stuff of a working day Auckland. The sun came out sporadically, and at intervals it would defer to a sprinkly shower, so I asked about the brakes and promptly got a minor whiplash as Richard demonstrated just how good they were. Servo-mechanical in the rear and servo only in the front and the car weighs probably close on a couple of tons, but even on the damp roads everything gripped like a teenager offered a $50 note.

Later, we were going down a small steep alley of about one in three and again Richard silenced my mewing (when my imagination gets over-active I suppress my squawks of fear) by showing the clamps in action at regular intervals as we descended — mark you, he might have been reassuring himself just as much as me, because you can just imagine how many Parnell houses this thing would go through once it had gathered a bit of speed on a steep slope.

But what impressed me was the perfection of every driving feature. The motor was everything you expect of a Rolls, smooth, silent, and in service tap and rattle free, torquey in acceleration, and once warmed up able to idle so quietly that you can hear the fan swishing! The four-speed crash ’box — on the driver’s side alongside the handbrake — appeared to present no problems to Richard, who changed gears with a felicity that showed his age. He knew all about double declutching and happily went up and down the ’box as needed.  As we progressed in stately style there wasn’t a clunk of any description. The car moves smoothly with a sophistication worthy of any modern, with the cart springs and beam axle easily controlled by the hydraulic shocks.

Richard currently lives in a lovely house with garaging beneath which poses a difficult right angle entry for his cars, including a steep access drive and a hard left lock then a mild right lock to back this very valuable and beautifully restored car into a specific corner in his garage. I got very twitchy.  As I’ve said, Rolls aren’t me, but I do recognise how very superior they really are, and this is a beautiful car by anybody’s standards.

Custom built cars evolve

Richard and his wife like long distance touring, so the Rolls’ rear-mounted spare was moved to the side and Richard had a period trunk made to take their usual suitcases. It is in the style of the vintage period and is another aspect of the on-going evolution of these sorts of cars. Those odd changes that have been made can be reversed any time any future owners wish to, Richard points out, but personally I believe  these custom-built vintage cars, at the level we’re talking of here, are legitimately modified in various ways by serious people during the time they are possessed by these sorts of cars. These treasures are international and governed by different rules to your everyday production line classics. Importantly we must bear in mind also that these sorts of cars aren’t subject to the normal market rules — they have a set of rules of their own.

Owning and rebuilding a vintage rollls

This sort of car is very valuable and is an international commodity — so all restoration work must be meticulous. This means a specialist wood framer, such as Len Woodgate (also an aircraft engineer), for rebuilding the coach-built body where required — and with old wood-framed bodies there will always be maintenance required, wood being the kind of material that will deteriorate unless specifically protected.

Similarly, motor rebuilds in these cars do require very specialist knowledge and very careful engineering, since that is the major reputation of the marque. When it was pulled down Richard found a very good condition motor, but nevertheless in order to retain the original and very sound pistons he had the block dry-sleeved back to standard, and specifically they checked the oilways in the crankshaft, because being a large oilway they are prone to gathering gunk as the shaft spins out centrifugally any solids in the oil, gradually closing the diameter. That’s why it’s a good idea to follow the common modern practice of fitting oil filters to all old timers — especially valuable ones.

Words and Photos, Penn McKay

A few months ago Penn fell in love with the Cutten Special — a very good example of one man’s creative urges being brought to fruition. So it’s apposite this month to have a look at a product of one of the most respected engineering firms in the world, as far removed as possible from the one-off of the passionate solitary creator

In my late teens and early 20s I was a worshipper of Rolls-Royce, a fully committed subscriber to the legends — i.e. mechanics sent out to foreign climes to fix a broken down Roller, and no bill being sent because ‘Rolls-Royce cars don’t break down.’ Naturally I believed that RR was the world’s best motor car — I also believed in the Empire, the all-round superiority of being British, and the innate wisdom of our political leaders.

But the spells all wore off over the years, at least until recently, when I’ve at least come back to respecting the marque for its quality and engineering, after looking closely at several examples.

I still believe there is no definitive ‘best car in the world’ except to the biased. You have to always ask the question, ‘best at what?’ But if there were a title, Rolls-Royce would have to be amongst the top contenders for it. It has always made beautifully designed, built and performing cars for those who can afford to pay for noexpense- spared quality.

LIST OF PARTS

When I pressed him to outline his trade, Rolls owner Ed Pollard reluctantly admitted to being an academically-qualified mechanical engineer — he hastily added that he had learnt to use his hands along the way. In every aspect of this car there is evidence of the owner’s contributions to what has become a very beautiful and definitively classic car.

It started life as a 1930 20/25 Rolls-Royce built for and sold to a Mrs Palethorpe, a member of Britain’s most famous independent sausagemaking firm. Mrs Palethorpe paid £999 for the chassis then, of course, the body was a further expense on top of that.

Factory cards and drawings for most of the prewar cars were rescued by UK RR club members when they were to be sent to the tip. Consequently, Ed has a copy of this car’s original build card.

The build card details all the bits used; the LOP — List Of Parts — identifies everything starting with the crankshaft, and who did the work. It means that this car is easily verified.

Interestingly, some parts are differently numbered to the rest; apparently the fact these parts are listed on the LOP simply means the builders picked up the wrong part from the supplies available. Cars were being pre-planned and then hand-built. Ed doesn’t know when this car came to NZ, but guesses at about 15 years ago. It was about 12 years ago that Ed acquired it as a project, and 10 years later it was, to all intents and purposes, finished.

BODY BUILDER

He was going to build a drophead coupe. The body it came with was a rather horrible-looking one — labelled as a Sports Saloon, not the original which was a Barker Sedanca De Ville.

Ed knew what he wanted and, using resources gathered from the UK club, he scaled up and produced full-sized drawings. From these his boat-building brother made the framing for a replica Park Ward-style four-seater coupe, ready for Alan Bowden to panel in aluminium at Classicar Restorations in Auckland.

The 20/25 started as a designated 20hp car, aiming at the ‘economy model’ niche already occupied by models from makers such as Sunbeam, Vauxhall and Armstrong Siddeley. That was well below the 40/50 series cars (Silver Ghost and later Phantoms), which were slower moving.

The cars already occupying this ‘economy’ niche weren’t inferior vehicles, they were all very fine examples of British motor engineering when it really meant something to talk about ‘Best of British.’Yet such was the respect with which the Rolls-Royce name was held, that it was very successful — even amongst such a difficult group — selling nearly 3000 examples of the 20hp, and even more of the later 20/25hp chassis; 7000 all up, I think.

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE

I’m going to have trouble keeping away from the legendary aspects of the marque, because you could fill the whole of this issue with material about the facts and the fictions of this great firm’s approach to building the perfect motor carriage. Consequently, I’m offering a montage of impressions starting with the overall view.

From any angle, this is an imposing vehicle. It’s a giant in any company, a car that, even just simply sitting quietly in your driveway, needs a castle behind it to give a scale to view and appreciate it from.

A narrower focus produces cameos of excellence in the details. Both sides of the motor and engine bay illustrate a busy, yet well organised treatment of ancillaries — of wiring and of control rods. All contained in a beautiful example of engineering excellence that still looks to be easily understood and followed through on if you’re moderately knowledgeable.

That famous radiator is made up of the radiator core, which is connected directly onto the shell, with the header tank being part of the top. The very important louvres in front work from the dashboard by control rods — in fact a great deal is controlled by adjustable rods; spark advance, fuel mixture and the magneto. A mark of the good engineering principles applied is that there is no ‘lost’movement.

Sit in the driver’s seat, and the focus changes to an environment comparable with any drawing room from the residences of the wealthy classes of the ’20s. There’s polished mahogany, Wilton carpet, leather seating and panels — and ivory and brightwork appointments.

The dashboard is stocked with a bevy of understated, tastefully treated gauges and switches, set into polished woodwork. This latter is the work again of Ed, if you ever get a chance have a look, as it’s so Rolls-Royce.

The trunk opens to reveal more polished woodwork, including green baize-lined trays of tools. The total space looks comfortable enough to travel in, or at least good enough for a well regarded but possibly garrulous mother-in-law.

This car is a very early variation of the original 20hp, in which the chassis has been slightly stretched and a marginally larger motor fitted to create the 20/25hp version.

Later cars were still more powerful, and as part of Rolls-Royce’s on-going improvements policy had such refinements as all synchromesh ’boxes.

How does it drive? It’s a bloody Rolls-Royce — they all drive as great as they look! Having run out of space, I feel frustrated about scarcely scratching the surface of all that is entailed in this fascinating car. A truly great classic, but I’m looking forward to Ed’s next project — a rakish Phantom III V12.

CARPETS

Ed’s used an Australian Wilton-type carpet available here in NZ at Brintons Carpets (NZ) (09 379 9025 www.brintons.net). It looks to me to be far superior to the other alleged car carpets. I’ll have to look into it for the project 2002, plus my Rapier which has English carpet that looked great, but lasted five minutes before it shrunk and moulted.

PROFESSIONALS

Ed Pollard’s superbly reincarnated Rolls-Royce is the product of professionals and amateurs. It’s a top class international collectible, rebuilt with meticulous attention to detail. It’s not the first Rolls-Royce I’ve seen which has demonstrated the skills of Alan Bowden’s Classicar Restoration in Penrose, and the perfection of Lars Wedinger’s trimming, not to mention Kirk Benge’s perfect paintwork. With any international classic, a very discerning market is prepared to pay full price — provided the workmanship is of the highest. As you can imagine, when it comes to a Rolls-Royce — which starts with that sort of standard — you have to know what you’re doing on a rebuild.

I’m acquainted with the work of several top class trimmers here in Auckland (plus one in Whangarei), but there’s something about Lars Wedinger’s work that sets it apart when it comes to vintage cars. The excellence of this work is summed up when Ed commented about Lars coming down and measuring up for the tonneau cover, going back and making it up, then sending it to Ed — and it fitted perfectly.

Amateur achievements with this car include the owner’s own work, with new door handles, the sun visor, the window frame, the window winding mechanism and heaps of other items that you’d swear were factory — such as the Landau irons for the cabriolet. The trunk also is a work of art, made by Ed and including a beautifully finished tool tray folding out from the lid, and the proper Rolls-Royce tools — mostly — one or two are still missing. There’s even a special storage place that keeps a spare head gasket protected until it is required.

A hell of a project, because for all these items Ed first of all had to find out what it was meant to look like, then find one to copy, then work out how to reproduce it before finally making it himself.

The other amateur is Ed’s boat builder brother — although whether or not he should be classified ‘amateur’ is a moot point.