Jump to content

American Rolls Royce (Ghost, PI & PII)

alsancle

By alsancle,
in CCCA - General

 Share Followers 6

Recommended Posts

alsancle

alsancle 4,774

Posted
  • Author
Posted
37 minutes ago, 34LaSalleClubSedan said:

Love the DuPont Duco plug. What year was this ad ??? 

 

Jim,  if you double click on the picture and look up in  your browser's URL bar you will see the filename which gives the newspaper and date.

 

St__Louis_Post_Dispatch_Wed__Feb_8__1928

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
John_Mereness

John_Mereness 4,483

Posted
Posted
On 11/25/2020 at 9:20 AM, alsancle said:

 

This could be a great topic.   Which cars tend to be trailer queens vs which cars tend to be tour cars.   Probably some obvious reasons what a car lands in either category.   I'm thinking about 540K Mercedes which is almost always a trailer queen (I know of two instances of one touring in 25 years).

It is a dedication and it gets harder by the day.  

 

It is also incredibly expensive - I should just open my wallet and ask people to root around in it until they are happy (happy for many to most would be emptying it and I do not blame them as I give people some horrendous projects of "that is really broken good").   Then there is just complicated:  I think my posted somewhere here last week about my upholster threatening to "slap me silly" if I brought him another X to do - says I am great to work with, but my projects are much more not fun over the regular not fun projects. 

 

Dad and I were discussing that the Auburn has probably cost us an extra 40K (and I am frugal) over what would be trailer queen maintenance over past 15 years for the pleasure of having a car that can be driven anywhere.   I have no doubt that the Auburn I am doing now will be undependable for probably 2 years while I shake the bugs out.  Use to be with a lot of old timers that when we sent something for a drivetrain rebuild the rule was put 1K miles on it and then drive it over to the house and drop it off - try to find people that will do that today.   And so it goes ....

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites
alsancle

alsancle 4,774

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 7/30/2017 at 1:09 PM, alsancle said:

There is little conversation on these fantastic cars so I want to start one.    I don't know much about the Silver Ghost other than the design lasted a long long time.   The PI & II are more in my wheelhouse as they were dead in the middle of the Classic era.   Springfield RR were made from about 1920 to 1931 in Massachusetts.  I believe all the PI and PII cars were LHD.   The PII chassis were built in England and shipped to the U.S. for body and assembly so I count them as "American".

 

I know some forum member own these and I'm hoping we can get some first hand impressions.  I know build quality is fantastic.  The engine is huge, but not geared to be a speed demon.  Although the later PII "continental" chassis were supposedly good for 90mph.   I don't know that the U.S. shipped models had that specification.

 

To kick things off,  here is a car I really want.  Sort of shame the took it apart.

 

http://www.realcar.co.uk/view-cars/2018

 

2018-215AMSext34.JPG

 

A very rare opportunity to acquire one of the small number of left hand drive Phantom IIs produced, in this case being a very attractive Sports Saloon in part dismantled state, ready for a relatively light restoration. The car was delivered new to Canada, and has remained there for its entire life until now. Some of the photos show the car as it arrived, partly dismantled by the last owner in preparation for restoration, and others with it loosely 'hung together' to give an indication of the car’s handsome appearance, which includes louvred bonnet, rear-mounted spare wheel, quarter bumpers, etc, etc. As you can see, there are many components included with the car, including nicely re-chromed bumpers. A fascinating project, probably never to be repeated. Click the video link below to see footage of the car arriving here, and pictures after partial re-assembly.

 

 

So it looks like the new owner of this PII has been very busy working on it.   Here are a couple of videos he posted to youtube.   In the second video he's hauling,  60 mph.   I'm wondering if this car has the continental rear end ratio.

 

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites
alsancle

alsancle 4,774

Posted
  • Author
Posted
6 hours ago, John_Mereness said:

Hard to imagine it does not need a reproduction Cylinder Head - I guess someone could have put one on years ago and properly stored it, but originals are time bombs and ....

 

They might have gone through the motor.   I think the owner has posted on here so maybe he'll come back at some point and comment.

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
alsancle

alsancle 4,774

Posted
  • Author
Posted
7 minutes ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

I assume the two taxis going in the opposite direction are still in service which is pretty wild.  Interesting, he imported LHD US made RR to the UK! 

 

Not exactly Steve.  The AJS/AMS PII was built in Derby and shipped to America for a Brewster body and a few minor "US" updates.   This particular in one of a very few that were bodied in England also.   It was originally delivered to Canada.  

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
edinmass

edinmass 11,370

Posted
Posted

I like it........decent looking for UK coachwork. Short or long chassis?

 

 

There is NOTHING better than a good Rolls, and NOTHING worse than a bad one.  

 

 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Keith Ward

Keith Ward 9

Posted
Posted

Long chassis, original head and standard differential, cruises nicely at 60 to 65 not labouring or over revving, goes like a bomb for such an old car, all systems original and working as expected, smooth and quiet, a good example of the 1930s driving experience. Frame replaced last year, bodywork being restored this and next year (slowly because of Covid difficulties) the car will be restored to good functional condition in preparations for an Alpenfahrt and then a trans America run (work permitting) The car will never be judged, I have no interest in rosettes, See you all when we come over for the trans America.

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
alsancle

alsancle 4,774

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 12/8/2020 at 4:15 PM, Keith Ward said:

Long chassis, original head and standard differential, cruises nicely at 60 to 65 not labouring or over revving, goes like a bomb for such an old car, all systems original and working as expected, smooth and quiet, a good example of the 1930s driving experience. Frame replaced last year, bodywork being restored this and next year (slowly because of Covid difficulties) the car will be restored to good functional condition in preparations for an Alpenfahrt and then a trans America run (work permitting) The car will never be judged, I have no interest in rosettes, See you all when we come over for the trans America.

 

Thanks for the update Keith.  Please keep us posted.  The trans-America run seems very interesting!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Fox H.

Fox H. 13

Posted
Posted
On 12/8/2020 at 2:15 PM, Keith Ward said:

Long chassis, original head and standard differential, cruises nicely at 60 to 65 not labouring or over revving, goes like a bomb for such an old car, all systems original and working as expected, smooth and quiet, a good example of the 1930s driving experience. Frame replaced last year, bodywork being restored this and next year (slowly because of Covid difficulties) the car will be restored to good functional condition in preparations for an Alpenfahrt and then a trans America run (work permitting) The car will never be judged, I have no interest in rosettes, See you all when we come over for the trans America.

I would love to see a well-documented trans-America/Canada run! Videos, photos, and all the details. I have long been wanting to do something similar and could use the information for both inspiration and planning. Absolutely wonderful car!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
John_Mereness

John_Mereness 4,483

Posted
Posted (edited)

I was hoping this was my former car when new, but thinking it is an English chassis in Brewster Town Car style verses being a "Dover new" sedan

 

gettyimages-1195065792-640x640.jpg.1464996562fe07f670b51ffdbf6677d6.jpg

 

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/polo-champions-superimposed-over-action-shot-from-polo-news-footage/1195065792?adppopup=true

 

 

Edited by John_Mereness (see edit history)
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
Keith Ward

Keith Ward 9

Posted
Posted

Interesting comment about the new cylinder heads thank you. I have 2 original cylinder heads for this car, the original repaired one and a spare, it works well. I spent a lot of cash on these cylinder heads firstly because I want the car to retain as much originality as I can and secondly because having spoken to other owners I have heard some things about the repro heads that I'm not sure are good, boiling being a common comment because the new heads have been made with thicker aluminium so they resist corrosion leaks longer, this means there is more hot metal to be cooled with less water. Also with modern corrosion inhibitors the original heads should give good service. It's all just my opinion I guess but I filled my cooling system 3 years ago with 40% fernox Alphi II and there has been no corrosion during that time and no leaks have occurred. Also remember it is an un-pressurised water jacket working at about 65 to 70 degrees Centigrade, and modern epoxy putty products like "Quicksteel" will plug all but the most catastrophic roadside coolant/casting problems.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Followers 6
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...