Rolls-Royce Phantom III - It's V-12 Engine, Chassis and Coachwork

[JV Puleo]

Another PIII story...

 

I was down in Exeter, RI with my friend E.A. Mowbray and his son, Drew, to look at a model A Drew was interested in. While we were there someone told us there was a RR for sale a few streets over. When we were done, we went to take a look. It was parked in a driveway with the hood up. The first thing I noticed was that it had a big, 6-cylinder engine it it! The seller wasn't much help...he called it a "Phantom one-eleven" so it was clear he was out of the loop as far as knowing anything. The body was one of those awkward  English sedans with the roof over the driver cut off to make it into a "town car". We stayed just long enough to be polite.

 

Years later I read an obit in a British car magazine praising the fellow who came up with the idea of putting a Bedford truck engine in a PIII. According to the magazine, this had saved many of them from a trip to the breakers yard since it was pretty generally assumed that a PIII engine was scrap if it had any problem at all. All this was long before the time of "investment" cars. Old car enthusiasts were just that...and usually didn't have piles of disposable cash so the writer may have had a point but I'd never heard of it save that one example I'd seen.

[Anton van Luijk]

On 4/27/2022 at 1:55 PM, alsancle said:

I talked about this one in another thread somewhere.  It is a Franay bodied PIII that was the Paris Salon show car.    It was in a private collection for decades and recently sold.  I assume being restored for Pebble.  A fantastic car.

We bought the car in 2018.

This picture was taken at the RREC Annual Rally in England when we just finished working on the car last year.

Edited August 25 by Anton van Luijk
Correction (see edit history)

[John Bloom]

18 minutes ago, Anton van Luijk said:

We bought the car in 2018.

This picture was taken at the RREC Annual Rally in England when we just finished working on the car last year.

Gorgeous, I’d love to hear more about it if you would be willing to share more about the restoration process and your thoughts on the car now. 
 

 

[alsancle]

One of the best looking PIII bodies.

[Anton van Luijk]

2 hours ago, John Bloom said:

Gorgeous, I’d love to hear more about it if you would be willing to share more about the restoration process and your thoughts on the car now. 
 

 

 

[Anton van Luijk]

Here's our car with its proud owner, John Paxton (actor/director) in the late 1950's.

[John Bloom]

Thanks for sharing.  Very Elegant with a powerful presence!

 

 

[1939_Buick]

6 hours ago, Anton van Luijk said:

We bought the car in 2018.

This picture was taken at the RREC Annual Rally in England when we just finished working on the car last year.

Interesting and good looking car (and very well photographed) Who made the body? Carlton?  Same era/year as the chassis?

Edited August 25 by 1939_Buick (see edit history)

[58L-Y8]

Thanks for bringing us up to date, I'd wondered how that wonderful Phantom III Franay sport sedan had fared after its sale.  So please to see it again roadworthy and displaying its marvelous design for all to enjoy.

[Anton van Luijk]

On 8/26/2024 at 12:00 AM, 1939_Buick said:

Interesting and good looking car (and very well photographed) Who made the body? Carlton?  Same era/year as the chassis?

Coachbuilder is Franay, both chassis and body are 1937.

[1939_Buick]

9 hours ago, Anton van Luijk said:

Coachbuilder is Franay, both chassis and body are 1937.

Thanks. Same car?

https://lbilimited.com/offerings/1937-rolls-royce-phantom-iii-by-franay/

[Anton van Luijk]

10 hours ago, 1939_Buick said:

Thanks. Same car?

https://lbilimited.com/offerings/1937-rolls-royce-phantom-iii-by-franay/

Yes, the only one made