1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Sedanca De Ville by Hooper

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This is one of the most elegant. rare and useable Rolls Royces from the Thirties. It is a 1937 Rolls Royce Phantom III Sedanca De Ville by Hooper.

165 hp. 7. 40 cc OHV V-12 engine with dual ignition. separate four-speed manual gearbox. independent front suspension by coil springs. live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs. and four-wheel servo-operated drum brakes. Wheelbase: 140 in.

One of 20 PIII Sedanca de Villes by Hooper and only 3 to this design.

In 1935. Rolls-Royce replaced the Phantom II with its first 12-cylinder model. the Phantom III. More compact than the straight-six Phantom II engine. the firewall could be moved forward about eight inches. allowing coachbuilders to create more spacious passenger compartments. The Phantom III chassis was massively overbuilt. providing a strong platform for large bodies. The forward position of the engine allowed for many innovative body designs. though most PIIIs were formal town cars and limousines. not stylish Sedancas. such as this example.

The PIII was well-received by well-heeled buyers. and the British magazine The Autocar published an extensive road test of it in its October 2. 1936 issue. sub-titled. “Road Travel In Its Most Advanced and Refined Form Provided by the New Twelve-Cylinder Model. ”

The new 7. 40-cubic centimeter engine was 328 cubic centimeters smaller than the Phantom II. but its output was greater. The powerful 12-cylinder engine was matched with a new suspension. with shock absorbers adjusted by the driver. It delivered comfortable high-speed touring. and it was able to maintain 80 mph for hours.

Hooper & Co. (Coachbuilders) Ltd. was one of the most respected English coachbuilders. and it operated from 1905 to 1959. carrying royal warrants from 1930 until 1946. Most Hooper body orders came from Rolls-Royce. but a few early commissions were from Daimler. Clients included the Emperor of Japan. the King of Egypt. King Edward VII. Prince Hamiddulah of Bhopal. and the Shah of Persia. After the WWII. one of Hooper's first commissions was for a convertible body for the King of Arabia. also on a Rolls-Royce Phantom III chassis.

This chassis was delivered to Hooper in June 1937. the Sedanca bidy. it still wears today. was built and the car was delivered to its first owner. R Levin. In 1958 the car was bought by Viscount Crookshank. a friend of R Levin. as Harry Crookshank. he was the leader of the House of Commons and the car is mentioned in his biography.

1961 a Brian Morgan bought the car and then commissioned a complete engine and chassis restoration by Rolls Royce and a body restoration by TF Ford.

The car is illustrated on page 384 of "Rolls Royce-The Derby Phantom" In 1962 the car then went to the USA until its return in 1984. throughout the eighties and nineties P&A Wood looked after the car and carried out all necessary work. The car has a full and comprehensive history. was a part of a famous US Collection and is now back in the UK. ready for its next owner. There are invoices for over £50k of remedial work in the nineties which stands the car in good stead today.

It would form the centrepiece of any collection and is a pleasure to use and drive. The steering is light for a car of this size and the Hooper body is of the best quality and luxury. The colours are superb and the older restoration is still looking very good indeed. A rare and beautiful car.

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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