1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Allweather Drophead Coupé
- Engine
- 7.7L inline-six
- Colour
- Black over red interior
The sole Phantom II originally bodied as a Drophead Coupé by Allweather of London, this 1935 Rolls-Royce was commissioned by DAKS trouser magnate Alexander Simpson with Continental-specification features including low-rake steering and uprated springs, despite riding the long-wheelbase chassis. Its dramatically elongated hood and uninterrupted chrome side profile make it visually unique among Phantom IIs. Subsequent owners included hotelier Sir Francis Towle and decorated Army officer Lieutenant General Noel Mason-MacFarlane. Fully restored in the late 1980s in black over red, it has since been exhibited at Pebble Beach and several other prestigious concours.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$390,000
- 1935 →Factory deliveryAlexander Simpsonfull documentation
Original owner, founder of the DAKS self-supporting trouser brand; factory build records specify the car was intended for high-speed touring in Britain and Europe.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownSir Francis Towlepartial documentation
Distinguished hotelier credited with helping found the Dorchester Hotel in London.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownLieutenant General Noel Mason-MacFarlanepartial documentation
Senior British Army officer who served as Governor of Gibraltar during the Second World War and reportedly devised an unexecuted plan to assassinate Hitler.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownTwo additional recorded UK ownerspartial documentation
Two further British custodians are on record before the car crossed to the United States.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownRobert Passpartial documentation
Noted American collector during whose ownership a full restoration was carried out in the late 1980s, resulting in the current black-over-red livery.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownCurrent vendorpartial documentation
Has maintained the car carefully and exhibited it selectively at various concours events since acquiring it from the Pass collection.
Competition
- 20102010 Pebble Beach Concours d'EleganceAward recipient
The car received formal recognition at this prestigious California concours.
- —Meadowbrook Concours d'EleganceAward recipient
- —Mar-a-Lago Concours d'EleganceAward recipient
- —Boca Raton Concours d'EleganceAward recipient
- —Greenwich Concours d'EleganceAward recipient
Maintenance & restoration
- —Restoration
Comprehensive restoration carried out while the car was in the Robert Pass collection, resulting in its current livery of black coachwork over a red interior.
Prose describes the work as occurring in the late 1980s; no specific workshop is named.
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