1924 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Piccadilly Special Roadster
- Engine
- 7.4L L-head inline six-cylinder, single carburetor
Chassis 342LF is a 1924 Springfield-built Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost bodied as a one-off Piccadilly Special Roadster, originally delivered to Alphonzo E. Bell — the oil magnate and developer of the Bel-Air estate. In the early 1930s it passed to Hollywood coachbuilder and modifier Joseph Reindl, who commissioned Judson Willingham to design a suite of bespoke changes including a V-windscreen, custom fenders, and modernised bodywork. After decades of obscurity and a cameo in a 1939 Paramount film, the car resurfaced in California club records before being found in a Los Angeles barn in 2012 and subsequently restored to concours condition.
Ownership
- 2020-01-16Auction saleSold US$330,000
- 1924 → 1930Factory deliveryAlphonzo E. Bellpartial documentation
Oil magnate, real estate developer, and philanthropist based in West Los Angeles. Parted with the car around 1930 when seeking more modern styling for his vehicle collection.
- 1930 →Private saleJohn C. Feyspartial documentation
Beverly Hills resident who briefly held the car after Bell divested his collection.
- 1931 → 1932Acquisition unknownJoseph Reindlpartial documentation
Prominent West Coast European car specialist operating from Hollywood. Commissioned significant coachwork and mechanical modifications to the car, completed in 1932.
- 1989 → 1999Acquisition unknownDr. Marvin Piperpartial documentation
Rolls-Royce marque collector and club member based in Altadena, California. Ownership documented through RROC records.
- 2006 →Acquisition unknownJustin Dingpartial documentation
Noted Rolls-Royce marque collector from Arcadia, California, recorded as owner in club records. The car was subsequently found in a Los Angeles barn in 2012 in deteriorated condition.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownJ. Cooperpartial documentation
Hollywood-based owner, possibly the same individual who co-owned a Rolls-Royce dealership in Hollywood, though this connection is unverified.
Competition
- —Muroc Dry Lake raceDriver: Joe Reindl2nd — unable to recover from mechanical difficulties
Informal high-stakes private contest between a supercharged Mercedes-Benz SSK driven by Reindl on behalf of the Marx brothers and a Duesenberg Model J piloted by Eddie Miller for Phil Berg. The Mercedes lost to the Duesenberg after early engine trouble. The Rolls-Royce 342LF was in Reindl's possession at this time but was not a participant in the race.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1932ModificationHollywood Spring and Axle
Comprehensive restyling carried out to designs by Judson Willingham and executed by Los Angeles builder Howard Moore, encompassing a V-shaped windscreen, a custom Phantom-inspired front valence, bespoke front fenders, updated headlamps and bumpers, plus chassis, spring and mechanical modifications by Reindl.
Work was a collaboration among Joseph Reindl, designer Judson Willingham, and builder Howard Moore, transforming the standard Piccadilly coachwork into a more modern and sporting one-off roadster.
- 2012Restoration
Following its discovery in a Los Angeles barn after decades of neglect, the car underwent an expert full restoration to concours standard.
The car was described as dilapidated at the time of discovery, reflecting more than six decades of relative disuse and the unfinished prior restoration attempt.
- —Restoration
An earlier attempt at restoration was undertaken at some point prior to 2012 but was abandoned before completion, leaving the car in a dilapidated state.
The incomplete restoration was discovered when the car was found in a Los Angeles barn in 2012.
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