1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Drophead Sedanca Coupé
- Engine
- 7.7L straight-six with alloy cylinder head
Chassis 97 RY is a 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental, one of only 281 short-chassis examples built at Derby, bodied as a Drophead Sedanca Coupé by Gurney Nutting to a design by Captain H.R. Owen. Delivered new to A.P. Bigelow, founder of Rentokil Initial, the car subsequently passed through several American owners before entering the celebrated Malcolm Pray collection in 2001. It has since returned to the United Kingdom and is notable for having been immortalised as a scale model kit by Revell.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €320,000 (≈ $352K)
- 1934 →Factory deliveryA.P. Bigelowfull documentation
American founder of Rentokil Initial, resident in London. Acquired the car via Captain H.R. Owen and specified a Gurney Nutting Drophead Sedanca Coupé body to Owen's own design. Chassis was tested on 6 February 1934 prior to delivery.
- → 2001Five unidentified US-era ownersnone documentation
A succession of five owners between Harold Davis and Malcolm Pray, details unrecorded.
- 2001 →Private saleMalcolm Praypartial documentation
Part of Pray's well-regarded collector vehicle collection. During this period the car was used as reference for a Revell model kit.
- 2007 →Private saleBritish enthusiastpartial documentation
Reimported the car to the UK and participated in the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club 50th Anniversary Rally before selling to the next owner.
- → 2016Private saleUnnamed prominent collectorpartial documentation
Held the car for approximately nine years, during which over £80,000 was spent on upkeep. Sold with close to 64,000 miles recorded, via dealer P&A Wood.
- 2016 →Private saleCurrent vendorpartial documentation
Acquired through P&A Wood. Car has been on static museum display during this ownership, necessitating recommissioning before road use.
- Date unknownHarold Davispartial documentation
Car was recorded in the USA in his possession by 1959.
Competition
- —Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club 50th Anniversary Rally
Car was entered by the British enthusiast owner who reimported it to the UK in 2007; no result or finishing position recorded.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Mechanical
Over £80,000 expended on upkeep and maintenance during approximately nine years of ownership by the penultimate collector.
Car was sold with a recorded mileage of just under 64,000 miles following this expenditure.
- —Service
Recommissioning work noted as necessary following an extended period of static museum display; car has not been used on the road during current ownership.
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