Monterey auction season has started which means the best collector inventory of the year will be added to catalogs as of now. RM has a crazy selection of cars and I'll probably start a separate thread on that auction. I wanted to talk about this RR and why it is so awesome.
https://www.goodingco.com/lot/1932-rolls-royce-phantom-ii-continental-close-coupled-coupe
1. It is a Phantom II Continental. To me the Phantom II is the prewar RR to own. Classic styling with the long hood but lots of advancements over the Ghost and the Phantom I. The V12 Phantom III would be the pinnacle you would think, but the hood is not as long and the radiator shell is moved forward of the front axel so the styling is not as great. Also it is more complicated to maintain.
2. It is a Continental. This is the shorter 144" wheelbase over the standard 150" wheelbase. Along with extra leave springs and sometimes a higher rear axle ratio and possibly an exhaust cutout these cars were designed for fast touring and are comfortable cruising along at 60 mph.
3. The styling is fantastic. Double rear spare close coupled coupe styling is awesome! Will wait for the description but possibly a 1 of 1 design. I love it.
4. Note some of the design features. It does not have the slanted louvers which would have been nice. But it does have the louvers extended in to the cowl which is a cool optional feature. Also, note the rear hinged doors and the low green house.
5. Two things would make this car better. It is a JS series car so around 1931 build date. A late car with the synchro on 2/3/4 gear would be great. Also, I'm shocked it doesn't have buckets.
Would a vintage RR of this period typically have bucket seats?
As far as I know all the owner driven cars had buckets. The divider cars did not.
That is a great looking car A.J. what do you think it will sell for?
Fantastic styling. Almost sinister.
What a beauty! Will be watching this one.
It is a real statement car in profile. As you pointed out AJ, the minimized greenhouse and hood length "nail it". Visually the car speaks for itself. Even non-car people see it and know it is "special". The rear profile of the cabin in line with the rear axle finishes the look of the car with the handsome lines/ratio we love in the Phaeton designs of Classics of the era (vice a touring example with the cabin lines much further back and hanging off the rear axle).
There is not much that comes to mind that would compete with this visually in a closed car from that year.
Good analysis John, It does tick a lot of boxes and that is why the estimate is so high. For comparison the Gurney Nutting Sedanca on the continental chassis was always the car everybody wanted. They were touching a million bucks for a while. This was a really nice car from the Orin Smith collection that RM sold last year for 434k. Didn't look like it needed anything.
The car we are talking about may need at least 200k in sorting to tour reliably (I'm guessing from the pictures). So if it hits mid estimate you are looking at 800k all in. Do you think it is twice the car?
Btw, this car has the slanted louvers I mentioned before.
Wow, beautiful car. Do you know how many of these particular models were built?
Thanks for sharing this, I know very little about Rolls-Royce but I'm happy to learn.
The estimate seems low for a car like this.
Stuff like this is so hard to price. It is not like a Vette or a Mustang where even super rare ones might sell once a year. I posted the Gurney Nutting but another comp might be the Freestone and Webb Razor Edge coupe. It sold for 2.4 million 13 years ago. The thing is you might be looking at 1.5 million in restoration to make the restorations commensurate.
https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/ny13/lots/r106-1933-rollsroyce-phantom-ii-continental-sports-coupe-by-freestone-webb/
AJ, educate me (and maybe others) about the significance and definition of this being a Continental model?
I was lusting after this car a while ago. I need to up my RR education. I'm not lacking in books about them, but it would help if I'd settle into a chair and actually read them......
https://www.classic.com/veh/1934-rolls-royce-phantom-ii-hj-mulliner-co-ltd-175-p0Pk9op/
John, if you don't have it buy this book. The only thing that truly distinguishes a Continental PII from a standard one is the wheelbase 144" vs 150" and the springs. After that there are a number of optional things that people associate with the Continental but were available on all the cars. Exhaust cutout, higher rear end ratio, extended louvers, slanted louvers, etc.
With the shorter wheelbase they typically are carrying sportier bodies than the 150 as they were meant to be owner driven.
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=32383627684&dest=USA
So "Continental" in Europe means it's more suited to extended touring, rather than "Spare tire on the back".
I’m pretty sure I do not have that book, thanks for the recommendation.
So limousines and town cars were more likely to be on the 150 in WB I presume..?
100%. And as @ShawnG implied, many of the continentals have rear mounted spares.
I love that patina!
Of course you do. Make sure you have credentials since I seem to have dropped off Gooding's list.
Now that is a Rolls Royce!!!
I know you are a post war guy but this is really close to the top of the mountain for 1930s RR.
AJ, it is interesting that it has a skirted front fender and not rear (no one has mentioned I think). The part of this that doesn't look great (but I wouldn't throw it out of the garage) is the lower hood/cowl/door line doesn't flow as in the tan slanted louver example. It looks a little "blocky" in profile with the somewhat horizontal lower edge of the hood. Also they left something on the design table with the vertical rear edge of the hood and the slanted front edge of the door (again especially with the lower curved door swoop). It would work better with a sidemount but of course that would destroy the concept.
-Dan.
Agreed. The slanted louvers were a really nice touch, especially with rear spares. My biggest esthetic issue is the rear spares need to be angled more towards the car. I think they are supposed to be on a straight line and perhaps they have sagged every slow slightly over the years.
Of course I would hold my nose and love it to death. Or at least until I learned to hate it as it bankrupted me.
Here is another Continental PII that Gooding tried to sell last summer at Monterey and it failed to meet reserve. Estimate was 250 to 300k. What I liked is that as a series "TA" car it should have had synchro in at least 3rd and 4h along with other improvements over the subject car.
Clearly not as imposing the sidemounts provide a much different perspective.
https://www.goodingco.com/lot/1934-rolls-royce-phantom-ii-continental-drophead-sedanca-coupe-1
Here is another Continental that RM will be selling at Monterey. Estimate is 275 to 375. The period racing history is very cool.
Raced in the 1932 RAC 1000 Miles Rally and the Monte Carlo Rally, where it was driven by R.H.W. Jaques and renowned lady competitor Margaret Allen
Completed the Peking to Paris Rally in 2013, finishing 14th overall
Wears an extensive restoration said to have been completed in 2017
https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mo26/lots/r0133-1930-rollsroyce-phantom-ii-continental-drophead-coupe-by-barker/
