Rolls Royce Phantom III C2 Series Sedanca de Ville by H.J. Mulliner
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Car producer : |
Rolls Royce |
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Model: |
Phantom III C2 Series Sedanca de Ville by H.J. Mulliner |
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Year: |
1936-1939 |
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Type: |
Sedanca |
The Rolls-Royce Phantom III was the final large pre-war Rolls-Royce. Introduced in 1936, it replaced the Phantom II and it was the only V12 Rolls-Royce until the 1998 introduction of the Silver Seraph. 727 V12 Phantom III chassis were constructed from 1936 to 1939, and many have survived. Although chassis production ceased in 1939 (with one final chassis being built in 1940), cars were still being bodied and delivered in 1940 and 1941. The very last car, though completed in 1941, was not delivered to its owner until 1947.
The Phantom III is powered by an aluminium-alloy V12 engine of 447in³ (7.32L), having a bore of 3.25 inches (82.5 mm) and a stroke of 4.5 inches (114.3 mm). It is a pushrod engine with overhead valves operated by a single camshaft in the valley between the cylinder banks. Early cars had hydraulic tappets or, rather, a unique system of eccentric bushings in each individual rocker that was actuated by a small hydraulic piston; the eccentric bushing ensuring zero valve-lash at the rocker/valve interface. This system was changed to solid adjustable tappets in 1938. The Phantom III is unusual for its twin ignition systems, with two distributors, two coils and 24 spark plugs. Petrol is provided by a twin SU electric pump. Wire wheels are fitted as standard, but many cars carry Ace wheel discs which were fitted to improve cosmetics and to reduce the time taken to clean the wire wheels after use.
The car features on-board jacking and a one-shot chassis lubrication system, operated by a lever inside the driver's compartment. Independent front suspension by a coil spring-based system is complemented by a carryover semi-elliptical spring unit in the rear. The car has a 4-speed manual transmission with synchromesh on gears 2, 3 and 4. An overdrive gearbox was added in 1938, the ratio change being contained in the gearbox rather than in a separate unit. The car has 4-wheel servo-assisted brakes applied by cable (using a servo made under licence from Hispano-Suiza). The radiator shell is of Staybrite steel.
Only the chassis and mechanical parts were made by Rolls-Royce. The body was made and fitted by a coachbuilder selected by the owner or a dealer who might have cars built for showroom stock. Some of the most famous coachbuilders who produced bodies for Rolls-Royce cars are Park Ward, Mulliner, Hooper and Thrupp & Maberly. Body types as well as limousines included saloons, coupés, and convertibles. A handful of used cars have been converted to hearses and shooting brakes.
John S. Inskip worked as a salesman for Locomobile’s New York distributor before moving to Rolls-Royce’s showroom on Eighth Avenue and 58th Street and by 1930, when coachbuilder Brewster’s Fifth Avenue showroom was closed, Inskip was running the Eighth Avenue operation. Robert W. Schuette’s small distributorship was also taken over by Rolls-Royce of America at this time. By 1934 Inskip was the President of the Springfield Manufacturing Corporation which was effectively a reorganized Brewster and Co. Inskip later acquired the New York distributorship for Rolls-Royce and leased Brewster’s former Long Island City factory where he would continue to build bodies. As well as having a showroom on 57th and Fifth in Manhattan, his business expanded to include dealerships in West Palm Beach, Florida and Providence, Road Island.
