Rolls-Royce Phantom I
| Rolls-Royce New Phantom | |
|---|---|
Rolls-Royce of America (US) | |
| Also called | 40/50 Phantom Phantom I |
| Production | 1925–1931 3,512 produced
|
| Assembly | United Kingdom: FR layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 7,668 cc (468 cu in) I6 |
| Transmission | 3-speed manual 4-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase |
|
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Silver Ghost |
| Successor | Phantom II |
The Rolls-Royce Phantom was
The Phantom was built in Derby, England, and Springfield, Massachusetts, in the United States. There were several differences in specification between the English and American Phantoms.
The Phantom was replaced by the Phantom II in 1929. The designation Phantom I was never used by Rolls-Royce; it is a construct of enthusiasts applied to help distinguish it from other generations with the same model name.
Description
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Name
Introduced in 1925, the New Phantom was Rolls-Royce's second
Drivetrain
One major improvement over the Silver Ghost was the new
Chassis
The New Phantom used the same frame as the Silver Ghost,[4] with semi-elliptical springs suspending the front axle[6] and cantilever springs suspending the rear axle.[6][7] Four-wheel brakes with a servo-assistance system licensed from Hispano-Suiza were also specified,[4][5][8] though some early US models lacked front brakes.[citation needed]
Differences between US and UK versions
Like the Silver Ghost, the New Phantom was constructed both at Rolls-Royce's Derby factory in the United Kingdom and at a factory in Springfield, Massachusetts in the United States.[4][5] The US factory produced New Phantoms from 1926 to 1931.[5]
Principal differences between the US and UK models included wheelbases and transmissions. Both versions were specified with the same standard 143+1⁄2 in (3,645 mm) wheelbase; the long-wheelbase U.S. model was 146+1⁄2 in (3,721 mm) and the UK 150+1⁄2 in (3,823 mm).[citation needed] Both versions used a single dry-plate clutch,[citation needed] with US models equipped with a centre change 3-speed transmission and UK a 4-speed.[5]
Other minor differences include fuel gauge placement, with the UK New Phantom's at the tank but some US models having one on the dash, and manual central lubrication systems. The UK Phantom employed Enots nipples, some times as many as 50, which required attachment of a special Enots oil pressure gun and needed time-consuming service at 500, 1000 and 2000 mile intervals;[citation needed] the US model used a centralized Bijur system which lubricated all the oiling points with a stroke of a single pump.[6]
Coachwork
Only the chassis and mechanical parts were produced by Rolls-Royce. The body was made and fitted by a coachbuilder selected by the owner. British coachbuilders who produced bodies for New Phantoms included Barker, Park Ward, [Windovers], Thrupp & Maberly, Mulliner, Hooper. Continental houses such as Saoutchik, Henry Binder and Kellner in Paris, Erdmann and Rossi in Berlin, Baltasar Fiol in Spain, Nordberg in Sweden and the Italian coachbuilder Zagato also produced coachwork for the New Phantom, just to name a few. Despite the availabilty of a US-built chassis, a handful of British-made Phantoms were outfitted with American coachwork.
American Phantoms could be bought with standardized bodies from
Production
References
- Citations
- ^ ISBN 0873414780.
- ^ The Rolls-Royce, Wood, p. 9
- ^ "1922 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost". Heritage Museum and Gardens. Heritage Museums & Gardens. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f The Rolls-Royce, Wood, p. 10
- ^ a b c d e f g The Story of Veteran & Vintage Cars, Posthumus, pp. 101-102
- ^ a b c Brooks, Philip C. (2009). Carpenter, Rhonda (ed.). "Sir Henry's Final Masterpiece Or How Glenn Ford Pushed a Button and Won the War". The International Club for Rolls-Royce & Bentley Owners Desk Diary 2009. Tampa, FL USA: Faircount: 34–41.
All in all, the Phantom I was a more modern car all around, and the Springfield Phantom I even had the Bijur centralized chassis lubrication system
- ^ The Story of Veteran & Vintage Cars, Posthumus, pp. 115
- ^ Autos.ca: Motoring Memories - Hispano-Suiza, Vance
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ A-Z of Cars of the 1920s, Baldwin
- Bibliography
- Baldwin, N. (1994). A-Z of Cars of the 1920s. Devon, UK: Bay View Books. ISBN 1-870979-53-2.
- Brooks, Philip C. (2009). Carpenter, Rhonda (ed.). "Sir Henry's Final Masterpiece Or How Glenn Ford Pushed a Button and Won the War". The International Club for Rolls-Royce & Bentley Owners Desk Diary 2009. Tampa, FL USA: Faircount: 34–41. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ISBN 0-600-39155-8.
- Vance, Bill (12 March 2001). "Motoring Memories: Hispano-Suiza". Autos.ca. Orleans, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Driver Communications. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
Rolls-Royce later adopted this system under licence from Hispano and used it for many years.
- Wood, Jonathan (2003) [1987]. The Rolls-Royce. Shire Album Series. Vol. 198 (2nd ed.). Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, UK: Shire Publications. ISBN 978-0-7478-0577-9. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
- de Campi, John Webb (1 January 1975). Rolls-Royce in America. Motorbooks International. ISBN 978-0901564146.