Description
1937 Rolls Royce Phantom 3 Windovers Sedanca De ville
Chassis number: 3-BU-158
Registration Number: RN1007 (Portugal)
A simply magnificent Phantom 3 in absolutely perfect running order. This car fomred part of a Swiss collection where it had a full engine rebuild to like new prior to being sold into the current collection. The engine thus has very few miles having been driven a couple of times from Porto to The Algarve & also given sparing local usage. The engine is as quiet as any Phantom 3 I have heared. It exhibits excellent oil pressure both hot & cold. Water temperature on the 70 degree day we drove & photographed the car runs around 70 degrees at highway speeds rising to only 80 degrees in heavy traffic.
Coachwork is a large imposing but quite rakish design by noted builders Windovers. The sedanca unit is very well thought out with a self furling roof cover & arms that fold back & locate into pegs inside the sedanca storage area which is then concealed by the usual fold out cover making for a smart appearance when open.
The current owner of the car for the last two decades in one of Portugals most noted car restorers. As a result the car has been looked after & maintained without regard to cost in perfect mechanical condition. The brakes for example are light, pin sharp & have the feel of being from a far more modern post war car. The one shot is all connected & fully functional. The steering is light & taut with no play in it.
Exterior paintwork is flawless silver over black presenting beautifully. To the front seats is new black leather replacing the original which had cracjed due to its age. The rear passenger compartment is completely original in grey cloth extending also to the useful occasional seats. The rear passengers are afforded privacy when required by twin slide out wooden blinds that blank out the rear quarter windows when pulled out. The coachwork has a central division but unlike many division cars there remains plenty of room up front making it a comfortable driving expereince even for someone as tall as myself at 6ft 3".
The best part of this car however is the driving experience which is sublime. To drive this car is to appreciate how these cars were when they were new. It wafts along at 60 or 70mph in complete silence effortlessly counting off the miles. I cannot speak highly enough of the mechanical condition of this car as it is the best I have driven & is a credit to the current onwer & the mechancial skills of his garage which maintins a variety of other pre war & post war Rolls Royce motor cars.
The car is european taxes paid with Portugese registration. It may be viewed by prior arrangement in Porto.
