The Phantom 40/50HP Phantom II’s graceful lines seemingly trace the journey from early- to mid-century motoring. Wilhelm Lutjeharms headed to Paarl to experience one of the most beautiful pre-war Rolls-Royces in South Africa.
Image: Peet Mocke
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Everything changed after WWII, but not just geopolitically and societally. When it came to all things automotive, there were massive strides in production methods, technology and design. Pre-war cars, although basic by today’s standards, remain some of the most elegantly designed pieces of machinery you’ll ever see. Cars such as the Bugatti Royale, the Delahayes and Duesenbergs of that era, not to mention Mercedes-Benz’s 500K and 540K are prime examples of what can only be described as forms of automotive art. Ranked right up there is none other than Rolls-Royce, which was founded in 1904 and quickly became a de facto choice of wheels for well-heeled folks who appreciate luxury and performance.
Unlike some of the above mentioned manufacturers, Rolls-Royce has survived to this day and become one of those phenomena of genericization where people use the term ‘Rolls-Royce’ to indicate a product’s quality or cost: “James have bought himself a Patek Philip wristwatch, the Rolls-Royce of watches”. This 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom is just such a case in point. Make no mistake, this is a sizeable car. Walking up to it, opening the door and especially once behind the large, four-spoke steering wheel, you know you are piloting a significant piece of beautifully shaped metal.
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There are also numerous elements and features on the car that you feel compelled to touch and feel. At the front are a trio of large main headlamps, hooter trumpets, and the glistering chrome bumper. The beautifully shaped wheel fenders envelop the front wheels; smoothly running towards the rear before they rise again over the rear arches, elegantly ending at a rear bumper that sports a neat chrome strip covering the sides of the rear wheel arches.
The spare wheel is neatly settled into the rear decklid, which is also finished with eye-catching chrome strips. Spend some time with these mid-century classic cars, and you do wonder if their chrome finishes aren’t forerunners to the part carbon-fibre trim plays in modern automotive design. Looking lower down, your gaze is met by flat-tip exhaust pipe that serves as another reminder of the Rolls-Royce’s age. It’s a feature that was in fashion at the time and would remain so in the years to come.
The fact that it is an open-top car only further adds to the experience. As I take my seat, there are immediately a few signature touches that grab one’s attention. First is the long bonnet that stretches out in front of you, with the Spirit of Ecstasy sculpture perched atop the Pantheon grille some distance away. Open the heavy engine cover on each side and the mechanicals of the 7.7-litre inline-six residing beneath are a sight to behold.
The windscreen is fairly low, which further adds to the sporty, in-period design of the Phantom, and makes it look purposefully fast for its time. Behind the steering wheel and to your left are a number of analogue dials and switches. This car is not only about driving but also about the physical interaction between it and the driver. In the middle of the steering wheel are three levers, one of which operates the ignition, which can be toggled between “early” and “late”.
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Sitting to the far left is the less important speedometer, while the rev counter, which is far more important in classic motoring, sits closer to the steering wheel. Needless to say, this large-capacity engine is all about torque and even at 1 500 r/min there is already a welcoming amount of performance on offer. To my right is a very tall lever which operates the handbrake, followed by a marginally shorter lever for the four-speed transmission. Driving older cars often demands a degree of physical dexterity to which we’re not accustomed, and the Phantom is no exception. Besides steering, the driver has to manoeuvre their legs away from these levers when operating the car. Some thought and mechanical understanding go into pulling away from a standstill and then managing that tall lever to switch gears. You really need to push and pull that lever with an unusual mixture of physical effort and mechanical sympathy to engage each respective ratio.
There is significant play in the steering, and you do notice the flex in the chassis, but then you just need to remind yourself that this car is approaching its centenary. Don’t leave your braking too late, though, as you need to start slowing down that substantial frame in ample time before you want to come to a complete halt.
Accomplish all these tasks, and to say it is an event to operate this car will be an understatement. Once you are up to speed, however, it’s the smiles, waves and thumbs up of other road users which you can’t help but notice. It is completely understandable as such a unique car in this condition driving on the public road is a sight few of us will see in our lifetime.
As expected, this Rolls-Royce (chassis number 50-SK) has undergone a couple of rebodies in its life. From the production line, it was delivered to coachbuilder J S Woolley to be bodied as a foursome coupé. The original invoice shows it was bought for the amount of £1 442. Post-World War Two, it was rebodied as a boat tail in 1968. More recently in 2005, it was rebodied by David A.C. Royle & Co Ltd to represent the body of the Mercedes-Benz 540K. The current owner has had it in his collection for four years.
It is a car from a completely different era – a car in which I felt it appropriate to at least wear a collared shirt and a jacket, although my tie collection is currently too small to have had the ideal item of period-accurate neckwear for the occasion. Is it a piece of art? That will depend on each enthusiast’s own perspective, but if art can be defined as something created to be beautiful in the eyes of a beholder, then the Phantom II has emphatically ticked that box.
Find the full feature in the December issue of CAR Magazine.
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