The twelfth and last
Rolls-Royce bought by Maharaja Sir Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla was a fabulous Phantom
III 1937. The 3BU 198 Phantom III chassis came off test on 25th
February 1937, fitted with engine no. X18E, and with steering first at the high
C rake but changed during construction to the middle E rake. It went to
Windovers Limited on 1st March 1937, where they built a sedanca de
ville, to design no. 4986 and body number 6456. The car had false landau irons,
and two spare wheels, one to each side. Unusually for a car for use in the UK,
it was fitted with Marchal headlamps. A radio and ‘Philco Rola’ loud speakers were installed in keeping with advancement in
technology. It was painted Embassy Black, completed on 29th April
1937 and delivered to the Maharaja at his Old Windsor estate on 3rd
May with UK registration DXP 989. It looks remarkably similar to his Phantom II
1934 181 RY but, of course, with different engines and other features.
The Maharaja used the
car in the UK. The Second World War came two years later. The romantic era of
the 1920s and 1930s was over. Things were never the same again after the war. Rajpipla
State was merged with the Union of India in April 1948. Maharaja Vijaysinhji
passed away at Old Windsor in 1951.
In 1956 the car passed
on to John Blackwood of the large British engineering company Blackwood Hodge;
in 1961 it went to C. Campleman, still with its original hydraulic tappets, and
in 1962 was acquired by A.J.H. King in Kent with under 60,000 miles on the
meter. The car then passed into the hands of a member of the Swedish royal
family and apparently still retains one of the royal family's car badges, as
well as a window sticker. It then came into the ownership of a celebrated
collector and enthusiast, Hans Thulin. In the late 1980s it went to Germany
where the collector carried out a great deal of detailed restoration work to
the highest standards.
This splendid
automobile is now believed to be in remarkable condition, with excellent
chromed brightwork including an original 'spirit of ecstasy' mascot. The
luxurious interior has also been expertly restored in light brown leather with
superb highly-polished wood cappings, including a cocktail cabinet fitted to
the central division. It was last auctioned at Coys, London in December 2013.
