The Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental represents the pinnacle of pre-war luxury motoring. This particular example is very special indeed, a 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Sports Saloon by Thrupp & Maberly, a desirable short chassis saloon with the desirable F-Type gearbox! She has a full known history from new, is featured heavily in all the books, including the Andre Blaize Bible and whilst a show winner not 15 years ago, is now in need of recommissioning or restoring!
Specifically designed for the enthusiast owner-driver rather than chauffeur use, these powerful 7.7-litre cars were purpose-built for long-distance grand touring, utilising the F-type gearbox with higher final drive ratios. The Continental also had a shorter wheelbase and stiffer springs than those typically fitted by Rolls-Royce, meaning its handling was also improved. The chassis was the last designed under the supervision of Rolls-Royce co-founder Henry Royce. Out of a total of 1,681 Phantom II chassis, only 281 were Continentals, and roughly half of these Right Hand Drive. In the great Rolls-Royce tradition, coachwork was outsourced to independent specialists, of which Thrupp and Maberly’s sports saloon with its sloping roofline above the windscreen is perhaps the most refined and certainly the most desirable. Thrupp and Maberley built nine cars in a similar style, yet none were absolutely identical.
Chassis 157RY, is especially noteworthy. Its provenance includes ownership by renowned early collector D Cameron Peck and three decades on display at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. The car features a sliding sunroof over the separate, staggered front seats. A large luggage compartment was designed into the body, while a single, side-mounted spare tyre is found on the right-hand side. Lucas P100 headlamps were fitted, with matching driving lamp and fender lamps.
Originally ordered through Ollington Brothers in London against a deposit paid by George Kennedy on 13th March 1934, Chassis delivered to coachbuilders Thrupp & Maberly on 8th May 1934, with completed car delivered on 30th June 1934. First registered in London as AYY190, a number it still carries today, Passed through three further UK owners before being exported to the USA in 1939, Acquired by notable collector D Cameron Peck in 1945 through John Troka, the Chicago Duesenberg Agent then Owned by William Hayssen of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin from 1952 to 1977. Donated to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry in 1978, where it remained on display for 30 years, Sold through Bonhams auction in 2008 to a St Louis classic car dealer and then Purchased by the previous owner through RM Sothebys auction in 2010. She was exported to the UAE registered in June 2013, Abu Dhabi number 12-90964 but then Returned to the UK on 27th August 2021 and registered again with the DVLA on 13th February 2023, there is a Vast history file including numerous photographs of the car being exhibited in the UAE and detailed invoices/worksheets showing the extent of the restoration work
Acquired by the previous owner in 2010, the Rolls underwent some repairs in the UK at P&A Wood, to the tune of £12,500 before being shipped to Abu Dhabi, UAE, to be completed. Work included reconditioning the petrol tank and battery box, balancing the wheels, re-trimming the leather using 30-year-old Connolly hide, re-polishing the timber trim to the interior, Radiator has been re-cored, Magneto has been rebuilt and a Complete rewiring with replica cable performed. Registered there from 2013, it became a show-winning car, before being later re-imported to the UK in August 2021, with its original plates restored.
The car has been largely forgotten in storage in recent years and as a result, its condition has deteriorated. For those in search of a rare, usable and historically significant pre-war motorcar, this Phantom II Continental ticks all the right boxes. It is sure to be a rewarding winter project. If you only restore one car in your lifetime, this is the one! or alternatively, get her mechanically on her feet and just drive her as she is, patina is all the rage at the moment! There are not many PII Continentals on sale and they range up to £2.5 Million, this is less than half the price of the next available Continental, which may well nned the same money spent on it! They are very rarely offered as projects and they have always been desirable. This is the coolest prewar sports saloon and certainly unrepeatable!
