ROLLS ON DISPLAY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30289, 15 November 1963, Page 13

ROLLS ON DISPLAY

QIX Rolls-Royce cars will form the central display at the Vintage Car Club's annual motor display in the King Edward Barracks this evening. They will’ range from a 1931 20/25 R.R. saloon, owned by Mr G. W. Wright, to a 1959 Silver Cloud owned by Mr V. R. Skellerup. Another Rolls on show will be the 1938 Phantom 111 illustrated. One of the most regal and impressive Rolls models, it is owned by Mr R. T. Tidswell, of Christchurch. Mr Tidswell has had the car little more than a week. It was originally Owned by a Mr Scott-Mason, of Birmingham, and he kept it until 1557. It then belonged to two other owners in Britain before being imported into New Zealand in 1961 for Mr A. V. James, of Tauranga.

The Rolls-Royce is in excellent condition. The chassis price in 1938 was £2000; for comparison, an Austin Seven chassis then cost £B2 10s; The complete car, with the Hooper body, cost, z £3ooo, Compared With the complete Austin at £lO2 10s. RollsRoyce have said that to build a comparable chassis today, because of the quality and complexity, would cost between £15,000 and £20,000.

The engine is a Vl2 of 7.3 litres capacity. Bore and stroke is 82 nun. by 114 m.m., and overhead valves are used. The car weighs about 58cwt, but the engine can propel it at more than 100 miles an hour. Wheelbase is lift lOin, and over-all length about 15ft 6in. There are two separate hydraulic braking systems. The Phantom HI is,the first Rolls with independent front suspension, and has automatic adjustment of the shock absorber setting which varies with the speed of the car. There is also a

manual control inside the car. Ignition is by twin coils ond distributors, and twin fuel pumps feed a single carburettor. Fuel consumption is about 12 miles a gallon. The car has a division between the front and rear seats, and is luxuriously finished throughout. The polished walnut facings are in good condition, as are the fawn soft-hide seats and the matching carpets. Mr Tidswell's car is the only Rolls-Royce, phantom 111 in New Zealand.