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The vehicle on display was originally delivered to
Mr. John Weiz of Brooklyn, NY on 9/29/29.
Originally fit with a Brewster, Lonsdale limousine
body, Mr. Weiz had the Phantom I re-bodied in 1930
with its current Fleetwood drophead coupe coach that
had been removed from a Cadillac. The Fleetwood
coach was a rarity because this coachbuilder had
been acquired by General Motors in 1925 for the
purpose of building coaches for Cadillac and LaSalle
motorcars. Although Fleetwood was committed to
building coaches for Cadillac, the coachbuilder
occasionally bodied the chassis of other
manufactures until 1932.
Viewing the Phantom I Coupe, one can picture its
driver arriving at his county club on a Saturday for
a round of golf. The small door located behind the
passenger side door was specifically designed for
storing with easy access a bag of golf clubs. The
difficult part to imagine is that this pastoral day
may have occurred during the Great Depression.
Although millions of Americans waited in breadlines;
this wealthy individual apparently unaffected by the
economic tribulations of the time, leisurely motored
to the club in his Rolls-Royce.
Chassis No S317LR was owned by several individuals
including a Mr. Edward T. Billings who had the car
restored and went on to win first place at the 1962
Rolls-Royce Owners Club Annual Meet in Buck Hill
Falls, PA. In 1965 the Phantom I was sold to a Mr.
Charles Buck of Cleveland, OH who owned the car
until his death in 1976. During Mr. Buck’s ownership
the Phantom I took First Place at the 1966
Rolls-Royce Owners Club Annual Meet in Natural
Bridge, VA with a score of 98 points. The Phantom
passed through several owners including a ten year
stint in Holland before returning to the United
States and its current owner in 2002.
The Rolls-Royce Springfield Phantom I is certified
by the Classic Car Club of America. |
