1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom I

1 of 18 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Regent Convertible Coupe by Brewster

This handsome 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Regent Convertible Coupe with Coachwork by Brewster is a matching numbers example and one of just 18 produced. A beautiful original example offered with documented history. Grey with burgundy interior. It wears a new soft-top, leather upholstery, and carpeting as well as reconditioned woodwork. An attractive car with just the right amount of patina. The older repaint is presentable but not perfect and shows its age in a few areas. Mechanically sound, it runs and drives well. A very straight car with a good door fit. As it was when new, the great characteristic of this style of coachwork is its versatility. Capable of offering full open motoring to breeze along in the sunshine, with none of the elegance of the car impeded, or proper isolation from the elements on colder or wetter days, this Phantom I can do it all. Anyone who has ever driven a well set up Phantom I will tell you that they are great tour cars. The 7.7 liter engine provides an overabundance of torque which makes them delightfully easy to drive. This engine is of course paired with a wonderful chassis with servo assisted brakes, and the exquisite deftness and precision of all the controls make the Phantom I one of the best driving experiences from the pre-war era.

This Rolls-Royce Phantom I was delivered new to a Mr. John Brichetto, a bank president and land owner in Sacramento, California. Mr. Brichetto was clearly a man of great taste and means, and had the car delivered to him at The Hotel St. Francis, in downtown San Francisco. The car remained in his ownership until his death in 1934. The car dropped out of sight but remained in Northern California. After the war the car was in the ownership of Mr. Rafe Selfridge, a member of the Selfridge family, founders of Selfridge department stores in London, England. In the late 1950s Mr. Selfridge sold the car to his friend John Maxfield. Mr. Maxfield embarked on a fairly epic journey driving the Rolls from Barstow, CA to Gainesville, Florida. Mr. Maxfield continued to enjoy the car until 1973 when it passed to a fellow CCCA member Carter Farrar of Lakewood, Colorado. Mr. Farrar retained the car until his passing in 1998, when it was then sold on to Mr. Elliot Grossman in New York, who retained the car until 2012. From that point, the car was sold to its previous owner who replaced the soft-top, leather upholstery, and carpeting as well as reconditioned the woodwork. Today, this Rolls-Royce Phantom I Regent Convertible by Brewster is the perfect candidate for weekend drives and tours. Certainly a lovely addition to any collection.