1928 Rolls Royce Phantom I Special Roadster by Hibbard & Darrin

1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Special Roadster by Hibbard & Darrin
Sold for $275,000 Including Commission
Rm Auction, Amelia Island, Florida 2014
Chassis no. S297FP
Engine no. 22977
Body no. 2038
40/50 bhp, 468 cu. in. overhead-valve inline six-cylinder engine, three-speed manual transmission, solid front axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, live rear axle with cantilever leaf-spring platform suspension, and four-wheel servo-assisted brakes. Wheelbase: 146.5 in.

•Offered from the estate of Charles "Chuck" Swimmer
•Unique French Hibbard & Darrin coachwork
•Accompanied by Rolls-Royce Foundation documentation
•Spectacularly beautiful and exquisitely detailed


How does a French design wind up on an American Rolls-Royce chassis? Paris coachbuilders Hibbard & Darrin, themselves American born, supplied their bodies in limited production to the Rolls-Royce factory in Springfield, Massachusetts. The cars were delivered as boxed panels and then assembled and finished to individual customer order. They were every bit true Hibbard & Darrins, as they were built with the same advanced design and fine craftsmanship as the cars finished in the "City of Light."

The design of this particular Phantom I bears an extreme resemblance to the Chaumont Convertible Coupe, one of the factory-catalogued body styles offered by Hibbard & Darrin on the Springfield Phantom I. Yet, the Schoellkopf card on the car, held in the files of the Rolls-Royce Foundation, as well as the chassis listing in the back of John Webb deCampi's Rolls-Royce in America, both identify it as a Special Roadster. It is likely that the original owner, Porter Chase, specified certain changes to the Chaumont design, creating a unique convertible for his chassis.

Chase was a 1918 graduate of Yale, and he resided on Orchard Road in West Hartford, Connecticut, where he was active in the insurance and real estate business. No doubt his Phantom I made quite an impression at the country club. It would remain on the East Coast for four decades, owned by a succession of enthusiasts, including B.G. Lambert, of New Hampshire, and well-known collector Charles LeMaitre, of Massachusetts.

Mr. LeMaitre recounted selling the Rolls to a gentleman in Costa Rica, who owned it for a decade. It was then acquired by Nicholas Valerio, the founder of Papa Gino's Pizzeria and a known Rolls-Royce enthusiast, for his wife, Helen. The car returned to the East Coast and remained with Mrs. Valerio until recently. During its time with Mrs. Valerio, it was consistently registered with the Rolls-Royce Owners Club but seldom shown.

This Special Roadster was restored some years ago, and it has enjoyed excellent care, most recently while in Mr. Swimmer's well-known collection. The paint still has a wonderful shine, and the subtle two-tone red color scheme, so appropriate to the car's dashing lines, has aged well. The car is also complemented by blackwall tire-shod chrome wire wheels and a black canvas top.

Typical of Hibbard & Darrin, the design is full of fascinating little details, such as a split windshield that opens for ventilation, brass instrument bezels, gorgeously inlaid interior woodwork that is deserving of a fine living room, and intricate step plates for the rumble seat. Yet, this car is still so obviously a Springfield Phantom I, with its distinctive "face," presented by Bausch & Lomb headlamps and rolled aluminum bumpers, which is so familiar to enthusiasts.

This spectacular Special Roadster is the only survivor of this body style, which was probably unique from new, and it ranks as one of the most attractive of all Springfield Rolls-Royces. It combines the finest coachbuilding with the best possible chassis and the most striking design. The result is an irreplaceable automobile with style and flair that stands for success, just as it did for Mr. Chase back in 1928.

Robert Myrick Photography