Spirit of Ecstasy – 1929 Rolls Royce

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Sweeping white curves, huge wheel arches, towering chrome grill, all leading up to one of the most recognizable hood ornaments, the “Spirit of Ecstasy”. All these graceful features make up one of the most iconic car brands in history, Rolls Royce. From the beginning their mission was to create the best and most refined cars in the world. The distinguished company was created from a simple lunch between Sir Henry Royce and Charles Rolls.

Production of the Silver Ghost and the newly created Phantom took off during the roaring 1920s and established a secure foundation for the company to push the boundaries of automobile engineering in the coming decade. At the end of the 1920’s and the beginning of the Great Depression, Rolls-Royce surged into the spot light breaking records on land, sea and air. This is when they made some of their most refined and elegant cars.

Their cream of the crop came in the form of the 1929 Phantom P II. One of these sophisticated machines made its way to America, and after a long and storied history made its debut at the Frick Automobile Museum in Pittsburgh, PA. The museum is housed in original garages of the Frick estate. I was in attendance to get a first hand account of this particular Rolls’ long and eventful journey.

Starting out life as a 1929 Phantom II, the order was placed on May 16, 1929 at Baker Coachbuilders in Mayfair, London. Its beautifully hand crafted dark wood interior and amazing metal work that adorned the lengthy hood was presented in 1930 after it was finished. From there the Phantom traveled through several owners, the first of which was a wealthy woman named Dorothy Paget. She managed some of the most successful race horses in England.

The car did not stay long in her possession and was purchased by Captain Arthor Baillie. From there the car had alterations done by Compton coachbuilders. They installed the body of a 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II drophead onto the ash frame of the original car. Making its journey across the pond to America in the mid 1940s the Phantom found its new owner Mr. Pomeroy and was safe from the perils of World War II. Finally, being traded for a Corvette in America, and ending up in the hands of John M. Roberts IV, the car stayed in its original condition until being renovated in 2005.

The fun part began for me after learning of its amazing history. In the museum, the Rolls-Royce was proudly displayed in between two of its siblings, other Rolls-Royces. The company, Vintage Garage, took on the massive project and created a masterpiece that both Sir Henry Royce and Charles Rolls would be proud of. The chassis of the 1929 Phantom and its ash frame had considerable work done and most all of the mechanical components were fixed. Finally the car received its original paint to finish it off.

Learning of its time consuming overhaul, the Phantom was in amazing condition. The metal riveting along the hood down to the following foot boards was flawless. The immense grill looked down upon you saying, “Step aside, please,” while the colossal lights only added to the immense presences of the front of the car. Having the opportunity to hear the 7.7liter straight six come to life was music to my ears. Seeing it drive was like watching an elegant ballroom dancer glide smoothly across the floor. In my opinion a Rolls-Royce should not be sporty but should whisk you away and not tear your head from your neck. This particular Rolls-Royce embodied every essence of what the company set out to do and exceeded every expectation I had set. But it was the little details that highlighted the car and made me pick my jaw up from the ground. Lights molded into the top of the wheel arches accented the headlights and added a touch of flare.

The interior was refurbished to mint condition, and the beautiful white bench seat was off-set by the dark wood dash. The gauges and dark wood combined to transport you back to the roaring 1920s. The interesting details and beautiful craftsmanship helped to melt away my overpowering thoughts about Rolls-Royce’s stereo-type.

I can dismiss the rock star, who rides around in a Rolls to promote his image, and now know that it is the true car enthusiast, the purist, who appreciates the craftsmanship and elegance of this car.  To know this Rolls Royce is to know perfection. All the elements of this car mixed together perfectly, confirming the one expectation set out by everyone, not just car enthusiasts, that Rolls-Royce is the finest luxury car maker in the world.

The opportunity to see and hear a car designed by the original founders of the company was truly an amazing experience. Don’t allow the image of Rock stars and Rappers to skew your opinion of these elegant machines, because the true idea of building the world’s best car shines through the immense grill designed by the founders. The fact still remains that some people who own these cars will never truly appreciate what they have, but once in a while you will find an owner that truly values their car and its history and the reason behind its birth, which is what I found at the Frick Museum.