1929 Rolls-Royce 20hp Windovers Sedanca de Ville

Description

In good running order with a vast history file; recently completed a 1,000-mile tour of France; ex-Glasgow Motor Show car

This delightful Rolls-Royce 20hp comes with a vast history file extending back many decades which would take hours to digest so we can only cover the briefest details here. Copies of the factory build sheets show that the chassis (GTM2) was completed in August 1928 and was then sent to Hoopers to be fitted with Saloon Limousine coachwork (no. 7094), the car subsequently being displayed at the Glasgow Motor Show.

The V5C and various old logbooks show that it was first registered in London in June 1929, passing through the hands of five owners until 1939 when the Hooper body was removed and it was rebodied as an ambulance, seeing service in London throughout the Second World War. In 1946 it was fitted with its present Windovers Sedanca de Ville coachwork taken from Rolls-Royce 20/25hp chassis no. GXO81.

It then had a succession of 12 owners from 1946 – 1967 when it was acquired by an RREC member, Mr CE Smith of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who was to keep it for the next 43 years. Just prior to Mr Smith’s ownership the engine was completely rebuilt by Adams & Oliver of Huntingdon in October 1965 when the odometer was showing 61,630 miles and it has only covered 24,500 miles since.

Mr Smith looked after the car assiduously during his long ownership, as evidenced by many dozens of invoices on file, 40 old MOTs showing that it was always in light regular use. He also kept a detailed log of all the servicing carried out to the car and had the bodywork restored, as shown in photos on file.

Mr Smith eventually sold the car via Bonhams in 2010 when it was showing just over 79,000 miles and it has covered a further 7,000 miles in the hands of two owners since. The first of these was a Mr G Morgan of Llanidloes who kept the car for six years, sending it to Norman Woolfenden Motor Engineers of Skelmersdale in 2011 for a comprehensive overhaul to attend to any issues, as detailed by invoices on file. It went back to the same company for a further bout of fettling in 2014. 

Our vendor acquired the car from The Real Car Company of Bangor in 2016 (for significantly more than the guide price suggested here) and has continued to look after it well, including a thorough service and chassis lubrication by Rolls-Royce specialist AJ Glew of Moreton-in-Marsh in December 2019. In the summer of that year the car also successfully completed a 1,000 mile tour of France, including a trip to visit friends in Nantes and joining an RREC tour of Brittany on the way home, the car behaving impeccably throughout despite the very hot weather. It has been reliably used on other RREC events since. 

As you can see in the photos, GTM2 has a nicely mellowed patina throughout and is equipped with a near-side-mounted spare wheel, fold-away cover to the front compartment, glass division and dummy pram hood irons at the rear. Delightful features abound, including nicely engraved door handles, a period spotlamp mounted below the driver’s door mirror and wheel discs all round. All the important tools are present and the car also comes with an original handbook, much useful technical literature and a few historic photos.

Starting promptly and running almost silently as we have moved it around on site, this wonderful Rolls 20 has bags of character and now only needs a caring new custodian who can add their own chapter to its long and well-historied life to date.

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com