Highlights
- Extensive older mechanical restoration
- Luxurious cream leather interior
- Pleasantly patinated exterior and trim
The Appeal
The 20/25 hp model was the car that saved Rolls-Royce. It seems impossible to believe today but, during the Great Depression, there was a possibility that the Rolls-Royce name could have ceased to exist. Large, ostentatious automobiles had fallen out of favour, which was a particular problem for luxury car makers like Rolls-Royce. But luckily the company’s smaller model proved a success.
With over 70% of these smaller Rolls-Royces thought to have survived, the 20/25 hp is evidently a well-engineered automobile. This particular car benefits from having been mechanically restored in the past. It has had a full engine rebuild and work to the front axle, gearbox and brakes, amongst other components.
So this fine automobile combines the best of style, luxury, elegance and engineering excellence together into a very useable vintage vehicle. A piece of British motoring history.
The History and Paperwork
- First registered 30th December 1932, sold to Mrs Fraquar-Grunall
- First owner reportedly used the car for touring in England and France
- Original buff logbook
- MoT and Road Tax exempt
- Resided in Brittany 2015-22
- Handbook, published by the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club
- Invoices for major restoration work completed in 1980s
The Interior
- Cream leather upholstery
- Wind-up dividing screen
- Luxurious silk rope handles and trim
When you buy any Rolls-Royce you can be sure that its interior will be a supremely luxurious place to be. And this 20/25 is no different: its cream leather upholstery is present on both the chauffeur’s front seat and the passenger compartment to the rear. The front seat squab looks as though it may respond well to a deep clean to restore the leather to its former glory, but the rest of the leather upholster appears to be largely very presentable.
There is a glass dividing screen for privacy, which can be wound up and down by a handle. This, along with the silk rope handles and delicate trim to the upholstery mark this car out as a luxury vehicle. A couple of these trims are missing but replacements can easily be sourced.
The chauffeur is presented with an imposing Bakelite steering wheel, complete with hand controls for the carburettor and ignition advance, with the gear lever and handbrake to the driver’s right. The instruments and gauges are neatly presented behind a glass screen in the dashboard, proudly showing the hairspring in the speedometer. Underneath the dashboard, a water-fed heater has discreetly been fitted for passenger comfort.
The Exterior
- Sedanca de Ville coachwork
- Black and white paint
- Rear-mounted luggage trunk
The Sedanca de Ville coachwork is a style which suits the Rolls-Royce 20/25 very well. The defining feature of this body style is that the roof section over the chauffeur can be removed to allow for open air motoring, while the rear passengers can remain behind the dividing screen, fully protected from the elements.
Finished in white-over-black wings, with a black vinyl roof and black bonnet, the paint is pleasantly worn in places, showing the car’s history through its blemishes and imperfections.
The wheels are described by the vendor as being in good condition, with a single side-mount spare fitted. And although the tyres retain good tread, their sidewalls are showing their age, so a new set will be necessary. To the rear a spacious luggage trunk is fitted, a very useful addition on a car of this period and the car benefits from additional flashing indicators.
The Mechanics
- Legendary Rolls-Royce engineering
- Engine rebuilt in late ‘80s
- Extensive mechanical restoration
These smaller Rolls-Royces were fitted with straight-six cylinder engines — the 20/25 having a capacity of 3.7 litres — which provides ample performance by the standards of the day. Drum brakes are fitted to all four wheels and steering is by worm and nut. The chassis is provided with a centralised lubrication system, which allows the mechanic to grease all the necessary areas from a single application point.
The accompanying history file includes detailed type-written invoices for mechanical work carried out during the 1980s. This included a full engine rebuild with renewed white metal bearings, a skilful process, as well as crack testing and extensive re-machining. This work also included refurbishing the Autovac fuel pump, a front axle, brake and steering overhaul and work to the fuel system.
According to the vendor, this mechanical overhaul came at a cost of over £30,000, which in the 1980s was a huge sum to spend on a restoration.
The car was driven from Brittany to the French ports and sailed across to Southampton, where it was driven back to Kent with no issues.
The car was driven from Brittany to the French ports and sailed across to Southampton, where it was driven back to Kent with no issues.
Summary
Pre-war Rolls-Royces such as this one remain popular today, offering elegant styling alongside ample performance. The vendor informs us that this car performed admirably on a recent trip across Kent, delivering its passengers in absolute luxury.
With an extensive history file and having undergone a full mechanical restoration in the 1980s, clearly this 20/25 has been well cared for and, with a dedicated owner’s club and expert restorers available, a car like this will be able to remain on the road indefinitely.
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