Rolls-Royce Phantom I
Encyclopedia
The Phantom was Rolls-Royce
's replacement for the original Silver Ghost
.
and United States
, with the US model trailing the UK by one year on introduction and two in replacement.
One major improvement over the Silver Ghost was the new pushrod-OHV
straight-6
engine. Constructed as three groups of two cylinders with detachable heads (state of the art at the time), the large engine produced excellent power to pull the large heavy car. The engine used a 4¼ in (107.9 mm) bore and long 5½ in (139.7 mm) stroke for a total of 7.7 L (7668 cc/467 in³) of displacement. Aluminium was substituted for cast iron in the cylinder heads in 1928, and proved to be the Achilles heel, plagued with corrosion problems. The separate gearbox connected through a rubberised fabric flexible coupling to the clutch and through a torque tube enclosed drive to the differential at rear, just like the Ghost. It was changed to unitary gearbox with open drive shaft in the Phantom-II. Most UK Phantom I's retained the fuel gauge at the tank, but some US models had one on the dash. It retained oil lubrication through Enots nipples, some times as many as 50, which attached to a special Enots oil pressure gun and needed to be attended to regularly at 500, 1000 and 2000 mile intervals, involving much time and effort. (The Phantom II adopted the American Bijur oiling system which connected all the oiling points with an elaborate plumbing system and orifices and oiled all the points with a stroke of a single pump).
Semi-elliptical
springs suspended the front, while cantilever springs were used in the rear. 4-wheel servo-assisted brakes were also specified, though some initial US models lacked front brakes.
Differences between the US and UK models included available wheelbase
s — both were specified with the same 143½ in (3644.9 mm) base length, but the UK long-wheelbase model was longer at 150½ (3822.7 mm) than the 146½ in (3721.1 mm) American version. Other differences included the transmission, with UK models using a 4-speed and US models using a centre change 3-speed manual transmission
, both with a single dry-plate clutch.
UK models were built at Rolls-Royces' Derby
factory, while US Phantoms were built in Springfield, Massachusetts
.
selected by the owner. Coachbuilders who produced bodies for Phantom I cars included Barker, Park Ward
, Thrupp & Maberly
, Mulliner
and Hooper
.
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
's replacement for the original Silver Ghost
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost refers both to a car model and to one specific car from that series.Originally named the "40/50 h.p." the chassis was originally produced at Royce's Manchester works, before moving to Derby in July 1908 and also, between 1921 and 1926, in Springfield, Massachusetts....
.
Description
The Phantom I is the second model in the Rolls-Royce 40/50 hp line. It was originally and even now correctly referred to as New Phantom. (The long production previous model, in numbers and number of production years, was the 40/50 hp model known affectionately after the most famous Barker bodied Reg No AX-201 as the "Silver Ghost". Other 40/50 chassis were also given names such as Silver Rogue etc. too). So to differentiate that now there was a new 40/50 hp model the word New was prefixed to the Phantom name. With the introduction of the third 40/50 hp model named Phantom II, the New Phantom name caused confusion so it was called, retrospectively and perhaps without official sanction, Phantom-I. Like the famed Ghost, the Phantom was constructed both in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with the US model trailing the UK by one year on introduction and two in replacement.
One major improvement over the Silver Ghost was the new pushrod-OHV
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
straight-6
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
engine. Constructed as three groups of two cylinders with detachable heads (state of the art at the time), the large engine produced excellent power to pull the large heavy car. The engine used a 4¼ in (107.9 mm) bore and long 5½ in (139.7 mm) stroke for a total of 7.7 L (7668 cc/467 in³) of displacement. Aluminium was substituted for cast iron in the cylinder heads in 1928, and proved to be the Achilles heel, plagued with corrosion problems. The separate gearbox connected through a rubberised fabric flexible coupling to the clutch and through a torque tube enclosed drive to the differential at rear, just like the Ghost. It was changed to unitary gearbox with open drive shaft in the Phantom-II. Most UK Phantom I's retained the fuel gauge at the tank, but some US models had one on the dash. It retained oil lubrication through Enots nipples, some times as many as 50, which attached to a special Enots oil pressure gun and needed to be attended to regularly at 500, 1000 and 2000 mile intervals, involving much time and effort. (The Phantom II adopted the American Bijur oiling system which connected all the oiling points with an elaborate plumbing system and orifices and oiled all the points with a stroke of a single pump).
Semi-elliptical
Leaf spring
Originally called laminated or carriage spring, a leaf spring is a simple form of spring, commonly used for the suspension in wheeled vehicles...
springs suspended the front, while cantilever springs were used in the rear. 4-wheel servo-assisted brakes were also specified, though some initial US models lacked front brakes.
Differences between the US and UK models included available wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
s — both were specified with the same 143½ in (3644.9 mm) base length, but the UK long-wheelbase model was longer at 150½ (3822.7 mm) than the 146½ in (3721.1 mm) American version. Other differences included the transmission, with UK models using a 4-speed and US models using a centre change 3-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
, both with a single dry-plate clutch.
UK models were built at Rolls-Royces' Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
factory, while US Phantoms were built in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
.
Bodywork
Only the chassis and mechanical parts were made by Rolls-Royce. The body was made and fitted by a coachbuilderCoachbuilder
A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others in Britain included...
selected by the owner. Coachbuilders who produced bodies for Phantom I cars included Barker, Park Ward
Park Ward
Park Ward was a British coachbuilder founded by William M. Park and Charles W. Ward in 1919. They had worked together at F.W. Berwick Ltd., the makers of Sizaire-Berwick cars.Their business operated from Willesden, North London.-History:...
, Thrupp & Maberly
Thrupp & Maberly
Thrupp & Maberly was a British coachbuilding company based in London, England.-Origin:This business was created by a merger in 1858 of the carriage builders Joseph Thrupp, who established his business in George Street in 1760, and George Maberly.As far back as the 1880s Thrupp & Maberly began its...
, Mulliner
H. J. Mulliner & Co.
H. J. Mulliner & Co. was a well-known British coachbuilder operating at Chiswick in West London.The Mulliner family can trace their coachbuilding history back to 1760, building coaches for the Royal Mail in Northampton....
and Hooper
Hooper (coachbuilder)
Hooper was a British coachbuilding company based in London.-Founding:The company was founded as Adams and Hooper in 1805 and held a royal warrant from 1830, building elegant horse drawn carriages, supplying them to King William IV, Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. The first royal car, a Hooper...
.