Back to back: Lovely Wolseley or unfinished Phantom 1?

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A pleasantly bodied Rolls-Royce Phantom 1 has been a dream car to many and these pinnacles of motoring remain pricey. So, what if you buy a project with most of the hard work carried out already? Bonhams will be selling one at their Bicester sale on May 30th and it looks to be a rewarding project.

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom 1

It’s a 1929 Phantom 1 with a body in the style of Barker that’s on its wheels with all of the suspension and the engine in place and most of the bodywork, too, fitted and painted in a nice black and blue. The interior, however, needs total recommissioning. Much appears to be there though. At least there seems to be plenty of beige coloured leather to finish the furniture while the interior is now mostly filled with boxes full of parts. All the ‘cosmetic woodwork’ is in its place already and the wooden frame to fit the body on seems to have been made by a craftsman, too. It is estimated at £30- to £40.000, which is still a lot of money, but we’d believe that sort of cash has been spent on this project, too.

1912 Wolseley 16/20

However, for that sort of money, Bonhams thinks this truly wonderful Wolseley 16/20 of 1912-vintage will also sell. It’s an all-weather Cabriolet bodied by the Booth Brothers of Dublin and said to be well-known in Wolseley-circles. If you’ve never heard of Carrozzeria Booth Brothers you are not to be blamed. They were toolmakers and machinery dealers rather than coachbuilders, with their nameplate mostly riveted on lathes rather than motor cars. This Wolseley is a beautiful machine never the less and looking very original, too. The rear seats have been trimmed in Bedford cloth while those in the front are in buttoned black leather. The three-litre engine is reported to start and pull strongly and perform well. Some minor upgrades have been made: an electric starter and flashing indicators. It’s £30- to £40.000 estimate is similar to that of the Phantom 1 and we think we’d know which one to prefer. How about yourself?

Words by Jeroen Booij. Photographs courtesy Bonhams Motor Cars.

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