The vehicle on display was originally delivered to Mr. John Weiz of Brooklyn, NY on 9/29/29. Originally fit with a Brewster, Lonsdale limousine body, Mr. Weiz had the Phantom I re-bodied in 1930 with its current Fleetwood drophead coupe coach that had been removed from a Cadillac. The Fleetwood coach was a rarity because this coachbuilder had been acquired by General Motors in 1925 for the purpose of building coaches for Cadillac and LaSalle motorcars. Although Fleetwood was committed to building coaches for Cadillac, the coachbuilder occasionally bodied the chassis of other manufactures until 1932.
Viewing the Phantom I Coupe, one can picture its driver arriving at his county club on a Saturday for a round of golf. The small door located behind the passenger side door was specifically designed for storing with easy access a bag of golf clubs. The difficult part to imagine is that this pastoral day may have occurred during the Great Depression. Although millions of Americans waited in breadlines; this wealthy individual apparently unaffected by the economic tribulations of the time, leisurely motored to the club in his Rolls-Royce.
Chassis No S317LR was owned by several individuals including a Mr. Edward T. Billings who had the car restored and went on to win first place at the 1962 Rolls-Royce Owners Club Annual Meet in Buck Hill Falls, PA. In 1965 the Phantom I was sold to a Mr. Charles Buck of Cleveland, OH who owned the car until his death in 1976. During Mr. Buck’s ownership the Phantom I took First Place at the 1966 Rolls-Royce Owners Club Annual Meet in Natural Bridge, VA with a score of 98 points. The Phantom passed through several owners including a ten year stint in Holland before returning to the United States and its current owner in 2002.
The Rolls-Royce Springfield Phantom I is certified by the Classic Car Club of America.