Prima e un Phantom 3 Sedanca de Ville din 1936, carosat de Gurney Nutting in Anglia, purtand numarul de sasiu 3AX50, cumparat de nou.
A doua e ceva si mai special: un Phantom 3 Touring Limousine carosat de Park Ward pentru Jack Barclay, celebrul sofer de curse si cel mai renumit dealer Rolls-Royce, pentru uz personal. Sasiu: 3CP34. Culori: argintiu peste albastru. Printre dotari: aparat foto Leica, o cantina completa cu loc pentru sticle si pahare, mese de scris, umbrele, ochelari de vanatoare, si compartimente pentru pusti si cluburi de golf... Ulterior, masina a fost vanduta Casei Regale.
Povestea, din pacate, se termina aici. Tot ce stim este ca in 1948 s-au gasit 4 masini Rolls-Royce in fostele proprietati regale, din care 3, la Snagov, defecte. (In 1937, ducele de Kent ii daduse un Rolls, cadou, printului Mihai.) Se repartizeaza. In acelasi an, erau cel putin 5 Rolls-uri in garajele statului: cele 4 masini regale, si inca un exemplar, purtand numarul 4063-B. In 1952 vedem un Rolls-Royce in inventarul armatei. In 1956, aflam despre un Rolls-Royce (acelasi?) la o scoala de soferi militara. Restul ... e tacere. Aproape sigur s-au casat, precum multe alte minunatii existente in tara dupa razboi. In cel mai bun caz, s-au exportat la rusi. Trist!
Two cars from the collection of Carol II...
The first is a Phantom 3 Sedanca de Ville from 1936, bodied by Gurney Nutting, with chassis number 3AX50, delivered new to Romania.
The second is even more special - it's a Phantom 3 Touring Limousine bodied by Park Ward for Jack Barlcay, the famous racing driver and Rolls-Royce dealer par excellence, for his personal use. The chassis number was 3CP34 and the colour was silver over dark blue. Amongst the bespoke fittings: a Leica camera, a complete canteen replete with glasses and a space for bottles, writing tables, umbrellas, field glasses, and compartments for shotguns and gold clubs. King Carol was the second owner.
And the story ends there. All that is known is that in 1948, four Rolls-Royces were found on the properties of the deposed royal family; 3 were non-functional. (One of them may well have been the car given to Prince Michael in 1937 by the Duke of Kent.) They were handed over to the State. In that year, the State garages boasted at least five Rolls-Royces; the four royal cars, plus another example registered 4063-B. In 1952 a Rolls-Royce appears on the Army inventory. In 1956, documents refer to a Rolls-Royce (the same?) in use at a military driving school. Then ... silence. Almost certainly, they were scrapped, like many other wonderful cars left behind after the war. In the best case they might have been sent over to the Soviets. A shame!
