1932 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Henley Roadster

The sporty and audacious Henley Roadster body was produced for the American-delivery, left-hand-drive AJS and AMS-series Rolls-Royce Phantom II chassis. Styling elements included a raked cowl line, a distinctive beltline with a double molding and a narrow 'dip' at the center of the doors, a jaunty top, a tail that sloped and then upswept at its trailing edge, and a low vee'd windshield. These lean and rakish bodies were built by Coachbuilder Brewster, and given a small third door to permit easy access to and from the rumble seat.

This particular Henley Roadster was the third built for the Phantom II and was originally delivered on September 10, 1932, to Mrs. Emma Louise Fox of Red Bank, New Jersey. By 1938, the Rolls-Royce had made its way to California and to Mrs. Fox's longtime winter residence, and that year was re-bodied as a limousine by Bohman & Schwartz of Pasadena. The original Henley body survived and by 1957 had been remounted on a British-built Phantom II, chassis number 167RY.

Dale Powers acquired the Henley Roadster (chassis 167RY) in the late 1980s from a fellow owner in Florida. He began a quest to find and acquire 278AJS and reunite it with its original coachwork. After leaving the Fox estate in 1940, chassis 278AJS had several owners in Montana, California, and the Midwest before entering the care of Philip Peteler in Minnesota. Mr. Powers was able to acquire 278AJS from the Peteler estate and reunited it with the original Henley body.

Shortly after 278AJS was made whole, Mr. Powers sold it to Fred Weber of St. Louis. At the time, the car wore pale chartreuse paint, Bohman & Schwartz limousine's skirted fenders, and was in unrestored condition. Mr. Weber's longtime restorer Marc Ohm was tasked with completing a cosmetic restoration of the car, with correct open fenders fabricated as-original and finished in its present black livery with a matching interior piped in red, including the pleated door panels. The engine was refinished, and some ancillary components were replated, but no major mechanical work was done.

In 1996, Mr. Weber sold 278AJS to David Houge of Kentucky, who later exhibited it in Rolls-Royce Owners Club competition. In 2000, it was purchased by John Groendyke of Enid, Oklahoma, and then by John O'Quinn of Texas in 2003. The Academy of Art University then acquired it from the O'Quinn stable in 2010, where it has remained ever since.

This Rolls-Royce has polished aluminum wheel covers, some of the original woodwork, including the floorboard stamped with the body number, the original chassis plate on the firewall, the original engine, and its odometer currently exhibits 78,958 miles.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2023