Rolls-Royce Phantom III Labourdette Vutotal, 1939 Phantom III Labourdette Vutotal | Conceptcarz.com - Pictures, Pricing, Information, Wallpaper, History

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Cabriolet
Designer: Labourdette
Chassis Num: 3DL120

Originally bodied as a Sedanca deVille by Hooper, the second owner removed the original body and sent the chassis to Labourdette of Paris for the current body. Bare chassis were simply not available immediately after World War II. This is the last car bodied by Labourdette, and the body alone cost $44,000. The pillarless windshield, 'vutotal,' is a Labourdette patent, and much of the brass is leaded into the body. The finished project was shown at the 1947 Paris Auto Show, and was then shipped to New York. The car's underpinnings are pure Phantom III: a 7.3-liter V12 engine, independent front suspension, hydraulically adjustable shock absorbers and an on-board jacking system. The chassis was priced at 1,850 British Pounds (roughly $10,000), and just 719 chassis were produced through 1939. The only Rolls-Royce identifying marks on the car are two cloisonne emblems insert into the doors.

This is one of the most flamboyant designs ever by renowned French coachbuilder Labourdette. This car evokes strong emotions, and has been called both shocking and a work of art. Originally purchased with a more conventional body by Louie Ritter, noted and highly successful furrier to New York's high society. Ritter had the car, chassis number 3DL120, sent to Paris where he contracted Labourdette re-body it into a more distinctive style. The work was curtailed by the onset of World War II, and the car had to be hidden away until 1945. It was finally delivered to Ritter in 1947. This car has just been restored and has been shown at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

The Phantom III was the first Rolls-Royce to be fitted with a V12 engine, which was probably an inevitable development as the company was already manufacturing aero engines in this configuration.

When the Phantom III was unveiled at the 1935 Olympia Motor Show it was the most technically advanced car in the world and many believe the best car ever made. The 7340 cc. V12 overhead valve engine had a one-piece aluminum alloy crankcase and cylinder blocks and cast-iron wet cylinder liners and aluminum head.

The Phantom II was the first Rolls-Royce to have indendent front suspension; this was of the wishbone type and was controlled by coil springs and hydraulic dampers. The new suspension enabled the radiator and engine to be moved further forward on the shortened chassis, giving coachbuilders scope to build very spacious bodywork.

In chassis form the car cost 1,850 pounds, just 50 pounds more than the far less sophisticated Phantom II this was presumed to have been possibly because the swiftly selling smaller models subsidized the top of the range Phantom III.

During the design process of this car Henry Royce's poor health was failing further and he worried that he would not live to see the outcome of his work. Tragically this proved to be correct.

Source - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited

The Phantom series culminated with the marque's only 12-cylinder chassis, the Phantom III. These great cars were built from 1935 until 1939, when World War II ended production, with only 710 produced. The extremely complex design was the last Henry Royce had any involvement in before his death in 1933, and borrowed heavily from Rolls Royce's experience building airplane engines.

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1939 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Labourdette Vutotal
Year	1939
Make	Rolls-Royce
Model	Phantom III Labourdette Vutotal
Body Style	Cabriolet
Engine Location	Front
Drive Type	Rear Wheel
Production Years for Series	1936 - 1939
Body Designer	Labourdette
Combined MPG	0.00

Chassis / Engine Numbers Shown
Chassis Number	3DL120

Engine
Engine Configuration	V
	60-degree
Cylinders	12
Aspiration/Induction	Normal
Displacement	7340.00 cc \| 447.9 cu in. \| 7.3 L.
Valves	24 valves. 2 valves per cylinder.
Valvetrain	OHV
Horsepower	165.00 BHP (121.4 KW) @ 3000.00 RPM
HP / Liter	22.6 BHP / Liter
Fuel Type	Gasoline - Petrol

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1939 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Labourdette Vutotal