1926 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Newmarket Convertible Sedan

Rolls-Royce of America was founded in Springfield, Massachusetts, in November of 1919 and on December 12th of 1919, the American Wire Plant in Springfield, MA was purchased by and became the site of the newly formed Rolls-Royce of America, Inc. To goal was to increase Rolls-Royce sales by avoiding the high tariffs imposed on imported cars. Production of the Silver Ghost was begun in late 1920, and eventually every part except for the crankshafts was sourced in America. Production shifted to the New Phantom in 1926, and continued through the end of American production in 1931. The New Phantom had a 7.7-liter six-cylinder engine rated at 100 horsepower, and the bare chassis listed for $11,750 in 1926.

An improvement from the Silver Ghost, the Phantom I boasted an entirely new overhead valve, six cylinder engine displacing 7,768cc. The new model also included a disc-type clutch, adjustable radiator shutters and the four-wheel brake system that debuted on the late 'Silver Ghost'.

By early 1930, as the effects of the Depression set in, the owner sent the car back to Brewster Coachworks, a Rolls-Royce subsidiary, for an update. As recorded on Schoelkopf cards (from the Rolls-Royce Club), external lighting was changed along with a more stylish paint scheme. A new type of body skirt under the doors hid the cantilevered chassis spring assembly. New torpedo head lamps and fender mounted parking lamps replaced the older 'drum' headlamps and multiple piece tail lights. The single tail light resembles what appeared in the following year on the Phantom II.

This full convertible, touring-bodied Phantom I offers true 'all weather' motoring with its updated improvements. The new 'Phantom' series boasted a more refined reliability and ease of driver operation.