Photo by Muffy Aldrich
The Modern Guide to The Thing Before Preppy

Saturday, January 18, 2020

An Entry Level Rolls Royce...

Photos by Salt Water New England


20/25 GPG70, early 1930s, Hooper Coachbuilders








17 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. It ain't Rolls Royce anymore ! It's a BMW !

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    2. Unfortunately...

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  2. Exqusite! Thank you so very much.

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  3. An excellent example of the relationship of bespoke car manufacturing in the first half of the 20th century, with Rolls-Royce being the engine and chassis manufacture and Hooper and Mulliner being coachbuilders who worked directly with the individual customers. It wasn't until 1946 that Rolls-Royce started to build their own bodywork. Rolls provided chassis to be built out by coachbuilders in Britain, Germany, Spain, Australia, & the USA.

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  4. Wow. That is a beautiful creature.
    MaryAnne

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  5. Back then, if touring in, f ex the south of France, and one had a mechanical problem, the chauffeur (one never drove a Rolls by oneself) had to call Rolls in England and they would send a "mechanic" to wherever... the repairman would show up, impeccably dressed in a dark, three piece suit and his tools and take care of whatever the problem was...

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  6. Reminds me of an old joke. A young fellow proud of the status he was purchasing with his newly earned money, asked a friend to take a ride with him to show off his brand new Rolls Royce. Getting in, he asked his friend "So, have you ever ridden in a Rolls Royce?" His friend replied "Not in the front."

    Nice car.

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    Replies
    1. This is a really good one!

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    2. That's what I say when asked if I've ridden in a police car.

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  7. Yes. And why a gourmet's kitchen for your cook or housekeeper to use ?

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  8. Tool tray photo ( bottom left hand ) looks like a brass shell for the elephant gun ! Wouldn't want to be caught short of a spare round whilst out on the Transvaal .

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    Replies
    1. I believe that is the body of a small grease gun.

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    2. I was thinking the same thing, although there's another gadget in the upper left-hand corner that also looks like a grease gun. The item with the wooden handle is also very curious.

      A similar set of tools came with the 1965 Land-Rover I owned decades ago, only not so many and not in a fitted drawer. It included some of those very cheap looking socket wrenches, which nevertheless work perfectly well. The Land-Rover also came with a starter crank.

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  9. What the? I don't see my name on that list?

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