1932 Rolls-Royce 20/25HP Park Ward Saloon - barnfind project
Discussion
Hi all,
I thought I'd like to record and share the experiences of buying and restoring a 1932 Rolls-Royce 20/25HP saloon. I have always had a passion for these vehicles, probably fired by the trips out in a family friend's 20/25 (chassis no. GBT25) many years ago. The image below is of a 7 year old me sat on the bumper of GBT25, with my mother leaning on the wing.
During the 2020 - 2021 lockdowns I thought about this car a lot and wondered if it still existed. Sure enough, after quite a lot of searching I found it and was able to trace the owner. Late last year I finally met up with the car's current owner and saw the car from my childhood.
I started thinking that maybe a 20/25 (or at least some sort of pre-war car) would be a nice addition to the fleet. I went to see a number of great pre-war Rolls-Royces and Bentleys around the country, but none of them seemed "right". Then I saw a car very similar to the one from my childhood up for sale at auction in Buxton in December 2021. I went simply "just to have a look", but one thing led to another and I found myself bidding for it and.....well, it didn't reach it's reserve, so it was sold to me provisionally. A long wait ensued while the auction house talked to the seller and in the end I was told it was mine! What had I done?
I thought I'd like to record and share the experiences of buying and restoring a 1932 Rolls-Royce 20/25HP saloon. I have always had a passion for these vehicles, probably fired by the trips out in a family friend's 20/25 (chassis no. GBT25) many years ago. The image below is of a 7 year old me sat on the bumper of GBT25, with my mother leaning on the wing.
During the 2020 - 2021 lockdowns I thought about this car a lot and wondered if it still existed. Sure enough, after quite a lot of searching I found it and was able to trace the owner. Late last year I finally met up with the car's current owner and saw the car from my childhood.
I started thinking that maybe a 20/25 (or at least some sort of pre-war car) would be a nice addition to the fleet. I went to see a number of great pre-war Rolls-Royces and Bentleys around the country, but none of them seemed "right". Then I saw a car very similar to the one from my childhood up for sale at auction in Buxton in December 2021. I went simply "just to have a look", but one thing led to another and I found myself bidding for it and.....well, it didn't reach it's reserve, so it was sold to me provisionally. A long wait ensued while the auction house talked to the seller and in the end I was told it was mine! What had I done?
That will keep you in the garage a while! I had a 25/30 but someone else did all the hard work, I just added a bit of cosmetics and wiring and a few other bits but it was a wonderful thing for wafting along on a weekend.
I hope the engine is OK, thats the hard bit to get, Looking forward to the updates.
I hope the engine is OK, thats the hard bit to get, Looking forward to the updates.
Hello all,
Many thanks for the positive comments. I have been following Lord Flashheart's R-R 20/25 thread on here with great interest - the history and family connections on that car are brilliant. If you haven't read it, I recommend checking it out!
The car from my childhood - EV 5476 / GBT25 - remains a dream car for me. "EVie" (as she is known) has a true petrolhead as her current owner - if he ever wished to sell, I would love to make him an offer!
So, time for an update -Arrival!!
The week between the auction and the car's delivery was like being an expectant father..... a heady mix of excitement, tempered by a feeling that I may not have really understood what I had got myself into. To recap, I had seen the car - in the metal - for all of 10 minutes, outside the Buxton Pavilion prior to the auction, in the middle of a snow storm. I compared it to the photos in the catalogue and the information I had pulled together on its history, but it was hardly the "full and detailed" old car pre-auction inspection which you would have wished for. The cold and snow defeated me (I couldn't feel my hands or feet!) and had retreated into the warmth of the sale room to register my interest.......
So, when the day of arrival came, I was more than a little apprehensive about what exactly would be turning up. Would it roll, especially as the tyres were flat? Did it steer? Had anything fallen off during transport?! The optimist in me kept saying... "how hard can it be?" Well, the answer was pretty hard.
I had to drag it off the lorry with my Disco 4..... and no, the wheels don't turn! Aaargh! The rear axle seemed to be locked solid and the front wheels barely moved either. Cue lots of sweat and tears just to get it onto the drive!
But, in the end we made it!
So now it was there, all I had to do was to get it into the garage.... which took some time....
The problem of getting it to move was solved by 4 wheel dollies.
After some very kind help from 3 neighbours, we managed to manhandle it into the garage. To my enormous relief, it actually fitted! And it dwarfs the XJS which currently lives along side it!
Once the euphoria of getting the car home had died down, maybe I could finally get a handle on what on earth I had bought!
Take care,
AF
Many thanks for the positive comments. I have been following Lord Flashheart's R-R 20/25 thread on here with great interest - the history and family connections on that car are brilliant. If you haven't read it, I recommend checking it out!
The car from my childhood - EV 5476 / GBT25 - remains a dream car for me. "EVie" (as she is known) has a true petrolhead as her current owner - if he ever wished to sell, I would love to make him an offer!
So, time for an update -Arrival!!
The week between the auction and the car's delivery was like being an expectant father..... a heady mix of excitement, tempered by a feeling that I may not have really understood what I had got myself into. To recap, I had seen the car - in the metal - for all of 10 minutes, outside the Buxton Pavilion prior to the auction, in the middle of a snow storm. I compared it to the photos in the catalogue and the information I had pulled together on its history, but it was hardly the "full and detailed" old car pre-auction inspection which you would have wished for. The cold and snow defeated me (I couldn't feel my hands or feet!) and had retreated into the warmth of the sale room to register my interest.......
So, when the day of arrival came, I was more than a little apprehensive about what exactly would be turning up. Would it roll, especially as the tyres were flat? Did it steer? Had anything fallen off during transport?! The optimist in me kept saying... "how hard can it be?" Well, the answer was pretty hard.
I had to drag it off the lorry with my Disco 4..... and no, the wheels don't turn! Aaargh! The rear axle seemed to be locked solid and the front wheels barely moved either. Cue lots of sweat and tears just to get it onto the drive!
But, in the end we made it!
So now it was there, all I had to do was to get it into the garage.... which took some time....
The problem of getting it to move was solved by 4 wheel dollies.
After some very kind help from 3 neighbours, we managed to manhandle it into the garage. To my enormous relief, it actually fitted! And it dwarfs the XJS which currently lives along side it!
Once the euphoria of getting the car home had died down, maybe I could finally get a handle on what on earth I had bought!
Take care,
AF
Edited by andyfeaver on Friday 4th March 10:02
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