1921 Rolls-Royce 20hp Goshawk II Cabriolet - £49,995

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This is a very rare and important Rolls-Royce with impeccable pedigree to grace any serious Rolls-Royce Collection. It is the 4th of 11 Experimental Cars and is one of the very earliest surving 20hp's, whether it is actually the oldest remains open to debate although it is believed to be. Apart from its incredible pedigree it is also a wonderful, practical, nicely restored motor car with its incredibly flexible cabriolet body giving many variations including, closed, Sedanca, Full Cabriolet and everything in between. It is ready to show immediately and would take pride of place in any serious collection.

By the 1920’s the trend away from large chauffeur driven cars towards more modestly dimensioned vehicles could no longer be ignored and Rolls-Royce decided to depart from the one model policy that had served it so well. The owner-driver's pleasure was greatly reduced by the dimensions of the Silver Ghosts and the 99 grease points that required weekly servicing was beyond the skill and definitely beneath most owners. The new car had to demand the minimum of attention, thus allowing the owner to spend more time enjoying the fun of driving his Rolls-Royce. The 20hp was designed to cater for this market.

This car played an important role in the history of Rolls-Royce. The code name “Goshawk” was given to several experimental chassis used to develop the first “baby” Rolls Royce. This example was originally fitted with tourer coachwork by Hooper on 10th December 1921 and was tested extensively by Henry Royce and Hives (his chief tester). Much of this testing was carried out in France with regular trips to Royce’s home (LaCanadel) in the south of France. Henry Royce also used the car personally at his home in West Wittering where considerable development was carried out, the car being returned to Derby whenever modifications were required. Testing continued until 1925 when a replacement engine was fitted and the car was sold into private ownership.The original coachwork was changed to this very elegant cabriolet produced by T.H.Gill & Co. of Paddington in the same year.

As an early, experimental car, it has the three-speed, centrally located gearbox and brakes on the rear wheels only. There is a wind down speaking hatch to the driver, two occasional seats, a single side mount and fitted trunks with cases at the rear. The car has been featured extensively and illustrated in reference books, including The Rolls-Royce Twenty by John Fasal, Pages 18, 69, 70, 71, 72, and 205, and Rolls-Royce and Bentley, The Experimental Cars by Ian Rimmer.

Interior:
Our car has a wonderful interior and it is a surprisingly good condition with no major tears or rips. The passenger compartment is trimmed in beige West of England Cloth with Black Leather for the Chauffeur. The carpets are OK and all the dials and instruments seem to work as they should. This is a wonderful place for you and your family to sit.

Exterior:
The finish of our car is extremely good with a lovely patina. There are a few minor dings and dents and it is not in that just restored condition but showing signs of age that is impossible to replicate and you really would want to do nothing to the car at all. The soft top is showing signs of wear with some repaired tears evident.

Mechanical:
Our car has been with the previous owner for many years and has been maintained to high standards. It shared garage space with a Silver Ghost for many years!The engine starts and runs perfectly. The gearbox changes smoothly and there are no undue knocks or rattles from the suspension. The car is completely Solid and has a current MOT. It is ready for immediate use.

Summary:
This is a very rare opportunity to not only own a wonderful bodied 20hp, it is also a very well known and famous car. The actual car itself is in a fantastic condition and it was chosen by Rolls-Royce to appear in their Motor 100 celebration in 1985. The history file is a wonder to read and after reading John Fasals book on the 20hp you will realise just how important this car is.

As with all our cars, we have priced her for an immediate sale. If you have seen the cars that are out there, come and see ours and your search will be over.

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If you are interested in this car you can contact us by clicking on the following link:
sales@justinbanks.com