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Tag: rolls royce

December 23, 1923 – A Rolls-Royce for the president
23Dec By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

December 23, 1923 – A Rolls-Royce for the president

Having a birthday during the holiday season can be difficult for people who fear their special day will be forgotten. Well, nobody forgot former US President Woodrow Wilson on this day in 1923 when he was presented with a Springfield Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Oxford Touring Car for his birthday (which is actually December 28). Left by anonymous supporters, the RR had even been modified with a higher windshield and folding roof so Wilson wouldn’t have to remove his favorite top hat while riding.  Full length portrait of American President Woodrow Wilson seated outdoors, circa 1920. (Photo by Fotosearch/Getty Images). Wilson is acknowledged as being the first president to truly understand the appeal of the motor car in the United States. During his presidency he became...
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March 27, 1863 – Henry Royce, half of Rolls-Royce, is born
27Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

March 27, 1863 – Henry Royce, half of Rolls-Royce, is born

Henry Royce, born on this day in 1863, began his career in the 1870s a newspaper boy and telegram deliverer. At the time, the very first feasible automobiles had yet to exist. But as he grew, so did his opportunities in the world evolving around him. In early adulthood, Royce completed an apprenticeship with the Great Northern Railway company before starting an electrical and machine shop with a friend in Manchester, UK in 1884. There they manufactured cranes and dynamos, but increasing competition led Royce to consider a motorcar as a new product for their company.  Above: 1905 Three-Cylinder 15hp. By Michel Curi. CC2.0 Top: Henry Royce A number of prototypes were soon built. One car ended up in the hands of a friend of Charles Rolls, who owned a local import auto dealership. A...
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June 29, 1985 – John Lennon’s psychedelic Rolls-Royce goes to auction
29Jun By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

June 29, 1985 – John Lennon’s psychedelic Rolls-Royce goes to auction

Imagine there’s no...eh, it’s got it all. It, being the Rolls-Royce originally owned by Beatle John Lennon, which sold at auction for $2,229,000 on this day in 1985. Lennon purchased the Rolls-Royce Phantom V Limousine at age 25, making it just the second car he ever purchased, the first was a 1965 Ferrari 330 GT just six months earlier. As luxurious as the RR was, it just didn’t suit his taste when it left the factory. Lennon soon had his way with it. He converted the rear seat into a fold down bed, tinted the windows and installed a TV. He also added telephone, refrigerator and a custom sound system. Of course, the original black paint simply wouldn’t do either. Inspired by a psychedelically themed camper he purchased for his garden, he hired the same gypsies who hand painted it to ...
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December 23, 1923 – A presidential Rolls Royce
23Dec By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
Business

December 23, 1923 – A presidential Rolls Royce

Having a birthday during the holiday season can be difficult for some people who think their special day will be forgotten. That wasn’t the case on this day in 1923 when US President Woodrow Wilson received a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost for his 67th birthday. Left by anonymous friends, the Rolls had even been modified with a higher windshield and roof so Wilson could wear his top hat. Wilson was the first president to really understand the appeal of the motor car and was a champion of national road-building, paving the way for America’s highway system.
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