1926 Rolls-Royce 20HP Shooting Brake - Interesting Ownership History

An extremely rare 1926 Rolls-Royce Shooting Brake.

According to Rolls-Royce Foundation records (which are included with the car), this car was originally ordered as an enclosed limousine by A. Lloyd Roberts, Esq. on May 10th, 1926. The coachwork was then completed by Hooper & Co. and the car was delivered in August of 1927. The car was originally blue with black wings (fenders) and valances. Maintenance records from Rolls-Royce date into the late-1930s and show that sometime after 1934 ownership changed and the car belonged to a D. Leigh in 1938.

After 1938, ownership is not documented for three decades and it is believed the car was converted to a Shooting Brake during that time. Most likely this was done during WWII for the aluminum. According to the Schoellkopf Card this possibly could have been done by Rippon Brothers coachbuilders.

The first documented owner after 1938 is noted Rolls-Royce author John M. Fasal. According to the Schoellkopf Card he owned the car in October of 1969. Mr. Fasal wrote what is considered the definitive book on the Rolls-Royce 20hp titled "The Rolls-Royce Twenty" and first published in 1979. A picture of this car GYK-10 was included on page 390 of the book in which it is being used to haul a liquidation of parts from a store in London in 1969. A signed first edition copy of this book will come with the car. This particular copy was enscripted and then given as a gift to Peter Heilbron, a noted British race car driver and Rolls-Royce enthusiast.

The next owner according to the Schoellkopf Card is Dr. Mark Sheppard in March of 1971. Dr. Sheppard was a wealthy anesthesiologist in St. Petersburg, FL and noted fine art and Rolls-Royce collector of the time. Dr. Sheppard would later be murdered in New Orleans in 1978 and book about the case titled "Deadly Weekend" was published by the lead investigator John Dillmann in 1991. A first edition copy of this book will come with the car as well.

The next documented owner (and the last on the Schoellkpf Card) is Dale W. Powers in October of 1973. Mr. Powers was a noted car collector and race car driver in St. Petersburg, FL.

It is then believed that the car was sold to the Graham family and moved from Florida to Illinois in 1973/1974. The car was owned by this family and sat in their garage partially disassembled for the next 44 years. In 2017, the car was moved from the mother's home to the son's home in Madison, Alabama. There we purchased the car and moved it to our shop on the trailer it was transported on and began research and documentation. A written history of the car in their family will also come with the car.

In 2018 the hubs were cleaned and reassembled and the wheels and tires were remounted so the car could be prepared for sale. The engine and transmission are believed to be original. The engine does turn free but has not been ran. There is no rust or metal rot anywhere on the car.

This is a 95% complete car but it will need total restoration. Most of the restoration will of course focus on the extensive woodwork. The only noted missing pieces are one wing/fender lamp, the radiator ornament cap, one aluminum woodwork backing panel, and the original tool kit. All of the glass is laying inside the car and can be used as templates for the new pieces. The car even has what is believed to be the original British registration plates of YR7058 from 1927 front and back. This registration was noted in the original documents.

The car will also come with a custom Rolls-Royce wire wheel removal tool (spanner wrench) and a wheel hub removal tool kit. Both were custom ordered from the River Carriage Shop in Ohio and are needed to remove the wheels and disassemble the wheel hubs.

Items included with the car:

• The original spare wheel and tire
• New tire inner-tubes from Coker Tire (one already mounted)
• An original Rolls-Royce 20hp Handbook from 1927
• Wheel removal tool / spanner wrench (River Carriage Shop)
• Wheel hub removal tool kit (River Carriage Shop)
• All of the Rolls-Royce Foundation documents on GYK-10
• Illinois title from 1984 showing ownership by Graham family
• Written history by Graham family member of car
• A signed first edition copy of "Rolls-Royce Twenty" by John M. Fasal to racer/enthusiast Peter Heilbron
• A first edition copy of "Deadly Weekend" detailing the case of Dr. Mark Sheppard by John Dillmann.

Alabama does NOT title vehicles 35+ years old therefore this car will come with a Bill of Sale ONLY as well as everything noted above. You MUST check with your DMV to determine registration requirements in your state.

This car MUST be shipped in an enclosed trailer and will NOT leave this shop without one.

Restored Phantom versions of Rolls-Royce Shooting Brakes have recently sold for well over $150,000-200,000. Because of its rarity, there are not many documented sales of Rolls-Royce 20hp Shooting Brakes. So bid accordingly.