1933 Rolls-Royce

• A one off design by Park Ward on the 20/25 chassis
• Delivered new to Bernard Docker
• Full ownership from 1933 to present day is known
• In very nice order having been maintained by a well respected pre-war specialist
• Re-trimmed in the 1970s with coachwork restoration in 2018
• One of the most attractive small horse power Rolls-Royces we have ever encountered

Chassis No GTZ46 was originally completed and delivered in November of 1933 to Bernard Docker, the Midlands industrialist who was later knighted and became the chairman of BSA and Daimler. Docker was a flamboyant character, so it should come as no surprise that he ordered such a stylish and bespoke motor car. This unique car was built to Design No 9125 by Park Ward and was originally finished in black with a green leather interior. The car was retained by Docker until 1939 at which point he part exchanged it with Rolls-Royce for a new Wraith. It was then swiftly sold by Rolls-Royce to Mr George Newman & Co of Euston Road in London. Newman was a dealer of fine motor cars and the UK distributor of Ballot. He retained GTZ46 until the end of WWII when it was sold it to Major G.W. de Winton of Glasbury in Herefordshire. It is understood that the car was sold to its third owner in 1970, via Jack Bond of vintage Autos in Lancaster Gate. He brokered the sale to Lord Doune (The Earl of Moray) who was building a car collection near his family home in Perthshire Scotland, The Doune Motor Museum. In the early 1970s Lord Doune instructed restoration works to Chassis No GTZ46. A full mechanical overhaul was carried out by Ristes in Nottingham including an engine overhaul, and it is likely that the coachwork was restored as well concurrently. An aluminium hard top was made and fitted to the car at this time, changing it to a closed coupe. The car was also re-trimmed at this point in red leather with matching carpets, the interior it still retains today. Towards the end of the 1990’s The Doune Motor Museum closed, and the collection was disbanded. At this point the car was sold to Kenneth West of Macduff in Aberdeenshire. Mr West retained the car for four years, selling it in 2004 to Terry and Jennifer Cook of Cheshire. During their ownership the Cooks had the coachwork reinstated to its original specification, removing the hard top and putting it back to the original drophead coupe design. Chassis No GTZ46 was sold in 2013 by the Cooks to the present owner who in 2018 had the coachwork restored back to its original black as well as reinstating the original style wheel discs the car had when new in 1933. The car has been fastidiously maintained over the past decade by a well-respected Rolls-Royce pre-war specialist and drives accordingly. Park Ward were responsible for a significant proportion of coachwork on pre-war Rolls-Royce motor cars and built some beautiful and balanced designs. However, some of their one-off commissions are extra special, with Chassis No GTZ46 being one of their very best in our opinion. A better looking 20/25 would be hard to find. It comes complete with handbook, copy chassis cards and an extensive history file.

Production of the Rolls-Royce 20HP ceased in 1929, making way for the all-new 20/25 which was produced until 1936. The new 20/25 retained the six cylinder single carburettor, overhead valve engine which had been issued to its predecessor, but it was upgraded to 3,699cc producing better acceleration and a higher top speed. The four speed manual gearbox with right hand lever change was also improved with the fitment of synchromesh to third and fourth gear from 1932 onwards. The 20/25 was produced by Rolls-Royce in tandem with production of the Phantom II, giving buyers a multitude of options.