The fleet and sporting Pall Mall tourer is one of the most beautiful bodies fitted to the American “Springfield” Rolls-Royce chassis. One of 33 Phantom I models originally built to the Pall Mall design, chassis number S145RP was delivered on 22 June 1928 to Paul B. Skinner, a partner in the investment house of Hornblower & Weeks and onetime president of the Chicago Stock Exchange, at his home near the city’s tony Gold Coast. According to subsequent owner David Noran, the car was later rebodied in the 1930s with new sedan coachwork but accrued relatively low mileage before being rediscovered years later. At this point the chassis was mounted with a correct Pall Mall body, built as a duplicate of the original by the noted Rolls-Royce coachbuilder Doug Chalmers.

Mr. Noran acquired the Phantom I in 1991, and retained it until 1997, when it was purchased, partially completed, for the present owner’s collection. Following a fresh restoration undertaken partially in the owner’s dedicated hands, it began taking part regularly in Rolls-Royce Owners Club events, most prominently the Annual Meets. In 2010 it received the coveted Guerrero Award for Best Personal Mechanical Restoration, the Virgil Millet Award for Best American-Bodied Concours Car, and First in Class—an impressive roster of achievements in a single meeting. Five years later, it was again shown at the RROC Annual Meet, this time receiving the Lord Montagu Award.

Well-loved for 27 years, the car shows its older restoration in cream and black with coffee brown upholstery quite well and is still highly attractive throughout in its finishes, testament to the quality of the workmanship and care that it has received. While it could still readily appear at regional events, it would also be a splendid touring choice, with its open body providing wonderful views and a tonneau thoughtfully protecting the rear seat. It is accompanied by a collection of restoration photographs as well as Rolls-Royce Foundation ownership documentation.

Surely this car would be warmly welcomed back to the events that it has known for so long, after passing to its first new caregiver in nearly three decades of enthusiasm.