1926 Rolls-Royce Twenty

This Rolls-Royce Twenty (also called Rolls-Royce 20HP) is a very unusual car. To begin with because it is a van. Secondly because of its striking signwriting, that intensifies the classic character of the body.

This Twenty has not always carried the van body. In november 1925 a Mrs Foreshew purchased an enclosed limousine at coach builder Hooper. Hooper ordered the chassis and engine at Rolls-Royce and took delivery in February 1926. The complete car was finished in July 1926. Apparently the car wasn’t used from that moment on, for the warranty was acknowledged only in July 1927.

In the car’s history can be found that in 1935 it was owned by C. Rowntree, in December 1937 by V. Garland and in November 1938 by Dr. A.W.J. Houghton.

In the years afterwards, until the seventies it is not exactly known who have owned the car and when, and when the limousine body was replaced by a van body (in John M. Fasal’s book “Rolls-Royce Twenty” also called “Shooting-brake”). Perhaps it has been a van from 1927 onwards. Yet it can be concluded from the history file that in 1955 the colour scheme was black/orange, a colour scheme that could already have been provided in 1927.

Some years after WW II the car was in Scotland. One of the owners was mr George Anderson from Kelso. In 1978 he sold the 20HP to the British company H.P. Hill & Co. LTD., 5A Market Street, Preston, Lancashire. The striking lettering that’s still on the side surfaces was commissioned by Duncan Peter Whittaker, who became the general manager of Hill & Co in 1991. The paint job was done by Ollerton Engineering, Historic Vehicle Restorers from Samlesbury Bottoms, Preston, Lancashire.

The van was used by Hill & Co for almost 20 years, but in 1996 it was sold to Dennis Noel Multon from Rumbling Bridge, Kinross, Engeland. He pushed off the car almost two years later and in December 1997 it was bought by Autocycle Engineering, Netherton, Dudley.

This Rolls-Royce Twenty is technically in good condition. It is accompanied by an extensive history file which illustrates the vast amount of maintenance that has been done. It also makes clear that the artillery wheels have been standard from new. Engine and gearbox have been very well maintained and operate like they should do. Recentley the carburettor has been completely restored. The paint is a bit cracked due to the age, but the lettering is still undamaged en clean.

This car is a great promotional object.