ORDERED new by the influential Samuel J. Harris – managing editor of To-Day’s Cinema and a theatre proprietor – Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental chassis number 8MY reflects both the elegance and performance associated with the marque’s finest pre-war offerings.
Harris was no ordinary customer; a note on the original build sheet states that 15 per cent of the car’s purchase price was allocated back into advertising with his publication, underscoring his sway with Rolls-Royce.
As a known connoisseur of fine motorcars, Harris ordered 8MY with several bespoke features. These included Hartford Telecontrol shock absorbers, built-in jacks, extended pedals, and unusually detailed finishing beneath the bonnet – small but telling signs of a meticulous and discerning owner.
More than just a luxury car, 8MY was a true sporting machine. It competed in the 1933 RAC Rally and won its class at the concours held at the event’s conclusion in Hastings.
After Harris, 8MY passed to Richard Fairfax Cartwright in 1937, and later to Dennis James Attenborough in 1958.
The car made its way to North America in the early 1960s under the care of Canadian enthusiasts Fred Dietrich and Milton Tisdale, before passing to a succession of US collectors including Robert W. Goodwin and Jack A. Goffette.
In 1982, under the ownership of J.M. Mooley, the car returned to the UK, at which point its current engine, number SU55, was installed.
Acquired by The British Icons Collection in 1989, 8MY has enjoyed more than three decades of spirited use under a long-term custodian.
During this time, it has been expertly maintained by renowned specialists including P&A Wood – who fitted an overdrive unit – along with A. Archer and Jonathan Wood. A substantial file of service invoices documents the car’s meticulous upkeep.
Far from a showpiece only rolled out on occasion, 8MY is among the most regularly driven Phantom II Continentals in existence.
It participated in the gruelling 5435-mile London to Istanbul Trial in 2000, a 3000-mile Scandinavian tour in 2002, and the 4100-mile Mozart Tour of Austria with the 20-Ghost Club in 2006.
In all, its current owner is believed to have covered some 35,000 miles – a remarkable figure for a nearly century-old motorcar.
8MY’s original drophead coachwork, built by one of Britain’s most respected coachbuilders, remains both elegant and authentic. The car is prominently featured in André Blaizé’s definitive reference Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental, further underscoring its historical significance.
With an enviable history of both early and modern rally use, this Phantom II Continental is more than a collector’s piece – it is a living testament to the golden era of British motoring.
Now offered for sale by R.M. Sotheby’s after 35 years in enthusiastic hands, 8MY awaits a new custodian ready to write the next chapter.
