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1939 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Drophead Coupe by Park Ward [3DL200]

1939 Rolls-Royce Phantom III [3DL200] in Миссия в Кабуле (Mission in Kabul), Movie, 1971

Class: Cars, Convertible — Model origin: — Made for: AFG

1939 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Drophead Coupe by Park Ward [3DL200]

01:01:36 Vehicle used by a character or in a car chase

Comments about this vehicle

Author	Message
s13a ◊ 2021-11-23 05:55	Photographed in 1991 in an abandoned state... ...and finally in 1995, sadly.
johnfromstaffs ◊ 2021-11-23 08:29	The linked photograph (i) says it’s a P3. 1937/39. The linked photograph (ii) shows the correct number of cylinders, so, if they are indeed the same vehicle, it’s a P3. Coachwork to follow (I hope!) -- Last edit: 2021-11-23 08:32:16
night cub ◊ 2021-11-23 08:34	Victim of fire?
johnfromstaffs ◊ 2021-11-23 08:36	Chassis #3DL200, Coachwork by Park Ward. 1939. “ Now this fabulous Phantom III did not spend much time in India, but it has very strong Indian connections. I have actually read the India Office file in London about the car, so its story will be in a slightly different format than all the others I have posted. On 9 February 1939 the Minister at the British Legation in Kabul, Afghanistan wrote to the Viceroy's office in New Delhi, suggesting that the British give the young King Zahir Shah a Rolls-Royce for his birthday in October (given that his dynasty would have been in power for 10 years then and he would be 25). The Minister pointed out that the Italians, Germans, Japanese and Russians had already given gifts, the Germans a Mercedes 2-seater, and the official cars were Buicks. In March the Viceroy's office wrote to London saying they supported the idea. In July 1939 King Zahir Shah's staff wrote to London to say that the King would be pleased (who wouldn't!), as he was a keen motorist. The office of the Indian High Commissioner in London wrote to RR in August as king if they had a Phantom III, and RR said all they could provide was a standard limousine. The very clever King of Afghanistan told the British he would like a 2-4 seater cabriolet, with a nickely plated body and NO pigskin upholstery (the Legation in Kabul mentioned that the King had returned the French gift of a Hispano-Suiza with French coachwork as the upholstery was in pigskin!). RR told the Indians (who had been forced by London to pay the whole amount for the car) that they could not deliver a car by October. New Delhi and the British Government had agreed that RR not be told who the car was for, so RR set up a car for use in India, but on bad roads at reasonably high speeds. RR assumed that it was for the Viceroy himself. Anyway, on 28 September 1939 (25 days after Britain had gone to war with Germany) chassis 3DL200 left Derby, fitted with engine W28H and E-rake steering. On 4 October the chassis was delivered to Park Ward, and they built a drophead coupe to drawing 13704 (I have a copy of the drawing) and with body number 4633. What is amazing about this car is that it was finished completely in polished aluminium, after Park Ward got special permission to use this much aluminium in wartime. All parts of the body that were not in chrome-plate were finished in this metal, including the two spare wheel covers and the wheel discs.The upholstery was in silver crushed-grain leather, and the hood was in grey duckcloth; there was a tonneau cover that fitted behind the rear seats; the woodwork was in teak. All instruments were in both Imperial and metric measures. There were four leather-covered suitcases fitted in the boot, and even these were sprayed silver. A radio was fitted but after delivery the King complained that the radio did not receive shortwave; in March 1940 RR sourced such a radio adaptor from GE in the USA. The body cost over 923 pounds, and the car was completed on 29 November 1939. The total cost of the car to the Indian Government was 2,343 pounds. On 9 December 1939 the car was shipped to Karachi aboard the ss "Warfield", arriving there on 25 January 1940. The whole body of the car had been covered in petroleum jelly to protect it during the voyage, and RR provided a special kind of powder to remove the jelly when the car arrived in Kabul. In mid-February the car in its crate arrived in Peshawar, but trucks could not proceed through the passes until late March. On 15 April the car was presented to the King, along with a personal letter from King George of Britain, at Dilkusha Palace. The new owner was King al-Mutawakkil ala Allah Muhammed Zahir Shah III (15 October 1914 - 23 July 2007 - yes, he died only two years ago); he had succeeded his father on 8 November 1933 and was deposed in a coup on 17 July 1973, when he went into exile in Italy. His Phantom III, along with various other Royal cars, stayed in the Royal garage in Kabul until 1982, when a UNESCO project built a new shed to protect them. But, when the Taliban took Kabul they plundered all the royal palaces and all the museums, and destroyed the cars. By 1999 all the aluminium from 3DL200 had been melted down to make cutlery (!!) and the cylinder block was being used as an anvil. So, this fabulous car became a victim of war. I am lucky enough to own copies of these original Park Ward photos of the car when new, and there is also a photo of the remains of the car in 1999. Attached Thumbnails Classic Rolls Royces in India-3dl200-2.jpg” Acknowledgement and thanks to Mr. Steve Stuckey, Link to "www.team-bhp.com" “ Slightly more information than you might get from knowing the VIN, if it had one! -- Last edit: 2021-11-23 09:14:57
night cub ◊ 2021-11-23 10:06	What a sad fate. At least it was captured for the big screen before it's demise.
s13a ◊ 2021-11-27 03:32	Very interesting info, jfs. Obviously Taliban has built a reputation for bringing terror and destruction, so it is no surprise about the fate of this Rolls or other special cars ( like that Daimler ) .

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