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Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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-198 Rolls-Royce Phantom V (1962-1969)

In 1959 the latest Rolls Royce Phantom V was introduced to replace the Silver Wraith. It was a large, ultra-exclusive four-door saloon produced between 1959 and 1968. Based on the Silver Cloud II, it shared a V8 engine and a General Motors Hydramatic automatic gearbox with that model. Rolls-Royce assembled the cars' chassis and drive trains at their facility at Crewe, England which were then transported to coachbuilders H J Mulliner, Park Ward coachbuilder in Hythe Road, Willesden, London and James Young in Bromley, Kent, former vendors that were later absorbed by Rolls-Royce where bodies were made to standard designs.

The workshop and factory of James Young Ltd, now demolished with a Travelodge Motel now occupying this location.

Building a Rolls Royce Phantom V at James Young Ltd in 1961

The engine was a 6,230 cc 90-degree V8 with twin SU carburetors, coupled to a 4-speed automatic transmission. The car had massive drum brakes and a wheelbase of 3,683 mm. Four speed automatic transmission and power assisted steering were standard.

Rolls Royce had selected two designs that the coach-builders could use, Design 980 which later Meccano selected for its Sales Number 198 the design being used primarily by Park Ward and Design 2003 which was favoured by James Young having a more stylish fastback coachwork rather than the somewhat conservative Design 980.

Design 980

Design 2003

From 1963 onward the Silver Cloud III's 7% more powerful engine and new front wings incorporating the latter's quad headlamps were fitted. It was this version that Meccano produced as No. 152 and released in December 1965.

With the launching of the Phantom V, Rolls-Royce was offering a vehicle of the highest class, but not reserved solely for dignitaries, royalty and heads of state. This was The Motor Car for those who have achieved the highest level in entrepreneurial success, seeking a prestigious automobile for its exceptional qualities, incredible comfort and plenty of room not to mention the auto name of the highest quality. Although the first orders were placed by the royal court and dignitaries, the bulk of inquiries originated in industry or from private individuals.

A total of 830 Phantom V's were made although this figure is in dispute as two other sources quote a production of 793 and 832.

Notable Phantom V owners included Queen Elizabeth II and her mother, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The two owned by Elizabeth II were official state cars, adapted for that purpose with a flag staff and illuminated heraldic shield above the windscreen and a glass canopy fixed over the back seat for the better visibility of the Queen. These were built in 1960 and 1961 joining the fleet of two earlier Phantom IV's. On being retired from active service in 2002, both are now on public display: one in the royal motor museum at Sandringham, and the other in the special garage aboard HMY Britannia in Leith, Edinburgh. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother acquired her Phantom V Landaulette in 1962.

The Governor of Hong Kong used a Rolls-Royce Phantom V for ceremonial occasions. It was removed from Hong Kong by the Royal Navy immediately following the handover to China on 1 July 1997.

Other owners included The Shah of Iran, King Olav V of Norway, President Josip Tito of the former Yugoslavia

The Rolls Royce Phantom V used by President Tito, now preserved in Belgrade

Even the former First Lady of The Republic of the Philippines, Imelda Marcos, owned a 1966 Rolls Royce Phantom V a later version with twin headlights. The Marcos's also had several Mercedes Benz in their presidential vehicle stable. The following is a photograph of the Rolls.

One of the best-known Phantom V was that bought by Beatle John Lennon another late production with twin headlights that came from the factory finished in Valentines black, with Lennon later commissioning a custom paint job over the black in the style of a Romany gypsy wagon

John Lennon with his son, Julian beside the most famous Rolls Royce Phantom V, which is now preserved for posterity.

At some time between 1960 and 1961, Meccano was actively planning a replacement for the highly successful 150 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith. As Rolls Royce Phantom V now graced the Royal Household being frequently seen driving Royalty to various functions, the Phantom V would be a worthy successor to the Silver Wraith. Unfortunately, no drawings appear to have survived which is a terrible shame that could provide a time-line as the model progressed. In place of a Meccano drawing, I trust the following from the offices of the coachbuilder H J Mulliner, Park Ward will suffice!

The design selected by Meccano being more "sedate and refined" was Number 980 and the colour chosen was Sand Metallic, a Rolls Royce dedicated colour, incorporating ivory side panelling. (There have been many versions of the description of the main colour scheme, either metallic green, greenish-grey, etc, but it was in fact Sand Metallic with a colour code of  M151-2559, and the following photograph is this colour in mono-tone, as selected by Meccano, but without the ivory side panels and of course the wedding ribbons!.

One will also note the difference between the location of the second colour on the prototype which covers the lower side from the chrome strip that runs from the radiator to the rear bumper.  On the Dinky model, the lower colour follows the contours of the side sweep. I presume Meccano did this deliberately to ensure the new model was distinctive from the 150 Silver Wraith whose location of the lower colour follows the Rolls Royce two-tone location explicitly. 

And this was the Meccano version: 

Finally in the November 1962 issue of The Meccano Magazine, the back cover showed the new Rolls Royce Phantom V with its unique feature to Dinky Toys, o-p-e-n-i-n-g windows! Also a new feature – a chauffeur, but unfortunately, he is not in the picture which I can only surmise his absence was due to him having ducked out on a call of nature!

With The Toyman writing a very glowing report on the new addition to the Dinky Toys range:

Now this is something which many may be unaware.  November 1962 saw the official release of the 192 Phantom V, together with 142 Jaguar Mk.10 and the 753 Police Controlled Crossing. If one were to refer to the 1962 catalogue that was printed in May, the 198 Phantom was marked as “available later”, but the 142 Jaguar Mk.10 and the 753 Police Controlled Crossing were NOT even mentioned, when they should have also been treated and marked “available later” as was the 198.

 

So I went through my copious notes that I have made over the years, mainly through John Kinchen and former employees in the years BC and this is what I found. The 192 WAS to have been released in September 1962 and for it to be the innovator not only of the opening windows feature but also for the new “polychromatic” paint, not the 147 Cadillac. Apparently there was a problem of adhesion with the ivory gloss over the polychromatic paint which took some time to resolve. With the absence of the 198 Phantom in the September “Meccano Magazine” explains why the 695 Gift Set was announced in August and it was repeated again in the September issue.

The 198 Rolls Royce Phantom V remained in production until December 1968 by which time, its replacement No. 152 on a slightly larger scale was well and truly entrenched in the sales literatures having been released in December 1965, barely three years after its predecessor Phantom V.  Just why Meccano released another Phantom V, admittedly a later version than the existing model in their range with the original still in production for another three years is difficult to understand, especially with the new model being twice the price.  I will let someone else write about the Phantom V Mark 2 No. 152 at a later date!

I actually received my 198 Rolls Royce Phantom V for my birthday at the end of December 1962, and with shipping time from the UK to Australia in those days averaged 3 months, the model had to have been dispatched from Liverpool in late September. A November dispatch following its release would be insufficient time for it to arrive in Australia and on forwarding to the Meccano dealer in Armidale, New South Wales by the end of December. Interestingly, the interior of an end flap has the inspection stamp of 2 – HV   12. Another indecipherable code! This was the second-last Dinky Toy given to me by my parents and I would like to dedicate this Topic and Post to two loving and caring parents any young boy would wish to have.  More so with Dad being a humble (but highly talented) motor mechanic and Mum a traditional stay-at-home Mum so the 13/- price tag would have been a considerable chunk from Dad’s fortnightly pay packet. The following images are of “my Phantom V”.

I adored both my Rolls Royce’s as a child; they were as close to a Rolls Royce that I would ever hope to reach!

I am unaware of any casting changes, etc so the floor is open to those who have found such over the years. The 198 Rolls Royce Phantom V was a worthy model and one I am sure Rolls Royce themselves would have been quite pleased. This is confirmed with the statement that was included in the Meccano Magazine, attributed to Mr C W Ward, a director Park Ward, one of Rolls Royce’s coachbuilders, following the release of the 150 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith, “I really must congratulate your company” he wrote, “on the excellent job they have made of this reproduction, and I am sure the car will delight many children and grown-ups alike when the latter can get them away from their offspring’s. The spring and chromium plated details are perfect and indicate how much care and thought has gone into the production of this toy. In other words --- ‘the Best (toy) Car in the World’.“  I am sure the same would have been written for the later Dinky Toys creation, the 198 Rolls Royce Phantom V.

 

Bruce Hoy   (150)

20173008/1156/2307

Jan Oldenhuis's picture
Jan Oldenhuis
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DTCA MemberNetherlands

Bruce, a very nice presentation of this stately British car. Thank you for your splendid work. This car is not for nothing in use by the British royal family and other vip's. I see the Rolls Royce brand as the pinnacle of luxury. If you have such a car, you must also have a private driver and that is just a little bit too much for me to buy such a car wink laugh.

I add some pictures of the very luxurious interior of this royal car (It looks like fotographed in a typical Dutch landscape) and a photo of the Dinky Toys Rolls Royce model line I acquired.

Kind regards to all,

Jan Oldenhuis 31-8-2017

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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Thank you Jan for your kind words. Yes, the Rolls Royce, no matter whether it be a Silver Wraith, Phantom, Silver Cloud, or whatever, was THE motor car from which all the rest can look up to in utter awe!

Seeing your photograph of your Phantom V with blue interior, reminded me that I had forgotten to include this variation. I had an image ready, but as I was experiencing such a slow uploading, I almost gave the game away. It is strange how memory cannot really be relied.  When I returned to Australia in 1988 having been away in PNG since 1967, I found a lot of my Dinky Toys missing. One of these was my dear 198 Rolls Royce Phantom V. According to my memory, my model had a duck-egg blue interior, so I eventually found an excellent example complete with its box. I was "happy", although nothing would have pleased me more than to have found the actual model!.  Fast forward to 1998 and a visit from my elder brother to attend the funeral of a cousin's wife. Out came all those past Christmases - one of which was my dear 198 Phantom V!  With its RED interior!! I was so amazed, as I still thought my Phantom V had a duck-egg blue interior! (Also returned was my 150 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith, although suffering from a couple of chips that had not been there when last seen.)

It was nice seeing the last image in your Post of the three Best Toy Models in the World of the Best Cars in the World, Phantom, Wraith and Bentley.

Here is yet another photograph I meant to include in my opening Post - a slightly different interior view of the passenger compartment with its heaps of red velvet and its seat belts!

Finally, some close-ups of the front and rear of my model, showing the detail to which Meccano went in reproducing the smallest of detail, such as the Rolls Royce symbol on the radiator and rear bumper.

And finally, the two Dinky Toys Rolls Royce Phantom V in production and sale simultaneously for three years, No 152 and No. 198.

I look forward to reading more of those excellent new Topics and Posts coming from your desk!

Kind regards

Bruce Hoy   (150)

20170109/1157/0150

 

dinkycollect's picture
dinkycollect
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Hi Bruce,

Thank you for those two excellent articles about the Phantom V.

There is a casting variation on this model. Otherwise it would not be a British Dinky Toys. The later models had a reinforced front bumper so that a tab of the base plate could be inserted under it. The front rivet was deleted but the hole in the base plate remained.

Richard's picture
Richard
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DTCA MemberFrance

My little contribution to this topic.

I don't know if the black paint on the number plate is original.

Kind regards

Richard

 

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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Jacques

Thank you for bringing to our attention the casting change with the front bumper together with the deletion of the front rivet. I have closely examined my model and I cannot really see the necessity for the change as mine is the original casting. Perhaps all would be revealed if I had access to a dismantled Phantom V - but I am certainly not going to do that with mine! What is fascinating is this change involves a metal base plate being secured by a plastic front bumper!

Richard

I would like to thank you for the pictures you have supplied showing the three Phantom Vs in your collection. It is clear that the change occurred during the time when the interior had changed from pale blue to red thanks to your pictures which also shows its original colour scheme of sand metallic and ivory.

Thank you both for your valuable contributions.

This has then made me review the time I was given my 198 Rolls Royce Phantom V, as I had made a note that it was Christmas 1962.  In 1962 the interior was a pale duck-egg blue, as mentioned in the Meccano Magazine, but mine has a red interior with its Australian price being 13/-, a price applicable throughout 1963. In 1964 the price was lowered to 12/6. I am now inclined to think that it is quite possible I received my 198 in 1963. As it has the original bumper and the rivet at the front, perhaps the change with the bumper and front rivet took place at some time post 1963.

This then raises two questions:

What year was the interior changed from duck-egg blue to red as I have consulted everything that has been published, and none provides a date.

When was the colour scheme for the model changed to grey upper and very pale grey side panelling which was the second and final colour scheme for the 198? Every image seen in numerous auction catalogues shows this colour scheme with its interior still red. Again, nothing published mentions when this occurred.

Photographs of a number of boxed models in the later shade of grey and very pale grey have a price of 6/11 written on the box which is a real bother!  Why could it not have been something different, as 6/11 was current from the date it was launched in November 1962 until October 1966 when the price increased to 7/-. It did not return to 6/11 until at least April 1968 with the following month, May 1968, the price reverted to 7/-. Catalogues have not been of much help as the ones in which the model appears, the colour is its first scheme and the interior is shown as being pale duck-egg blue.

Having previous omitted the existence of the two-tone grey version, and in the light of nothing being added to this Topic showing and discussing this colour scheme by anyone, here is my belated pictorial addition!

I would like to thank Vectis for the image.

Kind regards

Bruce Hoy   (150)

20171809/1161/2353

 

micromodels's picture
micromodels
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Hi, here is a bit of fun with Phantoms!

While I can't answer Bruce's questions, I thought it is amusing to look at two of the three versions I have.   The grey/grey vesrion I just added to my collection is fitted with SMALL hubs.while the metallic green one has one set of each size.  This has upset the chauffeur so much that he has to take a lie down on the front seat!

 

Dinkinius's picture
Dinkinius
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Hello Ron- an interesting exercise in excellent quality control! Sacrilegious to do this with any Rolls Royce!

As for that driver, it appears that he is surrendering - arms outstretched - perhaps he was having an affair with her ladyship?! But thank you for putting these pictures up and I really had a chuckle with your comments!

By the way, does the box have a price written on it - and is there a quality inspection stamp on the inside of either major outer flap? If there is, I hope it makes more sense than the one inside my model's box!

Kind regards

Bruce   (150)

20172209/1162/2346

17 June 2019 - My apologies to both Terry and Ron.  I had originally written "Hello Terry" when it should have been as above!  I think I may have been out in the sun for far too long on 22 September 2017. I hope Ron will read this apology as I do not appear to have received a reply to my request in the last paragraph.

Thanks again Ron for sharing this oddity with the wider community

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Richard
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Following my last "New Arrivals" message, here is a photo to compare the insides colours :

light blue on the left and light grey on the right.

I will post soon, a photo of my five models.

Kind regards

Richard

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Richard
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Hello everybody.

A new one, in its visi-pack box.

Kind regards

Richard