Description:
The car was new to Rolls Royce experimental / research department in 1954 and was used by them to test new developments until approx 1957 at the end of which it had been fully updated to the latest specification with the current engine, power steering and air conditioning to name but a few points. It is all detailed in a log book kept at the RREC headquarters which they guard jealously but will allow pre arranged inspection and notes to be taken. The car is well reported in the rare 1986 book by Ian Rimmer entitled " Rolls Royce and Bentley Experimental Cars" After leaving the experimental department at Crewe it became the personal car of the manager of the London service depot and was then passed to the school of instruction for the apprentices and others to be instructed on maintenance. There it was re-painted green and silver (originally it was blue and silver) and re-trimmed in dark grey/blue. Still in the ownership of Rolls Royce it was sent back to Crewe where it was bought by Ian Rimmer who had just retired from a senior position in the Company. Ian kept it for a long time but with little use and eventually sold it in 2009. Additional notes by the seller: 1) The car is located in Cyprus where it was brought in early 2015 with the intention of doing restoration work here. It is duty paid into Cyprus but it has not been registered for use in Cyprus. The car still has its original UK registration number and UK paperwork so it can readily be exported from Cyprus with only the expense of the shipping charges 2) To maintain originality the paintwork should be refinished in its original colours of blue and silver. 3) I have now selected the top quality grey /blue leather for the interior trim and it can be very quickly ordered from the supplier in Scotland. 4) The interior woodwork has now been very beautifully refinished in England and it is paid for and awaiting shipment back to Cyprus. 5) I have obtained from the RREC library a full photocopy of the original log book for 41EX. This amounts to 98 very large pages with detailed daily notes of the full history of the car whilst it was with the experimental department. The original of this most interesting log book is jealously guarded at The Hunt House and is not allowed to be taken away. 6) This was the very first Rolls Royce car to be fitted with power steering and air conditioning. I am not proposing to restore the air conditioning but it should be possible for a future owner to have it put into working order if required. 7) Normally Rolls Royce never sold their experimental cars so this one is very rare in having been kept in Rolls Royce ownership for many years and then it slipped through the net via a sale to a member of the experimental staff -- Ian Rimmer. 8) I would very much prefer to sell the car "as is" with the possibility to complete the paintwork and trim for an additional estimated figure of ca.£ 35000. However I believe the car to have had a high standard of maintenance and that no extensive work will be required other than normal re commissioning after a long period of being unused. The engine runs very nicely and the car could be driven before we stripped it down ready for painting, etc.