1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30 Limousine

‘BAC 813’ is a ‘matching numbers’ Windovers limousine based on the Rolls-Royce 25/30 chassis. Still boasting its original body and chassis, it is said to be a ‘matching numbers’ example and comes with its original registration logbook.

Offered in a very good condition, the seller acquired it in 2007 from his partner’s father, who in turn had owned it since 1985. 

It’s been used as a wedding car for the past 18 years, a role it is eminently suited to – and one for which reliability was a prerequisite, which bodes well for the winning bidder.

The limousine body, which was built by Windovers Limited of Hendon, London has seen off 20 British prime ministers, a fact that seemed impressive until we realised that a 10-plate Mondeo will have lived through six…

There’s no denying it’s a survivor, and while we’ll come to its few flaws later in this section, the overall impression is positive with a good shine and neat panel alignment. 

But then one of the first jobs the seller undertook was to remove the wings and bonnet in order to have them professionally dipped-and-stripped. He then carefully reassembled the car before having it resprayed in this two-tone cream ‘n’ black colour scheme, a choice we think suits its vintage lines to perfection.

The body-coloured steel wheels are in a very good condition with no dinks or scuffs, tidy paint, and a very good set of chrome hubcaps. They’re also fitted with a matching set of high-quality 5.25/6.00 x 19 Michelin Comfort Cord S.S. tyres.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

All four doors pivot from the rear to allow elegant access and egress, something that’s been as important in recent years as it was when the car was first built. 

Other nice touches include sweeping cycle wings that flow seamlessly into running boards before terminating with some of the sleekest rear wings in the business.

It’s got opening bonnet louvres too, plus a fully encased rear numberplate, a spare wheel mounted within the offside front wing, working semaphore indicators, ‘Windovers’ sill plates, and chromed blade bumpers with the Rolls-Royce emblem set in the middle of the front.

A grommet on the roof directly above the windscreen hints at early regal or aristocratic connections, the hole perhaps having been used to hold a pennant or similar? 

A pair of HUGE Lucas headlamps, a solitary driving lamp, the Spirit of Ecstasy, and that trademark radiator grille comprise one of the most instantly recognisable and well-respected visages the automotive world has ever seen. 

And they, like the rest of the chromework, are in an excellent condition with only minimal pitting, tarnishing, and scratches.

As for the rest of its flaws, it’s worth bearing in mind that this is a 90-year-old motorcar, so there will be some general wear ‘n’ tear. And yet, the quality of the coachbuilding and its subsequent curation and restoration have seen it survive the best part of a century with surprisingly few issues.

The roof is a bit scratched, for example, and there is blistering along the nearside edge of that panel as well as the nearside scuttle and the offside front and rear wings. 

There are also a couple of small dents at the rear of the roof and on the offside front wing, the windscreen is delaminating, the screws at the bottom of the radiator have rusted, the rear window glass is scratched, and the driver’s door has a couple of deep scratches, albeit carefully touched up.

Finally, the coachwork also presents myriad fine washing and polishing marks, so you might like to get your local valeter to pop along with their machine polisher to give it the onceover.

The front seats provide a much-needed reminder that leather, the slipperiest and coldest material of them all, used to be reserved for places where longevity was more important that luxury.

In other words, for the staff. 

But the hide has done its job because the front bench seat has lasted well; clearly those entrusted with driving it, in the early days at least, knew their place and kept bottom shuffling, and therefore wear, to a minimum.

It does have some creases and cracks and even a couple of holes, but we think a good clean and feed would work wonders, after which the new owner can decide whether they want to preserve its patina or get it retrimmed. 

The rear seat, on the other hand, is soft and grippy and decadent. Velvety-smooth to the touch and deep-buttoned, it has more in common with the sofa in your sitting room than the afterthought most rear seats are these days.

The same material has been used on the rear quarters to provide sumptuous armrests, as well as on the rear door cards and the bulkhead, with the latter also playing host to a pair of fold-down jump seats.

The cabinetmakers were also kept busy, crafting proper wooden fittings that include a drinks cabinet in the bulkhead, while the grab handles are a plaited design that looks strong enough to moor a good-sized yacht.

As you’d expect, a sliding screen sits betwixt the two, neatly delineating the somewhat workmanlike driver’s compartment with the lavish rear.

Mind you, Rolls-Royce’s interpretation of workmanlike differs from most because there is still a huge slab of wood across the full width of the cabin plus an opening windscreen, leather door trims, brass switches, extensive instrumentation, and a stylish and feature-laden steering wheel, the precursor to the multi-function ones you’ll find in every modern car. 

The front seats have drawers underneath them too, the horn offers the choice of a ‘soft’ or a ‘loud’ tone[1], and the floor-mounted gearlever and handbrake have more in common with a railway signal box than the electrickery you’ll find in a modern Royce.

The carpets throughout are in an excellent condition with barely any wear, and the headlining is clean, taut, and free of damage. 

The boot is a good size, with its emphasis on practicality rather than luxury. It also contains the battery and tool kit.

As for work to do, the dashboard is in such a good condition that we can’t help but think we’d willingly sacrifice some of its character by getting it revarnished in order to preserve it for another 90 years. 

The switch panel to the right of the steering wheel is also more worn that most would be comfortable with, the fabric on the nearside A-pillar is wrinkled, and the steering wheel hub is cracked.

The straight-six engine, the most perfectly balanced layout of them all until we arrive at the V12, idles as smoothly as we’ve ever seen. When provoked, it rises to the occasion with a similar lack of drama and shows both a healthy charge to the battery and builds good oil pressure.

The owner reports that it has been “really reliable”, something we have no trouble believing given the work he put it to – and his background.

You see, he trained as a mechanic but nonetheless put himself forward to attend a course dedicated to maintaining vintage Rolls-Royces. Encouraged by his new learning he poked and prodded around only to discover that the wiring was the original cloth-covered stuff, so he had the car professionally rewired using modern cabling for reliability and safety.

The condition of the engine bay is in line with everything else being tidy and well-presented without being so OTT you’d be afraid to use it. Some may feel it would benefit from further detailing, in which case you’ll welcome the access the split bonnet gives.

As will the keen DIYer, who will also appreciate the engineering that lies beneath. World-class engineering at that, with everything being both accessible and easy to understand. With rods to adjust and pivots to lubricate, if you update your tool kit with some imperial spanners and a decent grease gun – and buying new tools is rarely a hardship – you’ll be completely self-sufficient.

The underside features Brunel-levels of strength courtesy of steel and leather and wood, which means you’d better add some woodworking tools to your armoury, and a pot of dubbin. 

But, for now all looks good and strong, so, for now, it’s probably just going to be a case of maintaining it rather than repairing it.

The Rolls-Royce doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, the recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and its history file includes its original registration logbook along with copies of the paperwork it would have been supplied with, including the build sheets.

It also features in the book Rolls-Royce 25/30 H.P. and Wraith by Bernard L. King.

That this coach built car has an estimate of between £18,000 and £23,000 proves, in the clearest possible way, there is rarely a correlation between quality and price.

But what this delightful example does offer is outstanding value for money; where else could you buy a hand-built limousine powered by one of the smoothest engines the world’s ever seen for so little?

And it’s not as if you’re buying a project car; invest a few hours in sorting out the few (and trivial) cosmetic flaws it presents and you’ll have a crowd-stopping, show-winning, smooth-driving, residual-preserving example of one of the most decadent cars built during the heady pre-war years.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.