Every year we run several, very popular, Technical Seminars for the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club. These cover the many different aspects of running, servicing and maintaining Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars. Places on these Seminars always go quickly and are fully subscribed within days of their publication.
Seminar 2010
A one-day Seminar in the workshop includes lunch and all refreshments throughout the day, with guest speakers and visiting specialists. Earlier this year we had a fascinating lecture on the “Centenary of the Spirit of Ecstasy”. Some of the subjects we have covered in past seminars are: Ignition systems, engine cooling and associated problems, air conditioning and associated problems.
The 2012 Spring Seminar is going to look at
Slipper drives, carburation tuning and rebuilding.
Valves and valve guides.
Rear axle hub bearings and props.
This spring our guest specialist will talk on cylinder heads, gas flow and combustion.
The Clinic at this Spring Seminar will, as usual, allow you to hook your car up to the diagnostic tuner for a printout. Also included is a free inspection report for a particular problem
To continue the story of the Phantom II Continental Barker Saloon, Chassis number ’57RY’ which was renovated by Taylors Ltd. This motorcar was constructed in 1934 having been ordered by Theodore Cozzika, a prominent Greek industrialist who was lived in Cairo. The records indicate that it was intended ‘for use on Continent and Egypt at very high speeds with fairly heavy luggage’.
Background information on the Phantom saw it surfacing at Jack Barclay’s London showroom in 1941 where it was sold to Captain G S Davison, of Birmingham. The car had five further owners in the UK up to 1957 when it was sold to J Anker Jensen, of Salisbury, Rhodesia. It was then exported to the USA in 1967, passing through the hands of various owners there until re-imported to the UK by the current owner in May 2008. Since then
However it is the early life of this vehicle which is interesting. The original owner Theodore Cozzika was enjoying an intimate friendship with the retired American movie star, Pearl White. Their Phantom was used to commute between the south of France and Cairo (via the Marseilles-Alexandria ferry). Pearl White began her professional acting career with a touring theatre company before moving into films in 1910. She became famous for performing her own dangerous stunts and enjoyed a prolific output prior to WW1. Pearl White is perhaps best remembered for Pathé Studios’ 20-episode serial, The Perils of Pauline, in which she was pursued by her wicked guardian and his henchman, getting into all kinds of hazardous situations. Unable to achieve the same success in the emerging feature-length films, she retired in 1923 and moved to France, leaving all her French property to Cozzika on her death in 1938.
Theodore Cozzika owned a Stud Farm in Les Breviaires & bred “Colonist II” which was bought by Winston Churchill & was his most famous racehorse. After his racing career Colonist II became the backbone of Winston’s Stud farm. An interesting motorcar and an interesting story I think you will agree.