Warren Buffett's Springfield Rolls~Royce Brewster Coupe'

I love those great fun old photos of Warren too !
They really show the fun human side of Warren, and his friend, as young teenage university students.

I was very glad that Mr. Buffett allowed these great old teenage photos to be published in his Sister's book about him, & also on my ACD thread post here.
It also goes to show you that at one time a teenage university student, with very little money to spend, could afford buy a great high-end, & once high-priced, "Classic" auto for only a few hundred dollars.
Few wanted these great old autos in those days.

Boy~~~ have times changed in the selling prices of these old "Classic" autos; and also what Warren could actually afford to buy today~~~ !

That picture of Warren Buffett sitting on the car in his fur coat is priceless. I liked him before. I love him now. That picture is too funny.

Since my first thread posting I have gotten many phone calls & emails from far and wide wondering if Paul Andrews, & Warren Buffett, have ever found Warren's original 1928 Springfield/ Brewster Rolls~Royce Phantom I Wimbledon Coupe'?
I do not believe that they have ever in fact found it.
In fact~~~ It is not really known to still exist today by Rolls~Royce Owners Club members both here, and in the U.K. & Europe .
It was thought to have been shipped to Europe in the late 1950s; and had it's original Brewster Wimbledon Coupe' coachwork removed & scrapped with a new reproductuction touring coach put on this Springfield Phantom I chassis.
It has long since disappeared from the radar of the collector car hobby.

I have also been asked if Paul Andrews , or Warren Buffett, ever decided to buy my R~R Brewster Wimbledon Prototype Coupe ' ?
Paul gave Warren a dozen current photos of my Rolls~Royce in it's present as- discovered condition that I sent Paul . Paul asked his friend & "Boss" Warren if he would be interested in having this auto for old times nostalgia's sake.

I would have sold this Phantom I Brewster Wimbledon Coupe' to Paul Andrews , or Warren himself, for a very very fair & reasonable price if I thought Warren might enjoy owning & driving it~~~ just for fun.
I do not know Warren at all; and I have never spoken to him.~~~But he seems like a very nice fellow~~~as is Paul Andrews.
I have a lot of respect for Mr. Buffett ; and what he is now doing in his charitable foundation efforts along with Bill Gates.

Paul Andrews told me Warren actually thought about buying this Rolls~Royce for a month, or so, and then decided that he did not wish to get involved in a Classic automobile restoration project .
Both gentlemen have now passed on actually buying this very rare Classic project Rolls~Royce Brewster Wimbledon Coupe'.

This should now bring everyone who reads this great ACD forum up-to-date on this very unusual & interesting old Classic Springfield Rolls~Royce saga.

Brad Hunter~

The Springfield R~R chassis number of Mr. Buffett's old Rolls~Royce may have been determined; and it is believed, by an older long time Classic auto dealer/collector , that it may have come-up for sale in the late 50s, or early 60s .
It was then thought to have been shipped to Europe where the Brewster Wimbledon Coupe' body was removed & scrapped ; and a new reproduction open touring body placed on this Springfield R~R chassis.
It is not known where this chassis is today ; or if it still actually exists ?
The (RROC) Rolls~Royce Owner's Club, Phantom I Society, & Silver Ghost Association, all have no record of this auto existing today .

As you can see Warren's Rolls~Royce Phantom I was highly altered ; possibly in the 1930s to update it's overall look to a more modern look that so was popular in the 1930s.
This was a very common practice in the 1930s to "Update" great 1920s era autos to the more streamlined look of the 30s-40s era .
Many Duesenberg model "J" s later suffered this very same sad fate.

In my opinion the Sprinfield R~R Coupe' was sadly badly butchered by these non-original "Updated" add-ons & alterations..

Ugly sheet metal fender skirts were badly welded on the front, and rear fenders.
The ends of the bumpers were sawed-off & the bars shortened.
The twin running board tool & battery boxes were removed & the battery re-located.
The rear custom travel/steamer trunk & folding trunk rack was also removed & the rear exposed gas tank pushed under & hidden under the car's body.
Lastly a filler skirt panel was added to each side between the running boards & the lower body coachwork covering the rear leaf springs & gators , and also the Bijur lubrication system plumbing.


All would have to agree that all these later "Updates" & alterations did nothing but to help spoil the overall look of a once very stunning & rare 4 passenger 1928 Rolls~Royce Springfield Brewster Wimbledon Coupe'.

No, this isn't ACD-related, but I thought our Classic-minded members would be interested.

Chris Summers will be posting the six 1940s Warren Buffett Springfield Rolls~Royce Phantom I Wimbledon Coupe' photos for us all very soon ,

Please Stay Tuned !

Chris~
Thank's for posting these great photos for me.

Earlier this spring I was contacted by a well known auto collector who has some interest in my Springfield Phantom I
Rolls~Royce "Special Coupe" S-136 PM
This car was the 1927 Commodore Hotel Salon Show-Car called the Springfield Rolls~Royce Brewster Phantom I Wimbledon Coupe' prototype according to my late friend John Webb DeCampi; noted Springfield R~R expert and author of "Rolls~Royce in America".
He along with Arthur Soutter who wrote "The American Rolls~Royce" were the two top Springfield Rolls~Royce experts.

It seems that this car collector, Mr. Paul Andrews from TX., sold his electronic parts distribution company to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Corp a few years ago.

In conversations with his new friend & "Boss" Warren he learned that Warren, and his university buddy, once bought an old used 1928 Springfield Rolls~Royce Phantom I Brewster catalog body Wimbleon Coupe' in the 1940s for only a few hundred dollars; and used it while they were both university students .
They bought the old Rolls~Royce because it was a very good, powerful, & impressive car~
And~~~Because it was very cheap at this time.
They both dressed-up for all these photos above~

Just for fun !

Paul Andrews has ever since been actively looking for Warren's old Springfield Rolls~Royce .
It may no longer exsist today ?

It would appear that my S-136 PM is the only known surviving Brewster 4 passenger Winbledon Coupe', simiar to Warren's old car, extant and known to have survived.

And~~~ My car was the 1927 NY Commodore Hotel Salon Show prototype to top it all off.

I have sent Chris photos of Warren Buffett in a racoon coat and, top hat, with cigar, along with his old highly altered Springfield Rolls~Royce Coupe' for posting here.
I believe that's Warren's little sister on the car's hood in one photo ?

I hope you will all enjoy these great & fun photos.
I will fill-in more details later after Chris posts these great old photos.

Note:
Mr. Paul Andrews is also a Duesenberg model "J" owner; as well a having a fine collection of great Classsic autos & mahogany speedboats.
I suspect many ACD Club members, & Dusenberg "J" owners may also know Paul Andrews ?
He is indeed a great fellow !
Perhapps he will post here on this ACD forum with more interesting details on his very famous friend & "Boss" Warren, & his old 1928 Rolls~Royce Phanton I Brewster Wimbledon Coupe' ?