Mr. Allen Swift is a legend among Rolls-Royce collectors for owning his green Phantom I, S273 FP Rolls longer than anyone in the world has ever owned an individual Rolls-Royce.
In recognition of that fact, Rolls-Royce Motors presented him with a crystal Spirit of Ecstasy award at the Rolls-Royce Annual Meeting in 1994.
How did Allen Swift get the car?
When he finished high school, he was given a choice: either go to college or help his father run the family gold business. If he chose the family business, his parents promised to buy him any car he wanted.
Allen picked a brand new $10,900, 1928 Springfield Rolls Royce, which he owned for 77 years
In 2002, when he was 99 years old, he approached the Springfield Museums to discuss finding a new home for his Rolls-Royce.
In September 2005 Swift’s attorney informed the Museums that his client would donate the money to purchase the Verizon building, adjacent to the Museums.
Allen Smith died in October 2005 at the age of 102
The Wood Museum of Springfield History opened to the public in the fall of 2009. Today it showcases Allen’s 1928 Springfield-made Phantom I, S273 FP Rolls-Royce which has 170,000 miles on it, still runs like a Swiss watch, dead silent at any speed and is in perfect condition.
There is no organization like Guinness Book or a known records-keeping firm to verify if this, in fact, is the longest car/owner relationship from new ... but one could probably win a bet or have an interesting discussion based upon this information.
Click HERE to see the antique cars and motorcycles featured at the Museum of Springfield History
adapted from an extension of a Sirius satellite radio program on channel 161, the "Christian Car Guy Radio Show" and ...Notes from the EDJE
