Q & A With Paul Wood of P&A Wood - Creators Of The Gaines Wood Phantom

March 16th, 2007 11:47 AM


As the story goes, British Rolls-Royce/Bentley specialists P&A Wood were commissioned by a customer to rework a new Phantom’s front end to incorporate more traditional styling. Paul and Andrew Wood founded their company in 1967, and have since grown to become the UK’s acknowledged resource on all things Rolls-Royce and Bentley. In fact, not only are they an authorized Roller dealer, they’re the UK’s only authorized repair agent.

We wanted to know more about this unique coachbuilt Phantom, and Paul Wood (who is in charge of both coachwork and sales) took a few minutes out of his day to answer some of our questions about the car.

WR: Was this redesign specially commissioned, or was it just an idea that the craftsmen at P&A Wood came up with? If privately held, can you disclose who owns this vehicle?

PW: The design was specifically commissioned by a very good customer of ours. It is our own design, and something we have often considered.

WR: What all was involved in the conversion process? - How long did it take, what sort of parts needed to be crafted, and where are the lighting units from?

PW: The alterations were to the front wing to take twin headlamps, headlamp washer system, flasher lamp to resemble previous Rolls-Royce snowpack grills, new full length front bumper incorporating number plate recess and improved lower spoiler. The work took approximately 4 months to complete but this entailed making several ‘mock-up’ versions before the final design was decided. It was very much a joint effort with our customer. The headlamps and mounting brackets are from the Bentley Continental R.


WR: Are there any further conversions like this planned, or was this strictly a one-off?

PW: This car is a one-off at present; however, we would certainly consider the opportunity to do more.


WR: Have you ever done any conversions/restyles to other vehicles?

PW: We only deal with Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars.


WR: How much did the conversion cost?

PW: The conversion cost was approximately £26,000.


WR: Did you have any reservations about altering the Phantom’s design?

PW: Yes, we did have reservations, but our customer would not have purchased the car if we had not agreed to do the conversion. It does give the car a more traditional and less aggressive look. In my opinion, the Rolls-Royce Phantom reinstates Rolls-Royce as the best car in the world, but Rolls-Royce has always had coachbuilt versions.


WR: Will this car be shown publicly anywhere this year?

PW: There are no plans to show the car this year, and in fact the car is for sale. The owner wishes to purchase an extended wheelbase Rolls-Royce Phantom with the same conversion.