Rolls-Royce
Phantom III "Parallel Door" Saloon Coupé by James Young

Why it matters

James Young's 'parallel door' design let a large two-door saloon have long doors that slid backwards along the body instead of swinging into traffic. Only two Phantom IIIs received it, and 3DL86 was the 1938 Earls Court show car.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

Chassis 3DL86 was displayed by Jack Barclay at the 1938 Earls Court Motor Show and sold on the show's opening day to its first owner, who kept it until after the war. It moved to the United States in 1955, where it was used regularly and fitted with a home-designed overdrive, and was later restored to original appearance, winning its class at Pebble Beach in 2004. Underneath is the Phantom III chassis with its 7,340cc V12 and independent front suspension, the first on a Rolls-Royce.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

The defining feature is the doors: they move outward and then slide rearwards parallel to the body, like a modern sliding van door. 3DL86 also has a two-piece sunshine roof with an electrically operated upper panel and sliding smoked visors in the rear windows.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   RM Sotheby's Guyton Collection 2019 – 1938 Phantom III by James Young (3DL86) Level B

   • 2 Phantom IIIs with James Young parallel-door body

   Accessed 2026-11-11
2. 2
   1938 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Four-Light Cabriolet, chassis 3DL94 (Lot 23, The Bond Street Sale) Level C Bonhams · 2021-05-19

   • V12
   • 7,340cc
   • 165bhp in its debut form, later 180

   Accessed 2026-11-12