This woodworker took the idea of a 6×6 Rolls-Royce Phantom to another level.
Last year, we wrote about Alexandre Danton’s crazy custom Rolls-Royce Phantom: a 6×6 off-roading monster with 24-inch wheels and gold-plated brake calipers. As if that wasn’t unusual enough, a woodworking artist published a video on his ND – Woodworking Art YouTube channel of the whole process of assembling a wooden 6×6 Rolls-Royce Phantom. Probably even more remarkable is that this wooden replica drives and has functioning lights and turning signals!
It was just a matter of time before this guy would make a wooden Phantom, as he has already built wooden models of various luxury cars, among other vehicles and items. He builds most of these cars as a gift for his son, which is something most kids could just dream of. He states in the description of his video that he uses wood from discarded trees instead of cutting down forest trees, which makes his projects that much cooler.
The Wooden 6×6 Rolls-Royce Phantom Build Is Mesmerizing To Watch
The only thing that wasn’t fully unique in this process might be the fact that someone else already built a 6×6 Rolls-Royce Phantom. But all similarities with Danton’s project stop there; this Phantom started out as two wood panels and a couple of wooden beams.
This little wooden marvel is powered by an electric motor, and the wheels were found at a local landfill, cleaned, painted, and polished. Then the builder assembled the rough shape of the car frame, gluing it and securing it with screws.
However, the real magic starts only after the big wooden parts have been glued together; the woodworker refines the shape with a saw and then starts to file it for an even finer look. This is where the whole construction begins to look like a Rolls-Royce. While this process took him hours, it’s highly sped up, so you can see the chunks of wood start to form a Phantom in just a few minutes. The original sounds are there, so you can listen to the video as a marvelous woodworking ASMR.
This wooden model has suicide doors, much like the real Phantom, as well as a functioning back door and a luggage compartment covered in dark wood. Probably the most satisfying part is the interior assembly; a board of dark wood with three debossed circles soon turns into the dashboard.
The craftsman pours transparent epoxy over printouts of the gauges to make them look super realistic. He missed no detail nor quirk in the interior: even the console armrest opens up in two sections, just like on the real Phantom. The wooden seats, made out of two shades of dark wood, look as soft as the real ones.
The finishing details are the cherry on the cake: a custom license plate, a grille, and a Rolls-Royce badge. Last but not least, the car is adorned with a hand-carved “Spirit of Ecstasy,” or the Rolls-Royce angel, and wooden wheel covers with RR caps. After varnishing and the installation of a hand-carved steering wheel, the car was ready to go.
This Phantom Is Multifunctional Despite Being Made Of Wood
While this wooden Phantom is still a toy, that doesn’t mean it can’t have many functions that a real car would have. This realistic wooden RR can do a lot more than most would expect from a handmade children’s car. The woodworking master drove his creation through the streets alongside “real” cars to prove how cool his wooden Rolls-Royce is. His son was amazed, and people passing by were curious about this unusual car.
It was able to not only drive but fulfill a multitude of other features and functions. Some of them include working headlights, rear lights, turn signals, functioning front doors and rear “suicide” doors, instrument cluster illumination, working hydraulics in the back door, mirrors, as well as plexiglass windshield and rear window. The awesomeness of this replica is best seen in the kid’s enthusiasm during the drive.
The Guy Who Built The Original 6×6 Rolls-Royce Phantom
Want to drive the real 6×6 Phantom? You’ll most likely have to spend $5.2 million. French artist Alexandre Danton, who has already built a 6×6 Land Rover Defender, spent a year planning and three months building this unique Rolls-Royce.
Using parts from several different cars, including a 2005 BMW 7 Series, he rebuilt a 2005 Phantom to be suitable for off-roading while keeping the high-end luxury associated with the British brand. This beast is also equipped with massive 24-inch wheels.
He plated several areas of the car, such as the brake calipers and the engine, with gold leaf. The interior features a crocodile leather-wrapped steering wheel and a center console lined with snake leather.
