Massachusetts man drove the same 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I for 77 years until he was 102 and the company gave him a very special honor
Published on Jul 24, 2026 at 1:57 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Jul 24, 2026 at 1:57 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
After driving this 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom for 77 years, one Massachusetts man received a very special honor.
Allen Swift received his car as a gift from his father all the way back in 1928.
The Springfield resident went on to put more than 170,000 miles on the Phantom, all while doing his upmost to keep it in tip-top condition.
After decades of upstanding ownership, Rolls-Royce decided to acknowledge his efforts in a special way.
There’s just something undeniably classy about a Rolls-Royce
If you want a car that exemplifies sophistication and grandeur, you can’t go wrong with a Rolls-Royce.
Even when they’re sat gathering dust, they give off a refined aura.
From King Charles to Supercar Blondie herself, many car lovers are partial to the British brand.
Not even Justin Bieber himself can resist its charms.
But we’d be surprised if we could find anyone as devoted to their Rolls-Royce as Allen Swift.
This man set a record with his Rolls-Royce Phantom
Swift’s Rolls-Royce began back in 1928, when he was gifted a Rolls-Royce Phantom I with a Piccadilly roadster body.
Seeing the workers at the Springfield factory was what pushed him into choosing the car.
“I went all through it and watched them making the parts. It reinforced my idea that it was well made,” Swift told the Springfield Museums in a 2003 interview.
“I saw all the ways they tested the cars. Every engine was tested.”
The car was gifted to him by his father on his 26th birthday as a reward for staying with the family business.
Before he’d bought a Rolls-Royce, his cars had included a 1917 Franklin and a Marmon.
Over the next few decades, Swift would prove to be extremely loyal to his Phantom.
How does 77 years of continuous ownership sound?
How Rolls-Royce honored his dedication
Between 1928 and 1958, Swift used the car as a daily driver for his commute.
By 2003, he estimated that he’d put around 172,000 miles on the clock.
For his decades of loyalty, Rolls-Royce bestowed upon him a crystal Spirit of Ecstasy in 1994.
Now that sounds like a worthy reward.
After Swift passed away in 2005 at the age of 102, his Rolls-Royce was proudly put on display at the Wood Museum of Springfield History.
Key features: 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I
Powertrain: 7.7-liter Inline 6-Cylinder, approximately 95 to 108hp
Top Speed: 80mph
0–62 mph: Roughly 20 – 25 seconds
Starting Price: $10,000 – $12,000 in 1928/$17,000 – $18,000 with Piccadilly body ($18,000 is around $350,000 today)
Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
