In the spring of 1967 when John Lennon had completed his filming work in Spain on ‘How I Won the War’, he came home to London, the black Phantom V was in a sorry state, so he hired J.P. Fallon Ltd., a coachbuilder in Surrey, to execute a new fresh paint scheme in the style of a Romany gypsy caravan. It wasn’t "psychedelic" as often referenced, that was a later car, the Beatles Bentley, (222 APL). There is doubt over the origin of the idea, but Lennon’s chauffeur said it was Ringo that suggested it to John, when he was driving them both and they passed by a Romany fair ground. Fallons’ commissioned a local artist, Steve Weaver, and the work was completed six weeks later. The Romany designs were executed in ordinary household paint, which has required considerable maintenance over the years.

It was a Controversial statement by Lennon to customize a Rolls-Royce in such a vibrant way, many people found it offensive.  But that was his intent, Lennon loved telling a story about an elderly woman who hit the car with her umbrella.

In 1970 Lennon and Yoko Ono moved to New York and took the yellow Phantom V (FJB 111C) with them There it was often loaned out, as a taxi shuttle limo, to other rock bands of the era. In 1977, Lennon had some tax issues he donated the yellow Phantom V, to the Cooper-Hewitt Museum at the Smithsonian Institution, in exchange and to cover an IRS bill of $250,000. In 1985, Sotheby’s sold the car for the Cooper Hewitt Museum at auction to British Columbia billionaire entrepreneur James “Jimmy” Pattison for his chain of Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” Museums for $2.29 million. Pattison donated the car for museum exhibit. It was on display during Expo 86 in Vancouver, and since 1993 it has been in the Royal British Columbia Museum in Canada. In 2014. It was also displayed in Vancouver for “Magical Mystery Tour, a Beatles Memorabilia Exhibition.”

Just as the Beatles’ long hair had done, Lennon’s yellow Rolls-Royce Phantom V had ignited a generation that clashed with those who felt the ghastly Romany paintwork had diminished a British icon, people said it was an attack on British elegance, politeness and good manners. However 50 years later, and times have changed history has created a new icon, and now Lennon’s Rolls-Royce Phantom V has been recognized as a treasure, a masterpiece of design and a jewel of the Swinging Sixties. After nearly four decades spent in North America, in July 2017 it made its grand homecoming to England as part of Rolls-Royce’s exhibition, “The Great Eight Phantoms.” where it joined Phantoms owned by Queen Elizabeth II and Fred Astaire, on display at Bonhams flagship saleroom in London, to celebrate the launch of the the latest incarnation, the Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII.