1950 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Saloon

Roughly 760 Silver Dawns were built between 1949 and 1955. Series A all the way to Series D Dawns had identical bodywork until it was finally redesigned in 1953 with the Series E Silver Dawn. The engine inside today’s example is a 4.2L 260 cu in, inline six with a full flow oil filter. A 4-speed manual was the only option, with the 4-speed automatic becoming available in 1952.

This Silver Dawn is finished in white. It features trademark Rolls Royce pinstriping down each side of the vehicle from bumper to bumper. There are some flaws worth pointing out. Some minute bubbling has started to form around the edges of the hood, there is a patch of scratches around the driver’s half of the windshield continuing sporadically in various areas down the side of the car, there appears to be a decent sized scratch on the left side of the trunk lid and a number of smaller ones on the rear of the car, and the hairline scratches continue all the way up the passenger side of the car as well. The chrome around the car is straight. The white wall tires would benefit greatly from a good scrubbing. Overall, the exterior of this Silver Dawn will need some attention on the outside if the owner intends to show the car competitively.

The interior of this automobile is a deep, rich red. The leather seats are creased but likely only from regular use. There are no holes, tears, or cracks to be seen on the driver’s seat, but there is a tear in the passenger seat. The carpets are in great shape, show no holes or tears, and lay flat in their respective positions. The black Bakelite steering wheel has been well preserved, and the dashboard’s many gauges are clean and clear. Speaking of the dashboard, all of the wooden inlays in the car have aged rather nicely. The dash itself has retained its glossiness but seems be cracking ever so slightly around the speedometer. We think it makes a nice bit of patina. The inlays on each of the doors have undergone the most stress, with peeling being visible in the worst areas. The trays for the rear compartment have thrived while locked away; they look great and still fold as intended. A semi-modern stereo appears to have been fitted to the glovebox for an added touch of modern convenience. The rear bench is also in good shape. The leather is creased in some areas, but it is minor at best. While the pillow on the rear bench is a cute touch, it looks tired and would benefit greatly from a restuffing. The sunshades fold both up and down, and the red leather headliner hangs tight while also showing no major damage.

Based on the documents available to us, we believe the original owner had the car delivered to Ontario, Canada. When it was originally built, the car was black with ivory pinstriping and sported a beige leather interior. It is unclear to us when the car was repainted and reupholstered. The car changed hands in 1969, and the 2nd owner was local, keeping the car in Ontario as well. In 1977 the Dawn was sold again, and this time was moved to Danville, California. One year later in 1978, the car was sold to a 4th owner down in Costa Mesa, California. Lastly, we believe the previous owner of this Silver Dawn sometime in October of 2012. The Market sold it to the current owner earlier this year, but he's decided to reoffer the car with us instead of exporting it back home.

This Silver Dawn is in fair condition. The amount of work needed inside is almost nothing compared to the amount of wear and tear on the outside. Any potential buyer willing to put in a little extra effort will surely emerge on the other side with a wonderful looking automobile. We are abundantly confident this Silver Dawn will have few issues achieving its $35,000 - $50,000 estimate.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL BIDDERS

It should be noted that this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

Please note that the title for this vehicle is in transit.