1955 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith 4.5 ltr LWB

Chassis no. LDLW143

Engine no. L142D

Odometer: 28,470 miles.

The car comes with no history or service records. Further information in the form of copy chassis cards may be available by time of sale.

The last word in motoring luxury in its day, this long-wheelbase, auto, LHD 1955 Silver Wraith 4.5-litre boasts limousine coachwork by the highly respected firm of Park Ward Ltd, Rolls-Royce’s in-house coachbuilder since 1939.

Presented in black, the car looks fairly good all round.

It’s not perfect – a fact that becomes more apparent the closer you get – but most of the imperfections are, we think, superficial in nature and limited in extent.

This car appears to us to be an honest and original example of the last of the coachbuilt Rolls-Royces.

The bodywork is largely free of any idents, bumps or creases.

The shut-lines and panel gaps are even and consistent.

The black paintwork is impressively lustrous and shiny in general, although there are some issues.

The paint has light, swirly scratches on several panels. There are chips to the paint on the leading edges of the bonnet, doors and other panel intersections.

There is some bubbling and cracked paint around the driver’s side rear window.

The top of the ‘A’ pillar on the same side also has some bubbling in evidence.

There is a shallow indentation and some cracked paint just above the rear light cluster on the driver’s side.

The wheels are good all round and most of the extensive chrome work on the grille, bumpers and elsewhere is in fair condition, despite some scratches to the door handles.

The interior is original and in broadly reasonable condition, save for a few notable exceptions.

The most obvious is the condition of the leather upholstery in the front. The leather on the driver’s seat is split and heavily worn. The passenger’s seat has fared rather better but is still very faded and creased.

The upholstery in the rear is in better condition, although there are some nicks and scuffs to the fabric on the front bolster of the bench seats.

The carpets at the front are rather grubby and slightly threadbare in places. They are better in the rear, and the lambswool rugs are still thick enough for you to lose sight of your feet.

The wood veneers on the dashboard are in reasonable condition, although the lacquer is crazed everywhere.

The wood on the door cappings, particularly on the front doors, is scuffed and faded.

The wood veneers and inlays in the back, particularly on the picnic tables and drinks cabinet, look very fine and seem to have endured the passage of time with impressive fortitude.

The window winders are missing from the rear doors.

There is a crack in the wood next to the glove compartment.

The steering wheel, gear selector and instruments all seem to be in good condition.

There is a gold plate on the glove box that claims the car was made available to HRH The Queen for their visit to Canada. We have no evidence to support this claim, so cannot say if it is true.

We can’t make any claims about the functionality of switches, knobs, levers, toggles, buttons, dials or other electrics as we haven’t tried to start the vehicle.

The driver side door has dropped slightly, so it does not close properly. This will need to be addressed by the winning bidder.

There is rust dust and some flaking in evidence here and there, but most of what we can see appears to have a good amount of structural integrity.

Clearly, you will want to visit the car and see for yourself.

Everything in the engine bay is in its right and proper place and seems to be clean and dry.

The car doesn’t come with any history or service records.

This car must be registered in the country of your choice and you will need to contact the appropriate vehicle licensing agency for instructions on how to do this.

Any paperwork shown in the gallery is a facsimile and in no way constitutes any kind of licensing or registration certification.

Apart from some relatively minor cosmetic issues, we’d say that this Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith is in good condition and is a strong, low-mileage example.

Provided, of course, that the engine and mechanicals are as good as the rest of the car, we think this magnificent vehicle should reward its next owner with years of classy, distinguished and rather grand motoring pleasure.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of €30,000 - €50,000.

Viewing is always encouraged and this car is located in Tremblay-en-France. To arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.