$6,100
The Silver Wraith was the first post-war Rolls Royce. It was made from 1946 to 1958. It was meant to fill the role as Rolls Royce’s smaller car, the size being chosen to stay up to date with the mood of post-war trends. Improvements over the 1939 Wraith were as follows: chromium-plated cylinder bores, a more rigid chassis frame, independent front suspension, a synchromesh gearbox, and centralized chassis lubrication.
The Silver Wraith was the first post-war Rolls Royce. It was made from 1946 to 1958. It was meant to fill the role as Rolls Royce’s smaller car, the size being chosen to stay up to date with the mood of post-war trends. Improvements over the 1939 Wraith were as follows: chromium-plated cylinder bores, a more rigid chassis frame, independent front suspension, a synchromesh gearbox, and centralized chassis lubrication.
The Silver Wraith had undergone several upgrades during its production life. The engine is a 278.6 cu in straight-six mated to the 4-speed manual with synchromesh. The chassis to these Silver Wraiths differ heavily from the pre-war Wraiths and are notably more rigid. Servo assisted drum brakes were used at both ends of the Silver Wraith, hydraulically operated at the front, and mechanically operated at the rear. Today’s example was also a recipient of coach building efforts via the good folks over at Park Ward.
The exterior to this Wraith can be described as decent at best. The grey/green paint has faded quite a bit since the car rolled off the production line, and there are chips all around the car. The hubcaps and white wall tires would benefit greatly from a deep scrubbing. Unfortunately, it’ll be much tougher to buff out the corrosion on the passenger side of the chrome front bumper. The rear bumper is straight but the bumperettes appear to be dented and bent. Glass around the car is in good condition, showing no chips or cracks.
The interior is fair. Gray leather seats have aged poorly, and the creases that formed in the leather a number of years ago have now turned to full-blown cracks in the material. The rear bench shows less cracks, but a similar degree of creasing, nevertheless. The black Bakelite steering wheel is dirty, as are many of the wooden inserts around the interior. Most of the pieces have noticeable chips or scratches, although the rear compartment has been preserved better than the front. Back behind the rear bench, the liner between the seat backs and rear windshield is totally damaged. The headliner and sun visors all hang tightly in place, and the cargo net is a charming piece of functional storage.
We have access to copies of the build sheets for this car. The Wraith received the following special features: automatic gear box, step irons, blinker indicators, Silver Dawn-type headlamps, a flat gas tank, and an upgraded wiper rotor. Under the hood, the engine bay looks somewhat tired. A power washing would greatly liven things up, but the exhaust manifold does appear to have a layer of surface corrosion on it.
It is unclear to us when the car was delivered to the United States, but we do have an ownership card. The card tells us that by 1977, the car spent most of its time in Brookville, New York. After that the trail goes cold again until the seller purchases the car around August of 2012.
This Silver Wraith is not in Concours condition, clearly. Potential buyers must acknowledge that this car will require some level of restoration efforts after successful purchase. The paint outside is heavily damaged and a repaint should be thoroughly considered. Furthermore, the interior deserves to be completely redone as well. This is an excellent opportunity to secure a popular luxury automobile below market value that has the potential to be very special once rehabilitated. Furthermore, coachbuilding by Park Ward. cements this Wraith as a highly unique model. Damage considered, we at The Market by Bonhams are confident that this Silver Wraith will have few issues achieving its $20,000 - $30,000 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’.
Due to California emissions laws, please note that this vehicle may only be sold to an out-of-state resident for use outside of California or to a licensed automotive dealer.
Please note that the title for this vehicle is in transit.
