$20,750
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 coach built by the good people over at H.J. Mulliner.
This Silver Wraith is finished in a two-tone white and black paint job. The paint is in fair condition but there are bumps and bruises that deserve to be pointed out. There are paint chips in most of the panel gaps, a large scuff on the driver’s front wheel arch, a large chip right in front of the diver’s rear wheel, and the entire passenger side of the car has several scuffs. The rubber seal around the windshield is crumbling to pieces. On the entire rear of the car, there are waves in the paint everywhere. There is a fitment issue up at the front bumper, and grille does not appear to be level. Aside from that, most of the chrome around the car is straight and free of wrinkles. However, the chrome trim at the bottom of the sides of the car both appear to be coming loose towards the rear wheels. Overall, the paint is in desperate need of touching up or a total respray, but there is no major exterior damage that will urgently need repair.
The interior to this Rolls Royce is in rough shape. It’s livable, but it is certainly not worth writing home about. The gray leather all throughout the cabin looks tired. Starting with the positives, the door panels, rear bench, and corresponding carpets look great. The same cannot be said about the front bench. The leather on the front seats have seen better days. There is moderate creasing in the leather of both front seats and there is a noticeable tear at the front left corner of the driver’s seat. The passenger seat is shifted noticeably further forward than the driver. Whether this is purposeful or the result of some malfunction, is unclear. The carpets up at the front would benefit greatly from some detailing. The black Bakelite steering wheel looks rough, but not terrible for an almost 70-year-old car. The wooden dashboard and dash pad are silver linings for the interior and look to be in decent shape. The rear tray and cabinet area in the back seat has also been nicely maintained, but there are several chips in the wood trim on the rear door panels. The inside of the trunk is also another problem area. It looks filthy, and the leather of the trunk lid is riddled with small holes. The gray cloth rear bench is in fair condition, but definitely shows signs of animal related deterioration. Overall, the interior is functional, but an overhaul inside would certainly make the inside of this Silver Wraith a more pleasant space to pass the time.
We are pleased to report that the underside of this Silver Wraith has no major damage. The frame and floorboards look solid, suspension components look all in order, and the exhaust shows minimal discoloration at best. Under the hood, all the various components appear to be present, and nothing looks majorly damaged.
History on the vehicle is well documented. The vehicle spent most of its time up in Canada, bouncing around from Quebec to Montreal all the way to Ontario. At some point the vehicle passed through Nassau, Bahamas, but the purpose of this is undetermined. Years later, we do know that the seller acquired this car in November of 2012.
This Rolls Royce Silver Wraith is in average condition for a 70-year-old car, but it is far away from being show ready. Any prospective buyers should understand that there are a number of issues to be dealt with following successful purchase. The two-tone paint job looks quite nice but has its fair share of imperfections as well. Furthermore, the interior of this vehicle lost its high-end luxury feel plenty of years ago. It will certainly suffice, but some rehab should be strongly considered. Nevertheless, this is a fantastic chance to score a classic Rolls at a price lower than market value. Nevertheless, we are confident this Silver Wraith will reach its $30,000 - $40,000 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.
