 1909 Silver Ghost | 1911 40/50 HP Silver Ghost  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
1910 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost news, pictures, and information | ||
| Tweet | ||
Introduced in 1907, when horses were still the preferred mode of travel and automobiles were loud, smelly and unreliable, Henry Royce and C.S. Johnson of Rolls-Royce, Ltd. unveiled a one-of-a-kind, whisper quiet 40-50hp legend, the 'Silver Ghost.'
Up to 1906, the most powerful engine Rolls-Royce had ever produced was a 30hp, six-cylinder giant - woefully underpowered considering its seating capacity; there was room to ferry the entire family to the countryside for a Sunday picnic. But the 40-50s, as they were known were different.
With a body balanced high over a silky-smooth, transverse leaf spring and a drive-train powered by a huge but silent seven-liter, six-cylinder inline block, the Silver Ghost broke world endurance and mileage records - almost 24 mph for a two-ton car - on a 15,000 mile run. The car is equipped with a 4-speed manual transmission and a top speed of 34 mph.
Up to 1906, the most powerful engine Rolls-Royce had ever produced was a 30hp, six-cylinder giant - woefully underpowered considering its seating capacity; there was room to ferry the entire family to the countryside for a Sunday picnic. But the 40-50s, as they were known were different.
With a body balanced high over a silky-smooth, transverse leaf spring and a drive-train powered by a huge but silent seven-liter, six-cylinder inline block, the Silver Ghost broke world endurance and mileage records - almost 24 mph for a two-ton car - on a 15,000 mile run. The car is equipped with a 4-speed manual transmission and a top speed of 34 mph.
 |  |  | Open Drive Landaulet Coachwork: Mulliner |
 |  |  | Double Pullman Limousine Chassis Num: 1392 |
Since then, only sympathetic maintenance has been done to maintain the car's originality. The paintwork shows the true art of the coach painter; the painter's original brush strokes are still visible.
 |  |  | Balloon Car Coachwork: Wilkinson Chassis Num: 1513 Engine Num: 1513 |
| Sold for $1,430,000 at 2007 Gooding & Company. Sold for $484,000 at 2011 RM Auctions. | |||
C.S.Rolls had earned a degree in mechanism and applied science at Cambridge. His company, C.S. Rolls & Company, distributed several cars made in France. He used his contacts, visibility, and entrepreneurial talents gained from his family, in his endeavors.
He met Frederick Henry Royce and soon became the exclusive marketing agent for Royce's cars bearing the Rolls-Royce nameplate. The cars were well built, easy to sell, durable, well appointed, and highly sought after. With little challenges left in his life, C.S. Rolls eventually turned to flying and would become a famed aeronaut.
His flying exploits began in a balloon fueled by coal gas. Together with his friend John Moore-Brabazon, they purchased the first balloon built by the Short brother and would make over 130 balloon ascents.
In the early days of ballooning, the course and destination were very unpredictable. When the flyers would make their descent, aeronauts would bundle up their balloon, its rigging and the basket (also known as the 'car'). They would then commission a local farmer, if one could be found, to haul the balloon and its related materials to the railway station. C.S Rolls soon bypassed this routine by outfitting a Silver Ghost chassis with a special two-seat body that had a platform in the rear where the balloon-car could be placed. The riggings and related materials could then be loaded into the basket, and the transportation problem was solved.
C.S. Rolls had commissioned H.J. Mulliner to create the body for the original Rolls Balloon car. It was equipped with many special features including Rudge Whitworth wire wheels and metal front wings and patent leather at the rear. The car had inlet-over-exhaust cylinder heads and a longer stroke resulting in an increase in horsepower to around 70.
The original car was destroyed many years ago but this example, along with one other, still remain; it is a 1910 Rolls duplicate with chassis number 1513 and coachwork by Wilkinson. This replica was built under the guidance of Millard Newman and is one of two recreations made. One car went to the Harrah collection and the other to Newman.
This was the Newman owned car. It was later purchased by S. Prestley Blake, and in 1991 it was purchased by Richard Solove.
Chassis 1513 is fitted with Rudge-Whitworth wire wheels and a very raked split windscreen. A dickey seat can be installed in the rear platform where C.S. Rolls would have mounted his balloon. The car is painted in red with black accents, chassis and fenders. This car wears an older restoration that shows well in modern times.
There are fender-mounted bulb horns, a 'Double Elliott' speedometer/odometer, and lots of brass work and fixtures.
In 2007 it was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, California where it was estimated to sell for $900,000 - $1,100,000 and offered without reserve. Bidding soon surpassed those estimates with the final bid settling at $1,430,000 including buyer's premium.
By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2008
 |  |  | Landaulette Coachwork: Brainsby-Woollard Chassis Num: 1204 |
| Sold for $539,000 at 2010 RM Auctions. | |||
During World War II, the car was stored at Auchterarder House and was sold by Andrew Reid's brother, along with two other Rolls-Royces that were in storage, shortly after the war. In the late 1950s, the car was in the care of the Neal brothers, well known Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost restorers.
The car currently wears a landaulette body that was built by Brainsby. The body is believed to have original clothed a 1908 Minerva owned by a judge. In the 1920s, the Minerva was rebodied, so the Brainsby body was removed. The body would remain in storage until it was purchased by Mr. Grist in 1958 from an individual in Plymouth for just £15. The body was then purchased by John Birchell, who it is believed sold it to the Neal brothers, who in turn married the body with chassis 1204. The original body supplied to the car remains a mystery, though there is some indications that it may have worn landaulette coachwork from new.
Thomas Brainsby & Sons was founded in 1905 in Peterborough. They built bodies for such cars as Crossley, Fiat, Hotchkiss and occasionally even Rolls-Royce. The company faded away in the 1920s, around the time that Brainsby-Woolard arose, a supplier of coachbuilt bodies which were contracted out to such houses as Lancefield or John Charles. Brainsby-Woolard would cease operation in 1936.
Around 1964, Mr. George Hardwick of West Ewell, London purchased 1204, and kept it for over two decades, during which time he participated with the car in the 1977 Royal Jubilee. The current owner acquired the car in 1988. Since then, it has been driven rather sparingly and received cosmetic and mechanical work over the years, only as needed. The car is finished in maroon, with an unidentified coat of arms on the door, which has been on the body since at least the late 1950s when it was acquired by Mr. Grist. The front seats are upholstered in black leather, and the passenger seats are worsted wool with tapestry window pulls. Various period features included extensive brass trim and lamps, which included opera lamps, as well as a talk tube, allowing passengers to communicate from the rear with the chauffeur in front.
In 2010, this Silver Ghost was offered for sale at RM Auctions 'Automobiles of Amelia Island' sale in Amelia Island, Florida. The car was estimated to sell for $500,000-$700,000. As bidding came to a close, the car has been sold for the sum of $539,000, inclusive of buyer's premium.
By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2010
In 1906 a new model, the 40/50 horsepower, was developed wîth a longer chassis and a six-cylinder engine. The popularity of the new Rolls-Royce grew quickly as it developed a reputation for smoothness, silence, flexibility and, above all, reliability. In 1907 a writer from the 'Autocar' described riding in the Rolls-Royce 40/50 hp as '....the feeling of being wafted through the countryside.' Engineers at Rolls-Royce coined the word 'waftability' to encapsulate that sensation. Today it is a word that cannot be found in any direction but it is a key design and engineering criterion.
The twelfth 40/50 produced had all its fittings silver-plated and the coachwork painted in aluminum paint. This car became known as the Silver Ghost and is probably the most famous car in the world. The name was later adopted for all the 40/50 hp car and had an immediate international impact, enhanced by the coachbuilders of the day, who could produce bodies of breathtaking beauty. The Silver Ghost was, quite simply, in a class of its own.
The motor car's versatility is legendary. It overwhelmingly won every reliability trial and distance record, dominated the great Alpine Trial of 1913 and won the Spanish Grand Prix of that year.
In May 1907, Claude Johnson drove the car to Scotland and back. This run was a precursor to the Scottish Reliability Trial for which the motor car was later awarded a gold model by the RAC.
The original idea was to drive 10,000 miles without stopping the engine, but the Silver Ghost proved so reliable that the target was raised to 15,000 miles. Despite a stall at 629 miles, when rough roads shook the petrol switch to the off position, the Silver Ghost ran faultlessly for 40 days and nights.
A further challenge was designed by Napier for Rolls-Royce to compete against them in a run from London to Edinburgh followed by high-speed runs at Brooklands. But the challenge was to complete the distance without changing gear, as opposed to how far you could travel. The car, driven by Ernest Hives, averaged 24.3 mpg between London and Edinburgh and attained a speed of 78.2 mph at Brooklands.
As an armored car in the First World War The Silver Ghost delivered exemplary service to the extent that Colonel T.E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) is quoted as saying, 'A Rolls in the desert is above rubies'.
In more elegant guise the Silver Ghost was the choice of the rich and famous across the globe. Kings, queens, maharajas, tsars and emperors owned them. The demand for the Silver Ghost was so high that manufacture was started in the Únited States in 1921 and continued in production wîth worldwide success until 1925.Source - Rolls-Rocye Motor Cars Limited
The twelfth 40/50 produced had all its fittings silver-plated and the coachwork painted in aluminum paint. This car became known as the Silver Ghost and is probably the most famous car in the world. The name was later adopted for all the 40/50 hp car and had an immediate international impact, enhanced by the coachbuilders of the day, who could produce bodies of breathtaking beauty. The Silver Ghost was, quite simply, in a class of its own.
The motor car's versatility is legendary. It overwhelmingly won every reliability trial and distance record, dominated the great Alpine Trial of 1913 and won the Spanish Grand Prix of that year.
In May 1907, Claude Johnson drove the car to Scotland and back. This run was a precursor to the Scottish Reliability Trial for which the motor car was later awarded a gold model by the RAC.The original idea was to drive 10,000 miles without stopping the engine, but the Silver Ghost proved so reliable that the target was raised to 15,000 miles. Despite a stall at 629 miles, when rough roads shook the petrol switch to the off position, the Silver Ghost ran faultlessly for 40 days and nights.
A further challenge was designed by Napier for Rolls-Royce to compete against them in a run from London to Edinburgh followed by high-speed runs at Brooklands. But the challenge was to complete the distance without changing gear, as opposed to how far you could travel. The car, driven by Ernest Hives, averaged 24.3 mpg between London and Edinburgh and attained a speed of 78.2 mph at Brooklands.
As an armored car in the First World War The Silver Ghost delivered exemplary service to the extent that Colonel T.E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) is quoted as saying, 'A Rolls in the desert is above rubies'.In more elegant guise the Silver Ghost was the choice of the rich and famous across the globe. Kings, queens, maharajas, tsars and emperors owned them. The demand for the Silver Ghost was so high that manufacture was started in the Únited States in 1921 and continued in production wîth worldwide success until 1925.Source - Rolls-Rocye Motor Cars Limited
The Rolls-Royce vehicles have always been the pinnacle of design, technology, and ambiance. The loudest noise that could be heard by occupants of their vehicles was said to be the clock. In 1904 engineer Frederick Henry Royce joined with the entrepreneur and businessman, the Honorable Charles Stewart Rolls. This union became known as the Rolls-Royce Company.
The Silver Ghost became available in 1906 and brought with it quality and technology to a level that had never been seen before on a motor vehicle. Most engines of the time had long and flexible crankshafts that were prone to vibration and noise. The Rolls-Royce engines had large bearings and pressurized oiling systems, secured by seven main bearings. This was then enclosed in a strong aluminum alloy crankcase eliminating much noise and creating a pleasurable driving experience for the occupants of the vehicle. The crankshaft had an accuracy of .00025 on its bearing surface. They were hand polished to remove any surface cracks left by the grinder. Instead of using noisy chains to drive the ignition, Royce used gears. Phosphor bronze and nickel steel were used in the construction of the timing gears which were then ground and polished by hand. The engine was further shortened by casting in triplets. Cooling problems and leaks were eliminated by the removable cylinder blocks and fixed heads. A Royce designed twin jet carburetor gave the engine all the breathing it required.
The Rolls Royce vehicles could accelerate from zero to top speed without shifting. Shifting during the early 1900's was a chore, with the lower gears never being smooth. It was not until top gear was achieved that the automobiles would operate properly. The Rolls-Royce Ghosts would accelerate as though they were being pulled. This feature, coupled with the vehicles silent operation amplified the vehicles prestige and was the ultimate driving experience of its day.
When first introduced, the Ghosts were given a four-speed gearbox with a direct drive third and an overdrive fourth. As time passed, the overdrive was dropped. The chassis was mostly conventional. Royce had fine-tuned the chassis to standards much higher than most marque's of the day. The body was held in place by a live rear axle carried in three quarter elliptical springs. In the front there was a solid axle supported by semi-elliptic leaf springs. Braking was by a food pedal connected to a transmission brake. A hand brake operated twin rear drums.
Where Royce excelled in engineering, Rolls excelled in promoting and marketing. In 1906 a Ghost was entered in the Tourist Trophy Race, one of the most prestigious races of the time. The Ghost emerged victorious - well, much more than that. It had beaten the next nearest competitor by 27 minutes. Next, Rolls and Royce entered a Ghost in a 15,000 mile reliability run in 1907 which it did without incident. Upon its return to the Rolls-Royce shop, it took a small amount of money, about two-pounds or roughly ten-dollars by today's exchange rates, to restore the vehicle back to new condition.
The Silver Ghosts were entered in the Austrian Alpine Trials where the hoods were sealed shut to prevent any maintenance. The Silver Ghosts again dominated the competition and traversed the Alpine passes which were impassable for many motor cars.
This marketing worked and soon the Rolls-Royce vehicles became legendary and renowned for their durability, reliability, and style. To improve upon the prestige even further, Rolls supplied the Silver Ghosts to British royalty, a move that made sure the vehicles were seen in the right places by the right people.
The first Rolls-Royce distributor in the United States was Walter Martin of New York City, who was also a Cadillac distributor. As Cadillac continued to improve the ambiance of their vehicles, Martin naturally gave them more attention as the logistics of company location was in their favor. Rolls-Royce, on the other hand, was an ocean apart.
Over the early years of Rolls-Royce production, Brewster would become more effective in bringing Rolls-Royce chassis to America than Martin. Brewster imported several dozen chassis to supply its coachwork clients.
In 1913, the business manager for Rolls-Royce, Claude Johnson, formed a factory depot in New York and rented space from Brewster. Baker's US agent, Robert W. Schuette was appointed as Rolls-Royce distributor. At the time, Schuette also represented Fleetwood, Holbrook, Brewster, and Quinby. Around 100 Rolls-Royce's were imported over the next two years by Schuette, with around half of them bodied by Brewster.
As the First World War began to escalate, the production of Rolls-Royce automobiles slowed considerably. The factory's attention was turned to cars for military clients. Engines were produced for aircraft. By 1916, there were no more new Rolls-Royces available. Schuette and Brewster were still able to satisfy US demand for Rolls-Royce's by buying up existing chassis, renovating, and then fitting them with new coachwork.
By Daniel Vaughan | May 2008
The Silver Ghost became available in 1906 and brought with it quality and technology to a level that had never been seen before on a motor vehicle. Most engines of the time had long and flexible crankshafts that were prone to vibration and noise. The Rolls-Royce engines had large bearings and pressurized oiling systems, secured by seven main bearings. This was then enclosed in a strong aluminum alloy crankcase eliminating much noise and creating a pleasurable driving experience for the occupants of the vehicle. The crankshaft had an accuracy of .00025 on its bearing surface. They were hand polished to remove any surface cracks left by the grinder. Instead of using noisy chains to drive the ignition, Royce used gears. Phosphor bronze and nickel steel were used in the construction of the timing gears which were then ground and polished by hand. The engine was further shortened by casting in triplets. Cooling problems and leaks were eliminated by the removable cylinder blocks and fixed heads. A Royce designed twin jet carburetor gave the engine all the breathing it required.
The Rolls Royce vehicles could accelerate from zero to top speed without shifting. Shifting during the early 1900's was a chore, with the lower gears never being smooth. It was not until top gear was achieved that the automobiles would operate properly. The Rolls-Royce Ghosts would accelerate as though they were being pulled. This feature, coupled with the vehicles silent operation amplified the vehicles prestige and was the ultimate driving experience of its day.
When first introduced, the Ghosts were given a four-speed gearbox with a direct drive third and an overdrive fourth. As time passed, the overdrive was dropped. The chassis was mostly conventional. Royce had fine-tuned the chassis to standards much higher than most marque's of the day. The body was held in place by a live rear axle carried in three quarter elliptical springs. In the front there was a solid axle supported by semi-elliptic leaf springs. Braking was by a food pedal connected to a transmission brake. A hand brake operated twin rear drums.
Where Royce excelled in engineering, Rolls excelled in promoting and marketing. In 1906 a Ghost was entered in the Tourist Trophy Race, one of the most prestigious races of the time. The Ghost emerged victorious - well, much more than that. It had beaten the next nearest competitor by 27 minutes. Next, Rolls and Royce entered a Ghost in a 15,000 mile reliability run in 1907 which it did without incident. Upon its return to the Rolls-Royce shop, it took a small amount of money, about two-pounds or roughly ten-dollars by today's exchange rates, to restore the vehicle back to new condition.
The Silver Ghosts were entered in the Austrian Alpine Trials where the hoods were sealed shut to prevent any maintenance. The Silver Ghosts again dominated the competition and traversed the Alpine passes which were impassable for many motor cars.
This marketing worked and soon the Rolls-Royce vehicles became legendary and renowned for their durability, reliability, and style. To improve upon the prestige even further, Rolls supplied the Silver Ghosts to British royalty, a move that made sure the vehicles were seen in the right places by the right people.
The first Rolls-Royce distributor in the United States was Walter Martin of New York City, who was also a Cadillac distributor. As Cadillac continued to improve the ambiance of their vehicles, Martin naturally gave them more attention as the logistics of company location was in their favor. Rolls-Royce, on the other hand, was an ocean apart.
Over the early years of Rolls-Royce production, Brewster would become more effective in bringing Rolls-Royce chassis to America than Martin. Brewster imported several dozen chassis to supply its coachwork clients.
In 1913, the business manager for Rolls-Royce, Claude Johnson, formed a factory depot in New York and rented space from Brewster. Baker's US agent, Robert W. Schuette was appointed as Rolls-Royce distributor. At the time, Schuette also represented Fleetwood, Holbrook, Brewster, and Quinby. Around 100 Rolls-Royce's were imported over the next two years by Schuette, with around half of them bodied by Brewster.
As the First World War began to escalate, the production of Rolls-Royce automobiles slowed considerably. The factory's attention was turned to cars for military clients. Engines were produced for aircraft. By 1916, there were no more new Rolls-Royces available. Schuette and Brewster were still able to satisfy US demand for Rolls-Royce's by buying up existing chassis, renovating, and then fitting them with new coachwork.
By Daniel Vaughan | May 2008
| Twin triumph for Mercedes-Benz in the 2013 Auto Trophy Classic | |
 | • Mercedes-Benz 600 comes out top in the luxury class category • The 123-series T-Model estate victorious in the mid-range class • More than 23,500 readers of specialist magazine Auto Zeitung Classic Cars took part in the vote Two models from the Mercedes-Benz stable secured impressive victories in their vehicle classes in the inaugural Auto Trophy Classic. Readers of specialist magazine Auto Zeitung Classic Cars voted the Mercedes-Benz 600 and the 123-series T-Model estate the winners in...[Read more...] |
| Edsel Ford's Speedster Stars at 'The Amelia' | |
 | Edsel Ford's 'continental car', a custom boattail speedster, will take its rightful place in the Sports Car Class of the 18th annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. In the shape of Edsel's seminal speedster is the genesis of Ford's legendary design department. Edsel Ford was hardly 'a chip off the old block'. The acorn fell well away from the mighty oak that was Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company. Edsel was not just the President of Ford, he was a car guy to his core. His ta...[Read more...] |
| CHRYSLER GROUP LLC AND FIAT S.P.A. ANNOUNCE MOST ACCESSORIZED VEHICLES AND TOP-SELLING ACCESSORIES | |
 | Mopar Offers More Than 25,000 Accessories Worldwide •Ram 1500, Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Challenger are most accessorized vehicles in North America •Side steps, Jeep Wrangler tops and floor mats are best-selling accessories in North America •Fiat 500, Fiat 500L and Jeep Grand Cherokee among most accessorized vehicles in other global regions •Top-selling accessories announced for Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America February 11, 2013 , Auburn Hills, Mich....[Read more...] |
| Alonso pleased with Mugello testing: 'I am confident' | |
 | Scarperia, 3 May – A further 500 kilometres for the F2012, which reached the 250 lap threshold, equivalent to over 1300 kilometres during the course of the past three days at the Mugello Circuit. After rain on Tuesday came the second difficulty of the test, in the form of an off-track excursion for Fernando Alonso around mid morning. He went off at Turn 12, doing some damage to the front left corner of the car and the front wing, but more significantly, the incident cost two and a half ho...[Read more...] |
| INDYCAR – LONG BEACH GRAND PRIX | |
| A tough weekend for the Lotus-engined teams in California. Having been sidelined for much of practice and qualifying due to bad weather and a water pump issue, Lotus HVM's Simona di Silvestro suffered an engine failure 11 laps from the end of the 85 lap race, demoting her to 20th. Lotus Team Barracuda BHA's Alex Tagliani, who qualified tenth, struggled during the race and was also hit by EJ Viso, forcing him to pit for a new front wing. Ultimately, he retired and registered 21st place. Lotus Dra...[Read more...] | |
| Similar Automakers | |
| Aston Martin | Bentley |
| Bugatti | Devon |
| Ferrari | GTA |
| Koenigsegg | Lamborghini |
| Lotus | Maserati |
| Maybach | McLaren |
| Porsche | Spyker |
| Tesla | |
| Rolls-Royce: 1900-1910 |
| Similar Automakers |
| Other models by Rolls-Royce |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1909 Silver Ghost | 1911 40/50 HP Silver Ghost |
