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Skiff Automobilesby Jules Heumann with excerpts from Frederick A. Usher
Skiff automobile - a seemingly self-contradicting phrase. Are we speaking of a boat or a car? As it happens, we are speaking of both as one because the term skiff used in conjunction with automobile has come to refer to an open, sporting body erected upon an automotive chassis and constructed of wood, just as a boat would have been in the early years of the automobile. Indeed, the very definition of the word skiff in both English and French dictionaries means rowboat, small boat, dinghy, etcetera.
The construction of skiff bodies on automobile chassis was primarily a French innovation. Boat-shaped automobiles, designed specifically to cheat the wind, appeared in races as early as 1897, but more than a dozen years then passed before a boat inspired a tourer. The year was 1912 when a then-famous person, the Chevalier Rene de Knyff, approached the Heri Labourdette coachbuilding company to design and furnish a special body for him. Frederick Usher, automotive historian of reknown, has researched this signal occation:
'Fortunately we do not have to hyphothesize about that occasion,' writes Usher, 'since what transpired has been recorded for us by one of the protagonists, Jean-Henri Labourdette. This vignette and its significance can be better appreciated with brief sketches of the two actors in the drama.
'In 1910, on the death of his father Henri, young Jean-Henri had taken over the direction of the coachbuilding firm founded by his grandfather in the nineteenth century. Jean-Henri Labourdette, born in 1888, now in his early twenties, not only had the credentials but had already exhibited the talent that such an inheritance might promise. Several years previously he had participated in the design and construction of an extra-light closed body for the Chevalier Rene de Knyff, and the Chevalier was greatly pleased with the results.
'In contrast to Labourdette and twice his age at the time, the Chevalier de Knyff was a towering figure from the heroic era of early automobile racing. From the very first races and for a half century thereafter he would devote his talent and intelligence to motor racing, finishing his career as president of the Commission Sportive International in 1946. There is hardly a comparative figure in the annals. Charles Jarrott, as a participant and eye-witness of these early years, gives us a vivid picture of de Knyff in his Ten Years of Motors and Motor Racing, first published in 1906:
From the very beginning of the sport, no race of importance was run without the Chevalier being a competitor...de Knyff always was and is today the most interesting figure...of the French automobile world.
'At the time of their meeting in 1912 the Chevalier was a director of the Panhard et Levassor firm, whose powerful automobiles driven largely by the Chevalier had dominated the early races. What follows is Labourdette's account of his meeting with de Knyff:
The Chevalier Rene de Knyff invited me to his office and made me a proposal: 'I would like a very very light but comfortable torpedo offering the least wind resistance.' As he was a great sportsman and practiced bicycling and rowing daily, he suggested to me: 'You know that I do rowing. Why don't you build this body like my skiff, in mahogany with ribbing and all? It's light and strong.' I pointed out to him that a boat did not have doors and that was why its hull was rigid. 'That doesn't matter,' he responded. 'Make me a torpedo without doors.'
'But how will you get in?' I objected.
'One will step over.'
'And the ladies?'
'Well, they will also step over. We will finally see their legs,' he laughed (in 1912, how daring it was to see a woman's legs).
I left Rene de Knyff promising him a beautiful and efficient solution. But, on the way, I scratched my head. What to do? But I thought, as I went, that this project offered the opportunity to realize my idea of the integration of the hood with the body. Understanding and forward thinking, Rene de Knyff had left it to me.
To acquaint myself with naval construction, I went to the firm of Despujols who had been one of the first to construct motor-boats and who had a great reputation. Their shipyard was located at the Ile de Jatte.
I constructed the skiff in triple layers of mahogany planking, riveted on a frame of ash. According to what I had seen, between the second and third plies I had placed a layer of canvas, which assured great rigidity.
Since it was almost impossible to sketch a form for the rear of the body I decided to model it. This was the first time, I think, that automobile body forms were studied by modeling in wax.
When the body was put on the scale the needle registered 180 kg (approximately 400 pounds) to the great admiration of the experts. This weight comprised the body, the windshield, the four fenders, the running boards (or step plates), spare wheel carrier, upholstery, the floorboards of grooved mahogany (they were elegant, light and we saved the weight of carpet). The ribs of the hull were exposed, thus we also saved the weight of interior trim....
'The resulting design was little short of revolutionary at the time', write Usher. 'Today critics consider it to be one of the most beautiful automobiles ever, a masterpiece of the art of bodybuilding. To appreciate the impact of Labourdette's 'skiff' one must see it in the context of its contemporaries. Most designs of that era were characterized by a 'box' which covered the engine, terminating with a break at the windshield, and behind this, a bulky upholstered body for the passengers. At the very rear the fuel tank was slung between the frame rails.
'Labourdette's skiff combined all these separate elements into one harmonious whole with graceful transitions and elegant curving lines. The engine hood flared up to a low, slanting windshield and the gas tank was hidden behind the front seat to expose the rounded, voluptuous tail. And while the construction technique suggested by the Chevalier did produce the light weight he desired, the lines that Labourdette provided went on to visually accentuate the idea. After satisfying all its technical requirements there was the added elegance and flair typical of a Labourdette design.'
The emergence of the skiff theme as an automobile body design probably emanated from the increasing use of body designs that had certain aerodynamic qualities that lessened wind resistance, like the bow and sometimes the stern of a boat did.
It must be considered that the very unique appearance of a skiff body would be appealing to certain potential owners who needed to have something different, something no one else had. Skiff construction fulfilled this desire, but above all, it was possible to save weight, and that was tantamount to adding power to the engine concurrent with providing a new look. One could have an automobile of singular appearance that was more powerful than an automobile with a standard body.
In any case, the skiff idea took hold and soon Labourdette was erecting skiff bodies on many different chassis. Examples are known to have been constructed on chassis from Hispano-Suiza, Renault, Peugeot, Rolls-Royce, Abadal, Delauney-Belleville, Lancia and even Citroen.
Other coachbuilders were also active in designing and manufacturing skiffs although it was Labourdette that made the most of them and became famous for them, pioneering the most successful of the various types of skiff construction. It employed a lightweight but strong frame of ash ribs on close centers erected upon sturdy wood members forming the sills or longitudinal rails, thus forming the foundation for the body skin. Three layers of 3 to 4 millimeters of wood were then applied, with the innermost layer running at a 45 degree angle to the sills, the next layer at 90 degrees to the first, and the outermost layer running horizontally. A layer of canvas could be placed between the two diagonal layers. Then all layers were joined with copper rivets on close centers, and it is not an exaggeration to state that there could be 10,000 individual rivets in the bodies for larger cars. In some cases the compound curves of the body required intricate curves to be formed in wood and the only way to achieve these shapes was to steam-bend the pieces.
Mulbacher, Duquesne, Schebera and Ansart et Teisseire were other makers of skiff bodies, and all but the last used construction techniques similar to Labourdette. Ansart et Teisseire used solid wood planking of considerable thickness, thus limiting the forms the designer could require.
Even Nieuport, the airplane manufacturer made a sole skiff automobile. It was commissioned by Andre Dubonnet of aperitif and racing fame, and it became the famous Hisspano-Suiza known as the 'tulipwood' car. And there in lies a tale.
Much has been written about tulipwood being used on the exterior of skiff bodies. This is an entirely inaccurate statement as bodies of this type were made of mahogany. This is borne out by Labourdette himself in his book Une Siecle de Carrosserie Francaise in which he consistently refers to skiff bodies being constructed of acajou (mahogany). Intensive research was initiated several years ago by an English Hispano-Suiza owner seeking to make a replica of the Dubonnet car specifically. He sought advice from a German professor whose expertise was the science of lumber. We quote from a letter from Dr. H. G. Richter of the Institute fur Holzbiolgie and Holzschutz (the Instititue for Wood Biology and Wood Protection) of Hamburg, Germany, in 1991 pursuant to his personal examination of the Dubonnet car:
The timbers employed for exterior planking of car body and wings are identical and certainly not tulipwood in the sense that this trade name was commonly used for (Dalbergia decipularis) of the botanical family of Fabacease. Neither does it correspond to any of the timbers that have, at one time or another, carried the trade name tulip wood as for instance 'Dalbergia nigra (Brazilian rosewood)...
According to surface characteristics (colour, grain, etc) and structural features accessible to microscopic examination the timber used for planking is one of the 'mahogany' group, most likely Swietenia macrophylla (Central or South America) or Swietenia mahogoni of the West Indies....
Furthermore, woods that could be classified as tulipwood are dense and hard and thus quite unacceptable for automobile body use; they would be prone to excessive cracking and cannot be used for compound curves. Various species of mahogany easily meet the requirements, and thus we see that the Nieuport and Labourdette bodies were mahogany. So too are the Mulbacher, Duquesne, and Ansart et Teisseire skiff bodies, by personal observation of the author of this article, whose professional career involved the use of mahogany and other woods.
A replica of the Chevalier Rene de Knyff skiff exists. It was undertaken by the Het Museum of Automobiles in the Netherlands, and although he did not live long enough to see it completed, Jean-Henri Labourdette lent his expertise and his memory to the reconstruction of the masterpiece.
Very few original examples of skiff type construction survive. The skiffs selected to be exhibited at Pebble Beach today are believed to be original - maintained but not restored or replicated - examples.Source - by Jules Heumann with excerpts from Frederick A. Usher
Skiff automobile - a seemingly self-contradicting phrase. Are we speaking of a boat or a car? As it happens, we are speaking of both as one because the term skiff used in conjunction with automobile has come to refer to an open, sporting body erected upon an automotive chassis and constructed of wood, just as a boat would have been in the early years of the automobile. Indeed, the very definition of the word skiff in both English and French dictionaries means rowboat, small boat, dinghy, etcetera.
The construction of skiff bodies on automobile chassis was primarily a French innovation. Boat-shaped automobiles, designed specifically to cheat the wind, appeared in races as early as 1897, but more than a dozen years then passed before a boat inspired a tourer. The year was 1912 when a then-famous person, the Chevalier Rene de Knyff, approached the Heri Labourdette coachbuilding company to design and furnish a special body for him. Frederick Usher, automotive historian of reknown, has researched this signal occation:
'Fortunately we do not have to hyphothesize about that occasion,' writes Usher, 'since what transpired has been recorded for us by one of the protagonists, Jean-Henri Labourdette. This vignette and its significance can be better appreciated with brief sketches of the two actors in the drama.
'In 1910, on the death of his father Henri, young Jean-Henri had taken over the direction of the coachbuilding firm founded by his grandfather in the nineteenth century. Jean-Henri Labourdette, born in 1888, now in his early twenties, not only had the credentials but had already exhibited the talent that such an inheritance might promise. Several years previously he had participated in the design and construction of an extra-light closed body for the Chevalier Rene de Knyff, and the Chevalier was greatly pleased with the results.
'In contrast to Labourdette and twice his age at the time, the Chevalier de Knyff was a towering figure from the heroic era of early automobile racing. From the very first races and for a half century thereafter he would devote his talent and intelligence to motor racing, finishing his career as president of the Commission Sportive International in 1946. There is hardly a comparative figure in the annals. Charles Jarrott, as a participant and eye-witness of these early years, gives us a vivid picture of de Knyff in his Ten Years of Motors and Motor Racing, first published in 1906:
From the very beginning of the sport, no race of importance was run without the Chevalier being a competitor...de Knyff always was and is today the most interesting figure...of the French automobile world.
'At the time of their meeting in 1912 the Chevalier was a director of the Panhard et Levassor firm, whose powerful automobiles driven largely by the Chevalier had dominated the early races. What follows is Labourdette's account of his meeting with de Knyff:
The Chevalier Rene de Knyff invited me to his office and made me a proposal: 'I would like a very very light but comfortable torpedo offering the least wind resistance.' As he was a great sportsman and practiced bicycling and rowing daily, he suggested to me: 'You know that I do rowing. Why don't you build this body like my skiff, in mahogany with ribbing and all? It's light and strong.' I pointed out to him that a boat did not have doors and that was why its hull was rigid. 'That doesn't matter,' he responded. 'Make me a torpedo without doors.'
'But how will you get in?' I objected.
'One will step over.'
'And the ladies?'
'Well, they will also step over. We will finally see their legs,' he laughed (in 1912, how daring it was to see a woman's legs).
I left Rene de Knyff promising him a beautiful and efficient solution. But, on the way, I scratched my head. What to do? But I thought, as I went, that this project offered the opportunity to realize my idea of the integration of the hood with the body. Understanding and forward thinking, Rene de Knyff had left it to me.
To acquaint myself with naval construction, I went to the firm of Despujols who had been one of the first to construct motor-boats and who had a great reputation. Their shipyard was located at the Ile de Jatte.
I constructed the skiff in triple layers of mahogany planking, riveted on a frame of ash. According to what I had seen, between the second and third plies I had placed a layer of canvas, which assured great rigidity.
Since it was almost impossible to sketch a form for the rear of the body I decided to model it. This was the first time, I think, that automobile body forms were studied by modeling in wax.
When the body was put on the scale the needle registered 180 kg (approximately 400 pounds) to the great admiration of the experts. This weight comprised the body, the windshield, the four fenders, the running boards (or step plates), spare wheel carrier, upholstery, the floorboards of grooved mahogany (they were elegant, light and we saved the weight of carpet). The ribs of the hull were exposed, thus we also saved the weight of interior trim....
'The resulting design was little short of revolutionary at the time', write Usher. 'Today critics consider it to be one of the most beautiful automobiles ever, a masterpiece of the art of bodybuilding. To appreciate the impact of Labourdette's 'skiff' one must see it in the context of its contemporaries. Most designs of that era were characterized by a 'box' which covered the engine, terminating with a break at the windshield, and behind this, a bulky upholstered body for the passengers. At the very rear the fuel tank was slung between the frame rails.
'Labourdette's skiff combined all these separate elements into one harmonious whole with graceful transitions and elegant curving lines. The engine hood flared up to a low, slanting windshield and the gas tank was hidden behind the front seat to expose the rounded, voluptuous tail. And while the construction technique suggested by the Chevalier did produce the light weight he desired, the lines that Labourdette provided went on to visually accentuate the idea. After satisfying all its technical requirements there was the added elegance and flair typical of a Labourdette design.'
The emergence of the skiff theme as an automobile body design probably emanated from the increasing use of body designs that had certain aerodynamic qualities that lessened wind resistance, like the bow and sometimes the stern of a boat did.
It must be considered that the very unique appearance of a skiff body would be appealing to certain potential owners who needed to have something different, something no one else had. Skiff construction fulfilled this desire, but above all, it was possible to save weight, and that was tantamount to adding power to the engine concurrent with providing a new look. One could have an automobile of singular appearance that was more powerful than an automobile with a standard body.
In any case, the skiff idea took hold and soon Labourdette was erecting skiff bodies on many different chassis. Examples are known to have been constructed on chassis from Hispano-Suiza, Renault, Peugeot, Rolls-Royce, Abadal, Delauney-Belleville, Lancia and even Citroen.
Other coachbuilders were also active in designing and manufacturing skiffs although it was Labourdette that made the most of them and became famous for them, pioneering the most successful of the various types of skiff construction. It employed a lightweight but strong frame of ash ribs on close centers erected upon sturdy wood members forming the sills or longitudinal rails, thus forming the foundation for the body skin. Three layers of 3 to 4 millimeters of wood were then applied, with the innermost layer running at a 45 degree angle to the sills, the next layer at 90 degrees to the first, and the outermost layer running horizontally. A layer of canvas could be placed between the two diagonal layers. Then all layers were joined with copper rivets on close centers, and it is not an exaggeration to state that there could be 10,000 individual rivets in the bodies for larger cars. In some cases the compound curves of the body required intricate curves to be formed in wood and the only way to achieve these shapes was to steam-bend the pieces.
Mulbacher, Duquesne, Schebera and Ansart et Teisseire were other makers of skiff bodies, and all but the last used construction techniques similar to Labourdette. Ansart et Teisseire used solid wood planking of considerable thickness, thus limiting the forms the designer could require.
Even Nieuport, the airplane manufacturer made a sole skiff automobile. It was commissioned by Andre Dubonnet of aperitif and racing fame, and it became the famous Hisspano-Suiza known as the 'tulipwood' car. And there in lies a tale.
Much has been written about tulipwood being used on the exterior of skiff bodies. This is an entirely inaccurate statement as bodies of this type were made of mahogany. This is borne out by Labourdette himself in his book Une Siecle de Carrosserie Francaise in which he consistently refers to skiff bodies being constructed of acajou (mahogany). Intensive research was initiated several years ago by an English Hispano-Suiza owner seeking to make a replica of the Dubonnet car specifically. He sought advice from a German professor whose expertise was the science of lumber. We quote from a letter from Dr. H. G. Richter of the Institute fur Holzbiolgie and Holzschutz (the Instititue for Wood Biology and Wood Protection) of Hamburg, Germany, in 1991 pursuant to his personal examination of the Dubonnet car:
The timbers employed for exterior planking of car body and wings are identical and certainly not tulipwood in the sense that this trade name was commonly used for (Dalbergia decipularis) of the botanical family of Fabacease. Neither does it correspond to any of the timbers that have, at one time or another, carried the trade name tulip wood as for instance 'Dalbergia nigra (Brazilian rosewood)...
According to surface characteristics (colour, grain, etc) and structural features accessible to microscopic examination the timber used for planking is one of the 'mahogany' group, most likely Swietenia macrophylla (Central or South America) or Swietenia mahogoni of the West Indies....
Furthermore, woods that could be classified as tulipwood are dense and hard and thus quite unacceptable for automobile body use; they would be prone to excessive cracking and cannot be used for compound curves. Various species of mahogany easily meet the requirements, and thus we see that the Nieuport and Labourdette bodies were mahogany. So too are the Mulbacher, Duquesne, and Ansart et Teisseire skiff bodies, by personal observation of the author of this article, whose professional career involved the use of mahogany and other woods.
A replica of the Chevalier Rene de Knyff skiff exists. It was undertaken by the Het Museum of Automobiles in the Netherlands, and although he did not live long enough to see it completed, Jean-Henri Labourdette lent his expertise and his memory to the reconstruction of the masterpiece.
Very few original examples of skiff type construction survive. The skiffs selected to be exhibited at Pebble Beach today are believed to be original - maintained but not restored or replicated - examples.Source - by Jules Heumann with excerpts from Frederick A. Usher
In 1906 a new model, the 40/50 horsepower, was developed with 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 United States in 1921 and continued in production with 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 United States in 1921 and continued in production with 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.
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.
| Photos grouped by event | |
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19th Annual Concours d'Elegance of the Eastern United States |
2005 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance |
1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Shapiro-Schebera Skiff |
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| Year | 1914 |
| Make | Rolls-Royce |
| Model | Silver Ghost Shapiro-Schebera Skiff |
| Engine Location | Front |
| Drive Type | Rear Wheel |
| Production Years for Series | 1907 - 1925 |
| Engine | |
| Engine Configuration | S |
| Cylinders | 6 |
| Aspiration/Induction | Normal |
| Displacement | 7431.00 cc | 453.5 cu in. | 7.4 L. |
| Valves | 12 valves. 2 valves per cylinder. |
| Horsepower | 45.00 BHP (33.1 KW) @ 1000.00 RPM |
| HP / Liter | 6.1 BHP / Liter |
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| Articles and Event Coverage |
| 19th Annual Concours d'Elegance of the Eastern United States |
| 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance |
| Additional Resources and Links |
| Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Official Website |
| Concours d'Elegance of the Eastern United States Official Website |
| 1914 Rolls-Royce models |
| Silver Ghost |
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Automobile information, history, and statistics from concept to production. | © 1998-2008 Conceptcarz.com
Automobile information, history, and statistics from concept to production. | © 1998-2008 Conceptcarz.com