1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith news, pictures, and information

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Mrs. Fricke for the Hotel Paris in Paris, France, ordered this car in 1956. The car came to the USA in 1980 and was used in the 1981 motion picture hit 'Arthur,' which starred Dudley Moore, Liza Minelli, and Sir John Gielgud. This movie won Oscars for its theme and Sir John Gieglud's performance. Through this movie, the so-called 'Arthur' car, became famous. After the movie, the car was sold to a collector in Boca Raton, who owned it for 20 years. The present owners purchased the car in April 2004 and had it refurbished to look as clean and original as possible.

The Silver Wraith was produced from 1946 through 1958 and Rolls-Royce enthusiasts have often claimed it to be the last true Rolls-Royce built without regard to fashion or price. The car is powered by a 4.88-liter, 6-cylinder engine developing 135 horsepower and weighs 4,620-pounds.

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Express Limousine
Coachwork: Hooper
Chassis Num: ELW60

The Wraith was introduced in 1936 as its entry level vehicle and as a replacement for the 25/30. Production continued until the Second World War. When the war concluded the vehicle was updated and given the name Silver Wraith with production lasting from 1946 to 1959.

There were two wheelbases available on the Silver Wraith, the 127 and 134 inch. There were over 1200 examples built on the 127 inch platform and about half that amount on the 134 inch wheelbase. Under the hood was a 4.9 liter six-cylinder engine that was adequate enough to carry the vehicles along at a comfortable 80 mph. A four-speed manual gearbox was standard until 1952 when it was replaced with a four-speed automatic unit.

The Silver Wraith's were available as complete cars with factory coachwork or as 'chassis only'. The 'chassis-only' assembly allowed the buyer to completely customize their vehicle and have it finished by one of the renowned coachbuilders of the time, such as H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward, Hooper, and Freestone and Webb, to name a few.

Hooper Ltd. began bodying Rolls-Royce vehicles in the early 1920s. They built a reputation around their limousines and chauffer driven town cars, some the nicest designs in the business.

This 1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith with chassis number ELW60 is an Empress Limousine with design number 8390. It is one of only 13 Hooper Company coachbuilt examples built on a Silver Wraith chassis. The body is built from hand formed aluminum over a wooden skeleton. A chrome accent piece runs the entire beltline of the vehicle. The chauffeur's compartment is finished in silver-grey leather while the rear passenger compartment is matching silver-grey cloth. Hand polished woodwork can be found throughout the interior. The passenger's center console is equipped with a telescopic mirror and independent climate controls.

This Silver Wraith was created for the Chairman of the Libby Ball Bearings Company, Mr. Gwinn. Soon after its completion it was sent to the United States where it resided a Chicago Collection for a number of years. It was later purchased by a collector in Florida. The Silver Wraith stayed in the collection for 25 years before being purchased by its current owner. A mechanical and cosmetic restoration began in the 1990s and completed nearly 10 years later.

At the 2006 RM Auction in Meadow Brook, it was estimated to fetch between $80,000 - $120,000. It found a new home at a price of $118,250.

The Silver Wraith, launched in 1947, was an evolution of the pre-war Wraith and was offered in the traditional chassis form ready for the fitting of Bespoke coachwork. The 4,257cc overhead-inlet, side-exhaust engine developed before the war was used, as well as a modified coil and wishbone independent front suspension. Hydraulic brakes were used for the first time on a Rolls-Royce with hydraulic brakes.

The Silver Wraith was constantly refined during its production. The engine was replaced with the 'big bore' 4,566cc in 1951 and automatic transmission was offered as an option in 1952.

Once again the press raved about the car. 'All the world knows that Rolls-Royce carry on an unremitting search for engineering perfection in everything they undertake. The qualities which made their aircraft engines famous, and their cars the finest procurable, are the result of hard work scientifically conducted, and of a painstaking attention to detail from the large to the most minute. And now a new range of cars is about to appear it is believed that the new cars are the best that Rolls-Royce have ever built.'

The Silver Wraith was described like this: 'In common with all Rolls-Royce cars, the Silver Wraith has an indefinable something about it, a delicacy of behaviour, which escapes definition in written words. it is a car for the connoisseur in cars'.

Source - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

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