1948 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Convertible

After World War II, Rolls-Royce resumed automobile production with a new model, thee Silver Wraith. This Silver Wraith example was first shown at the 1948 Earl's Court Motor Show without coachwork, after which it was reportedly loaned to an important client of Rolls-Royce, who mounted a rather 'interesting' Sedanca de Ville body on it in time for the Geneva Motor Show in 1949. Joseph Poberejsky, a Parisian stylist, had created the coachwork and it did not receive many favorable reviews. The official press catalogue for the show actually described it as 'Criminal or Pioneer: The ugly Rolls-Royce sedanca of Poberejsky of which it is said it could be a pioneer.' Rolls-Royce management ensured the atrocity would appear only once, and in short order had taken back the chassis, converted it to left-hand drive as LWAB63, and sold it to Mrs. L. Benitez Rexach, who was living in Maisons-Lafitte near Paris.

The French coachbuilder Franay was commissioned to build a two-door, four-seat convertible, which was delivered June 20, 1950. The coachwork featured compound-curved fenders, full rear 'spats', and a long flowing beltline. Parisian dealer Franco-Brittanic Automobiles exhibited it at both the Concours d'Elegance Automobile d'Enghien and the Concours d'Elegance de l'Auto in Paris in 1950.

Mrs. Rexach took delivery of the car on a temporary French registration, valid for only six months. The car did not get fully registered for another 13 years, until July 3rd of 1963.

Seven years after her passing, in 1975, the car was exported to the Dominican Republic, where the Rexachs had a family home, and there it remained until 1998.

Richard Gorman acquired the car on behalf of J. Frank and Milli Ricciardelli, and began a restoration effort. At the time, the car had roughly 17,000 kilometers on its odometer. It was finished in its originals shade of Blue-Grey and trimmed in Champagne Connolly hide. Because of the original show history without coachwork, the chassis and engine carry more polishing and brightwork than is normally found on production cars.

It made its restoration debut at the 1999 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, winning a class away. It returned to Pebble in 2004, earning a Best in Class. Further awards included Best in Class and Best Post-war Restoration at the Unique and Special Ones event in Florence, Italy, in 2010, and Best in Class at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, in both 2004 and 2015.

This car is currently in the care of its third caretakers.