1925 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Piccadilly Roadster

Production of the Silver Ghost's began in 1907 and would continue for nearly two decades. The name 'Silver Ghost' was taken from the silver Baker-bodied tourer built for Managing Director Claude Johnson. It had been christened the 'Silver Ghost', a name that would soon become legendary and a household name.

In 1919, Rolls-Royce acquired a factory in Springfield, Massachusetts. Brewster, along with other prestigious coachbuilders, was tasked with building bodies for the Silver Ghost. A number of these coach-built bodies left the factories under the hallmark of Rolls-Royce Custom Coach Work.

This car, chassis number S304RK, originally wore a Pickwick division limousine body, as described by John Webb deCampi's book Rolls-Royce in America. In modern times, the car carries a Piccadilly roadster body. Both of these bodies were created by Rolls-Royce Custom Coach Works. It was a common practice to reuse the chassis when the owner brought it back to the factory. The outdated body would be removed and a new body would be fitted. The chassis was often in great condition and traveled only a small number of miles, making them excellent candidates for re-use.

This car was purchased by Dr. Atwood in 1987. It is painted in two shades of red and there is a tan canvas top. The seat and door panels are finished in brown leather and there is matching brown carpets.

Between 1921 to 1926, there were 1,703 Silver Ghosts produced in Springfield. Power was from an L-head inline six-cylinder engine that offered 40/50 horsepower. This car has a three-speed manual transmission, four-wheel mechanical brakes, and a wheelbase size of 143.5 inches.

In 2009, this Piccadilly Roadster was offered for sale at the Automobiles of Arizona presented by RM Auctions. The lot was estimated to sell for $80,000 - $110,000 and was offered without a reserve. The lot was sold for the sum of $132,000, including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2009