1951 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith

The Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith was on the assembly line for 13 years and was the last of the all-hand-built, all-aluminum, custom-bodied Roll-Royces. Introduced towards the end of 1946, the Silver Wraith - Rolls-Royce's first post-war model - rested on a chassis similar to that of the Silver Dawn and the Bentley MK VI, though with a 7-inch longer wheelbase (at 10 feet, 7-inches). The Mark VI pioneered 'standard steel' bodywork while the Wraith received traditional coachbuilt bodies. The 4,257cc six-cylinder Rolls-Royce engine used a cast-iron, monoblock construction with an aluminum cylinder head featuring overhead inlet and side exhaust valves. Only the bore and stroke dimensions were shared with the pre-war overhead-valve Wraith engine. The new 'F-head' layout had large valves and generous water jacketing around the valve seats. It was paired with a four-speed manual gearbox with synchromesh was standard initially; an optional General Motors Hydramatic automatic transmission became available for export models at first and available to other markets in 1951. By this point in history, the engine displacement had grown to 4,566cc and a long-wheelbase chassis (11-feet, 1 inch) was introduced. Following the introduction of the standard wheelbase Silver Cloud in 1955, displacement grew to 4,887cc. Production of the short-wheelbase Silver Wraith ceased in 1952, with a total production of 1,244 units built. The production of the long-wheelbase version continued until the introduction of the Phantom V in 1959, by which time 639 units had been completed.

The chassis of the Silver Wraith was independent at the front with GM-style wishbones and coil springs, and a conventional setup at the rear with a live axle and semi-elliptic springs. It was an evolution of the pre-war chassis with deep outer channels and a cruciform center section. Braking power was via a hybrid hydro-mechanical system with hydraulic front brakes and mechanical rears using a mechanical servo. Steering was by Marles cam and roller. The bodies were created by custom coachbuilders with most examples receiving 'formal' limousine coachwork.

by Dan Vaughan

Seven-Passenger Limousine by Hooper
Chassis number: WME 85
Engine number: W118 E

he English coachbuilder Hooper created coachwork for many Silver Wraith chassis from 1946 to 1959, with the rarest and most formal design being the Seven-Passenger Limousine. It is believed that ten examples of these Limousines were built between 1947 and 1951. Lord Louis Mountbatten received the first example for use in his service as Viceroy of India. This particular example is the final example built; it was delivered new to the United Kingdom's most powerful media mogul, The Right Honorable James Gomer Berry, 1st Viscount Kemsley.

This aluminum-bodied example originally wore a black exterior over a front cabin trimmed in fawn leather. The rear cabin was done in fawn 'West of England' wool cloth with mohair carpets and flame walnut veneers. In July of 1952, Hooper made modifications to the rear cabin to replicate several features as found on the Aga Khan's Phantom IV Sedanca de Ville, in which Kemsley had recently traveled. Among the updates were special silk rope pulls, an armrest storage box with newspaper cubby, tinted purdah glass, interior mirrors, and supplemental reading lights.

By late 1956, Lord Kemsley had sold WME 85 back to Rolls-Royce, and later received factory registration plates '6518 TU' for use as a diplomatic limousine in service of the British government. A San Francisco, California-based individual acquired it in May of 1961, and later passed through subsequent owners in and around Kansas City, Missouri. The current owner discovered the Rolls-Royce in 1997 and at the time, the odometer displayed just under 12,800 miles.

Ralph Curzon was commissioned to execute a complete restoration which took six years to complete. The car's 'supplicating' divider glass and undercarriage-mounted antenna were retained and restored, and every nut and bolt was re-plated to factory specifications. It has its original numbers-matching straight six-cylinder engine, and the exterior was refinished in its factory-correct black. The interior was similarly retrimmed in the proper fabric, trim, and finishes as specified on its factory order sheet.

After the restoration was completed, the Rolls-Royce won numerous awards at several important national-level Rolls-Royce Owners' Club events, including Best in Show and Finest Hooper Car twice. Additionally, it won People's Choice prize at the Meadowbrook Concours d'Elegance.

by Dan Vaughan

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'.

by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

by Rolls-Royce

At a time when most of England was suffering post-war and didn't have much use for a luxury motorcar, Rolls Royce decided to no longer produce cars in strictly separate series. Instead, they would create as many parts of the engine, chassis, and gearbox that would be identical for the different makes, and therefore easily interchangeable. The British economy had suffered due to raw materials shortages, prohibitive purchase tax, and petrol rationing. The Silver Wraith was the embodiment of the new company philosophy of a reliable car with components that could be easily maintained.

Considered by many to be the most technologically advanced Rolls Royce model in history, the Silver Wraith was an exceptionally graceful and elegant automobile. Introduced in 1946 the Silver Wraith was produced at the Crewe factory. The first post-war Rolls-Royce model, the Silver Wraith rode on a 127-inch wheelbase that was based heavily on the pre-war Wraith with coil-sprung independent front suspension and semi-elliptic rear with a live axle. Also based on the Wraith, the engine featured a cylinder head with overhead inlet valves and side exhaust valves and an initial capacity of 4,257 cc and 135 horsepower.

The capacity was increased to 4566 cc in 1951, and to 4887 in 1954 on the long-wheelbase models. The Wraith's braking system was a hybrid hydro-mechanical system with hydraulic front brakes and mechanical rears that utilized the mechanical servo from the pre-war cars, which was patented by Hispano-Suiza and built by Rolls Royce under license. For the first time on a Rolls Royce hydraulic brakes were used.

In 1951 Rolls Royce announced the long, 133-inch wheelbase chassis. A total of 639 of these units were produced until 1969. The final short-wheelbase models were made in 1953. At first, only a four-speed manual gearbox was available but in 1952 a General Motors automatic option was added to the list of offerings.

The Silver Wraith was the final Rolls-Royce model that would be delivered in 'chassis only' form with the intent to be bodied by independent coachbuilders. The number of specialist coachbuilders was quickly declining over the years. Many of the Silver Wraith bodies selected used 'formal limousine designs'. The Bentley Mark Vi was offered for customers that wanted to purchase their car with a standard body already fitted. The Silver Wraith differed from the Mark VI in the fact that it wasn't a complete car, merely a rolling chassis. The Silver Wraith outlived the Mark VI and continued to survive until 1959 by undergoing modernizations like automatic gearbox and power-assisted steering. The Silver Wraith would be the final Rolls Royce that showed a vast variety of coachwork styles.

The Rolls Royce Silver Wraith has filled many official capacities over the years including the Royal Dutch State Limousine in 1958, the Royal Danish Ceremonial Car 'Store Krone' also in 1958, the Irish Presidential State Car from 1947 until now. Other official uses include the Ceremonial State Car for the Brazilian President in 1952. The

The Silver Wraith had numerous movie cameos over the years including 1968 'The Love Bug', 1975 'The Return of the Pink Panther', 1989 'Batman', 1992 'Batman Returns' and even the recent 2012 film 'The S

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Silver_Wraith

http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/wraith/

by Jessican Donaldson