Lot details
Registration No: 487 YUH
Chassis No: SVJ109
Mot Expiry: Exempt

- The Silver Dawn remains among Rolls-Royce's rarest post-WW2 models (just 761 were made)

- This example boasts matching chassis and engine numbers plus continuous history

- An elegant and very nicely presented 'big bore', automatic gearbox, big boot car

Unveiled in 1949, the Silver Dawn had the distinction of being the first Rolls-Royce to wear standard steel coachwork. Visually and mechanically indebted to its Bentley MKVI stablemate, the newcomer was initially powered by a 4257cc straight-six engine (though, capacity was increased to 4566cc during 1951) allied to either manual or automatic transmission - both four-speed. Suspension was independent at the front and by live axle on semi-elliptic leaves at the rear. Braking was by servo-assisted drums all-round. A total of just 761 Silver Dawns had been manufactured by the time the model was supplanted by the Silver Cloud.

A matching chassis and engine numbers car with continuous history, this particular example was supplied new by Rippon Bros Ltd to the Thomas Lumb Co Ltd of Skipton, Yorkshire. A mill owner, Mr Lumb kept the Silver Dawn until its purchase by Mr Walter Greaves from the Viceroy Carriage Co. in 1966. Exported to America by its third keeper - Mr Richard Werby - the following decade, the Rolls-Royce had covered some 106,000 miles by the time it next changed hands in 2001. Like his predecessors, Dr Stephen Davidson was determined to maintain the luxury saloon in fine fettle spending some $41,576.39 on it over the following ten years (invoices for the corresponding maintenance / refurbishment work remain on file). Repatriated in 2011 at an indicated 118,000 miles, the Silver Dawn was subsequently allocated the age-related registration number '487 YUH'. Forming part of a private museum collection in more recent times, this elegant and very nicely presented Rolls-Royce boasts the 'big bore' 4566cc engine and four-speed automatic gearbox. Offered for sale with copy build sheets, assorted newspaper articles relating to Mr Lumb, a Rolls-Royce handbook (1953), automatic gearbox instruction card and warrantee, Smiths radiomobile instruction book, numerous of invoices for thousands of pounds/dollars and the original RF60.