Lot details Registration No: FVF 444 Chassis No: WGC 68 Mot Expiry: Sept 2007
Notable as the last Rolls-Royce - mighty Phantom series apart - to be sold in bare chassis guise only, the Silver Wraith was introduced in April 1946. Enjoying a seven-inch longer wheelbase than its Bentley MKVI sibling, the newcomer was based around a massive, box-section chassis equipped with independent front suspension, hydraulic shock absorbers (adjustable to the rear) and four-wheel drum brakes. Powered by a smooth 4257cc six-cylinder engine allied to four-speed manual transmission, the model appealed to both owner-drivers and passengers alike. Only in production from 1946 - 1952, just 1,144 standard wheelbase Silver Wraiths are thought to have been made.
A remarkable car, 'FVF 444' is still registered in the name of its first owner, the renowned collector George Milligan of East Ruston Manor, Norfolk. Bodied as an elegant Touring Saloon by H.J. Mulliner and supplied via Jack Olding's North Audley St showroom, the Silver Wraith's list price was an eye-opening £6,068 3s 4d. Generously specified, its timewarp beige leather interior boasts a sunroof, electric division, vanity set, rear picnic tables and concealed 'mood' lights set into the headlining. Kept on the road for all but ten of the last fifty-seven years, 'FVF 444' still retains its original Rolls-Royce Guarantee, H.J. Mulliner handbook and owner's manual not to mention a wealth of factory correspondence and Mann Egerton invoices dating back to the early 1950s. Treated to an engine rebore some 44,000 miles ago, more recent work has seen the car repainted in dark blue. Described by the vendor as being in "good" overall condition, this unique Rolls-Royce is offered for sale with an enchanting history file and MOT certificate valid until September 2007.
PLEASE NOTE: This vehicle is fitted with rear vanity mirrors/lights and not a vanity set as stated in the catalogue description.
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