Rolls-Royce’s brilliant, first post-war design is as enjoyable to drive now as it was then.
The Silver Wraith was the first large-chassis Rolls-Royce produced after the second World War. The market for expensive, hand-crafted luxury automobiles was somewhat limited in the post-war era, with most people having more urgent needs. The economy was in recovery and automobile production was severely curtailed by shortages of raw materials. Additionally, highly priced luxury automobiles had become subject to a prohibitive purchase tax. Adding to these difficulties, petrol was rationed and only available with coupons.
Times were tough, however, the company needed a new model to remain current and move forward to ensure its success in the post-war era. It was with great care and sensitivity to the then-current economic situation and public opinion, that the executives of Rolls-Royce launched the production of the new Silver Wraith in 1946.
A decision was made that would help the company, streamline engineering and production efficiency: Rolls-Royces and Bentleys would not continue to be built in strictly separate series as they had been in the past. They decided to make as many parts of the chassis, engine and gearbox identical for the different makes and thus interchangeable.
The Bentley Mark VI, which used a 7-inch shorter frame, had the same major technical components as the Silver Wraith. The Silver Wraith would outlive the Mark VI and, in fact, it survived until 1959, having been modernized step by step with important improvements such as an automatic transmission becoming an option in 1952 and power assisted steering in 1956. An engine bored out to 4,566-cc had been phased in by 1951 and in 1954 capacity was increased to 4,887-cc. There were only small differences between the Silver Wraith and the Mark VI under the bonnet. A camshaft with lower lift (providing more torque gained at low revolutions) than that of the Bentley, and a single Stromberg carburetor instead of twin SU carburetors were the only modifications for the Mark VI. The Silver Wraith would become equipped with twin SU carburetors in 1956. The need for yet more power had become inevitable because the weight of the additional equipment had hampered the car’s performance. By the end of 1954, all Silver Wraiths were fitted with automatic transmissions and in late 1956 power steering became an optional extra. A total of 1,783 examples of the Silver Wraith were produced before production ceased in 1959.
Following their pre-war tradition of manufacturing a rolling-chassis only, Rolls-Royce delivered these cars to be bodied by independent coachbuilders who created many elegant and memorable designs. James Young Limited had a good relationship with Rolls-Royce and bodied many of their cars over the years.
The coachbuilder’s roots can be traced back to 1863 when Mr. James Young bought J. K. Hunter’s company. They produced a full range of high-quality carriages including landaus, but was most famous in James Young’s time for its lightweight Bromley Brougham. The first car body they created was made in 1908 on a Wolseley chassis for a local Member of Parliament. During the First World War, they created ambulances, lorries and armored cars on Darracq and Hudson chassis. In the 1920s and early 1930s, James Young produced standardized bodies for Sunbeam and Talbot along with individual commissions often on Bentley and Rolls-Royce chassis. James Young Limited joined the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in 1922, setting up their own stand at the SMMT’s 1925 London Motor Show at Olympia and exhibited a Chrysler all-weather sedan, as well as a Lanchester saloon. The firm patented designs for parallel opening doors and a new way to manufacture roofs that did not emit a drumming noise.
In 1937, James Young was acquired by London Rolls-Royce dealer Jack Barclay and he persuaded Scotsman A. F. ‘Mac’ McNeil, to leave J Gurney Nutting & Co to become James Young’s chief designer. These two events, combined with the end of the Depression, resulted in a sharp rise in James Young’s sales.
During the Second World War, James Young built aircraft components, mobile canteens and canvas covers. The factory was destroyed and all records lost in 1941, the second year of the Blitz. The factory was rebuilt, but it was hit again – this time by a V-1 flying bomb. However, despite all this adversity production continued.
After the war, coachbuilding resumed. James Young selected some of its Silver Wraith designs, including the model featured here, to be displayed at the 1953 and 1954 Earls Court Motor Show and the 1953 Paris Salon de l’Automobile.
Silver Wraiths from this period are well respected and have a reputation for reliability and being easy to drive and maintain. We recently caught up with noted Rolls-Royce expert and collector Michael Kliebenstein and asked him to reflect on the Silver Wraith: “As a great admirer and experienced driver of all great Rolls-Royce cars from Silver Ghost to Phantom VI, I would be hard pressed to deny that the Silver Wraith is superior in practically every aspect to, say, a Phantom II or a Phantom III. The Silver Wraith’s driving characteristics will be found almost equal in terms of smoothness and silence. Indeed, the Silver Wraith model encapsulates all the traditional Rolls-Royce values and even as an early post-war car, it qualifies as the quintessential traditional Rolls-Royce to own and use. It is also the easiest and simplest to maintain with many parts shared with the more available Bentley Mark VI, Silver Cloud I or Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn models and most are parts readily available.”
Kliebenstein, who is known for driving his vintage Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars often and for long distances, currently has a 1949 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith with Hooper close-coupled touring limousine coachwork. “With certain cars, and they are few and far between, you immediately build a bond, a deep relationship, and a well set up Silver Wraith is one of them. If you respect the car, the car will respect you. Travelling around Europe in a Silver Wraith along long winding roads is something I really enjoy. You immediately sense the authority of the car. The chassis makes a very favorable impression on all roads indeed, even in the hilly bits around Italy or Switzerland. I crossed the San Bernardino Pass and the Brenner Pass twice over the last years in mine. A majestic experience. There is something magical, or Zen about wafting along through beautiful scenery in a Silver Wraith. The sound and behavior of that out worldly machine mulls you in like a warm blanket. Slowly but surely, you enter this magical motoring fantasy world – making you feel as if you were driving on clouds with a serene, dreamlike quality.”
In 1950, Mike Cooper drove a new Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Sports Saloon by Park Ward in the Monte Carlo Rally, winning the Concours de Confort, despite having collided en route with a French camion and crushing the front fender. A true testament to the ruggedness and reliability of these cars.
This elegant 1954 Silver Wraith, DLW 125, is one of 28 Silver Wraiths constructed by James Young with design number WRM 30. The aluminum body design featured distinctive double swaging on its wings. The design cues were so splendid and modern that they (as well as some influences from designs by coachbuilder H.J. Mullier), were adapted in 1955 for the successful Silver Cloud standard steel saloon.
According to the factory specification sheet, dated November 11, 1954, it was equipped, as it is now, with an automatic gearbox, Silver Dawn headlamps and a pair of fog lamps in place of the standard center lamp. The sumptuous interior features a leather driver’s seat with the rear compartment trimmed in plush wool broadcloth. The interior also features a power operated divider glass providing privacy when indulging in a taste of whisky stored in pewter decanters within the superbly finished burled walnut rear cabinet. The cabinet also houses Waterford crystal glasses and picnic trays, of course.
This Silver Wraith was delivered new to the showroom of Jack Barkclay Limited, located at Mayfair Berkeley Square, London on June 14, 1955. In January of 1956, it was purchased by its first owner, Sir Maurice Bloch of Glasgow. Sir Bloch founded a family distilling business, Bloch Brothers Distillers Ltd., and played an active
role in communal work. In 1937, he was knighted “for political and social services”. In 1954, he gave up his large business to devote himself to more civic duties and philanthropy, however he retained his Silver Wraith the rest of his life. Sir Bloch died in 1964 and the car was subsequently sold to a Mrs. Lisa Liba Greenburg, also a resident of Glasgow. The last recorded time the car was registered in the UK was in December of 1966. At some point DLW 125 found its way to American shores where it was acquired by Rolls-Royce collector Hamilton Dixon of Rome, Georgia. Mr. Hamilton brought the car to noted Rolls-Royce restoration specialist Ralph Curzon who performed a comprehensive restoration on it. Mr. Hamilton was an active member in the Rolls-Royce Owner’s Club, during which time he received numerous trophies at club events and concours shows. In 2016, it was acquired by the Blackhawk Collection in California and has been exhibited at the prestigious Blackhawk Museum on a regular basis.
