1946 Rolls-Royce  Silver Wraith: The car of magnates and presidents

1946 Rolls-Royce  Silver Wraith: The car of magnates and presidents

EngineStraight 6Horsepower155 HP/kW 114 rpmDrive TypeRWDEngine LocationFrontWeight2100kgTransmission4-speed manual with synchronizersFront/ Rear brakesDrum

The first post-war Rolls Royce model, which debuted in 1946, replaced the 25/30 model and was called no less mystical than its previous counterparts. Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith is a symbol of absolute luxury, the vehicle of magnates and presidents. 

Source: Pinterest

Ghost, Spirit, Phantom – the names of Rolls-Royce models were full of mysticism and fog of the English thicket. At first glance, you don’t immediately understand what year this beautiful automobile was made. A high body of “suitcase” shapes, huge “pots” of headlights, bulging wings, trunk case… Either the end of the 20s or the 30s. But no, this is the first post-war Rolls Royce, proudly called the Silver Wraith.

The origins

Source: The Honest John Classics

This model is considered to be a long-liver in the history of the brand: it was produced from 1946 to 1959. It is also the last of those that were produced in the form of a chassis with a motor, and specialized studios like Mulliner were engaged in the construction of bodies, whose plates showed off on the doorstep. The bodies were built individually or in small batches, so the probability that two identical vehicles would meet on the road was minimized. The model stood apart with its carriage-like angular bodies with an open driver’s compartment or sloping roofs with trunks in the form of beaver tails, as well as oval headlights in the front fenders, round windows, glass, and sliding roofs, and some incredible cutouts in the doors of convertibles. Interestingly, the customization was available for any customer. Then the company gave up on such an approach, and since then almost brand’s all vehicles were made with standard bodies – it was both more profitable and easier.

The 1946 model

Source: Pinterest

The 1946 automobile was the first post-war Rolls-Royce. It was produced from 1946 to 1958 only as a chassis at the company’s former Merlin engine plant, their Crewe plant, along with the shorter Bentley Mark VI. It debuted in April 1946 and was presented as a 25/30 hp replacement for the 1939 automobile in the 20 and 20/25 hp market segment as the company’s smaller automobile. The smaller size was chosen to match the mood of post-war austerity. Compared to the first Wraith, which had a 3226 mm wheelbase, the new one adopted the chassis design of the pre-World War II model and was dubbed the Silver Wraith. The suspension was an independent spring, and under the hood housed the engine, which was developed based on the power unit from the former Wraith. The motor received a new cylinder head with a volume of 4.3 liters. 

Did you know?

Nubar Gulbenkian and his Silver Wraith

Source: Just a Car Guy

The Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith was built for wealthy Armenian oil magnate Nubar Gulbenkian in 1946. Nubar was an eccentric person and could afford to purchase many luxurious things, including a Rolls-Royce vehicle:  the manufacturer’s vehicles were already expensive at that time. Hooper & Co worked on the automobile by Gyulbekian’s special order. This atelier gained fame for the construction of the carriages for the British monarchs in the 19th century. Nubar decided to turn to the company’s specialists so that the vehicle would be remade individually for his needs. Since Nubar suffered from claustrophobia, the roof of the body was made of carbon fiber to be transparent. To prevent heat stroke, a fabric curtain was installed, which was supplemented with an electric drive. The interior was made from leather trim. The vehicle was in the possession of the Armenian for a short time. After he sold it, the car made its film debut in Les Félins, starring Alain Delon, released in 1964. In 2007, specialists restored the vehicle, making the body yellow. The work was carried out by masters Frank Dale & Stepsons, who specialized in the modernization of Rolls-Royce. After that, the car was moved to the La Belle Etoile dance hall in Nice as an exhibit.

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1946 Rolls-Royce  Silver Wraith: The car of magnates and presidents

EngineStraight 6Horsepower155 HP/kW 114 rpmDrive TypeRWDEngine LocationFrontWeight2100kgTransmission4-speed manual with synchronizersFront/ Rear brakesDrum

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