Beschreibung:

7,428cc L-Head Inline 6-Cylinder Engine 85bhp at 2,300rpm 3-Speed Manual Transmission Front and Rear Leaf Spring Suspension 4-Wheel Drum Brakes *Desirable Tilbury sedan from Rolls-Royce Springfield factory *Beautifully presented in red/black body over red leather interior *Ideal long-distance touring vehicle *Well maintained restoration THE ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER GHOST The legendary Rolls-Royce model first introduced in 1906 was not initially referred to as a Silver Ghost rather, the 40/50, referring to its 40 taxable horsepower and 50 real horsepower. The first 40/50 to bear the name Silver Ghost was actually the thirteenth chassis to-be-built. It featured an aluminum body by Barker with silver-plated exterior fittings and a sliver-plated brass plate bearing the name "Silver Ghost." The name stuck, and Silver Ghosts became known not only for their incredible reliability, but also for their virtually silent operation, smoothness, and absence of vibration. Simply stated in a 1911 company catalogue: "The Rolls-Royce Car is bought by people who will have the best and nothing but the best." The company unabashedly claimed "The Best Car in the World" as its mantra. Production continued in England through 1925 and in America at Rolls-Royce's Springfield facility from 1921-1926. At the time, no car was built better; its excellence achieved by a painstaking dedication to detail unique in the automotive industry. When World War I ended, there was great pent-up demand for new cars, and the Rolls-Royce factory could not keep up with demand for the first couple of years after the Armistice. The Managing Director of Rolls-Royce, Claude Goodman Johnson, had visited the USA as part of R-R's war effort, and he was most impressed with what he saw. The USA auto market was much larger than the rest of the world combined, and it was not a market that Rolls-Royce was penetrating very effectively. Johnson knew just how to attack the US market – Rolls-Royce needed a factory in the USA. After the war, he set about establishing a manufacturing operation on Yankee soil, having looked at a plant site in New Jersey but finally choosing Springfield, Massachusetts, because there was suitable real estate available, a large pool of skilled workers and a history of good labor relations. A factory property was acquired in 1920 and work began. Fifty-one foremen sailed over from Britain and set about hiring the rest of the staff locally. Production began in 1921 and a few cars were produced that year. The first 100 cars were almost identical to British models. But soon Springfield realized that changes would be required, for some of the British components could not be easily serviced in America so US components were substituted. Gradually the cars became quite different from their British brethren. The biggest change came in 1925 when right-drive steering and four-speed gearboxes gave way to left-drive and three-speed transmissions. The Silver Ghost remained in production at Springfield until 1926, and the car offered here is one of the very last of the Springfield Ghosts and includes all the improvements made for the American market. THE MOTORCAR OFFERED Rolls-Royce records state that this 1926 Silver Ghost, chassis S 256 PL, was originally delivered in October of 1926 to a J.M Coward IV of New York, New York. Chassis supplied by Rolls-Royce's Springfield, Mass. factory would be fitted with bodies produced by the likes of Brewster, Willoughby, Merrimac, and Holbrook. This car was built as a Tilbury sedan body; coachwork that remains original to the car today. The Tilbury sedan is one of several "catalog" styles offered by Rolls-Royce of America under the hallmark of Rolls-Royce Custom Coach Work, available in fixed-roof or landaulet styles. Chassis S 256 PL is seen today with an older restoration, finished in a handsome two-tone burgundy over black livery. The car's paint work has held up well and is presented in tidy fashion, as well as the nickel accessories and