1950 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Sports Saloon - By James Young

Highlights

• One of only six James Young Silver Wraith Sports Saloons built in this style
• Bare chassis-upwards restoration spanning seven years
• Notable early provenance, including The Daily Mirror Group
• In current ownership for approximately 11 years
• All-aluminium coachbuilt body with no division

The Appeal

The advent of monocoque construction more or less put pay to the noble art of coachbuilding, so it's pleasing on occasion to revisit a time before the great coachworks and Carrozzerias of Europe closed their doors. This 1950 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith dates from towards the end of this golden age and wears elegant aluminium Sports Saloon bodywork by James Young Ltd.
With only six examples of this particular Sports Saloon style produced, each was essentially a hand-crafted commission, featuring James Young's distinctive design language, including unique bumpers and sports seats configured without a division. This car carries fascinating early provenance, having been first delivered to Wade Electrical Ltd in 1950 before passing to The Daily Mirror Group for use as a courtesy car, and later crossing the Atlantic to the United States.

The current owner repatriated the car from the USA approximately 11 years ago and embarked upon a bare chassis-upwards restoration spanning seven years. The chassis was stripped to bare metal and repainted, the body received a bare metal two-tone respray in its original colours of Silver Chalice over Oxford Blue, and the interior was reupholstered in grey leather to match the original specification. New deep blue Wilton carpets were fitted, and the mechanicals were restored or renewed.
Always dry stored since completion, this is a rare opportunity to acquire one of the most exclusive Silver Wraith variants in what the vendor considers to be outstanding condition.

Key Information

• Mileage: 38,220 miles, no documentation available to verify
• Country of registration: not confirmed
• Technical inspection status: MOT exempt
• Technical specs: four-speed manual gearbox
• Paperwork: no service records available

The Detail

• Chassis stripped to bare metal and repainted during restoration
• Bare metal two-tone respray in Silver Chalice over Oxford Blue
• Interior reupholstered in grey leather to match the original specification
• New deep blue Wilton carpets fitted
• Mechanicals restored or renewed
• Special James Young sports seats with no division
• Special James Young bumpers fitted
• Period-style Firestone tyres fitted
• Always dry stored since completion
• The vendor rates bodywork, paintwork, interior, and mechanicals as superb; as the photographs attest, it present beautifully throughout
• The underside presentation is particularly impressive and can be studied in the photographs
• Reported to be driving exceedingly well

BEFORE YOU BUY

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