Lot Description
1924 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER GHOST BOATTAIL SPEEDSTER
COACHWORK BY ROBINSON, DESIGN BY HOLLS & PHILPOT
Chassis No. 7LM
Engine No. TW70
Black with aluminium bonnet, black wings, teak wood decking and black leather interior
Engine: six cylinder, side valves, 7,428cc, 65bhp at 1,250rpm; Gearbox: three-speed manual; Suspension: front, semi-elliptic leaf springs, rear, cantilever; Brakes: four wheel drum. Right hand drive
Originally delivered in March 1924 to a Mr. H.R. Trowbridge in Zurich, Switzerland, Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost chassis 7LM was fitted with a Park Ward built four-door cabriolet body. By the 1930's this had been changed to a two-seater body of unknown origin with engine number TW70 fitted and in 1968 the car was purchased by C.L.'Connie' Bouchard, gentleman collector of Birmingham, MI. Bouchard harboured an ambition to build a stunning boattail speedster on the Ghost chassis that was to become a four year project like none other; involving his close friends David Holls and Harold Philpot, the brief was quite simple: 'to design the best damn body that you can conceive'. Holls was both the Director of Design for GM subsidiary Opel in Germany as well as being Chief Designer for Buick and Chevrolet, while Philpot was on the Chrysler Design Staff/Advanced Body Area (and subsequently founder of his own School of Automotive Body Drafting), so both men were more than able to meet the stringent design specifications laid down by Bouchard.
The attention to detail was amazing, as Bouchard kept a notebook detailing every aspect of the restoration. For example, regarding the engine, his notes recorded the weights of the con rods, dimensions, piston and groove measurements, valve stems (as removed and after machining), each valve number, cylinder bores before honing and after, tappets, valve guides, etc. While the engine was being prepared, Holls was styling the new body and Philpot was preparing the chassis drawings. He realized from his experience as a coachbuilder's draughtsman at Park Ward that mating a new body to a chassis was, and is, a tough exercise. The challenge involved all their combined expertise, with proper design drawings made to incorporate OGEE curves (concave to convex) for the bonnet line, orthographic plans, surface development layout and much more - in essence, a complete redesign to professional standards. Tony Robinson in England was commissioned to build the new body for 7LM, which was to be a one-piece aluminium shell with no visible body joints or mouldings. The finished, flawless aluminium body was shipped over to Bouchard who fitted it up perfectly to the chassis with the new clam-shell wings, before disassembling it again prior to painting. The main body and wings were painted in black nitro-cellulose lacquer (with black enamel on the chassis and wheels) and the bonnet was left in polished aluminium. The car was finally ready in the Spring of 1977 and then shown at the National Rolls-Royce Owners' Club meeting in August of that year where it won Best of Show in the Silver Ghost class.
This splendid recreation has been in its present ownership for the past seven years, during which time it has been carefully looked after and enjoyed. The car featured in several authoritative articles, including Road & Track, June '76, by the late respected designer and historian Strother MacMinn and various Flying Lady articles by Connie Bouchard, Dave Holls and Harold Philpot. The quality and attention to detail demanded during the rebuild have ensured it remains an eye-catching motor car and close inspection is firmly recommended. There is a creative design class at the Pebble Beach Concours for cars such as this Rolls-Royce.
