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Details
Photo credit: Jay Hirsch
1954 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER DAWN FOUR DOOR SPORTS SALOON
COACHWORK BY HOOPER
Chassis No. SRH 44
Engine No. S22H
Midnight blue with light blue leather interior
Engine: six cylinder, 4,257cc., overhead inlet valves, 125bhp at 4,000rpm; Gearbox: Hydra-matic automatic; Suspension: front, independent coil, rear, semi-elliptic leaf springs; Brakes: four wheel drum. Right hand drive.
Rolls-Royce Motors production moved to Crewe at the end of the Second World War where for the first time they produced their own in-house design for cars. The first example of this was the 4¼ litre Bentley Mk VI with a compact all-steel body that was known as the 'Standard Steel' saloon. The deep-channel sectioned chassis was also available for specialized coachwork manufacturers, but the generally depressed economics of the time restricted the sales of such specialized cars. As far as the Rolls-Royce marque was concerned, initially they continued their pre-war Wraith series which was individually coachbuilt, and in 1949 they introduced the new 4¼ litre Silver Dawn which in essence was a similar car to the Bentley Mk VI. Quality was always a prerogative and clients could order either a standard steel saloon or opt to have a coachbuilt model. With only around 760 cars produced, the Silver Dawn was always a relatively rare vehicle.
This lovely 1954 Silver Dawn is a highly original car with very attractive and graceful Hooper coachwork. The build sheet records confirm that its first owner was a Mrs. E. Thursby of Grosvenor Square, London SW1 followed by Mead of Maidenhead in 1960 who are still Rolls-Royce Bentley dealers. They must have sold the car quite quickly as the next recorded owner is A.B. Stothard of Alderley Edge, Cheshire in November 1960, after which the history trail picks up again in October 1969 when the Dawn appeared in a Parke-Bernet auction in Denver, Colorado. Catalogued Lot 144, the car was offered from the Property of Richard Alden Levy of San Francisco and is where the current owner purchased it. The catalogue also stated that the mileage was documented at 61,000 and that the car had been totally maintained by Rolls-Royce since 1954. Today the mileage is just 83,960. The current owner has clearly also kept the car in fine original condition; the panel fit is excellent with straight lines and perfect door shuts. Some of the paintwork is older now (it has been repainted at some stage) with blemishes, but it has a nice patina. And the interior leather upholstery is also older, but with a fabulous gentleman's club feel to it. New wool carpets have been fitted to the front and rear at some time. The car has original front electric windows and picnic tables to the back of the front seats. In addition, it has its spare wheel, jack, foot pump and most of the original tools. The brightwork is older now but might respond to polishing. The engine bay is in fair order with two grease guns, flashlight and crank handle all in situ. A sticker denotes the last oil service was at 81,027 miles in May 1988. Above the front UK registration plate PXB 421 the car sports a badge bar with badges from the RROC Atlantic Region, RROC, then possibly a military badge, then 1951-76 CCCA and CCCA Metropolitan Region.
We believe that just six Hooper bodies were fitted to the Silver Dawn chassis in 1954, making it a rare version. The overall feel and look is of an older but lovely, original motor car that has been cared for throughout as one would treat a favorite leather armchair or pair of slippers - totally comfortable.
1954 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER DAWN FOUR DOOR SPORTS SALOON
COACHWORK BY HOOPER
Chassis No. SRH 44
Engine No. S22H
Midnight blue with light blue leather interior
Engine: six cylinder, 4,257cc., overhead inlet valves, 125bhp at 4,000rpm; Gearbox: Hydra-matic automatic; Suspension: front, independent coil, rear, semi-elliptic leaf springs; Brakes: four wheel drum. Right hand drive.
Rolls-Royce Motors production moved to Crewe at the end of the Second World War where for the first time they produced their own in-house design for cars. The first example of this was the 4¼ litre Bentley Mk VI with a compact all-steel body that was known as the 'Standard Steel' saloon. The deep-channel sectioned chassis was also available for specialized coachwork manufacturers, but the generally depressed economics of the time restricted the sales of such specialized cars. As far as the Rolls-Royce marque was concerned, initially they continued their pre-war Wraith series which was individually coachbuilt, and in 1949 they introduced the new 4¼ litre Silver Dawn which in essence was a similar car to the Bentley Mk VI. Quality was always a prerogative and clients could order either a standard steel saloon or opt to have a coachbuilt model. With only around 760 cars produced, the Silver Dawn was always a relatively rare vehicle.
This lovely 1954 Silver Dawn is a highly original car with very attractive and graceful Hooper coachwork. The build sheet records confirm that its first owner was a Mrs. E. Thursby of Grosvenor Square, London SW1 followed by Mead of Maidenhead in 1960 who are still Rolls-Royce Bentley dealers. They must have sold the car quite quickly as the next recorded owner is A.B. Stothard of Alderley Edge, Cheshire in November 1960, after which the history trail picks up again in October 1969 when the Dawn appeared in a Parke-Bernet auction in Denver, Colorado. Catalogued Lot 144, the car was offered from the Property of Richard Alden Levy of San Francisco and is where the current owner purchased it. The catalogue also stated that the mileage was documented at 61,000 and that the car had been totally maintained by Rolls-Royce since 1954. Today the mileage is just 83,960. The current owner has clearly also kept the car in fine original condition; the panel fit is excellent with straight lines and perfect door shuts. Some of the paintwork is older now (it has been repainted at some stage) with blemishes, but it has a nice patina. And the interior leather upholstery is also older, but with a fabulous gentleman's club feel to it. New wool carpets have been fitted to the front and rear at some time. The car has original front electric windows and picnic tables to the back of the front seats. In addition, it has its spare wheel, jack, foot pump and most of the original tools. The brightwork is older now but might respond to polishing. The engine bay is in fair order with two grease guns, flashlight and crank handle all in situ. A sticker denotes the last oil service was at 81,027 miles in May 1988. Above the front UK registration plate PXB 421 the car sports a badge bar with badges from the RROC Atlantic Region, RROC, then possibly a military badge, then 1951-76 CCCA and CCCA Metropolitan Region.
We believe that just six Hooper bodies were fitted to the Silver Dawn chassis in 1954, making it a rare version. The overall feel and look is of an older but lovely, original motor car that has been cared for throughout as one would treat a favorite leather armchair or pair of slippers - totally comfortable.