Highlights
- Former museum exhibit
- Recommissioned 2014
- Very original interior
- Would benefit from some improvement
- Very usable in the meantime
The Appeal
Produced for a short amount of time before the war, the Rolls-Royce Wraith was limited by circumstances to 492 chassis only. This example lived indoors as part of a Spanish museum collection for a number of years up to 2014 when it was acquired and repatriated to the UK. Following a £14,000 recommissioning, it has seen limited use since.
The interior is in very original condition and while the exterior is in need of some cosmetic improvements, it’s very usable in the meantime. There’s a couple of mechanical items that may need taking care of but overall it’s the sort of car that could be enjoyed in parallel with improvement works. If you’d like the chance to drive and improve this piece of pre-war splendour then get your bid in now.
The History and Paperwork
- Registered new in 1939
- Displayed indoors in a Spanish museum for some years prior to 2014
- Acquired and imported to the UK in 2014
- All relevant import paperwork included
- Invoice for £14k spent on recommissioning at Rolls-Royce specialist
- Work included:
- Oil change
- Check and gap plugs and points
- New fuel pump and hoses
- Radiator overhaul
- Chassis repair
- Brakes adjusted
- New exhaust
- New battery
- MOT exempt, though it was put through the test in 2015, post-recommissioning
- V5 present
The Interior
- Original brown leather
- Picnic tables
- Footrests
Swing open the rear-hinged front door and you’re greeted with the sight of a very original, somewhat patinated, but charming cabin.
Finished in brown leather, the seats have clearly seen some use over the years but remain comfortable. The thin-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel sits proud of a wooden dashboard that, like the upholstery, has some wear but still retains the air of luxury that befits a Rolls-Royce.
Rear seat passengers are treated to fold-down picnic tables and fold away footrests and while the seats show a similar level of patination to the fronts, again they remain very usable. In all, it’s very original and perfectly liveable.
The Exterior
- Park Ward coachwork
- Black and Green with a silver wrap over the green
- Wire wheels with good tyres
- Twin wing-mounted spare wheels
Viewed from a distance, the elegant lines of the bodywork are highlighted well by the silver and black colour scheme although on closer inspection the silver turns out to be a wrap over the original green colour. In truth the bodywork is somewhat patinated, which the wrap helps to disguise, but overall it presents reasonably well.
There are a few blemishes which are documented in the photo gallery and which include some scrapes and flaking paintwork but there’s nothing that would stop you enjoying the car in the short term and addressing these over time.
Underneath is still said to be in good condition following the recommissioning work of 2014 while the wheels are in good order and wear a set of tyres with good tread.
The Mechanics
- 4.2litre straight six
- Four speed manual gearbox
- No leaks or smoke
Under the bonnets, the engine bay is in good original condition and mechanically it’s in generally good order, though there is a little top end rattle from the engine. On the move, the seller reports that it goes, stops and steers as it should, though it can slip out of second gear under load.
In practice this isn’t as terrible as it sounds, as the driver can simply hold the gear lever in place but it’s something to pop on the ‘to do’ list at some stage. Much like the exterior, it can be enjoyed in the short term and improved over time.
In practice this isn’t as terrible as it sounds, as the driver can simply hold the gear lever in place but it’s something to pop on the ‘to do’ list at some stage. Much like the exterior, it can be enjoyed in the short term and improved over time.
Summary
A nice example of a pre-war Rolls with the patina of age and originality which would benefit from a programme of minor improvements to bring it back to its best.
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