Beschreibung:

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 1923 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER GHOST OXFORD TOURER COACHWORK BY ROLLS-ROYCE CUSTOM COACH WORKS Chassis No. 331KG Engine No. 21-56 Red with black leather interior Engine: six cylinder, side valves, 7,428cc, 65bhp at 1,250rpm; Gearbox: four speed manual; Suspension: front, semi-elliptic leaf springs, rear, cantilever; Brakes: two wheel drum. Right hand drive. The 40/50hp model was introduced to the world at the 1906 London Motor Show at Olympia, and it swiftly established itself as the ultimate in luxury motoring, being credited with the title The Best Car in the World. The automotive world was impressed with the car's mechanical integrity, the degree of which had never been seen before. Henry Royce, the designer, compounded the triumph with superb electrics, an unusually fine carburetor and roller cam followers on little arms which have delighted Rolls-Royce enthusiasts ever since. Early tests and trials established the car's total reliability, silence and flexibility. The success of the new car, called the Silver Ghost because of the dramatic paint and plating of the 13th chassis (still in possession of the Company), caused Rolls-Royce to standardize one model in March 1908. It remained in production from 1907-1926. Claude Johnson, Rolls-Royce's great marketing and promotional genius, felt that the demand for Silver Ghosts in America after World War I, combined with a punishing U.S. import duty on automobiles, called for an American-based assembly plant for Derby's motor cars. After some exploratory study, a decision was made that a Rolls-Royce of America manufacturing entity should be established. In February 1929, an existing factory in Springfield, Massachusetts was acquired. About one year later, the first of the Springfield Silver Ghosts rolled out of the factory, beginning a Rolls-Royce presence in the United States that was to last until the Great Depression caused it to cease. This particular Silver Ghost was bodied from new with the attractive seven passenger touring coachwork style known as an Oxford. This design, similar to the Pall Mall, was quite popular in the U.S. and some 77 Oxford Springfield Silver Ghosts were made. Car 331 KG was delivered new in April 1923 to Dr. T. P. Hinman of Atlanta, Georgia. In the early 1970s, while in the ownership of Mr. Leonard Poole, the founder of Air Products Corporation, this Silver Ghost was subject to a frame-off restoration by the highly respected Rolls-Royce specialists, The Enthusiast Garage of Plymouth, Michigan under the direction of Mr. Wally Donoghue. This restoration took an entire nine months of work by the restorers and was a full nut and bolt rebuild with no items neglected. Upon completion, the Oxford was shipped to Europe on the QE2 to participate in the 1973 Alpine Rally. Mr. Poole took Wally Donoghue on the trip to drive the car, as he was not entirely comfortable with such an early vehicle. While in England, according to Mr. Donoghue, they attended the largest-ever show organized by the Rolls-Royce Enthusiast Club at Englefield (with some 800 cars attending) and won the Best of Show! The car was then driven across Europe and into the Alps where it performed faultlessly, despite some of the passes reaching 9,500 feet. In total, some 3,000 miles were covered on this trip. Sadly, Mr. Poole passed away a couple of years later, and the current owner acquired the car from his estate in 1975. Since then this elegant Rolls-Royce has been driven very sparingly, and has been carefully maintained and stored in a temperature- controlled garage.