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Rolls-Royce 40/50 Silver Ghost 1925

General description : - Chassis # S100LK

- Engine # 23003
- The Last Right-Hand Drive, 4-Speed Gearbox Car Manufactured In Springfield, MA
- Featuring A Thoroughly Detailed History Dating Back To New
- Offered In Outstanding Mechanical Condition And Ready To Be Enjoyed
- Includes Original Owner's Manual, Original Keys, Weather Gear, And Available Service and History Files

The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost series of cars first came to market in 1906, originally called the “40.50 h.p.”. The cars were first produced in Manchester before moving to Derby in 1908 and to Springfield, MA, from 1921 to 1926. They were originally powered by a 7,036cc straight-six engine before a more powerful 7,428cc unit was introduced in 1910. The chassis were fitted with various different styles of bodies by coachwork companies, with the same chassis being used as the base for Rolls-Royce Armoured Cars during World War I. Only 7,874 Silver Ghosts were made from 1906 to 1926.

This particular example, Chassis # S100LK, is the last right-hand drive, 4-speed gearbox car manufactured in Springfield, MA, and began life with a Town Car body. It was purchased as such on April 14, 1925, by a W.H. Porter of New York City. He owned the car in its original configuration until 1934, when he gave it back to Rolls-Royce and had them swap the Town Car body for a Piccadilly Roadster body (#M588) from Chassis # S164JH that was owned by a Walter Reade of Deal, NJ. The body was also altered to resemble a Playboy, lowering the car and the now one-piece windshield, adding valances over the rear springs, and changing the wheels to 20-inch ones.

The now Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Piccadilly Roadster was sold in 1935 to a New York advertiser named John MacKenty, who spent his spare time on Ashakomaksett Farm at Martha’s Vineyard. The car spent the duration of WW2 there and was entirely painted gray to avoid it being spotted by patrolling U-boats. Mr. MacKenty bought the car with around 40,000 miles on it and reportedly drove it less than that during his ownership.

In 1957, it made its way to a Ken Sowles of Falmouth, ME, as confirmed by the included Schoellkopf Card. Sowles was a close friend of Prince Phillip, who often asked him for horse and carriage advice and invited him to the Windsor Horse Show. In service records dating back to 1987, Mr. Sowles frequently had the car serviced at The Vintage Garage in North Brookfield, MA. In February of 1987, the leather upholstery on the doors was replaced with new leather. The engine and brakes received their first recorded rebuild that same month, with a total bill of just under $9,000. The exhaust, carburetor, and voltage regulator received the same treatment the following month, this time totaling over $3,000. New pistons were installed in May of 1995, and the blocks were bored +.040 in August of that same year.

After 37 years of ownership, the car was sold to its fourth owner in 1996, who continued maintaining the car and toured England, Scotland, Canada, and the Western/Southern US with it over the span of 17 years. He meticulously kept track of all repairs and maintenance performed on the car, also at The Vintage Garage, dating back to 1996 when he purchased the car. In November of that year, it went in for an oil change, radiator cap, wheel rebuild, and new leaf springs. It then returned in December to have the wheel snap rings, nuts, and valve stem caps were nickel plated.

In May of 1997, the battery cables were redone along with new spark plugs, ignition points, and box fuses. In July, the speedometer was repaired. In August of 1998, the “Spirit of Ecstasy” was stripped, detailed, polished, and buffed. In September, Frank Cooke, Inc. in North Brookfield, MA, took over for a non-fluid oil and transmission oil change. It returned to The Vintage Garage in November for an extensive service that included an extra oiler tube, a number of bearings, gaskets, and screws, a generator repair, as well as plating of curtain rods and light conduits. In June of that same year, it received a new wind wing panel, brake light, left door striker, and a lot more plating on its worn parts.

May of 2000 saw the Rolls receive a new fuel line with a new coil, fan belt, and repaired clock following in September. In December, the differential was cleaned, a new gear set was installed, the rear axle was refurbished, the rear brake linings were redone, and the rear and front shocks followed suit.

Fast forward to 2010, and the straight-six engine under the hood received a full rebuild, from top to bottom, totaling in at just under $4,800 and giving this British beast a new lease on life.

The fourth owner continued driving the car until 2019, when he sold it to the owner from which we procured it. In mid to late 2020, the radiator was balanced and readjusted at American Honeycomb Radiator in Bowdoin, ME. The most recent service record on file dates to November of 2021, when the connecting rod and piston assembly was refurbished.

As it sits, this gorgeous British roadster is an extremely well-sorted example with plenty of interesting historical details to boot. Its itinerary of meets and tours attended throughout the world since 1996 serves to show how appreciated a classic Rolls-Royce like this is at any Concours-style event. It is by no means a garage queen and is more than happy having its wheels turning down long stretches of blacktop.

Upon purchase, the new owner will receive the original owner’s manual and pouch, original keys, the vast amounts of service records on file, and several pieces of correspondence between the previous owners of this car.

Please visit http://www.LBILimited.com for many more photos and details. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @LBILimited. Ride along on our classic car adventures by subscribing to LBI Limited on YouTube. #claimyourclassic™

Document description :

1925 Rolls-Royce 40/50 Silver Ghost is listed for sale on ClassicDigest in Philadelphia by Adolfo Massari for $315000.

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