The only book covering the Silver Dawn in depth. Arguably the Company’s most important model, the Dawn was the first complete car of Rolls-Royce manufacture, albeit with the R-R designed body bought in from an outside contractor, Pressed Steel of Cowley, Oxfordshire.
Hitherto, others have labelled the Silver Drawn as a “Square-fronted de-tuned Bentley developed later for the American market” but sight of H. J. Mulliner company minutes for the mid 1940s, clearly lays this myth to rest. This shows that a smaller Rolls-Royce to be known as the Silver Dawn was planned and indeed was already on test at the same time as the Mk.VI prototypes. At the eleventh hour however, it was decided that the first cars would receive Bentley radiator grilles, perhaps to ensure that the good name of the Company would not be prejudiced in the event of failure of the revolutionary complete car project.
Production of the companion Silver Wraith is also included. Always intended to be supplied as a chassis only, this was the last Rolls-Royce model to receive a wide variety of bespoke coachwork designed by a rapidly declining number of specialist coachbuilders.
The 1st edition is out of print but copies do appear on EBay and elsewhere from time to time.
Below: A saloon by James Young of Bromley in Kent on Silver Wraith long wheel base chassis ELW12 to their design WRM31 and delivered to Harry Ferguson of tractor fame in October 1955. With the Real Car Company in July 2001. For details on this and their current stock of Bentley & Rolls-Royce cars click their link.
