Vehicle Description
This 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith was arguably the finest car in the
world when it was built, and today it still puts many luxury
machines to shame. With old world presence, the Wraiths are some of
the most exquisite of the coachbuilt cars that were hand-tailored
to their owners' tastes, making this elegant beauty a very special
machine in today's mass-produced world.
When you show up in this car, there's no question what it is, and
even someone who's never seen a Rolls-Royce before will innately
recognize that this is an important car with an important person
inside. The two-tone color combination was about as flashy as
Rolls-Royce got, and it highlights the most interesting aspects of
the car quite nicely, particularly that long hood and sweeping
fenders, complements of familiar Rolls-Royce coachbuilder Thrupp &
Maberly and their Sports Saloon body. The paint job was done in the
70s to a very high level and uses traditional colors to great
effect and it has lost none of the hand-crafted details that make
Rolls-Royce motorcars so special. It's unlikely you'll ever see
another one at a red light, and even at shows, this car will draw a
crowd because everyone recognizes that towering grille and Spirit
of Ecstasy hood ornament. And speaking of the grille, it shines up
beautifully and might be the most recognizable shape in the
automotive world, and there's enough chrome and brightwork on the
rest of the car to make it look very substantial indeed.
The opulent deep burgundy leather interior is every bit as supple
and comfortable as you would hope in a car like this. For some, the
choice may seem out of character (we get so used to seeing mohair
inside pre-war cars), but it was actually a very popular choice,
hearkening back to the days of early coachbuilding where the cabins
would get dark leather seats to protect against stains. The front
seat shows the most age (chauffeurs always logged the most miles),
while the rear seat, door panels, and headliner have held up very
well in the decades since this Rolls was expertly restored. That's
real burled walnut trim on the doors and instrument panel, and
while it shows some lights signs of age, it also has a wonderful,
warm patina that would be a shame to erase. Centrally-mounted
Smiths gauges look the same as they did for decades, with white
numbers on a black background and their unique upside-down
orientation. All the handles and switches are substantial chrome
pieces that feel expensive and when it's closed up, the interior is
as quiet as a tomb. Rear seat passengers are treated to ample leg
room and there's a well-shaped trunk offering plenty of luggage
space.
The pre-war Wraith was powered by the steadfast 4,257cc (260 CID)
overhead-valve straight six-cylinder engine, which was a smooth and
torquey motor that was right up there with the best built of the
era. It looks somewhat complex in the engine bay, but works
superbly and idles almost silently, moving the car with a
sophisticated hum that's perfect for the big sedan. That silky
smooth performance is thanks to Rolls Royce's adoption of the
cross-flow cylinder head for the Wraith's engine (just like the one
in the 4.5L Bentley), which placed the exhaust ports on opposite
sides of the block. Seems simple now but it was quite revolutionary
for 1938. It has been well-maintained, which is critical in a car
like this, and thanks to a 4-speed manual transmission featuring
synchromesh in all gears but 1st, it's actually very easy to drive.
The front suspension features independent coil springs, while the
rear axle hangs on leather-wrapped, semi-elliptical leaf springs.
Handsome wire wheels are fitted inside 6.00-19 whitewall tires that
look extremely impressive and complete the look.
With only around 490 Wraith chassis ever produced, this special
Rolls-Royce is a very rare piece of automotive history. Beautifully
restored many years ago and well-maintained ever since, it's a
turn-key marvel of British engineering that we're proud to feature
in our inventory. Call today!