1953 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Standard Steel Saloon
1953 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Standard Steel Saloon
Chassis no. LSMF16
Engine no. S8F
4,566-cc Inline F-Head 6-Cylinder Engine
Single Downdraft Carburetor
130-hp (est.)
4-Speed Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission
Independent Coil Spring Front and Live Rear Axle with Semi-Elliptic Leaf Springs Rear Suspension
4-Wheel Power-Assisted Hydraulic Drum Brakes
* Elegant and understated Rolls sedan
*Copies of factory records on file
*Originally supplied in Valentine's Blue with blue cloth
*Known ownership for almost all of its life
THE SILVER DAWN
The policy of rationalization begun in the late 1930s continued at Rolls-Royce after WWII; more components were bought in rather than manufactured in house and for the first time there was factory bodywork, which was better suited to the owner driver than to a chauffeur. Produced by the Pressed Steel Fisher Company, of Cowley, this 'standard steel' body was available at first only on the MkVI Bentley, the equivalent Rolls-Royce - the Silver Dawn - not appearing until 1949. A separate chassis was retained, the same basic design being built in three different wheelbase lengths, while other notable features were independent front suspension and hydraulic front brakes.
The range featured a new 4,257cc six-cylinder engine (enlarged to 4,566cc for 1951) with inlet-over-exhaust valve gear, which had been under development since the mid-1930s. The company used belt drive for the water pump and dynamo for the first time on this engine, which employed a Zenith Stromberg carburetor in Rolls-Royce configuration. The latter was preferred to the MkVI's twin SUs as it offered smoother running and a cold start facility, which was not available on the SU-equipped Bentley until 1952.
A welcome improvement to the standard bodywork arrived in mid-1952 in the shape of an enlarged boot together with associated changes to the rear wings and suspension. This design was introduced on the 'E' series Silver Dawn and was retained until the final 'J' series. The first Rolls-Royce to be offered with factory bodywork, the Silver Dawn is recognized as a landmark model in the marque's history and is fast becoming sought after as the enthusiasts' choice.
Because England was in the throes of a post-war financial crisis and needed hard currency, the Silver Dawn was an export-only model until 1953. Consequently, the bulk of the production is left hand drive. Only 760 were made, 60-some receiving custom bodies.
THE MOTORCAR OFFERED
According to copies of the factory records, which reside with the Rolls-Royce Owners Club in Mechanicsburg, PA, the car was built for the American market when new, and as completed was imported and retailed through Waco Motors to Taylor Motors Inc. of West Palm Beach. The original owner was a Mrs. Alison F. Fleitas who received the car in April 1953. Those same build records note that it was supplied in a distinctive and unusual colorway of Valentine's Blue to the top and bottom half od the bodywork, separated only by a single ivory colored pinstripe, complementing this was an all blue cloth interior.
Ownership is listed from its earliest days by the RROC, a note on the Schoelkopf cards stating that J.S. Inskip confirmed that Dr. Scher (most likely the famed plastic surgeon and car collector, Sam Scher) had informed them that he had owned the car and sold it to a Mr. McWilliams in October 1956. It passed from McWilliams to its sole Texan owner, Mark Andrews of Houston by 1958, but by 1961 was in Iowa with John Napier, it remained north in Michigan state, being owned by Paul Thompson of Bay City in 1965. Successive custodians were Millard H. Albers of Saginaw in 1969 and after which the car passed to noted gallerist Eric Shrubsole in Manhattan in 1985. In 1987 ownership changed to David Ceffin of Sunapee, New Hampshire before it headed to the west coast and became the property of Barry Cooney of Escondido, California in 1999. Cooney being the last known owner prior to its arrival with the current.
At some point in that chain, the car was clearly revised to its striking presentation of light silver bodywork and a rich deep red interior. As such it is a great reminder of the elegance of these more compact sports sedans that Rolls-Royce offered in this period, this particular example having the added benefit of a large sunroof which would make for an airy driving experience on appropriate summer days.
The car was checked over by Bonhams staff and found to turnover, but a basic attempt to make it run was unsuccessful as it was not receiving a consistent fuel supply it was also noted that the brakes are binding. For these reasons and owing to its period of being out of use, we would recommend that this be followed up with a more extensive recommissioning prior to returning it to the road.
On the cosmetic side the bodywork generally shows well, with noted defects of some areas of crazing to the paint around the windshield and rear quarters and a pair of oblong holes to the trunk lid (one of which has been refinished), which are not obviously explained for their purpose. Inside the car the driver and passenger seat leather is a little dried out and has some cracking and creasing to the surfaces.
View it on
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
1953 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Standard Steel Saloon
Chassis no. LSMF16
Engine no. S8F
4,566-cc Inline F-Head 6-Cylinder Engine
Single Downdraft Carburetor
130-hp (est.)
4-Speed Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission
Independent Coil Spring Front and Live Rear Axle with Semi-Elliptic Leaf Springs Rear Suspension
4-Wheel Power-Assisted Hydraulic Drum Brakes
* Elegant and understated Rolls sedan
*Copies of factory records on file
*Originally supplied in Valentine's Blue with blue cloth
*Known ownership for almost all of its life
THE SILVER DAWN
The policy of rationalization begun in the late 1930s continued at Rolls-Royce after WWII; more components were bought in rather than manufactured in house and for the first time there was factory bodywork, which was better suited to the owner driver than to a chauffeur. Produced by the Pressed Steel Fisher Company, of Cowley, this 'standard steel' body was available at first only on the MkVI Bentley, the equivalent Rolls-Royce - the Silver Dawn - not appearing until 1949. A separate chassis was retained, the same basic design being built in three different wheelbase lengths, while other notable features were independent front suspension and hydraulic front brakes.
The range featured a new 4,257cc six-cylinder engine (enlarged to 4,566cc for 1951) with inlet-over-exhaust valve gear, which had been under development since the mid-1930s. The company used belt drive for the water pump and dynamo for the first time on this engine, which employed a Zenith Stromberg carburetor in Rolls-Royce configuration. The latter was preferred to the MkVI's twin SUs as it offered smoother running and a cold start facility, which was not available on the SU-equipped Bentley until 1952.
A welcome improvement to the standard bodywork arrived in mid-1952 in the shape of an enlarged boot together with associated changes to the rear wings and suspension. This design was introduced on the 'E' series Silver Dawn and was retained until the final 'J' series. The first Rolls-Royce to be offered with factory bodywork, the Silver Dawn is recognized as a landmark model in the marque's history and is fast becoming sought after as the enthusiasts' choice.
Because England was in the throes of a post-war financial crisis and needed hard currency, the Silver Dawn was an export-only model until 1953. Consequently, the bulk of the production is left hand drive. Only 760 were made, 60-some receiving custom bodies.
THE MOTORCAR OFFERED
According to copies of the factory records, which reside with the Rolls-Royce Owners Club in Mechanicsburg, PA, the car was built for the American market when new, and as completed was imported and retailed through Waco Motors to Taylor Motors Inc. of West Palm Beach. The original owner was a Mrs. Alison F. Fleitas who received the car in April 1953. Those same build records note that it was supplied in a distinctive and unusual colorway of Valentine's Blue to the top and bottom half od the bodywork, separated only by a single ivory colored pinstripe, complementing this was an all blue cloth interior.
Ownership is listed from its earliest days by the RROC, a note on the Schoelkopf cards stating that J.S. Inskip confirmed that Dr. Scher (most likely the famed plastic surgeon and car collector, Sam Scher) had informed them that he had owned the car and sold it to a Mr. McWilliams in October 1956. It passed from McWilliams to its sole Texan owner, Mark Andrews of Houston by 1958, but by 1961 was in Iowa with John Napier, it remained north in Michigan state, being owned by Paul Thompson of Bay City in 1965. Successive custodians were Millard H. Albers of Saginaw in 1969 and after which the car passed to noted gallerist Eric Shrubsole in Manhattan in 1985. In 1987 ownership changed to David Ceffin of Sunapee, New Hampshire before it headed to the west coast and became the property of Barry Cooney of Escondido, California in 1999. Cooney being the last known owner prior to its arrival with the current.
At some point in that chain, the car was clearly revised to its striking presentation of light silver bodywork and a rich deep red interior. As such it is a great reminder of the elegance of these more compact sports sedans that Rolls-Royce offered in this period, this particular example having the added benefit of a large sunroof which would make for an airy driving experience on appropriate summer days.
The car was checked over by Bonhams staff and found to turnover, but a basic attempt to make it run was unsuccessful as it was not receiving a consistent fuel supply it was also noted that the brakes are binding. For these reasons and owing to its period of being out of use, we would recommend that this be followed up with a more extensive recommissioning prior to returning it to the road.
On the cosmetic side the bodywork generally shows well, with noted defects of some areas of crazing to the paint around the windshield and rear quarters and a pair of oblong holes to the trunk lid (one of which has been refinished), which are not obviously explained for their purpose. Inside the car the driver and passenger seat leather is a little dried out and has some cracking and creasing to the surfaces.
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
