Lot 306: 1939 Rolls-Royce 4 ¼ litre Wraith Hearse

The rarest of all Rolls-Royces, the Wraith, had a production run of just over one year from 1938 to 1939 although the car had been in the experimental stage of development as early as January 1937. Rolls-Royce had considered the possibility of adopting either a straight eight cylinder engine or a small V12, although settled finally on the traditional six cylinder format of the 25/30hp model, suitably updated. Racing driver Eddie Hall, reporting on the new Wraith, said ‘the car is a joy to handle and its perfect workmanship and finish is an example of engineering at its highest level.’ Just 492 Wraith chassis were produced before the Rolls-Royce facilities were directed towards the war effort. WRB 71 came off test in December 1938, its first owner, D Couper, specifying H J Mulliner saloon coachwork with a division. It was first registered with Nairn County Council in Scotland. Its later history is not recorded although it is believed at one stage to have been fitted with a shooting brake body and used by a preparatory school. It was acquired with that shooting brake body by the present owner, a retired funeral director, who acquired the marvellously original coachbuilt hearse body at a Bonhams sale at the National Motor Museum in the 1990’s. That hearse coachwork was meticulously restored to the highest standards and found to fit comfortably on the Wraith chassis. It retains the original ornate roof decorations, bevelled glass to the flat side windows and the curved rear window and original period decorative plated fittings to the interior. The vendor restored the vehicle to the same standards as his concours d’élégance-winning Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn and at appropriate events this hearse has featured prominently in the results. It has proved totally reliable in the vendor’s funeral business. This distinctive vehicle, suitable for exhibition and driving in Historic Commercial Vehicle Society and R-R.E.C. events, and well able also to return to professional service, is offered with a Swansea registration document, current road fund licence and MoT certificate valid to January 2008.