Making its debut at the 1906 Olympia Motor Show, the 40/50 HP chassis – commonly known as the Silver Ghost – remains the bedrock of the Rolls-Royce mystique. Immediately acclaimed by the press and buyers alike, the 40/50 HP model’s capabilities were ably demonstrated by a succession of record-setting long-distance tours, rallies, and publicity events orchestrated by Rolls-Royce Managing Director Claude Johnson.

One of the most significant and newsworthy achievements was Rolls-Royce’s victory on the intensely grueling Alpine Trial of 1913. Among the dozens of other manufacturers attempting the event, it was the Silver Ghost, entered and supported by the Rolls-Royce factory, that proved victorious and in large part justified the often-attributed slogan “The Best Car in the World.”

As the 1914 Trial approached, so did the near certainty of the outbreak of WWI, and Rolls-Royce declined to enter a team. This provided a singular opportunity for James Radley of Hampshire, England. One of the very first British aviators, and the scion of a coal baron, Radley was an accomplished airplane and balloon pilot and automobile racing driver, all while still in his twenties. He and his Silver Ghost, chassis 2260E, had placed 4th in the 1913 Alpine Trial.

His now legendary, highly modified, lightweight Silver Ghost, chassis 18PB, was specifically built to attempt the 1914 event with the direct support of the Rolls-Royce factory. Chassis 18PB is the very car offered here.

Even a cursory read through copies of 18PB’s factory build records reveals the intention to create a very special car ideally equipped to meet the incredible demands that lie ahead for it. Specifically, the notation, “Carry out all alterations necessary to make car suitable for Austrian Alpine Contest,” succinctly sets the scene for the construction of a very special Rolls-Royce. Specifications included the new four-speed gearbox, with a low first-gear ratio for climbing, a second auxiliary fuel tank fitted for increased range, a 2.5-gallon oil tank, a single-silencer, straight-pipe exhaust, and narrower, doorless, more aerodynamic, aluminum coachwork, with springs specially matched to the lightweight build. The engine was prepared with a set of six pistons of identical weight, longer connecting rods for increased compression, high-lift camshaft, a custom crankshaft, and a specially machined carburetor, among other performanceenhancing modifications.

Surviving photographs of 18PB, Radley, and his mechanic Harold Ambrose “Tubby” Ward on the rally only begin to tell the story of the extreme nature of the closely timed, eight-day event. Cobblestone roads, unpaved mountain passes, mud over a half-foot deep, and treacherous drop-offs all combined for not only a physically punishing ordeal for both the car and its passengers, but a mentally exhausting endeavor as well. Radley’s goal was to not only win the Trial, but to do so with a “clean sheet,” meaning no point deductions for mechanical or timing mishaps. On June 14, 1914, with its bonnet latches and radiator sealed at the start, 18PB set off from Vienna, among 83 fellow competitors, on the most challenging reliability test ever organized. A detailed account of the arduous run was published by Tubby Ward in 1916, cleverly told from the perspective of the car itself.

Radley and Ward arrived first by a wide margin at the final checkpoint for seven of the eight days, and handily won the rally outright, without any mechanical repairs or addition of coolant, which was an incredible achievement for the period. During its publicity tour the following week, 18PB was clocked at an incredible 98 mph at Brooklands racetrack in Surrey, England.

Soon after the conclusion of the event and the press tour that followed, Radley returned 18PB to the factory. Following the outbreak of WWI in August 1914, most Rolls-Royce employees enlisted for military service. By November, 1914 18PB was a company asset, and with dwindling car production and sales, it was sold, without its rally coachwork, to F.M. David Esq. of Bath, England. He retained ownership for three years before the Silver Ghost came stateside, passing through a succession of owners, eventually landing with John Bisset Sr. of Canaan, Connecticut. Mr. Bisset’s purchase was not as one would expect for such a significant motorcar; rather, it was quite literally put out to pasture and served as a farm truck and tractor until its eventual relegation to an outbuilding on his property. The Bisset family would keep the Silver Ghost, derelict as it was, for more than 60 years.

In 1999, 18PB was discovered by its present owner, Steve Littin, a highly respected and experienced Silver Ghost restorer and historian. Recognizing its great importance, Littin quickly arranged for its purchase and transported it to his workshops. After five years of research, the restoration commenced, and the chassis was completed to extremely precise standards, as was the re-creation of 18PB’s sleek and lightweight coachwork, with each contour of the aluminum faithfully replicated and fitted over specially lightened timbers, using numerous period photographs and the factory’s detailed build records for reference. The engine, no. 55.R, matches the original build records, and was thoroughly overhauled, utilizing the original special crankshaft and high-lift camshaft. Going several steps further, Littin and his team increased the performance capabilities of the engine, raising the compression ratio and optimizing the shape of the firing chambers. The original custom-machined carburetor remains with the car and, following completion, the engine was dyno’ed at an incredible 148 hp, doubling the original output of a standard Silver Ghost.

The 10-year research and restoration effort of 18PB was completed in 2013, with countless details present just as the car ran the rally 99 years prior. Highlights include the highly polished aluminum bonnet with colonial-style louvers, as specified on the build cards, dual fuel tanks, special exhaust, nickel brightwork, and running board-mounted toolboxes and horns – as had been mounted to Radley’s previous Rolls-Royce rally cars. The lovely sculpted finial, recast from the surviving original, was also perched just ahead of the low windscreen, exactly as Radley had originally equipped this competition-specification Rolls-Royce.

As expected, numerous concours accolades followed and the dazzling Silver Ghost was once again lavished with attention and admiration. More than a dozen shows entered yielded a top prize, and all the while, Steve and Susan Littin participated in long-distance tours in the US and Europe with 18PB. It has proven itself once again, with nearly 30,000 post-restoration miles logged on three continents, including participation in the 100th anniversary of the Alpine Trial, which, in itself, accounted for 4,000 miles.

This outstanding and fanatically accurate presentation of 18PB accentuates its sporting and purposeful design, and it is truly one of the most exhilarating Silver Ghosts to drive, easily outpacing most others. The accomplishments of 18PB in the annals of Rolls-Royce history place it in rarified company and, due to the attention it garnered following its triumphant win, its contribution to the legendary reputation of Rolls-Royce – which still endures today – is difficult to overstate.

As the only Alpine Trial-winning Silver Ghost known to exist, its survival for nearly 90 years before being discovered in its humble circumstance, complete with its original engine, borders on the miraculous. Its brilliant restoration has returned one of the most famous and significant examples of the legendary marque to the present day for the enjoyment of all, but most especially for its next fortunate steward. Gooding & Company is proud to present this incredible 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, and we invite you to experience this remarkable motorcar firsthand.