1921 ROLLS ROYCE

From 1904 to 1949, the Rolls-Royce factories in Derby, England and Springfield, Massachusetts produced only complete running chassis. The coachwork was constructed by other companies specializing in building bodies. Although these were, in fact, custom bodies, some styles were offered and "standard" to save time and money. In other cases, the sky was the limit if a customer desired coachwork that was unique. Bodies were constructed from virtually any suitable material and included aluminum, steel, German silver, wood, wicker, papiermache and fabric. The more exotic the construction, the greater the appeal to elite buyers who wanted a one-of-a-kind automobile to "one up" their friends and the rest of the world. It was not uncommon for a maharajah to order a Rolls-Royce with coachwork of polished metal trimmed in gold or silver and outfitted with special guns and lamps, just for the purpose of tiger hunting.

This Rolls-Royce, with a body from Brockman Coachbuilders, was assembled using full sheets of solid copper .065 thick in order to avoid welded seams and rivets on the body and fenders. Accessories are nickel and German silver. The beautiful wood trim is made from makash ebony. (Historical records indicate the coachbuild had to purchase an entire tree to obtain this rare wood.)

The aesthetic perfection of this Silver Ghost, restored by Tom Batchelor and friends, of Reno, Nevada, is matched by its flawless mechanical performance. Its 454 cubic inch, six cylinder engine moves the car along at modern speeds with the same smooth, silent performance of years gone by. Unique in the world, this copper-bidied Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost exemplifies the finest of the auto maker's art.

A synonym for excellence from its earliest days, Rolls-Royce cars have represented the pinnacle of hand-wrought quality and performance. Its Silver Ghost, Phantom, and Silver Cloud models set the standard for early motoring and were eagerly purchased by royalty across Europe as kings and dukes, empresses and countesses ordered their coachbuilt versions of these one-off, hand-built luxury automobiles. In every detail, it was perfection that was the only accepted standard at Rolls-Royce. Opulence with refinement was, and still is, the defining criterion of the marque. From its hand-cut and hand-assembled signature grill, detailed to exacting tolerances and signed by its craftsman, to the iconic "Flying Lady" mascot that first appeared on the hood of the 1911 Silver Ghost built for Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, Rolls-Royce spared no expense when it came to quality.