Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Tourer in the style of Hooper 1923 - World Of Classic Cars -

Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Tourer in the style of Hooper 1923

The fascinating history of Silver Ghost chassis number 23 EM begins with original owner Mathia Astoreca, who maintained homes in London, Paris, and Santiago, Chile. He acquired the Rolls-Royce in November of 1923 with the understanding that it would be updated with four-wheel brakes as soon as they became available, something that was done in 1925. Astoreca’s brother had earlier purchased Rolls-Royce’s 1921 Paris Salon car, chassis number JG6, and it was this car’s Million-Guiet cabriolet body that was relocated to the new chassis by London coachbuilders Barker.

Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Tourer in the style of Hooper 1923

Astoreca drove chassis number 23 EM extensively in the UK and on the European continent until his passing in January of 1926. Afterward, it was returned by his widow to Santiago and, according to correspondence on file with his descendants, was sold by his widow later in the 1930s.
In 1972, the chassis was discovered being used to haul fruit along the waterfront in Valparaíso! Subsequently, it was acquired by an American collector, Richard Dye of Santa Barbara, California, who in turn sold it to Neil Collins of Double Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Mr. Collins organized the construction of a new body for the car by Australian craftsman Peter Lamb. A Hooper Tourer body was copied from an original car, located by Mr. Collins in England, with an inner frame of New Zealand Beachwood, covered in outer panels of aluminum. Mr. Lamb noted that the whole project took two years to complete, after which the car was sold to a new owner in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Tourer in the style of Hooper 1923

In 1994, the Silver Ghost was acquired by Raymond Lippiatt, an English enthusiast who promptly registered it with the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club. A letter on file from Mr. Lippiatt notes that the car underwent about 5,000 GBP of work on the engine and brakes in his ownership, as neither had been rebuilt during the previous restoration. He enjoyed the car for several years before selling it in 1999 to Matthew Sysak of Pennsylvania.
According to the current owner, Mr. Sysak sorted the car, completely rebuilding the engine around 2005 with new pistons, cam followers, valve guides, an exhaust cut-out, and a new gas tank, as well as installing an overdrive unit and new gears for the transmission. The owner further notes that in 2009 the car was used on a Rolls-Royce tour in South Africa! So impressive was the Silver Ghost that it even merited an appearance in the pages of Autoweek in their July 11, 2004, issue, in which it was glowingly reviewed.

Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Tourer in the style of Hooper 1923

In its current care, the Rolls completed two Silver Ghost Association “Wholly Ghost” tours in New England and Southern California, testament to its well-maintained mechanical order.