1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Barker Roi Des Belges

1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Barker Roi Des Belges

Henry Royce met Charles Rolls in 1904 shortly after Rolls built his first motor car. Rolls owned a motorcar dealership and began purchasing cars from Royce. They offered four models ranging from two to six cylinders. When Mr. Royce developed an improved six-cylinder engine, the company decided to eliminate the previous models and sell only the new model.

The 40/50 debuted in 1907 and featured Henry Royce's 7428cc side valve inline six cylinder engine. The name 40/50 refereed to its taxable horsepower rating. The rating was a formula that varied by nation and in Britain consisted mainly of the bore and number of cylinders. The engine block featured alloy material while the crankshaft had seven main bearings. Toher features included pressurized oiling, fixed heads and a twin ignition system via magneto or distributor. The Silver Ghost name originated with an early model that was painted silver and referred to the quietness of the engine.

This Silver Ghost was used in World War I by the British Admiralty. It has had several bodies during its life, a not uncommon practice for cars of the era. In 1988, it acquired the current 'Roi des Belges' or 'tulip phaeton' body by Wilkinson, a style made popular in the early 1900's by Barker. The body style was suggested by the mistress of King Leopold II of Belgium.

Descriptions & Pictures by conceptcarz & wheelsage & hymanltd