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LOT 161

1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith 'Empress' Touring Limousine Coachwork by Hooper & Co Chassis no. LELW86 Engine no. L85E

Sold for €89,700 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 161

1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith 'Empress' Touring Limousine

The Paris Sale|30 January 2026, 12:00 CET|Paris, Polo de Paris

1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith 'Empress' Touring Limousine
Coachwork by Hooper & Co

Chassis no. LELW86
Engine no. L85E

• Originally built for use in the USA
• Imported into Sweden from the USA in 1990
• Long-term enthusiast ownership since 1990
• Engine professionally rebuilt in 2018
• Interior extensively restored by specialists in Sweden

This Silver Wraith limousine was built for use in the USA and delivered to Rolls-Royce importers J S Inskip for their client, Mr Clarence Dillon of New York City (see copy build sheet on file). The car's subsequent history is unknown prior to 1990 when it was imported into Sweden from Dallas, Texas by the vendor's family. Since registration in Sweden in 1992 it has been used frequently for historic rallies all over Europe.

In 2003, the Wraith was mechanically overhauled; the gearbox, drivetrain, various engine components being replaced by Rolls-Royce specialist Kjell Lind, while in 2018 the engine was rebuilt by renowned specialist Bernt Hansen in Sweden (invoice on file).

The vendor notes that the car's interior is in excellent condition, nicely patinated and original, including its whiskey cabinet in the rear compartment. The seats were restored by a leading Swedish specialist who, we believe, managed to retain the original leather for authenticity.

Well maintained and in good running condition, the car has been much cherished during the present ownership and used often for weddings and family gatherings. It has been inspected/MoT'd more times than required in the past 20 years. The car comes with current Swedish registration documents, a folder of invoices, copies of US Titles, and other historical documents.

Footnotes

Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith 'Empress' Touring Limousine – 1956
Carrossée par Hooper & Co
Châssis n° LELW86
Moteur n° L85E


• Construite à destination des Etats-Unis
• Importée des Etats-Unis en Suède en 1990
• Propriété d'un amateur depuis 1990
• Moteur refait de façon professionnelle en 2018
• Intérieur profondément restauré en Suède par des spécialistes

Cette limousine Silver Wraith fut construite à destination des Etats-Unis et livrée à J. S. Inskip, l'importateur Rolls-Royce, à l'attention de son client, M. Clarence Dillon, de New York (Cf. copie de son dossier de montage présente au dossier). On perd ensuite sa trace jusqu'en 1990, date de son importation en Suède depuis Dallas (Texas) par la famille de son vendeur. Depuis son immatriculation en Suède en 1992, elle a fréquemment participé à des rallyes d'anciennes un peu partout en Europe.

En 2003, la mécanique de cette Wraith a été restaurée ; sa boîte de vitesses, sa transmission et différents composants de son moteur ont été remplacés par Kjell Lind, le spécialiste de Rolls-Royce, et en 2018, le célèbre spécialiste suédois Bernt Hansen en a refait le moteur (facture présente au dossier).

Son vendeur souligne que l'intérieur est en excellent état ; il est d'origine, délicatement patiné et équipé à l'arrière de son compartiment à whisky. The seats were restored by a leading Swedish specialist who, we believe, managed to retain the original leather for authenticity.

Bien entretenue et en bon état de marche, cette voiture a été amoureusement traitée par son actuel propriétaire ; elle a souvent été utilisée lors de mariages et de réunions de famille. Ces vingt dernières années, elle a été vérifiée et présentée au contrôle technique plus souvent qu'exigé. Elle est munie de ses actuels documents d'immatriculation suédois, d'un dossier de factures, d'une copie de ses titres de propriété des Etats-Unis et d'autres documents de son historique.

Saleroom notices

In 2018 the car was extensively serviced by renowned specialist Bernt Hansen in Sweden (invoice on file, 7500 EUR). En 2018, la voiture a fait l'objet d'une révision complète par le spécialiste renommé Bernt Hansen en Suède (facture disponible, 7500 EUR).

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  • 27 January 2026, 09:00 - 18:00 CET
  • 28 January 2026, 09:00 - 18:00 CET
  • 29 January 2026, 09:00 - 18:00 CET
  • 30 January 2026, 09:00 - 11:00 CET

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