Topic: Solved - MJW #300 - Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith with Franay coachwork (in Cairo 1970s)

[woodinsight]

I believe it's time to post more puzzles in this section especially as the Pros have to pick up the occasional remains of unsolved Expert puzzles. Although there are plenty of unsolved Pro puzzles, many are in the BH category and therefore I will top up the PAFW section with from time to time.

My first one is really a plea for help in identifying this car.
Let me tell you the circumstances regarding when I photographed this car.
I was staying in a major capital city back in the the 1970s when I went out early one morning and found this car apparently abandoned in a side street. On making further inquiries I learned the car had broken down and was awaiting transport back to the owner's home.
You will recognise the make but what I would like to know who the coachbuilder is (I don't know but have an idea) and also if this is the car formerly owned by a well-known European royal.
If you can provide a clear answer to that, a point is on offer and to make it worthwhile another point if you can guess which capital city I took the photo in.

[Paul Jaray]

I'd say Hooper.
..on a RR Silver Wright touring limousine.
was it in Egypt?

[Joćo]

I'd say a Silver Wraith by Freestone & Webb,and it looks like a Town Car.

[Paul Jaray]

I believe it's a Franay:
...I'll try to upload a pic with the same chromed trim on the side, on the rear door only.

[woodinsight]

Interesting replies there PJ and Joao.

Yes it's a Silver Wraith but I'm still not sure who the coachbuilder is.
I thought this car might have been the former Prince Rainier of Monaco car (not the Onassis car).

Anyway, a point up for grabs with more definite proof of identity.

PJ - you just earned yourself an extra point - the photo was taken in Cairo in 1978 at around 6am one morning when the temperature was cooler!

[woodinsight]

Another couple of views -

[Joćo]

I'd say a Silver Wraith by Freestone & Webb,and it looks like a Town Car.

Paul,you're right.The badge is visible.
British coachbuilders would only put their name visible when you open the door,so I agree,it's Franay.Nice!!

[woodinsight]

I'd say a Silver Wraith by Freestone & Webb,and it looks like a Town Car.

Paul,you're right.The badge is visible.
British coachbuilders would only put their name visible when you open the door,so I agree,it's Franay.Nice!!

You guys are incredible, I've never noticed any external source of identification in all these years!
Do you think you can pin it down to a specific car? It must be pretty unique or am I mistaken?

[Paul Jaray]

There are different details that are the same in your pics and in my pic (Red Baron): the colours on the side of my pic follow the same path of the design of the car in your pic. The wheelcovers on the rear wheels and the lines in general tell me that is a Silver Wraith by Franay and the designis the same of Onassis' car. As a starting point is good...I'm sure more info will follow.
I'll try to look for more.

[woodinsight]

Many thanks - I'll await further comments with great interest as I think this car hasn't been discovered for many years.

[Paul Jaray]

From a very known site about coachbuilding:

"This is LALW 31, which is certainly by Franay, and on the long wheel base chassis, and was delivered after the show in 1952, to the crown prince of Iraq (not Saudi-Arabia), who later became King Feisal II. However, it seems that the car was formally ordered by the Prince-Regent Saad (his uncle), as the crown prince was still under age then. A story told by the late King Hussain II of Jordan, was that after some use in France for visits of the crown prince, the car when in Iraq, was in firm hands with the Prince Regent, while the crown prince had to make do with a battered old American car. Later both the then King Faisal II and the Prince Regent ordered Phantom IV's...
Later the car was resprayed from its original primrose and grey colourscheme to a more sombre monotone, and has been in the UK where it survives.
The car shown in the movie is an earlier production by Franay, LWME 58, on the 1951 show, on the short wheelbase chassis, for Aristotle Onassis, the Greek shipping millionaire, who resided both in Paris and Monte Carlo. This car also survives. Yet another Sedanca de Ville was on the 1950 show, and this was supplied to the Saudi Prince Talal al Saoud, WHD 81, shown below"

[woodinsight]

Paul, can we say definitely this car is LALW 31? or is there a question mark on that?
My thoughts are that this is the car but I wonder how it ended up in Egypt.

[Paul Jaray]

I know only what I found on the net, and the sources can be unreliable.
It seems that there was a:
LALW31, for the crown prince of Iraq who later became King Feisal II
LWME58, for Aristotele Onassis
LBLW70, for Prince Mohammed bin Saud Al-Kabeer
WHD81, for the Saudi Prince Talal al Saoud

[woodinsight]

I'm opening this one up to everyone to see if any further identification is forthcoming.

[woodinsight]

I'm treating this one as solved now.

PJ has provided enough information to conclude that this is a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith with coachwork by Franay.
I gave him a point for the location of the car and will give him another for the identification.

Perhaps someone out there knows if this car is still in Cairo or whether it has been sold and restored.
Any further information is, of course, most welcome.