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Rigorous testing continued to be undertaken publicly too in theinterests of promoting sales, the next such enterprise being ErnestW Hives’ legendary journey in September 1911 from London toEdinburgh using top gear only. Rivals Napier had just completed asimilar stunt and Rolls-Royce felt obliged to rise to the challenge.Hives’ Silver Ghost averaged a remarkable 24.32 miles per gallonover the 400-mile journey and on its completion was taken to theBrooklands racetrack where it was timed at 78.26mph. That car,chassis ‘1701’, incorporated under-slung cantilever rear springs andan engine upgraded with increased compression ratio and a largercarburettor, while the lightweight sports-tourer ‘torpedo’ coachworkwas by Holmes & Co of Derby. Orders for replicas poured in and todaygenuine examples of the ‘London-to-Edinburgh’ model are among themost coveted of all Silver Ghost variants.The Silver Ghost remained in production in England until 1925, 6,173being completed at the Manchester and Derby factories, and until1926 at Rolls-Royce’s Springfield plant in the USA where a further1,703 were made, the longest production run of any model from thiscelebrated company.Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, chassis number ‘2145’, was completed witha Barker cabriolet body and delivered new to one E F Miller in London,who subsequently moved to Melbourne, Australia, taking the car withhim. In 1929 the Ghost passed into the ownership of George Russellof Toorak, Melbourne, a local businessman. The car was owned by anE J Simpson of Melbourne in the 1930s and was probably re-bodiedpre-war before being recovered in 1959 as a wreck by Laurie Vinallof Adelaide. ‘2145’ remained in the Vinall family’s possession as anun-restored chassis until it was acquired by the current owner in 2000.A four-year total restoration was then embarked upon, the faithfulre-creation of the Barker cabriolet body being entrusted to mastercraftsman Roger Fry of Perth, Western Australia. To ensureauthenticity, Roger visited the UK and Ireland to study two originalBarker cabriolets, with particular attention being paid to the design ofthe folding hood mechanism. The front body tub is an original Barkercomponent from chassis ‘1905E’, donated by a fellow Ghost owner.Tasmanian Oak was used for the body framework, which is panelled inaluminium, while all the body mouldings are alloy castings. The bodyis finished in Brewster Green with black coachlines, while the interioris trimmed in black Connolly leather to the front compartment andmushroom West of England cloth to the rear.218 | Goodwood festival of speed