“The Best Car in the World” was far more than Rolls-Royce advertising hyperbole and the Silver Ghost provided ample support for that bold claim. Success at the Scottish Reliability Trials of 1907 and the Austrian Alpine Trial of 1913 validated the inherent reliability of the Silver Ghost chassis. Among the 6,173 British-built Silver Ghosts, it is the Edwardian models that best exemplify robust, road-going prowess.

The on-test date for chassis 6TB was November 7, 1914, an F-series Colonial model equipped with C-type steering, a four-speed gearbox, a 22" radiator, and nickel fittings. Its chassis card specified a London-to-Edinburgh engine along with the notation “car will be used in Australia.” It was dispatched to Barker & Company to be fitted with a torpedo body and was subsequently delivered to its first owner, Edward John Owen Cox of Sydney, Australia. A successful businessman and politician, Sir Owen as he was known following knighthood in 1918, used 6TB to travel to his countryside estate “Oakhill” with the car dutifully maintained by his chauffeur.

Sir Owen sold 6TB to Albert Broue of Sydney, Australia, in 1925 and it then passed through a number of owners in southern Australia. Around 1941, the Barker tourer body was removed and sold to aid the war effort. During ownership by Francis Bonsey, the chassis was fitted with a 1928 Delage body and in 1955, the car was sold to Claude Reilly in that configuration. Reilly, assisted by fellow enthusiasts Jim Bickett and Bill Morgan, embarked on the restoration of 6TB, crafting a three-door tourer body for the restored chassis. Reilly sold the car to Faris Palfreyman of Queensland, Australia, who applied for and received a Certificate of Dating from the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain in 1964, validating 6TB’s original year of manufacture as 1914.

George Harris of Sydney, Australia, acquired the car in 1970 adding a significant accomplishment to 6TB’s touring history. In 1979, Harris and co-driver Jim Redman drove 6TB from Sydney to Perth, Australia, a distance of more than 2,400 miles, in 46 hours and 57 minutes, averaging 55.67 mph. Harris enjoyed 6TB for 20 years before selling it to Malcolm Johns in 1990, who in turn sold it to Edward John Milverton of Sydney, Australia, in 1991.

Mr. Milverton’s 27-year association with 6TB began with a new body more closely aligned with the original Barker torpedo coachwork. Construction of the body was entrusted to the Vintage Motor Garage of Gosford, Australia, and, upon completion, 6TB was awarded the Bert Ward Trophy as the overall winner at the RROC of Australia, New South Wales branch concours d’Elegance, where it also received the Age and Authenticity Trophy. Fresh from its triumph on the show field, 6TB participated in the 1993 Motorola Alpine Trial, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the 1913 Austrian Alpine Trial. This challenging reenactment traced the 3,000-kilometer route from Vienna, through Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, and Croatia, and back to Vienna.

Following the Alpine Trial, 6TB benefited from mechanical work including installation of a Sine-Wave radiator with additional cooling vanes and a taller 17:52 rear axle ratio for long-legged touring. A no-expense-spared engine overhaul was completed by Edec Industries of Sydney, Australia, and upon completion, 6TB was prepared for another formidable re-enactment tour, RREC’s 1997 Scottish Reliability Tour celebrating the 90th anniversary of the original reliability trials. After traveling from London to Edinburgh, 6TB received a Second in Class award at the RREC Annual Rally Concours and the following year was named the overall winner at the RROC of Australia’s Federal Rally. Genuinely at home on the road, 6TB participated in the Alpine Trial trek on two additional occasions: the 2003 Alpine rally and the 2013 Centenary Alpine rally. Between those events, it garnered a First Place award for prewar cars at the 2010 British Classic Car Meeting in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

In 2018, 6TB was delivered to marque specialists P & A Wood for evaluation and necessary sorting at a cost of more than £48,000. Mechanical components were attended to including engine, transmission, brakes, steering, suspension, and both the electrical and fuel systems, followed by engine paintwork, new tires and tubes, and a thorough cosmetic preparation for showing.

6TB was acquired by its current owner later that year and has since been used regularly and maintained accordingly. Its deep red paintwork is offset by a gray top which folds neatly behind the rear seat when lowered. The lustrous black leather upholstery features tufted seat backs with a single-pleat pattern for the seat cushions. An Auster-type wind-deflector screen provides additional comfort for rear seat passengers and can be folded away when not in use. Matching the roof are gray tonneau covers for both front and rear seats, plus a gray top boot providing a tidy appearance. Accompanying this car is an original tool roll along with extensive historical records.

While 6TB strikes an athletic stance at rest, as a Colonial four-speed sporting chassis it is best appreciated at speed. Former owner John Milverton described 6TB as “a fast tourer with light steering...able to cruise comfortably at 60-65 mph.” Few Silver Ghosts can match 6TB’s touring history while being equally at home on the show field. Future accolades and touring opportunities surely await its next owner, adding to its accomplished history.