SOLD

1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow

Rolls-Royce

Silver Shadow

1976

Original presentation and wonderful condition

This is a very fine Silver Shadow finished in 2-tone Walnut (metallic) over Masons black with interior matching tan fine-lines on the waistline and the hubcap trim rings. The interior is finished in light tan original Connolly hides with  chocolate trim and tan Wilton wool carpets. The black Everflex roof works very well with the 2-tone paint scheme.

This is a very clean and original example that has been well cared for by its 2 previous mature owners of some 30 odd years. It is totally original with no modifications. It even has it original Blaupunkt blue-dot push button radio and factory Pioneer tape deck in its original position. A nice genuine touch.

Mechanically this Silver Shadow is strong. For the last 8 years it has been in storage as part of an estate. Under the care of the Park-Ward Motor museum, the car was brought back to the light of day and put through our workshop. Like all our Rolls-Royces, this example was fully work-shop serviced and inspected to include the all important hydraulics and braking system. These are overhauled where required; pumps, accumulators, reservoirs cleaned, lines & hoses replaced, calipers & pads inspected and system final pressure tested and bled. The level heights are correct. Transmission, engine ancillaries and exhaust are all inspected and the car road-tested for correct operation. The car drives very “tight” without any of the typical “rattles & thumps” typical of this model. The car is now all up to date on its services and EVERYTHING operating as it should.

The body is straight and paint shiny and consistent. Like most Silver Shadows, it was repainted at some stage (probably 20 years ago) in its original colour combination and looks good. The car has almost none of the signature hair-lines at the base of the “A” & “C” pillars (Rolls-Royce used the “lead-wiping” technique for joining body panels which would crack over time). Overall, the car is minor on other blemishes and marks so presents well - certainly way above average for a Rolls-Royce of this age. As a daily driver, the paint presents as a 9, if not 10, out-of-10. The Everflex top is a brand new replacement by us because there was a split at the sewn seam. The only way to fix correctly is a complete replacement.

The interior presents beautifully; very clean and fresh with the leather in an excellent state. It is the original factory leather and has NEVER been re-dyed so it sports the correct finish that only Vaumol hide displayed. A great welcome with true “original Vaumol leather” is the colour characteristics. If you look at the pictures of the interior, there are some close up shots that clearly show the colour is not just plain tan, but with a “burnished” tone to the leather. You can see the light tan base and then in the fine natural grain and pores of the leather is a darker tone. This natural quasi “antique” leather look (like a Chesterfield couch) was achieved by the hand rubbing Vaumol Connollising technique that made this leather so famous. Leather that has been re-dyed by typical methods loses this unique look and end up being “mono-toned” featuring only the 1 primary colour. As such, it lacks depth and richness that unrestored Connolly hide has to offer. Redyed leather also spoils the exposed stitching (see photos).

The entire wood inside was recently redone by us and is simply stunning and to factory standards; dash, centre dash area, door cappings and vanity mirrors. This work alone is some $4,000. The burr walnut is rich and dark and presents with a glass-like finish with zero blemishes, of course. It can truly be referred to as flawless.

The dash roll is in good condition as is the head-liner and rear parcel shelf.

All features, gauges, instruments and electrics work well. All interior lights and dash lights are all fully working. Heater and air-conditioning are fully functional. These are all thoroughly gone thru by Park-Ward. For example, we service all the windows to ensure smooth and swift up and down movement (windows often get very slow on Silver Shadows).

The trunk has the same Wilton wool carpet them as the main cabin. There are some imperfections in a section of the floor carpet which could warrant replacing and we will seek to do so if we can source a good matching unit. It is otherwise not overly objectionable, just not perfect.

The mileage, although not verifiable by documentation, is evident when you look closely at the various finishes. For example, the chrome and bright-work around the car is excellent. The brake pedal has minimal wear. This is a hard car to fault and drives very strong. As you would expect from a car of this mileage that has been well maintained, it comes with its original manual, tools and jack.

~~ This is a lovely example of the Silver Shadow marque which presents very well in its 2-tone Walnot over black with a black Eveflex roof. It is not a show car but an excellent 10-out-of-10 daily driver that is in all-round well above average condition. ~~

International bidders are always welcome.