SOLD

1977 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow ~ II

Beautifully presented in Chestnut (metallic) with hand-painted gold fine-lines to the waist rails and hubcap beauty rings. It has an Everflex top in tan factory fitted. The interior is finished in biscuit tan Connolly hides.

This is a “Rest Of the World” (“ROW) or otherwise referred to as a European specification Shadow II and, as such, is manufactured to true Rolls-Royce designs. It has the correct specification chrome and rubber bumpers and not the over-protruding “5 mile an hour” bumpers developed for American standards. Stand back and look at profile pictures of Euro spec Silver Shadows and you will see it has better lines with a more “integrated” look.

The engines fitted to Euro spec cars were of a higher compression and also without the plethora of anti-pollution “add-ons” (which did very little) providing not only for more horse-power but less maintenance cost. The gas tank is located as per earlier Shadows with the filler cap on the right rear quarter panel as opposed to the left rear “C” pillar for all US-spec cars. Subtle differences include the plush Everflex-leather head-liner, dash padding and finer chrome and trimmings throughout the interior, as well as the exterior, which were not available on American cars.

Being a Euro car, it has a front air-dam (spoiler) fitted with Lucas fog lamps and covers in the front and rear red fog-lamps to the rear, with the number plate mounted below the front bumper and not on it. These are all unique to non-US specification cars.

The car was originally delivered by the Rolls-Royce authorized dealer in Geneva, Switzerland to one of the Consular Generals' office. Within the first 15 years it was transported to the US for private use.

This car is well known to us as we have been servicing her for its previous caretaker for the last 7 years. As you would expect, she is in top mechanical and operational condition.

It is a totally rust-free car that presents in stunningly original condition.

The body is straight with the paint presenting very nice. Most of the paint is original and only shows small blemishes and marks with minor buff-through marks on some edges. The front valance does have some stone chips but not overly objectionable. The colour "Chestnut" is a beautiful deep maroon/brown that presents as a rich dark golden bronze in bright sun but then takes on a very formal dark maroon-ish brown appearance in subdue light and night-time. Very stunning and not often seen in the US market. The factory fitted Everflex top, a more common feature seen on European cars, is in outstanding condition.

The interior is in amazing condition with the leather in immaculate condition. There are no rips, tears or fading. They are also super supple and soft - not like cardboard as you find in many examples. There are only the normal crease lines on the seats which occur naturally with Connolly hide leather. The leather has never been redyed so it shows the Connolly, Vaumol Luxan grain that was a key feature on Silver Shadow motor cars. 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 rich ochre 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 is “mono-toned” featuring only the 1 primary colour. As such, it lacks depth and richness that unrestored Connolly hide has to offer. Please, if you look at the interior in this gorgeous car, and you think the leather looks dirty then, respectfully, you are not "getting it" and perhaps a Rolls-Royce of this period is not for you. Kindly do NOT ask us to redye, as Connolly leather in this original presentation, condition and just the right amount of patina as you see is very hard to find and we simply could not bring ourselves to lose that - no matter how much you pay!

The burr walnut wood throughout the car is stunning. They are also completely original and have not been redone. They are not flawless but in excellent condition with only some slight imperfections in the lacquer on the driver front door capping. The remaining three doors are pretty much perfect. The colour is deep, the grain rich and the finish smooth. With the added bonus of a gift from Mother Nature, the burl walnut grain is very deep and detailed presenting a very rich grain. Absolutely stunning! Carpets are clean and in good condition. On Euro spec cars, the headliner was never broadcloth wool but a nicer finish using “Ambla” (a high-end vinyl or leatherette material). The beauty of Ambla headliner is that looks like leather and remains as-new its whole life. This one is just that; as new. The dash top and forward roll are the same for Euro spec cars.

All items, functions and features are working as they should with the heater nice and warm and the A/C blowing icy cold. The car does have a more modern CD/radio installed in the position of the 8-track which could easily be switched back if you are a purist. The Pioneer cassette/radio combination in the upper centre console is the correct type as available in Europe.

Mechanically, the car has been workshop tested and any work carried out as required. This includes pressure testing the hydraulics, bleeding the brakes and ensuring all is working correctly. Various integral parts of the system have been overhauled as required with new hoses fitted. The car stops surely and firmly. The ride of this car is considerably better than an average example without any of the typical rattles, thumps or knocks often experienced on these models. Clearly, a well-maintained vehicle. The engine is very smooth and the lack of anti-pollution “add-ons” is evidenced by a noticeable increase in power compared to US specification cars. Mileage is not verifiable but is consistent with the condition of the car (if anything, the excellent condition of the car looks like the car has done considerably fewer miles).