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Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow

Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow

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Rolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver Shadow
Rolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver Shadow
Rolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver ShadowRolls-Royce Silver Shadow
Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow
Lot number 21
Hammer value £4,200
Description Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow
Registration SIJ 1855
Year 1973
Colour Gold
Engine size 6,750 cc
Chassis No. SRH15555
Engine No. 15555
Documents V5C; 21 old MOTs; parts invoices

Launched in 1965, the Silver Shadow was the first 'modern' Rolls-Royce with a monocoque body, aluminium doors, boot and bonnet and no separate chassis. Other innovations included a fully hydraulic braking system, based on Citroen patents that included four wheel discs, twin circuits and rear self-leveling suspension.

Squat and purposeful on the outside but still luxurious on the inside, it was perfectly timed to attract the nouveau gentry of the Swinging Sixties who were more likely to have made their money from business, pop or fashion than inheriting it from the ancestors.

Even today, to slip behind the wheel of a well-kept Shadow is to enter a different world where every journey is an occasion and the feel-good factor is off the scale. Beautifully crafted, technically advanced and good to drive, it sold like no Rolls-Royce before or since with 37,000 examples rolling from the Crewe production line before it was replaced by the Silver Spirit in 1980.

Over 2,000 improvements were made along the way, the most important being the introduction of the 6,750cc engine and GM three-speed box in 1970, radial tyres in 1972 and the launch of the Shadow II in 1977, though this rather lost the looks of the earlier car with chunky rubber bumpers in place of the more elegant chrome items.

First registered in April 1978, this Shadow One has been in the current ownership since 2008. Between 2009 and 2010 it received a thorough mechanical overhaul including much work to the brakes and suspension and the fitment of a stainless steel exhaust with over £5,800 spent on parts alone at Flying Spares (invoices on file).

Prior to that it had received a body refurbishment and a full respray in gold in 1995, followed by a second repaint about five years ago. An LPG tank has also been installed in the boot for reduced running costs and new tyres recently fitted all round, although there are no bills for these jobs.

Since all the work was completed the car has been very little used due to illness and has been kept in storage since the last MOT expired in August 2013 with no advisories recorded. Recently recommissioned for sale and Crypton tuned just before the auction, it is said to run and drive well.

Looking very smart indeed with a sumptuous russet velour interior, it comes with no fewer than 21 old MOTs back to 1990 at which point the recorded mileage was 17,404, a total which has still only risen to 23,236 miles (unwarranted). The private number plate is also included. These magnificent machines offer exceptional value in the current market and we can’t believe that they will remain at this humble price level for much longer.

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