MOT PREP

1 After the previously purchased power steering oil cooler leaked the moment it was called into action, IntroCar supplied a known good first-gen Shadow PAS radiator which does the job just as well as the missing original part. 2 When your car weighs as much as the Titanic, it’s safe to assume you’re going to need serious stopping power! There seemed little point in cutting corners, meaning every braking component has been replaced, save for the rear discs which are in perfectly serviceable condition after a light lathe. 3 A stack of Ferodo’s finest for the rear calipers. These are premium pads designed to promote superior disc braking in heavy cars, including the Silver Shadow and its derivatives. The parts are R90 homologated, which means they’ve passed strict friction analysis tests, making them equal to or better than the specification of original equipment. 4 A set of ‘foot-operated parking brake pads’. As the text printed on each part demonstrates, these pads join the Ferodos in meeting specification outlined by R90 regulations, legislation which came into effect in 1999 to ensure the door to dangerous budget braking components is well and truly closed.

5 These giant front discs (part number UR73278) from IntroCar are suitable for all four-door Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars manufactured from 1973 through to 1996. IntroCar’s Prestige Parts labelled discs are well under half the price of Bentley-branded stock and are just as effective. 6 One for the back, two for the front! These brand new calipers total just half the number required on the ol’ land yacht. Mirror-image parts have been fitted on the opposite side. The low cost of these new calipers makes rebuilding original parts a cost-inefficient exercise. 7 More Ferodo fun! You’re looking at two sets of front brake pads (four pads per set). Again, R90 homologation is the order of the day. The E9 designation pictured in the circle indicates the testing was carried out in Spain. E1 would indicate Germany, E11 is the UK’s ECE code. 8 With the calipers, discs and pads taken care of, it was time to invest in new hoses. Factory rubber can deteriorate with age, resulting in ‘spongy’ pedal feel, delayed braking and the potential for fluid leaks. These brand new front caliper hoses will ensure better braking response and a firmer pedal. 9 This coiled pipe is the left-hand rear inner flexible brake hose. There’s not much more to say about it other than to reiterate the expected improved braking response after fitting new flexi-hoses in place of tired factory parts. 10 We’re going flexi-hose crazy! This time, we’re marvelling at more rear brake caliper hoses and suspension height control pipework. The Silver Shadow II features self-levelling suspension as a standard feature. Nice.

11 This bearing pin lives where the rear lower wishbone meets the front subframe. As you can see, the part is long past its best, a condition demanding immediate attention. 12 Tadaa! As if by magic, Matt at IntroCar supplied a brand new lower wishbone bearing pin to fit in place of the faulty item. Unlike the original rubber bush, this new bearing boasts a more durable polyurethane bush. 13 There will be no doubt regarding the total elimination of any unwanted negative suspension or steering feedback after the successful installation of my mountain of fresh chassis equipment, including this pair of top ball joints and their housing assemblies. 14 Similar in appearance to the top suspension ball joints, these lower ball joints will work with the rest of my recently purchased Prestige Parts from IntroCar to deliver the kind of smooth ride and precise steering feedback one expects from a Rolls-Royce. 15 Suitable for all Silver Shadows and the Silver Spirit, the upper lever bush is the larger of the two bushes fitted to the upper wishbone where it joins the front subframe. ‘Silentbloc’ parts for both sides of the car are pictured. 16 This is the washer required when fitting the previously pictured bearing pin. To promote longevity, a polyurethane part is recommended. Over time, fitting a Polybush will help to prevent metalwork from becoming damaged where factory rubber would deteriorate due to wear and, potentially, due to the tightness of the accompanying nut.

17 In the ideal world, new nuts, bolts and washers should be used whenever fitting a new part or material to your classic car. Old nuts and bolts often show severe signs of corrosion, leading them to be unfit for continued use. In some cases, they may pose a serious risk to driver safety. 18 These are the compliance mounts which fit to the front wishbones where they connect to the subframe. Like many of the parts being added to my car, they’re suitable for all Shadows and related models, including Spur, Spirit, T1, T2, Mulsanne and Turbo R. 19 Pandora is getting the best possible care from Colbrook Specialists, a company recognised for being the UK’s leading authority on Silver Shadows. “It’s not unusual for us to see these problems, but we wouldn’t ordinarily expect to see them all at the same time on the same car!” laughed Colbrook head honcho, Colin Ayres. Bah! 20 Richard is working his way through the extensive list of faults found on my car, although it’s important to note his findings cover everything from major suspension and braking complaints through to cosmetic issues. The ‘need to haves’ and ‘nice to haves’ are pictured here in a convenient list. Red ticks indicate work required for Pandora to pass an MoT test. 21 This photograph illustrates the condition of one of the car’s damper ball joint assemblies (top) when compared to new parts supplied by IntroCar (bottom). As you’ve probably surmised at this point in our story, pretty much every suspension component which can be replaced is being replaced! 22 The car’s new Bilsten B6 shocks, complete with new heavy duty bushes, washers and locking nuts. As mentioned previously, the design was developed and tested at the Nürburgring and the work is acknowledged by way of a ‘Green Hell’ graphic seen at the base of each shock absorber. 23 New calipers, discs, pads, dampers, flexihoses, ball joints, bushes, mounts, nuts, bolts, washers and fresh fluid are joined by new copper brake pipes. An anticorrosion coating has been applied to all major suspension and steering components.

24 Richard gives the new offside front lower ball joint a tickle. The new nearby caliper, vented disc, fitting hardware and brake line were all in place by now. 25 These BF Goodrich whitewalls are presented in a profile intended for the Silver Cloud. They were fitted by a previous owner and are past their service life, not least of all due to barely turning while the car has been laid up for two years. 26 Out with the old! While the tired whitewalls display a healthy tread depth and limited wear on compound blocks, their obvious age coupled with the visibility of hairline cracks signals the end of the line for these particular black circles. 27 A chat with the boys at classic car tyre specialist, Longstone Tyres, resulted in the purchase of four new Galaxy whitewalls in Silver Shadow II fitment 235/70/15. These tyres are offered at a low price, which is why they’ve proved hugely popular. 28 Galaxy R1s are less than half the price of the equivalent Avon tyres and can be bought direct from Longstone for well under a third of the price of Michelin’s VXS offering. The blue coating seen protecting the white band dissolves on contact with water. 29 As is the case with most classics, headlight illumination leaves a lot to be desired. Modern LED upgrades improve visibility and safety in poor lighting conditions, which is why I’ll be fitting 4Sight Lighting’s ‘plug and play’ high power LED headlight upgrade. 30 We’re edging ever closer to putting the car through the MoT! There’s still work to be done, but the combined efforts (and new parts) from Colbrook Specialists, IntroCar, Bilstein UK, 4Sight Lighting and Longstone Tyres represents a massive leap forward in affording Pandora a new lease of life. Subscribe to Classics Monthly and never miss a project update. Visit www.subscribeclassics. More next month!