1973 Rolls-royce Silver Shadow £28,000
This is one of the nicest SIS you’ll find, with lots of paperwork to back up its cared-for existence, says Paul Hardiman
This latish Series 1 (compliant suspension but still steel bumpers) was in long-term ownership since 1992 before it arrived at Ghost Motors, during which it was obviously cherished and pampered. Aside from correspondence from the fourth and last owner which includes a discussion of the selling price – haggling around £15k with Arnetts of Bournemouth, after the car returned from a spell in Jersey – there’s a hand-written list of mileages at MOT tests, starting from 55,400 in 1996, plus a continuation service book starting from his ownership (the first was full up by its 48k-mile service in 1989), and a wad of bills, original warranty card and delivery note to Grassicks Garage. It has six stamps, the last with R-R specialist Richard Parsons in 2011, at 70,700. Mileage as we saw it stood at 75,621.
Most recently it had £5000-worth of cleaning off and repainting work underneath, and before that it had a lowerhalf repaint, at least, which is mentioned as having taken place in 2011, though there’s no bill. The sills still show their drain vents and there’s no filler in the rear lips.
The overall appearance is good in Caribbean Blue, dead straight down the sides with some light marks peppering the front, a touched-in chip over the right rear light and small cracks in the finish at the base of the front and rear pillars, which is normal. All the chrome is good, with some light marks on the front wheeltrims. The rear Nankang tyres date from 2012; the fronts and the spare are original-spec Turbosteels, all with plenty of tread.
Inside, the leather is original but still supple and clean; we discovered a hide feed bottle in the boot. There’s some light creasing and cracking to the driver’s seat base, while the rear looks almost unused. Headlining is excellent, and the veneers to door cappings and dashboard are so good they could have been refinished, though there’s no bill. The carpets are original and holding up well. The original Radiomobile radio and eight-track player remain.
It’s super clean under the bonnet too, with polished carburettor dashpots. Though fluids are clean and to the right levels, it will undergo a 24,000-mile service and fluid change at sale.
It starts instantly, with no tappet noise or exhaust blows, (the brake pressure lights extinguish quickly), and drives really sweetly, in that more delicate way that SIS have over the heavier-feeling SIIS on their larger tyres, but with sharper steering.
Kickdown in the GM box is responsive, with slick up-changes. Brakes are smooth, and pull up straight. It really is a friendly old thing, and everything works including aerial, oil level function in the fuel gauge, electric seat adjustment in all directions – though not, ironically, the clock. The aircon is weak, but will be regassed at sale.
It’s not the cheapest Silver Shadow out there at the moment – tired examples can be bought at auction for less – but you’d struggle to find another this nice, or so obviously cherished.