10 Rolls-royce Silver Shadow

As a car for the money, the Silver Shadow offers the best value in the classic car world – although the purchase price is often just the downpayment, particularly when it comes to problems with the complex brakes and suspension. As usual, most snags can be traced to inactivity – perhaps the worst form of Shadow abuse.

Shadow IIS with rack-and-pinion steering drive better, but the pre-’77 chrome-bumper cars have a more classic look. Good, sober colours are vital in all cases. Really nice examples are picking up in value now they have passed the half-century mark, particularly the 1960s cars with the ‘Chippendale’ dash, but you might not get on with the early four-speed automatic or the super-soft handling; many of the better-looked-after examples now have Harvey Bailey handling kits.

Having decided that you want a Shadow, your biggest problem may be sifting through the sheer number on offer, because they survive in remarkably high quantities. Fifteen grand should buy a nice one, but £8k might get a nice one too and it’s important to remember that the biggest price-tag doesn’t always equal the best car.