The Silver Shadow is, for many an enthusiast and casual bystander alike, the archetypal Rolls-Royce. A true design classic, its sober lines and three-box proportions so perfectly summed up the essence of the brand’s understated luxury that it remained in production for an impressive fifteen years, from 1965 right up to 1980. 30,057 Silver Shadows were produced in that period, which would be a distinctly modest number for most other manufacturers… but of course, this is no ordinary manufacturer. 

In essence, the key thing to remember is that in their heyday, these cars were the very best of the very best – and, for what they represent in the classic market, that holds true today. This model was a seismic step-change for Rolls-Royce, being the company’s first model to feature unibody construction; it also boasted all-independent suspension, disc brakes all round, and – most intriguingly of all – a hydropneumatic system licensed from Citroën, which controlled the self-levelling suspension and dual-circuit brakes. 

An aspirational slice of history then, and it’s the Series 1 models which are today most in demand: the Silver Shadow II of 1977> had rubber Federal bumpers and other styling deviations which seemed somehow less pure… but the example we have here today is an ideal representation of this sought-after classic: an earlier chrome-bumper car, in fine mechanical fettle and beautifully presented. The archetypal Rolls-Royce? There’s certainly a strong argument for it. And just wait until you learn about this car’s colourful past...

The dial is reading just 45,500 miles, and there’s a robust history file to document its usage over the decades. Registered as a UK-market model on 2nd October 1972, its first owner was the chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.; this car then spent the period from 1984-2009 living in the USA (there’s a lot of documentation from its life in Florida), which does much to explain its exemplary solidity and impressive condition today. 

The document file lists specifically every person who’s owned the car over the years and where they lived, along with accompanying mileages – and most excitingly of all there’s a document folder filled to the brim with copies of the original build records and inspection reports, as well as the original sales invoice. 

This shows us that the car was supplied in the same spec you see here, in Sand-over-Sable paint with beige hide, fawn headlining, and Cumberland Stone carpet. Special details, and indeed a very special car.

The condition of the car is lovely throughout, and it’s interesting to note that we can trace the precise specification back to when it was new, along with any alterations along the way. Supplied from the factory in Sand-over-Sable paint, the interior sported beige hide trim, fawn headlining and Cumberland Stone carpets – and we can see that the first owner specified an internal mirror adjuster for the driver door, and deleted the Sundym glass option. 

It was originally fitted with a Radiomobile 8-track; it now features an oversize Sony CD/Bluetooth head unit which is mated to 4x upgraded speakers. Further additions include the period-style leather wrap around the steering wheel, and the Federal-spec high-level third brake light and side markers, signifying the car’s time in the USA.
 
The interior presents beautifully overall, with the supple leather trim in good order throughout, and the carpets and headlining equally tidy. All of the wood trim is in good condition too, with just a gentle patination to the lacquer which makes it feel pleasingly lived-in; the door cappings have been refurbished. The dials all work as they should, as do the electric windows and electrically adjustable seats.

Things are equally pleasing outside, with the gleaming paintwork cutting a truly elegant dash on the streets of the metropolis. The panels are all straight and decent, with nice even panel gaps, and we see no signs of evident corrosion save for a little blemish around the offside front indicator. The chrome is all super with no pitting or patination, and the wheels wear the correct colour-matched hubcaps; they’re also fitted with a matching set of Hercules whitewall tyres.

The highest praise one can lavish upon a Rolls-Royce is that it drives like a Rolls-Royce, and that’s very much the case here. The 6.75-litre V8 fires immediately and silently, settling into a perfect idle without drama or histrionics. The GM Hydramatic transmission shifts effortlessly and seamlessly, and the hydropneumatic suspension provides just the correct level of cosseting waft you’d hope for.

In recent years the car has been treated to some work to keep it in the mechanical standard that the sumptuous aesthetics demand; the brake pumps have been overhauled with new accumulators fitted, and in 2024 the cooling system received some specialist care, which involved replacing the water pump and viscous fan as well as renewing the engine and transmission mounts. It’s a fabulous thing to drive; it is, quite simply, what a Rolls-Royce should be.

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