1973 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow

Our fine-looking Silver Shadow left the Crewe factory on the 13th February 1973 and was first registered on the 9th March of the same year. This example is particularly unusual for having just two registered keepers to date especially as they are both members of the same family. Add to this the very moderate mileage to date of 66,772 miles and that unusual becomes remarkable. That equates to an annual average mileage of around 1,400 miles and a full 51 years in the care of one family.

Owner Andrew adds that recent use has been particularly sparing, and the MoT mileage entries confirm that less that 1,500 miles have been travelled in the last ten years! Despite that inactivity Andrew is adept at undertaking his own maintenance and the car’s strong mechanical condition is underscored by its advisory free MoT obtained in May 2024. Records show, in fact, that the car’s MoTs right back to 2009 have all been advisory free.

This lovely Rolls currently wears the personalised registration mark 100ATV and owner Andrew confirms that this valuable addition will be included in the sale.

Blatchley’s inspired design managed to remain recognisably a Rolls Royce whilst seeming to originate from a future seemingly unimaginable during the Silver Cloud’s life. The really clever part is that he designed both cars, of course! 

Our example looks sublime in its Silver Mink livery. It’s a less common hue for the stately Shadow but one which helps to accentuate the clarity of the design aesthetic. That Silver Mink paintwork appears to be surprisingly blemish free considering the car’s 51-year age. There is a modicum of corrosion related bubbling to the tops of the doors, but it remains minor at this stage and is only obvious upon close inspection. The bodywork looks equally well presented with no note-worthy dents, dings or deformations in evidence. Panel gaps look tight and symmetrical too.

The front of the car is a particular highlight of Blatchley’s design. The famous Pantheon grill dominates, as is only right, and was carried over from the Silver Cloud if in considerably shorter guise. The grill’s design is well known as a highly successful optical illusion with the vertical slats wider in the middle sections so as they appear perfectly straight to the human eye. Of course, this is topped with the Spirit of Ecstasy which has adorned Rolls Royce grills since 1911.

Add into this heady visual mix the 15-inch steel wheels disguised behind the chromed and body colour painted hub caps complete with central “RR” embossing. These are shod with a matching set of Goodyear Eagle GA tyres in the correct 235/70 configuration and featuring a subtle, thin whitewall detail.

The interior of our car appears to be in its original condition and, as such, exhibits a charming level of use related patina and character. On the front seats this may be a little too advanced for some tastes, but no splits, rips or tears are noted, and re-colouring is a straightforward process. The rear bench has been considerably less frequented, seemingly, given the condition. The independently lit rear vanity mirrors are a long-standing Rolls Royce signature.

To accompany the obligatory Connolly leather there are several cubits of walnut veneer in evidence. This adorns the bluff dashboard and the door caps as well as other well-chosen areas of the cabin. This looks to be in excellent condition throughout. 

The black Wilton carpets appear to be the original and present very well, as does the light coloured, flock finished headlining. The dashboard is populated with the familiar white on black Smiths gauges and chromed switches and buttons. The original, large but slender two spoke steering wheel is present. A charming period feature is the presence of separate Blaupunkt cassette player and push button long and medium wave radio.

The large boot is trimmed with matching black Wilton carpet. The original jack and semi-complete tool kit are also in evidence here.

Initially the Silver Shadow carried forward the L410 6.2L V8 engine from the Silver Cloud. By 1970, however, the capacity was increased to 6,750cc and this was mated to the three speed, widely used THM (Turbo Hydra Matic) gearbox. Rolls Royce traditionally referred to the power output as “adequate” or roughly about 200bhp in today’s money. This was sufficient for a 120mph plus top speed and a 10-second 0-60mph time. Rolls Royce is all about serenity, of course, and this combination allied to that magic carpet suspension was more than equal to that hushed and unruffled task.

Andrew has predominantly taken responsibility for servicing and maintenance and clearly knows his way around the toolkit. So much so that our team attest to the car running very well with just the brakes possibly seeming a little soft.

The under-bonnet presentation of the Shadow appears highly original and in fine overall order. It is clean and straight, and all the expected data plates appear present and correct. Plenty of recent looking pipework and components are evident and even the highly specified ribbed under bonnet insulation is in tack (bar a minor rip). The underside of the car looks admirably straight, leak free and well presented. The under-slung spare wheel is present and looks to be in reasonable shape and ready to be deployed if the worst happened.

There is an ample paperwork file associated with our Silver Shadow. The V5 registration document is present in the name of the current owner. This categorises the Rolls as an Historic Vehicle and, as such, MoT exempt and zero rated for VED in the UK. Despite this the car holds an advisory free MoT which is valid until May 2025 providing great peace of mind for the next owner.

The remainder of the file consists of numerous invoices from across the car’s history. The majority of these relate to parts sourced and purchased to support Andrew’s servicing and maintenance activities. Pleasingly the original Rolls Royce book pack is also on hand. Our car check report adds some additional information and background to the provenance of this remarkable example.

As is often the way with relatively ubiquitous and originally expensive cars the Silver Shadow endured an under appreciated and under valued period in its middle age. This trend tends to take a scythe to numbers as low-priced examples become uneconomic to repair and hence head for breaker’s yard. This, in turn, tends to revive the fortunes of the remaining cars and has the effect of leaving the best examples in the hands of those that truly cherish them.

That is certainly the case with this Silver Shadow with it having been under the stewardship of an engaged and enthusiastic family from day one. As a result, it is a charming example, original to a fault and beautifully presented. As such it represents a thoroughly usable example with loads of faithful service left to give.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.