1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow 2

Finished in Caribbean Blue with double gold coachlines and a hide interior, this fabulous 1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II benefits from rack-and-pinion steering and the modified front suspension that contribute to the Shadow’s much improved handling over the earlier cars.

As much of a driver’s car as it is a visual treat, this one’s been pampered by the vendor for the past seven years. He hunted long and hard to find the right car and while this one stood out because of its colour, it was the condition that sealed the deal for him.

A member of the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club, he’s not only attended half-a-dozen courses on how to maintain it but even kept it stored away from his home as he lives on the coast and wanted to preserve it from any salt spray…

With us here at our HQ near Abingdon, we’d welcome a visit from potential bidders so you can see for yourselves just how good this one is.

Caribbean Blue is a wonderful colour, endowing the Silver Shadow with an elegance that darker, more sombre colours don’t. The result is a delight, looking fresh and vibrant and much newer than you’d expect, helped in part by having had some paintwork over the years to keep it looking good. The roof, however, may still be in original paint and we noted it has some minor micro-blistering.

Panel alignment is excellent, shut lines are consistent, and the metalwork is free of dents, dinks, and other damage. The doors close with a very satisfying ‘click’ and the roof is painted rather than obscured by an Everflex roof, so you know there are no nasties lurking underneath.

The iconic grille and Spirit of Ecstasy look as good now as they’ve ever done, and the rest of the chrome trim is equally impressive with only very light scratches and modest pitting here and there.

The headlamps are kept clean by brushes rather than the rubber blades inferior cars use, and a pair of Lucas foglamps help light the way in the gloom.

The wheels, which are in fine fettle, are fitted with matching Avon Turbosteel 70 tyres, all of which have good tread.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Faults? Well, aside from the usual stonechips and minor marks all cars collect over the years, there are a few small rust bubbles on the bottom of the offside rear wing (#9), the nearside rear wheelarch (#131), the base of the nearside A pillar (#132), and the offside front door (#136) and along the chrome trims on each side. There is also a noticeable chip to the top of the rear wing on the near side. There are also some minor dents to the "infill" panel on the rear bumper. None look too serious, but it would be prudent to get them attended to sooner rather than later.

If we’re being ultra-picky then the windscreen seal isn’t terribly neat (#99) either, there is a small mark/nick on the rubber quarter bumper (#106), and the rubber on the offside rear quarter is a little faded (#117).

Then Beige leather interior (colour code VM3234) is supplemented by a Fawn Cirrus (BE173) headlining and Mountain Blue (72) carpets. How do we know this? Because we have the original order for the car.

The resulting colour scheme gives the cabin the same sparkle and vibrancy as the coachwork – and the condition is equally good. With the most serious patination being no more than light creasing to the leather facings of the seats, this is a Shadow that’s withstood the passage of 42 years with impressive aplomb.

Of course, the fact it’s only covered fewer than 70,000 miles goes some way to explaining this but interiors don’t present this well unless they’ve been meticulously maintained. The front seats, for example, were professionally recoloured in 2016 and look stunning.

The veneer trim is almost spotless too bar a split on the lacquer near the ashtray on the drivers side, as are the mirrors. The writing on the switches and dials is still bright and wonderfully legible and the headlining is tight and clean. The dashboard roll is PVC rather than leather, all the better to survive decades of sunshine.

The carpets are as clean as they are deep and are protected by lamb’s wool over mats. The door cards, headlining, and dashboard all pay testament to the quality of their design and previous owners, too.

There are footrests in the rear, plus two mirrors. It’s lovely back there and even the pockets in the back of the front seats – which have individual armrests, by the way - are still taut.

A period Pioneer twin-spindle cassette player is fitted in addition to the factory fit Blaupunkt radio.

The boot is as well trimmed as the rest of the interior and in a similar condition.

Oh, and it’s worth mentioning that the proper chrome controls and knobs are an absolute joy to look at and use. This is a very tactile car, and you can see the money it cost was spent on solid engineering rather than gimmicks and lifestyle marketing.

The older design also means you get a huge amount of interior space from what is a limited footprint and the thin pillars, extensive glazing, and slightly elevated seating position also give excellent visibility.

The only modification is a cut-out switch for the electrical system to save the battery when the car isn’t being used.

Flaws are few. The most significant are two small tears to the leather of the front passenger seat (#79). However, these are tucked away and barely noticeable. Other than that, there are a few minor stains to the carpet (i.e. #255) and while the air-conditioning sort of works, it could possibly do with recharging, or further investigation.

The engine bay is nicely presented and, as you can see, the Silver Shadow fires into life at the turn of a key. It quickly settles into an even tickover and revs nicely. It’s also subdued thanks to a combination of sublime engineering and a thick, quilted under bonnet sound-deadening pad.

Nor are there any typical untoward noises from tappets or brake pumps, and the owner tells us that “it’s a very quiet car” and “a joy to drive and doesn’t feel like a car from the eighties”. He’s used it for long journeys, when the ample boot space and comfortable ride have come into their own.

He’s also been impressed with the range of services that are still available; while he’s quite happy to do the simple stuff himself (taught by the RREC over a series of courses, he says “it’s a simple car at heart”) he understands the value of employing professionals where necessary.

This, he tells us, manifests itself in the little things like the ‘kick-off’ choke disengaging when it should, and a correctly restored and calibrated speedometer: “if you look after it, it’ll look after you” is his motto, a motto backed up by the fact it’s never let him down or suffered a major problem.

The underside is nicely protected by a coat of Waxoyl and underseal and there’s nothing there that sets alarm bells ringing. (He told us that he even takes the time to keep the drain holes clear; how’s that for dedication?).

There’s a spare wheel under there, readily accessible in a cradle.

Wonderfully, the Silver Shadow has retained its original hand book, service schedule, passenger car fuel consumption order 1977, type guide, and warranty, all of which are contained in a presentation folder. It also has its complete RREC construction and test records plus the original order form.

In addition to this fascinating early history and a thick wad of old invoices and bills, there are plenty of more recent invoices for work as you can see including one for £6,500 in 2018, another for almost £3,700 the year before, and a third for more than £1,700 the year before that.

The Silver Shadow’s MoT certificate is valid until October 2023 and it was gained, like so many before it, with no advisory points. The online MoT history also shows a gradual accrual of mileage over the years, which backs up the vendor’s claim of low mileage.

If you’ve ever wanted to own a Silver Shadow (and who hasn’t?) now is a very good time to make your dream a reality because this example is “a good, solid, honest car for its age” with only a few minor cosmetic issues to sort out.

And, despite its very many good points, we expect the virtual hammer to fall on this Silver Shadow II somewhere between £12,000 and £16,000, at which price it offers more car per pound note invested than almost anything else you can buy for the same money – and all without having to take a disproportionately risky punt on something with a railway-arch history.

Plus, as regular watchers will know, we think the best cars are always bought from nice people, and the Shadow’s owner is absolutely charming. Plus – and we hope he won’t mind us telling you this - he has more than a hint of fastidiousness about him, which makes him the perfect bloke to buy an old Rolls-Royce from.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.