1982 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur

With over £14,000 spent at marque specialist The Chelsea Workshop in October 2022 and significant sums over its lifetime, this one-owner-from-new example is the original money-no-object example.

Finished in Claret Red with a black Everflex roof, this long-wheelbase Spur offers its occupants unrivalled luxury. Only ever used to potter between London and his home in the country - with the occasional detour to the races - it has covered less than 65,000 miles in four decades.

Freshly recommissioned after being in storage between 2016 and 2022, this example is a very affordable way to get behind the wheel of what was once the World’s Best Motorcar.

The Claret Red coachwork is, of course, in a splendid condition. With excellent panel alignment, consistent shutlines and an absence of the sort of dents, dinks, and ripples you’re probably used to seeing on old Royces, this is still every inch the aristocrat it’s been for the past 40 years.

The paintwork still gleams too, and apart from the usual mainly front end stone chips and minor swirls every car collects over the decades, there’s nothing about the finish that would concern us, especially as the twin gold pinstripes serve to highlight the neatly aligned swage lines, although the lines on the drivers door exhibit some polish through.

The chrome work is also good, as is the glazing, the badges, and the lamp lenses.

As is the black Everflex roof whose dark hue helps shrink the Silver Spur’s height just a little.

The wheels are in great shape too, as are the huge chrome hubcaps. The tyres are the ubiquitous Avon Turbosteel tyres, all of which have decent tread.

But then you’d already guessed that, hadn’t you? Because, like us, 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.

Marks and blemishes are few. The rubber trim on the offside front corner has a scuff (#117) and there’s a hole in the metal near the wiper arms (#128).

You know the story by now, don’t you? After all, no-one is going to spend this much on maintaining their car and then ignore the interior, are they?

This means it’s all as you’d expect, which is to say that it is practically unblemished and a testament to the sort of old school engineering Rolls-Royce used to be known for.

The veneer, which is actual wood, is shiny and free of cracks and other flaws. The leather (from cows that’ve never seen barbed wire, remember?) is nicely broken in but no more. And the heavy chrome controls still work with the same precision and easy heft they always have.

But, what you can’t easily convey in words is the way the Silver Spur makes you feel. Of course, the driver and front seat passenger are faced with an impressive array of instrumentation and switchgear (including a lovely period Blaupunkt Frankfurt radio) but it’s the people in the back who are really spoiled.

Extra legroom, of course, plus two individual rear seats, deep pile rugs, foot rests, a vast centre armrest, and two mirrors with walnut veneer frames. There’s a period car phone back there as well.

The boot is very good and contains the original (possibly unused) tool kit and set of spare bulbs. The spare wheel lurks underneath, as does what looks to be a newish battery and some LHM fluid for the suspension.

Flaws are minor. There is the odd worn spot in the carpet (i.e. #71) and leather trim (#107), and the outside temperature gauge doesn’t read accurately (#111). The whole interior could do with a good valet as well, especially in the boot area but that’s about all there is to bother even the most fastidious owner.

Oh, and the air-conditioning was retro-fitted in 2001 to use R-134A refrigerant. Which is nice.

The Silver Spur starts, runs, and drives as you’d expect.

The engine bay is as clean and well-ordered as you’d expect in a car that’s been pampered to such an obsessive degree. Beautifully labelled and crafted, servicing the engine and ancillaries would be an absolute pleasure. Heck, even the quilted sound deadening under the bonnet is still excellent.

The underside looks to be solid and well protected. Certainly, no MoT tester has ever mentioned rust except on the exhaust.

The Silver Shadow’s MoT certificate, which is valid until October 2023, was gained without a single advisory point but then that’s what you get when you spend £14,000 on it beforehand…

There are plenty of other big bills from Franchised Dealer Jack Barclay too; please take the time to leaf through them or, better still, make an appointment to pop along and see it in person. After all, it’s not often you get to see bills of this magnitude in one history folder.

The Silver Spur also comes with the original book pack.

NB: The service plate has been engraved to reflect a speedometer change in 2001 at 62,569 miles (#171). Bet you’ve never seen that before either.

With a guide price of just £12,000 to £18,000, we aren’t sure it’s possible to get so much car for so little money anywhere else.

And if those big bills are scaring you off, remember this is a nuts ‘n’ bolts car at heart, one whose engineering is utterly analogue, so if you’re handy with a set of spanners then you shouldn’t have much trouble maintaining it yourself – and if you’re not, few marques are better served than this.

Besides, every classic car enthusiast should treat themselves to a Rolls-Royce at least once in their life and we can’t remember seeing one with a paper trail like this ever before…

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’.