1982 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur

We understand this special Rolls-Royce was commissioned and built in 1982, for Sheikh Mohammed Rashid bin Maktoum, Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, being finished in his horse racing colours of burgundy and cream. Incidentally, the OUD prefix on the number plate, is a further link to its 1st owner, as OUD is a rare and expensive Arabian perfume, representing genuine welcome and good hosting! The level of customisation with Rolls-Royce’s has always been extensive to say the least and this one is no different, sporting among other things, accents of gold plating around the car which contrast beautifully with the Claret paintwork.

It also looks to have been meticulously taken care of and maintained. The paperwork would seem to back this up as well as the fact that it has only covered around 80,000 miles since 1982, it has an exceptional history file as you’ll read below, and the car really stands testament to the time, work and financial input that has gone into it during the years.

The current owner came to own the car in lieu of a loan and has enjoyed every minute of ownership, with great regret they are having to sell to fund a business and they were also adamant that they would want to buy the car back in the future. They reported that even the cruise-ability of the Rolls hasn’t diminished over the years having to make a 5 hour trip during the time with the car, the owner reported that they felt more relaxed at the end than they would have been in a much more modern car, high praise indeed then for a Rolls fit for a king, or more accurately, a Sheikh.

Claret and cream might sound like an odd choice on paper but on metal it works very well, add into the mix some chrome and gold highlights and you’ll likely be raising an eyebrow but again it really seems to work. The exterior presentation of the car is very classy without being gaudy and as you’d expect with a Royce, the build quality stands up to inspection today. These cars were built to last, and it really shows, the panel gaps are tight and uniform and nothing is sagging or broken at the time of writing.

The wheels and tyres are in good order with some good tread depth and little to no curbing or damage to the wheels. There is little to no rust present on the sills with the only downside we can see on the exterior of the car being some minor areas of paint bubbling, considering how expensive these old luxury cars can be to maintain, news of this nature must have prospective buyers jumping for joy.

The chrome work is good, with little pitting or corrosion and the gold highlights remain bright and lavish. All glass, lights and external trim is in good condition too with the current owner even reporting that the wipers were exceptional, its these little bits of attention to detail that Rolls-Royce are famed for. On the exterior side of things then, this car really seems to be as good as it presents itself to be.

The interior of the Silver Spur is quite a sight, there are swathes of red Connolly premium leather, red trim and red wool carpet. The height of luxury at its time, the Silver Spur still has a presence that Rolls-Royce owners would be familiar with today. For example, the Lambs Wool over-rugs are an addition that is rarely seen in everyday cars due to weight and cost, but they look positively "at home" in the Silver Spur. They have done an excellent job in protecting the Wilton wool carpet, which remains in very good condition, although the drivers side heal-pad has seen better days and requires replacing. Being the LWB version of the SZ bodyshell, there is plenty of leg room along with the Spur specific picnic-tables for the rear passengers. The leather on the seats is showing some aging and patina, most notably of the drivers seat, which is very typical of a chauffeur driven car, but a small recondition with some leather restorer and colour would bring back its lavish shine and softness. The cloth headlining remains is in good condition and adds to the feeling of cocooning its occupants in pure luxury; so typical of the brand. Similarly typical, is the exquisite RR thin Bakelite steering wheel and Walnut dashboard, both of which seem to have very little wear, with the veneer still shining in the sun. As for the rest of the wood, some of door capping's need attention though, particularly the near-side rear, as the veneer has lifted, but this is easily rectified by a suitable specialist. Finally the overall interior effect is finished off by the heavy-weight and finely engineered door furniture . All the dials and switches are present, and work as expected, with the mileage showing as only 80,039 of the easiest, cruising, chauffeur driven miles.

Looking on the underside of the Rolls Royce, it is very straight with little to no damage, the frame rails are all straight and there only seems to be slightly less than expected surface corrosion. The suspension components all look to be in good condition with nothing presenting itself as broken, even the rubber bushings from what can be seen are in good order. There is some minor surface rust as to be expected but from the pictures there are no overt signs of fluid leaks or evidence of previous ones. The under sealant has clearly done a good job all these years and has protected the bodywork well. The exhaust looks to be in good order too with no obvious holes or cracks or splits, even the spare wheel which resides underneath the body looks to be quite happy sat up under the floor.

In the engine bay, the powerplant looks to be in good working order with a well presented, if busy, bay that aside from the expected minor paint chips is actually very clean and tidy with all electrical wires and pipes looking in good condition. Indeed, the engine sounds very healthy with it starting on the button and idling smoothly, the exhaust note even sounds quite civilised and surely belies the smooth progressive power the 6.75L V8 is capable of delivering.

The Silver Spur comes with a huge stack of paperwork that documents its history extensively, the V5 is present and shows 3 former keepers, there are a stack of tax discs and MOT certificates as well as many stamps in the service book found in the leather-bound owner’s wallet. The car seems to have been serviced recently with the same garage as a point of continuity and familiarity with the car and present in the paperwork is the usual suite of manuals that come with the original purchase.

The significant invoices are summarised below.

• Stewart Walker Ltd – Major service schedule, replacement A/C compressor, drive belts replaced, rear suspension replaced and new tyres and brakes –19/07/2021
• D.W. Haynes – various servicing and parts from 1996 to 2005, including replacement radiator, replacement starter motor, resurfaced exhaust manifold and replacement brake calliper along with many other sundry items.

The Rolls Royce has a near impeccable service record being serviced every one or two years like clockwork, it is clear to see that this car has been well cared for during its time with its current and previous owner. In our experience, this is a rare occurrence in an older Rolls-Royce!

From the evidence we’ve been presented with and the reports from the owner this is a car with a special bit of prominence and Rolls-Royce’s love to have a bit of a story behind them, it’s what helps them to be such characterful cars. Despite that then, this car is a relatively low milage, well maintained and looked after car that has been seemingly pampered for its 40 year life so far it certainly seems to have plenty of motoring life left in it and would be fantastic to drive or be driven round in for many year to come yet.

Our estimate for this car is £10,000 - £15,000.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 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’.