A shed of a 1972 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow
Discussion
Ive done it again. Bought a shed unseen from Ebay half way down the country. This is not going to be restored, its a long term project for fun and may very end up being LS swapped.
Got delivered to me last night while at work so my mum snapped these few pictures.
And what I saw as I drove up the driveway.
Its raining today so didnt want to be outside too long so just grabbed a few very quick pictures. Doesnt look that bad rust wise, atleast externally. Havent had a poke/look underneath but the front valence and a hole in the boot stand out as needing a repair.
Odd small bits of rust on the bottom of doors and on the drivers side front wing.
Some serious looking suspension set up visable in the boot.
Missing a battery so that will be first on the list to sort out to try get it running.
Some old school looking switches.
Pieces of trim removed from the dash, doorcards all removed too. Both included with the car however so not sure if they will be refitted or sold on.
Only 75k miles, second lowest ive owned behind my E30 with 55k which was in even worse condition. The more miles the better the condition with my cars it seems.
Carpets been eaten by a mouse at a guess.
You ask how thick the folder of paperwork is? It is a Rolls Royce after all!
Well behold this very small green folder. Containing a new keepers slip, a sorn notice, a numberplate document and some old insurance things.
Watch its value drop over the years.
TheJimi said:
Slow said:
Doesnt look that bad rust wise, at least externally...
This *HAS* to be the understatement of the decade!Guess it depends on what one's frame of reference is. I reject cars out of hand immediately on seeing the slightest blister appearing - I can't abide chasing rust issues.
So this is an automotive nightmare for me
Edited by TheJimi on Friday 17th June 12:58
Having spent time working at a offroad center using old Land Rover 300tdi's rust has become something I expect on every car now. Also due to the fact most cars have rust appearing at 10 years old in the Highlands due to the ammount of salt put on the roads every winter.
I think a few of you are misunderstanding this project. Its not/never going to be a show car, this is all I know so far.
Anything thats f
ked body wise will be fresh metal welded in, not bothered if its not 100% correct by using genuine parts/used parts.
Mechanically anything that breaks that costs alot will be converted to something from another car. This may cost as much but in future if its breaks it wont require selling a kidney.
Anything thats f
ked body wise will be fresh metal welded in, not bothered if its not 100% correct by using genuine parts/used parts.Mechanically anything that breaks that costs alot will be converted to something from another car. This may cost as much but in future if its breaks it wont require selling a kidney.
If your a member of the Rolls Royce forum please dont read any futher, you may have a heart attack at the state of the car and my plans for it.
So before work today ive had a "small" poke around with a large screwdriver.
Good and bad news really.
Lets start with the good - inner sills, inner arches and doors are not rotten. This makes repairs ALOT easier, expecially as its being repainted so dont need to match the old colour.
Bad news - lots of welding to be done, mainly the front + rear lower sections (valence?) and the outer sills. May end up using the suggestion of box tubing like the offroad boys do, having seen it done on defender im not against the idea.
Found some of the music that used to be listened to in this, 8 track is long before my time so when I first saw the catridges (assume this is what they are called) I was mildly baffled as some didnt have labels as to what they are. Can imagine driving along with Ride of the Valkyres on though if it works.
The floorpan seems solid enough but only stripping it and getting it on the ramp will reveal all. The sills though...
Rear end is filled with *free* speed holes, Rolls Royce were so generous when building this car.
Someone tried repair a corner.
You can see the doors havent rotted from the inside out which is nice. The rats nest of wiring however doesnt look as fun to sort out.
Interior pieces seem in 1 piece with the other bits laying around inside it so they can be flung onto ebay I guess. The wood however has all peeled so will be wrapped at a guess with some alluminium door cards made up.
Engine is uhh.... there? Dont even know how well/if it runs, was last driven 2-3 years ago when driven onto and off a trailer.
Will add more pictures when I get home from work. Upload speed is too slow to get them up just now.
So before work today ive had a "small" poke around with a large screwdriver.
Good and bad news really.
Lets start with the good - inner sills, inner arches and doors are not rotten. This makes repairs ALOT easier, expecially as its being repainted so dont need to match the old colour.
Bad news - lots of welding to be done, mainly the front + rear lower sections (valence?) and the outer sills. May end up using the suggestion of box tubing like the offroad boys do, having seen it done on defender im not against the idea.
Found some of the music that used to be listened to in this, 8 track is long before my time so when I first saw the catridges (assume this is what they are called) I was mildly baffled as some didnt have labels as to what they are. Can imagine driving along with Ride of the Valkyres on though if it works.
The floorpan seems solid enough but only stripping it and getting it on the ramp will reveal all. The sills though...
Rear end is filled with *free* speed holes, Rolls Royce were so generous when building this car.
Someone tried repair a corner.
You can see the doors havent rotted from the inside out which is nice. The rats nest of wiring however doesnt look as fun to sort out.
Interior pieces seem in 1 piece with the other bits laying around inside it so they can be flung onto ebay I guess. The wood however has all peeled so will be wrapped at a guess with some alluminium door cards made up.
Engine is uhh.... there? Dont even know how well/if it runs, was last driven 2-3 years ago when driven onto and off a trailer.
Will add more pictures when I get home from work. Upload speed is too slow to get them up just now.
Some more of the pictures.
More rust action on the rear.
The worse part I found. Drivers door area, should be fun to fix.
As you can see the inner section is still solid though which helps greatly.
The plastic on the wood has all peeled off.
A early fuse box missing all the fuses I assume.
Opened easily which surprised me for a car sitting so long.
Bottles cracked.
Inner wings are solid which is a nice sign.
Less healthy looking.
Hydraulics are empty of fluid so assume theres a leak.
No water either.
More rust action on the rear.
The worse part I found. Drivers door area, should be fun to fix.
As you can see the inner section is still solid though which helps greatly.
The plastic on the wood has all peeled off.
A early fuse box missing all the fuses I assume.
Opened easily which surprised me for a car sitting so long.
Bottles cracked.
Inner wings are solid which is a nice sign.
Less healthy looking.
Hydraulics are empty of fluid so assume theres a leak.
No water either.
So figured out what the bottom of the damper bolts too which has been beaten by rust. Havent had a chance to get under it yet so had to look in a manual, luckily its only a rear trailing arm which can be found online for £100 used.
In other news seen my key for the first time. My god is it disapointing! Expected something a little more special.
Had a small bit of nice weather today so sorted out my window which falls down. The door also wouldnt open so I couldnt put tape over the top to hold it up for now.
Fixed the lock problem, when you pressed the button in from the outside it wouldnt quite go the whole way and was stuck. Ended up pushing it out from the inside which would let the door open and close from the inside handle. Need to take the outside handle off to free up the button though as I think its rusted internally. Got some new tape on it to hold it up for now as I couldnt find anything that would hold the glass up from inside the door.
Scraped the rust on the boot floor with a screwdriver and it seems solid enough other than the spot its rusted completely through.
Nice big bung in a hole in the boot revealed some of the underneath. It all looks fairly solid which is always nice.
Box of assorted screws/bolts and small pieces of chrome trim which were lying all over the place. Should be fun to try refit it all.
Someone had plans to sort the front end out previously. Confused why they would buy slightly rusty ones to replace them.
In other news seen my key for the first time. My god is it disapointing! Expected something a little more special.
Had a small bit of nice weather today so sorted out my window which falls down. The door also wouldnt open so I couldnt put tape over the top to hold it up for now.
Fixed the lock problem, when you pressed the button in from the outside it wouldnt quite go the whole way and was stuck. Ended up pushing it out from the inside which would let the door open and close from the inside handle. Need to take the outside handle off to free up the button though as I think its rusted internally. Got some new tape on it to hold it up for now as I couldnt find anything that would hold the glass up from inside the door.
Scraped the rust on the boot floor with a screwdriver and it seems solid enough other than the spot its rusted completely through.
Nice big bung in a hole in the boot revealed some of the underneath. It all looks fairly solid which is always nice.
Box of assorted screws/bolts and small pieces of chrome trim which were lying all over the place. Should be fun to try refit it all.
Someone had plans to sort the front end out previously. Confused why they would buy slightly rusty ones to replace them.
austinsmirk said:
What actually happened to it. I mean some 10 plus years ago it was running and has an agreed value.
Did it break and was just left outside ?
Was it parked on a beach and allowed to rot ?
It was clearly properly abandoned.
Im the 9th owner now, last owner had for 2-3 years and had bought it as a parts car - it did run when he drove it off the trailer and parked it up, im not quite sure how well though.Did it break and was just left outside ?
Was it parked on a beach and allowed to rot ?
It was clearly properly abandoned.
He told me the man before him had it sit for 8 years prior to selling it to him, so who knows how long he had owned it before it was parked up. I havent a clue why though other than some sort of major problem/owner given up driving?
It has no history other than those pictures posted, no log book, 1 key, no folder - nothing. In my mind I have a owner dying and the spouse leaving it to sit for the 8 years before also dying and it was just thrown on ebay by a relative for the owner prior to me to purchase.
Trabi601 said:
Whilst in my mind, it broke something expensive or failed an MOT on structural rot then was abandoned as it wasn't (and still isn't) worth the time and effort involved in fixing.
If you want a Shadow, ffs buy a working one for 4-5 grand. It'll save you a lot of hassle.
The amount of rot wouldnt of been nearly as much 10+ years ago to cause a MOT fail. Infact the rot doesnt look that bad at all, better than my E30 atleast. It was insured for 5k+ so would of been worth selling/fixing instead of leaving it to rot. If you want a Shadow, ffs buy a working one for 4-5 grand. It'll save you a lot of hassle.
bmw535i said:
Do you have the e30 roadworthy yet?
Could just about go for its MOT about now, might scrape through dependant on brakes, going to replace the suspension/brakes though as they are past their best. Belts still need done but a family friend is doing for me when he gets some free time.Needs the interior put back in as it was removed to weld up the floor. Just needs filled/smoothed and painted externally now.
bmw535i said:
I'm just wondering why you don't finish one project before starting another?
Its having its bodywork sorted by a friend, the belts by a friend of the family. This means im waiting for people to do it in their free time. I wanted something to do in my free time, not going to be sorting rust anytime soon as my friend does the welding. I can however try get it running/driving and sort the interior out. I enjoy doing things like this.Trabi601 said:
I have to be honest. You seem good at buying snotters and prodding them with pointy things. You then appear to rely on favours from others to actually fix stuff.
This is a serious bit of advice - stop now. You will lose money, you will ps off your family and your friends will soon get sick of fixing up your ste 'for cheap'. Especially on something as bad as that Shadow.
Body work + timing belts are things I cant do, my friends are being paid for the work they do on these bits for me. I do all the other stuff myself with help of forums/youtube for things I dont know. Maybe you dont enjoy spending time with friends working on cars but I do - as do my friends.This is a serious bit of advice - stop now. You will lose money, you will p
s off your family and your friends will soon get sick of fixing up your ste 'for cheap'. Especially on something as bad as that Shadow.In regards to losing money, obviously this shadow wasnt bought with any intentions of making my money back. Its more a case of f
k it im going to do something different and il have fun while learning things.So I have decided to give you all a small update.
I am going to put up the prices of all parts I buy, excluded will be things like old bolts/welding gas/grinding discs etc. Kind of for personaly keeping track of spending but also to let the world know the sort of costs required with these cars.
First purchase of many I assume from flyingspares, was very helpfull as I couldnt find any fuses for the car. I had bought a box of 200 assorted glass fuses and none were small enough!
For comparison to a standard lighter.
I am going to put up the prices of all parts I buy, excluded will be things like old bolts/welding gas/grinding discs etc. Kind of for personaly keeping track of spending but also to let the world know the sort of costs required with these cars.
First purchase of many I assume from flyingspares, was very helpfull as I couldnt find any fuses for the car. I had bought a box of 200 assorted glass fuses and none were small enough!
For comparison to a standard lighter.
austinsmirk said:
Very impressive rover. Was it an extremely rare model then ?
Dont have to be rare cars to save them, not everything is about doing it for monetary gain.Doofus said:
I still think the OP is nuts though 
[/quote
If I started with a nice roller it would be ripped apart and everyone would complain I ruined a good car. I cant win either way
[/quote
If I started with a nice roller it would be ripped apart and everyone would complain I ruined a good car. I cant win either way
So stuck the fuses in the car the other day but had no chance to do anything else.
Stole my battery out my 730i as its a Range Rover battery which needs a good amount of power, assumed a 6.75l engine will to turn it over too.
Smashed apart what remained of the battery box so I could get the wires and run them to a larger battery.
Just wanted to see if it would turn over, no fuel pump, no idea of what condition plugs are and so on. Knew it couldnt start, but thats a job that can be done when there arent a million midgies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t70A2BI0XFE
Stole my battery out my 730i as its a Range Rover battery which needs a good amount of power, assumed a 6.75l engine will to turn it over too.
Smashed apart what remained of the battery box so I could get the wires and run them to a larger battery.
Just wanted to see if it would turn over, no fuel pump, no idea of what condition plugs are and so on. Knew it couldnt start, but thats a job that can be done when there arent a million midgies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t70A2BI0XFE
This thing.
https://www.introcar.co.uk/rolls-royce-bentley-mod...
Was brittle and cracked, was never going to be used
https://www.introcar.co.uk/rolls-royce-bentley-mod...
Was brittle and cracked, was never going to be used
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