British Studios forgotten Roller
Discussion
I have a passion for Rolls-Royce. The first time I saw a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, it was probably on television, I felt something I cannot describe. It was an emotion.
I was taken to the Paris Motor Show by my father, I must have been 13 or 14 and I can remember staring at these cars on the Rolls-Royce stand. I was enthralled and stayed at the stand a long time while my father was walking round the show.
For 35 years it was my ambition to own such a car, a Silver Shadow MK 1. In 2012 I thought my time has come. I searched many websites but decided to go to England to find one where there would be bigger and better choice than in France where I live. In July 2012 I went to a garage in Kent to view a grey Silver Shadow (early version) I had seen advertised. I arrived there and saw for the first time in my life 50 Rolls-Royce cars. It was fabulous.
I had the choice of 4 cars which I scrutinised carefully but my choice was a 1967 silver grey car the only early Shadow. During the first two years of production Rolls-Royce made only 3 or 4 cars a day.
I asked the garage owner questions about the cars history but he new little about it. He could see that the mileage was correct compared to the old MOT's that he had and that the previous owner had a limousine company and used the car for weddings in the Portsmouth area.
I proudly drove the car back to France on the Portsmouth to St Malo Ferry.
I enrolled in the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club and asked them if they could give me information about this particular car. I gave them the chassis number and a few days later a file arrived containing photocopies
of invoices dating from the delivery date in October 1967 to the Rolls-Royce dealer until the end of the guarantee period (many years later).
I read somewhere that these cars were guaranteed for 50,000 miles.
This file also contained a black and white picture of the car with an insurance paper mentioning the cost of some repairs on which was written “Insured by MGM British Studios”. I didn't even know that MGM had studios in the UK.
This information was the beginning of my quest to find out more about the car. I knew that the first registration number was MWF 453F and then in the early 70's it was changed to OPH2.
The internet gave me a lot of information. My first discovery was that the car was used in series 6 of “THE AVENGERS” staring Patrick MacNee and Linda Thorson in the episode “I Wish You Were Here” and “Love All”. What a surprise to discover that such famous people had sat in the car.
In the following weeks I discovered the car was owned by KINGSBUY MOTORS a company which hired action vehicles for cinema and TV productions, police cars, army cars, hearses all types of cars, they were big in the '60s. They owned John Steed's 4.5 litre Bentley, the WHO 5 car used in “Dr Who”, the car from “Dad's Army” and “To The Manor Born” etc. This company was based on the Kingsbury Road, NW9. I think they closed in 1982.
After 10 months research this is what I came up with. It's quite an impressive list.
JUNE 1969: she was used in “My Lover, My Son” a film with Donald Houston, Romy Schneider and Dennis Waterman filmed at the MGM British Studios where the car had the accident which I mentioned when I found the insurance papers. If you see this film, you will see the collision.
1970/71- SHIRLEY'S WORLD, Episode: The Islanders, staring Shirley MacLaine.
1971- THE PERSUADERS, Episode: That's Me Over There, staring Roger Moore, Tony Curtis and Geoffrey Keen.
Sept. 1971- DR. WHO, Day of the Daleks.
July 1977- THE PROFESSIONALS series 1, Episode: Where the Jungle Ends.
Sept. 1979-THE PROFESSIONALS series 4, Episode: Acorn Syndrome.
1979- MINDER, Episode 1, Gunfight at the ok Launderette car driven
by Dave King.
1979- SHOESTRING series 1, Episode 4: An Uncertain Circle.
Oct. 1979- THE PROFESSIONALS, Episode: Week-End in the Country.
Aug. 1980- THE PROFESSIONALS series 4, Episode: Blood Sports.
1981- MINDER series 3, Episode: Dream House.
1980- SUNDAY LOVERS, a film directed by Bryan Forbes. Part 1 of the film is called “An Englishman's Home” with Roger Moore and Denholm Elliot. Roger Moore plays a chauffeur and drives the car. The film was shot in Windsor, Heathrow Airport and in France near Bordeaux at the Chateau de Roquetaillade (supposed to be England).
1982-ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES, Episode: A Touch of Glass. The most viewed episode of the series.
In December 1982 OPH2 was sold to an individual. I am the 10th owner and surprisingly, none of the previous owners knew about the car's glamorous history.
If you remember this light grey Shadow or if you see it in tv series or films, please let me know. As you can see there is a big gap between 1972 and 1977. I doubt the car stayed parked during all these years.
Thank you so much.
ERTYUIO June 2013
I was taken to the Paris Motor Show by my father, I must have been 13 or 14 and I can remember staring at these cars on the Rolls-Royce stand. I was enthralled and stayed at the stand a long time while my father was walking round the show.
For 35 years it was my ambition to own such a car, a Silver Shadow MK 1. In 2012 I thought my time has come. I searched many websites but decided to go to England to find one where there would be bigger and better choice than in France where I live. In July 2012 I went to a garage in Kent to view a grey Silver Shadow (early version) I had seen advertised. I arrived there and saw for the first time in my life 50 Rolls-Royce cars. It was fabulous.
I had the choice of 4 cars which I scrutinised carefully but my choice was a 1967 silver grey car the only early Shadow. During the first two years of production Rolls-Royce made only 3 or 4 cars a day.
I asked the garage owner questions about the cars history but he new little about it. He could see that the mileage was correct compared to the old MOT's that he had and that the previous owner had a limousine company and used the car for weddings in the Portsmouth area.
I proudly drove the car back to France on the Portsmouth to St Malo Ferry.
I enrolled in the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club and asked them if they could give me information about this particular car. I gave them the chassis number and a few days later a file arrived containing photocopies
of invoices dating from the delivery date in October 1967 to the Rolls-Royce dealer until the end of the guarantee period (many years later).
I read somewhere that these cars were guaranteed for 50,000 miles.
This file also contained a black and white picture of the car with an insurance paper mentioning the cost of some repairs on which was written “Insured by MGM British Studios”. I didn't even know that MGM had studios in the UK.
This information was the beginning of my quest to find out more about the car. I knew that the first registration number was MWF 453F and then in the early 70's it was changed to OPH2.
The internet gave me a lot of information. My first discovery was that the car was used in series 6 of “THE AVENGERS” staring Patrick MacNee and Linda Thorson in the episode “I Wish You Were Here” and “Love All”. What a surprise to discover that such famous people had sat in the car.
In the following weeks I discovered the car was owned by KINGSBUY MOTORS a company which hired action vehicles for cinema and TV productions, police cars, army cars, hearses all types of cars, they were big in the '60s. They owned John Steed's 4.5 litre Bentley, the WHO 5 car used in “Dr Who”, the car from “Dad's Army” and “To The Manor Born” etc. This company was based on the Kingsbury Road, NW9. I think they closed in 1982.
After 10 months research this is what I came up with. It's quite an impressive list.
JUNE 1969: she was used in “My Lover, My Son” a film with Donald Houston, Romy Schneider and Dennis Waterman filmed at the MGM British Studios where the car had the accident which I mentioned when I found the insurance papers. If you see this film, you will see the collision.
1970/71- SHIRLEY'S WORLD, Episode: The Islanders, staring Shirley MacLaine.
1971- THE PERSUADERS, Episode: That's Me Over There, staring Roger Moore, Tony Curtis and Geoffrey Keen.
Sept. 1971- DR. WHO, Day of the Daleks.
July 1977- THE PROFESSIONALS series 1, Episode: Where the Jungle Ends.
Sept. 1979-THE PROFESSIONALS series 4, Episode: Acorn Syndrome.
1979- MINDER, Episode 1, Gunfight at the ok Launderette car driven
by Dave King.
1979- SHOESTRING series 1, Episode 4: An Uncertain Circle.
Oct. 1979- THE PROFESSIONALS, Episode: Week-End in the Country.
Aug. 1980- THE PROFESSIONALS series 4, Episode: Blood Sports.
1981- MINDER series 3, Episode: Dream House.
1980- SUNDAY LOVERS, a film directed by Bryan Forbes. Part 1 of the film is called “An Englishman's Home” with Roger Moore and Denholm Elliot. Roger Moore plays a chauffeur and drives the car. The film was shot in Windsor, Heathrow Airport and in France near Bordeaux at the Chateau de Roquetaillade (supposed to be England).
1982-ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES, Episode: A Touch of Glass. The most viewed episode of the series.
In December 1982 OPH2 was sold to an individual. I am the 10th owner and surprisingly, none of the previous owners knew about the car's glamorous history.
If you remember this light grey Shadow or if you see it in tv series or films, please let me know. As you can see there is a big gap between 1972 and 1977. I doubt the car stayed parked during all these years.
Thank you so much.
ERTYUIO June 2013
williamp said:
That's the one !
Travis Mcgee said:
Top Story and a very fine motor too. That looks really nice. You must post some more pictures.
Agreed!I'm sorry to say it but the new products from Goodwood (just a few miles along the South Coast) simply don't have the same effect on me as seeing one of these stately ladies making dignified progress.
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