Silver Shadow Info

[cardigankid]

You don't buy a Rolls for handling, imho anyway. The Spirit is a great car, with more sense of occasion than an Arnage for example, but a Shadow is better than either. As a Shadow II owner I would say that of course, but I believe that it is true. It is a seriously exhilarating experience which I recommend, but it is worth getting a good one so you are less likely to get catastrophic shocks.

[AmitG]

For a while I have been thinking about buying a Shadow, Spirit, Turbo or Brooklands (90s vintage, not the latest one!) to be used as a daily driver. The content of this and similar threads has been extremely helpful to me - thanks everyone.

I have a question. I apologise if it's basic but I can't find a definitive answer by searching PH or the web as a whole. Are the Shadows and early carb'd Spirits compatible with standard unleaded fuel? Do you need to use any kind of additives? Are any modifications necessary?

Thanks,

Amit

[tonys]

This might help:
http://www.rroc.org.au/library/unleaded/kelee.html

Basically, all V8s should be okay. When unleaded first arrived, RR dealers adjusted the timing to cater for the lower octane rating of standard unleaded (ie 95), and supplied a sticker showing 'adjusted for unleaded', or something similar. Since then superunleaded has become available, ie 98 or 99 octane, which equates to the old leaded 98 octane, which, IIRC, was the original grade for the Shadows.
I'm sure someone will correct me if I've 'mis-remembered' that.

[AmitG]

tonys said:

This might help:
http://www.rroc.org.au/library/unleaded/kelee.html

Basically, all V8s should be okay. When unleaded first arrived, RR dealers adjusted the timing to cater for the lower octane rating of standard unleaded (ie 95), and supplied a sticker showing 'adjusted for unleaded', or something similar. Since then superunleaded has become available, ie 98 or 99 octane, which equates to the old leaded 98 octane, which, IIRC, was the original grade for the Shadows.
I'm sure someone will correct me if I've 'mis-remembered' that.

Thanks tonys. There goes another excuse for not getting one

[Bluebottle911]

Not sure when hardened valve seats were fitted. Early cars might suffer from VSR without them, but probably not as very low-revving in general use.

[tonys]

According to contemporary road tests, the early Shadows needed 100octane (5 star) fuel, but 98 octane was the stated requirement when a '76 model was tested, the change having been introduced along with a lower compression ratio. Graham Robson's book on the Shadow etc. states (p.109) that following ever more strict emission regs in the USA in the 70s, a catalyst was introduced in 1975, with the engines being retuned to run on lead-free fuel. No mention of other work other than 'retuning', and it would be my guess that the lower compression ratio was introduced at about the same time.
No mention of valve seat inserts.

[2woody]

a couple of things there......

whilst a cat was introduced in 1975, it of course was only introduced on US cars, not being introduced here until 1990 or 1992. I would have expected different specs of engine for different markets until maybe 1994. Certainly when I left the engine department, there were different angines for USA (not California), USA-California, Europe ap are from Switzerland, Switzerland and R.O.W.

Hardened valve seats were fitted to all aluminium-head engines.The real choice is over these being hard enough to prevent valve seat recession.

[tonys]

2woody said:

a couple of things there......

whilst a cat was introduced in 1975, it of course was only introduced on US cars, not being introduced here until 1990 or 1992. I would have expected different specs of engine for different markets until maybe 1994. Certainly when I left the engine department, there were different angines for USA (not California), USA-California, Europe ap are from Switzerland, Switzerland and R.O.W.

Hardened valve seats were fitted to all aluminium-head engines.The real choice is over these being hard enough to prevent valve seat recession.

Agreed re cat in 1975 was for US, didn't phrase it clearly. Your last sentence is the crucial one; does anyone know of any issues with early cars and valve seat recession???