A shed of a 1972 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow

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Hopefully sometime this week I will try to get it running. Same as my mums corvette which had been sat for 15 years, petrol can on the roof, easy start and pray. Worked for the vette and my e30 which sat for 5 years.

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jhonn said:

(You could try squirting some Easy-Start fluid in to the carbs while cranking to see if it would fire. Rig up a gravity feed to the carbs, etc. Then again, maybe that's getting too far ahead - no coolant in it, etc - tempting though!)

Did pretty much what you said today. Petrol can with a hose attached to where the pump would normally send it to. It then splits into 2 smaller hoses and goes to 2 bowls on either side of the engine. Dont really know a huge amount about carbs as ive never had a car with them but my Mums boyfriend (guy in video) says they are probably gunked up with crud.

It ran! Only on the easystart going directly into the intake though. It produced a spark, without needing to do anything other than put a battery in. Oil is due to be delivered sometime soon, filled up the coolant with water - only needed 2-3l however so its holding some I think.

Excuse the alarm - again... I just have been stealing the huge Range Rover battery out the boot of my E38 so it sets off the alarm each time. Really should buy a battery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wnzeCvAcX0

Not the best video but we got it to run for a while longer afterwards, even built up some oil pressure it seems as the light went out.

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Seems a few of you fancy a update.

I havent actually done much bar getting it to run, not from its own tank however. Sourced a few bits for it, bought everything to service the engine as well.

Have been in the USA for a month and upon return have started uni so have been pretty busy, been sorting my E30 too. Hopefully I might get it into the garage over winter to start on it.

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bmw535i said:

Trabi601 said:

I'd flog everything, buy something that works and concentrate on travelling, booze, good food and women.

Spent a month in the USA, went new york, north carolina, boston, providence - think this counts as traveling considering im in Uni just now.

You imply I dont have money to drink, which is rediculous really. Im young, I like beer and vodka - I dont drink expensive wines.

Good food - im happy with a mcdonalds so never been a top concern.

Women - again you imply I am struggling with this.

You may all have your reasons to dislike me/what I do. If you dont like it just dont open any threads by me. I dont run round in all the "what car" threads recommending old Rolls Royce's.

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Things are slow.

It runs - sort of, still as before running off a petrol can not the tank. Been busy on my other cars which are more important to get done.

Bought a E46 touring off my boss to use as a daily but needed to do a bunch of work for its Mot. Along with the work on my E30 while doing uni + working a job I just havent had time. Hopefully in the new year it will finally get into the garage to have the welding started.

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Live on a farm, space is no problem. Currently got 3x e46, 1x e30, 1x e38, the rolls and a merc soon.

That's actually the picture of it getting delivered to my house I believe. It will get worked on this year, early I hope!!

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SpydieNut said:

- i'm in awe of this undertaking. well beyond my means of restoration (money and skill), but i admire the fact you've taken it on and will watch for updates with interest.

i feel your post sums up exactly what PH is about - a passion for cars and sometimes sod 'sensible'

I don't actually know what I'm doing, never been trained in mechanics, it's all home taught. I'm 22 and working in a bar at the moment so not flush with cash to pay people to do work. Other than welding which I have a friend I just learn as I go and adapt parts to work if the original is expensive.

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I actually enjoy working on my cars. I drive a e46 330i for £700ish all in. If I hasn't have fixed this myself it would of cost north of £1k easily and that's before I fitted coilovers and new tyres. I do like the idea of just buying car that just works but I couldn't afford to run the metal I do if it worked when purchased

I know it takes me ages to get stuff done but between being in the USA 2-3 months a year, starting uni, fixing friends cars, working in a bar and having a social life I don't get a lot of time.

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Jimmy Recard said:

fking hell, not this st again. I reckon he's had way more fun messing with these cars whatever their merits) than he would have, had he bought a recent shape Focus or something

Pretty much spot on. If I'm honest why the fk would I want a boring car that just works when I can have fun instead of being a boring old man with a spreadsheet of how much he saved. I actually have a rough idea of what I have spent on my cars since 17, I'm up to £7k profit nearly as I buy them broken, ignoring fuel as all cars need this. Would of lost money if I had anything remotely new.


So what if I have to mess with my car? I've had plenty of fun in cheap cars, Inverness to fort William in under a hour* in a 1984 defender van springs to mind for a good drive. 65 miles of twistys with the same distance back Wouldn't recommend the defender for such drive though, much easier in the e46s I have.

I've had working cars. Had a l322 Range Rover I did 25k miles in a year which needed for a brake calliper and that's it. A Ford Focus (first car) which needed for nothing really in just under 2 years.

• only possible when no tourists and quiet time, or 3am.

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Trabi601 said:

Erm, who said you had to buy a boring hatchback?

The money sitting rotting in a farmyard could have bought something that is both interesting and working.

Each to their own, but I don't get the 'this is what PH is all about' - it's a collection of semi working and rotting hulks. Any fool can do that! - and I speak as someone with 3 motorbikes without MOTs, and 3 cars with MOTs due within the next couple of months. I've come to the conclusion that it's quality not quantity that matters!

Hate having to get into the finances of this but I am actually making a decent amount of money while driving fun cars so let my try show you why I work on the collection of "rotting" junk. During this time I have had many a boring car (mk3 golf gti 8v, pug 307, honda civic to name a few) which have all required work but were cheap and did the job of being used for 2 weeks while I hunted for my next car.

I only really post the PH cars on here and not all the ste that comes and goes. I change cars on a whim so nothing really lasts unless it gets under my skin. Easy to sell sub 1k cars in the Highlands, not so easy to sell 5k cars. Im over 20 cars in 5 years of driving now I believe.

What would you recommend me then? Last time I spent 5k I bought a Range Rover.

Total value is probably near £13k mark once the E30 is finished and assuming Rolls is worth what I paid. Total purchase price is sub £5k for it all so only got £5k towards a interesting car as in your eyes they are slowly rotting and worthless.

Yes this Rolls is barely working but the rest work, only the E30 and cars being broken have no Mot.
The E30 starts/runs/drives/stops its just being welded up then painted before I decide if I keep it for nice days or try sell to get a M car of some sort. Bought it to make a track car till I realised what I had found and its worth too much for tracking so its having a slow resto due to a friend with a new child doing the welding so limited time.
Got a E46 330i touring daily which needed a weekends work with my friend (neither of us mechanics may I remind you but it saved me near to £1k)
2 e46 in the quarry being broken for bits, one was my old 320 which drank oil so broke it and the other 320 is a convertible I bought for wheels + front seats. Cheaper to buy the whole car and scrap the rest, however its profit if I break it so why not have it sat around.
My old daily E38 is now sitting ready to be sold in the next few weeks as this is a awful time to try sell anything.
Soon a Merc S430 which might end up being the daily and the 330 either gets sold or track car

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C70R said:

All that is lovely, but it's worth remembering what a horrible state that 330 was in even after you "sorted" it. It was still riddled with rust and looked like it had been used to transport livestock inside.

I applaud PHing, but you're bordering on justifying delusion. Owning a series of crappy old cars in poor condition is not the PH dream.

What exactly is "the PH dream" because to me it is loving cars and having fun driving them alot more than what they look like. Who cares what it looks like really? If you are that vain then I think you need to man the fk up and do what makes you happy and not what pleases/shows off to the neighbours/family.

Im not trying to impress people by buying old cheap st when I could walk into a showroom and leave with a brand new BMW on finance. Its actually FUN to mess about with cars and not have to worry about any damage. Ive seen PHers almost blow a fuse over a small parking ding, seems to stressfull a life to get worked up over cars.

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battered said:

I think he's already got one of those...lessee now, not sure if it was the second barn from the left, or the third. Not sure if it *all* went in there, it was missing a few engine bits and the interior trim. Give me a couple of days, I'm sure I can turn it up. I *do* know it wants a sill. Probably 2.

I didn't own the mx5 which is in some random pictures I have online. Was my mums boyfriends, I was too tall to drive it haha

I'm amazed this thread had turned into people more focused on me than the car. If I was any other person people would say good work and goodluck. But because I have a few projects I'm not allowed too. I thought this was a forum for people who like cars to talk about and show their cars.

Can I have a mod block the main culprits?(is this even possible) Sick of having to read the same crap from them. I'm happy so fk them and their boring lives.

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jhonn said:

Slow said:

I'm amazed this thread had turned into people more focused on me than the car.

Well.. the lack of any recent progress is probably the main reason for that; I know you said earlier that you've been busy so it's understandable, but when there's no update on the car then people who are interested will shift their focus elsewhere (and in this case it's on to you and the soundness of your mind and your decisions).

Get some work done! (it's the best way to prove the naysayers wrong).

I understand that, plenty of other threads on here which dont have alot of progress made either. I seem to get the same people on here bhing though. It got updated with a picture of it on a flatbed by someone else so not like I was trying to get attention of them haha.

Should be able to get it into the garage towards the end of this month and start making it run from its own fuel tank. Too cold outside without the log burner going.

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jhonn said:

Slow said:

Should be able to get it into the garage towards the end of this month and start making it run from its own fuel tank.

Looking forward to it - plenty of support for you on here.

It is a thought having to go outside at this time of year to do any work on cars - short days, cold dark nights and stty weather - I don't blame you for waiting until it improves. Plenty of time to get some ideas rolling about in your head...

Doesnt help that my Mums corvette barn find has been populating half of its space for the last year. I know its her garage but its a pain as its on axle stands in bits so cant be moved either.

I have many a idea rolling around in my head and it involves pissing off every single Rolls Royce purist in the process.

I have really crusty front arches so ones like this might well have to happen.

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bmw535i said:

I think where you have seen criticism is wherein slow has asked for advice and then been a bit arrogant and foolish about it. Go and read the M5 thread

Could I ask you to just stay off my thread now? You clearly dont like what I do so kindly fk off back into your cave where you have ancient drawings of my old M5 thread where I ended up agreeing with people and DIDNT buy one.

I can be arrogant and foolish all I fking want you dhead. Its my life, my money, my time, my thread. I havent asked for any opinions I am just showing what I am doing in my own time. If pistonheads didnt exist I would be doing the exact same thing except it wouldnt be online for people to read who are interested in it. Unlike yourself who just seems to be a boring .

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acer12 said:

What I find interesting in your posts is the ambition and hunger when a project is purchased but after a few posts you can see the reality of the project kicking in and then updates start to dry up due to stubborness to acknowledge that maybe the well meaning advice offered by posters should have been taken onboard.

Another element I find intriguing is the constant contradictions

Slow said:

I'm 22 and working in a bar at the moment so not flush with cash to pay people to do work.

2 days later

Slow said:

Hate having to get into the finances of this but I am actually making a decent amount of money.

I have read a few of your threads over the months as they are usually entertaining, it's easy to spot the young ambitious lad in ya, however also easy to spot the little white lies that pop up in an argument to try and justify a course of action rather than say, that didn't work out but so what I learned from it, stuff like claiming that you head to the US 3 months every year is a strange and unnecessary one.

Now imagine if you had bought that m5 with your student loan, you would be in a world of st!

Not flush with cash doesnt mean I am not making a decent amount - work/breaking/selling my old cars gives me more than enough to play with cars. Stuff gets expensive quickly if you pay people to do everything compared to having enough to buy the parts alone.

I do actually go to the US 3 months a year, never been anything here to say otherwise? My Dad and stepmum both live there and pay for it if you must know. Last two pictures are getting to fly along with my Dads boss to the next round of the PGA tour.

Dont worry though, the beard has changed since last year.











Edit: Realised this would come off in a bad light I imagine but getting pretty sick of people trying to call bullst on things which are actually true.

Can we just let this thread die off with the moaning now, im done replying to it as I have nothing to prove. I get it, alot of you dont like what I do. However alot of people do though so im posting it for those who want to see it. If you dont like it dont open it please.

Edited by Slow on Tuesday 10th January 22:30

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I really like the idea of a LS engine in there. Being in the US often and with my Dad there getting one/bits for them is pretty simple. Got no reason I would want to keep the 6.75L as its not fast nor good on fuel so seems abit pointless as the car isnt going to be standard anyway. However there may be another engine which may work. But as you found out the brakes/suspension is a whole different problem on its own.

One of my idea knocking round in my head was use old L322 Range Rover stuff as I have some experience with it. Not sure how easy it would be to make it fit and then work.

Weight is fairly similar so wouldnt be overstressing anything. Air suspension so would keep the Rolls ride with the ability to raise/lower it too. Fit the hubs/brakes, if I remember you can go 18" smallest on the Td6 but 19" smallest to clear brakes on the faster ones, this however would ruin the ride I think. The new hubs would then give me access to tons of different wheels unlike the lack of choice in standard fitment without custom made wheels or adapters.
Fitting the engine from a supercharged one could be a plan but they fetch £4k+ alone compared to getting a LS motor. Would also be harder to get running as not really ever been done, would give me the option of just buying a crashed one and swapping everything onto it though.

Who knows what I will end up doing really.

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I was assuming for swapping almost the full setup from the Range Rover. Not just the hubs but making the sub frames fit the Rolls body. Sort of like your swapping chassis but using a whole Range Rover cut up and fitted below the body.

Pretty much in my head it's buy a Range Rover/ maybe a sport as it sits on a chassis and swap the body's over. Not looked into it too much yet though.

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fatbutt said:

Slow said:

I was assuming for swapping almost the full setup from the Range Rover. Not just the hubs but making the sub frames fit the Rolls body. Sort of like your swapping chassis but using a whole Range Rover cut up and fitted below the body.

Pretty much in my head it's buy a Range Rover/ maybe a sport as it sits on a chassis and swap the body's over. Not looked into it too much yet though.

That's not a bad approach at all. Kinda like Clarksons merc thing on Grand Tour a week or two back.

It'll certainly cure a lot of headaches and will be quick.

Does seem everything Rolls Royce related costs 20x as much so the more I can use from other cars the cheaper the long term costs. Just when stuff breaks it's cheaper to replace/fix.

Not sure what I will do yet as it's early days.

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Craikeybaby said:

Is the L322 on a separate chassis? I'd have thought that a RRS or Discovery on the T5 platform would have been more suited to a chassis swap to a different car.

L322 isn't on a chassis, might be easier to make its subframe fit to the existing chassis to try and keep the ride height sensible without it being a 4x4. I don't want it to be a off-roader but the weight of the car requires heavy duty parts which 4x4s come with. Hence being interested in the Range Rovers for the air to control the height.