question about Rolls Royce silver shadow II - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pastmaster · #46 10-04-2006, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobTheMod

The Silver Shadow is hardly one of their finest efforts. As such, it is an expensive boondoggle as a car to actually use. And it's not pretty enough, in the manner of a Phantom I or II, nor even a Bentley Continental, or even the "dry land gin palace" Corniche... to warrant its horrendous upkeep. This is speaking as someone who has been forced to work on 1970s RRs in a shop.

Rolls-Royce has a certain something, and a Bentley Turbo R or any of its turbo 6.75 litre descendants have a Blue Train kind of torque-monster, screw the aerodynamics kind of brute force panache, but a Silver Shadow is bested by its contemporaneous S-Class in any measure you might think of, in my not so humble opinion.

How does it *really* stack up next to a 6.3 or 6.9? The 1971 Shadow that I had a hand in the $10k worth of repairs to compared unfavorably with the W126 300SD I drove home at the end of those days...

Rob and my learned and respected Gentlemen;

I tend to agree with Rob, that in Modern Times, The Silver Shadow reflects waiting for something bad and expensive to happen! It still has the RR Spirit, but not the Passion of the Pre-War (Both WW I and II), When they really were the Best that could be made--To last for a lifetime. The Silver Ghost is the Spirit of RR and of The British People! It did achieve the excellence that Henry Royce, created for a motorcar.

WHunter, my excellent tutor on this site, showed us the extremes the RR has gone to in the Braking and Leveling Systems. The Hydraulic Spheres (Cannonballs) that have to be recharged periodically, can't do that at Pepboys or Walmart. Re-reading the manual on them scares me and what's left of my wallet! The complete set of Manuals for the RR SS is 6 or 7 Volumes. I don't recall if that includes the Electrical Manuals. They seem to do better if they are driven daily, like they are at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong? There are many better machines!

Our MB's, Ferrari's, BMW's etc. have their own distinct personalities, but RR is it's own above the rest. It's place defined by it contribution in the Victory in the Wars and it's 100 + years of existence. It has survived time. That is it's past. With BMW purchasing it. RR is not that any longer, that era has finished! It may be a better machine today with BMW's input and money, but the RR of history ceased when production stopped at Crewe.

Jorn · #47 10-04-2006, 01:28 PM

What about the Rolls-Royce Corniche convertible? Always loved that car, would not dare to drive a Rolls in LA, feel already on save in my friends 911 turbo!

Jim B. · #48 10-04-2006, 01:31 PM

Quentin Willson's Picks "High Rollers" Top Gear 10/97 (UK)

Bentley T2

For: Huge Value, Huge Fun, Huge Thirst
Against: Huge Thirst, Huge Bills, lots of woof-woofs, a bit of a barge on corners

Still a class act, Not too dear to run if you find a tame specialist. Beautifully constructed and eternally fascinating. Service history paramount, never buy without. Dark colours flatter, Mason's black favourite. Mechanicals will outlast you. Shrewd selection is all, be very fussy

What to look for: Rotten wheel arches, sills, wings & rear quarter bumpers
ruined interiors, shabby timber, leaking suspension accumulators, corruption on top hat wishbones, ticking hydraulic tappets, duff electric seat/window motors, leaking PAS

Rolls Royce Silver Spirit

For: Value, breeding, politically incorrect
Against: A bit passe now, roly-poly handling, OPEC-Busting thirst

An uplifting drive that raises the odd eyebrow. Bentley Mulsanne in dark colors can be upspecced to Turbo R. Fuel injection and ABS after 86 and automatic ride control after 87. Four speed auto after 91. Quality mileage and provenance are all.

Avoid: light metallics, white, baggy high milers with no history, horrid interiors

What to look for: Ticking from top of engine, blue smoke, vandal scratches, creased seats, stained headlining, front tire wear, soggy suspension

Bentley Mulsanne

For: Pedigree, presence, panache
Against: Prodigous thirst, envy factor

Overall: Almost down to Silver Shadow Money. A softly spoken but speedy leviathian, the Mulsanne is one of the best value prestige cars. Long-life V8 and rust resistant body means most outlast owners. Mediaeval mechanicals, so njot too tragic to run as long as you bypass the cuff-linked dealer system.
83-85 turbos worth seeking out. Colour/history have big effect on values. ABS and injection after 86.

Avoid: Anything without history, tatty interiors, dated colours

What to look for: Signs of clocking, vandal damage, cam ticking, power steering leaks, duff shockers, pitted chrome, creased leather, warped brake discs

And time out for the Mercedes S class 126 fans:

For: Plutocrat image, hewn from stone, quality, space, comfort and authority
Against: Anesthetised feel, expensive to keep, depreciation becoming heavy

Overall: Wonderful value and still a class act. SEC saloons very sexy. Gentle restyle after 86. Later replacements cost mega bucks, so values firm. Blue-black and dark metallics look best. Leather and aircon desirable. Superb value if well bought- service history a must.

Avoid: 280/300 manuals, pimped up 500SECs. Thistle green, petrol blue, white, brown, ivory

Whagt to look for: timing chain rattle, low oil pressure, jerky autos, tired shockers, clocking, cracked windscreens

Corniche Convert: "CAR" magazine UK
For: Sails along
Against: Slack at the tiller
Sum Up: Dry Land Gin Palace

Fun, fun thread!!!
+++++++

pastmaster · #49 10-05-2006, 06:23 PM

Just in time to add more Petrol to the fire; I received this from Valvoline today.

http://www.valvoline.com/carcare/articleviewer.asp?pg=pht20060901rw&cccid=4&scccid=6

whunter · #50 10-05-2006, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jorn

What about the Rolls-Royce Corniche convertible? Always loved that car, would not dare to drive a Rolls in LA, feel already on save in my friends 911 turbo!

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Rolls-Royce%20Corniche%20convertible&btnG=Google+Search&sa=N&tab=wi

pastmaster · #51 10-05-2006, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Rolls-Royce%20Corniche%20convertible&btnG=Google+Search&sa=N&tab=wi

Guys, I can't leave this RR extavaganza alone! I also have a RR Corniche Convertible story, that shows the RR Spirit, if that's the correct term?

I was driving a 1968 RR Mulliner-Park Ward Drophead Coupe, White Body and British Parliament Green Leather Interior, this is pre-Corniche, by a couple of years, on S. State St. and S. University, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This is at the Michigan Union Area, the heart of the University of Michigan Central Campus.

It was a fine early Fall, afternoon, I had the Top down and after having stopped at the 3-way Stop Sign, I begin to hear cheering and applause coming from one of the Fraternity Houses along S. State, and then another! What's happened? I thought it was the White / Green Colors of Big 10 Rival Michigan State Spartans, that I was driving, not the Maize and Blue of the University of Michigan Wolverines, that were appropropriate for the setting and location.

These guys are bowing-saluting me! I stopped and asked them why me??? What Happened??? They said, "It's the RR Convertible! You have made it!!! A SUCCESS IN BUSINESS!!! We humbly bow to you! This is TRUE!!!

This is the stuff of RR Legends, that I am refering to.

t walgamuth · #52 10-05-2006, 11:26 PM

i have often thought that an early 50s or late forties rolls or bently wouldnt be too bad to maintain. straight six, crank windows, drum brakes probably not assisted, probably manual windows and a stick tranny.

they have a solid front axle too.

i would love all that leather and wood inside.

what about it roy? would this be tough to keep on the road too?

tom w

#53 10-05-2006, 11:33 PM

I have heard of people starting the old '40s and '50s RR models "on the spark". Does this mean that they can be started by just turning on the ignition and the resulting spark ignited the fuel vapors and it just starts? Am I crazy? or can this really be done?

t walgamuth · #54 10-05-2006, 11:43 PM

i think to find manual spark adjustment you would have to get back into the thirties at least, maybe the twenties.

it works, i am told. the way it works is the cars have incredible compression and virtually no leak down. so when you shut it off one cylinder will be sitting there with a compressed charge of combustable mixture. so you take the manual spark adjustment and swing it to the top then to the bottom. this will cause the compressed cylinder to fire and the engine starts up.

if they sit too long or the rings are worn it wont work, though.

tom w

Hatterasguy · #55 10-05-2006, 11:47 PM

The problem is you can only drive one after you are extremly successful, and then only on weekends. I can just imagin trying to do a deal with a Royce parked outside, everyone will play lets screw the rich guy.

Me "I'm worth 6%." Seller "You drive a Rolls, 3% is enough for you I have to put my kids through school."

You can just barely get away with a MB, because they are commen enough now.

t walgamuth · #56 10-05-2006, 11:54 PM

a few weeks ago the elderly widow across the street died. her husband was a wealthy accountant. he got wealthy by being the accountant for national homes corp when they were all young back after ww2. the story goes that he sometimes had to take his pay in stock, then sold it when it was really worth a lot.

he was famous locally for buying the first rolls in town.

i read that henry fords accountant got rich the same way...and his secretary!

and he did drive it every day, afaik.

tom w

#57 10-06-2006, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

i think to find manual spark adjustment you would have to get back into the thirties at least, maybe the twenties.

it works, i am told. the way it works is the cars have incredible compression and virtually no leak down. so when you shut it off one cylinder will be sitting there with a compressed charge of combustable mixture. so you take the manual spark adjustment and swing it to the top then to the bottom. this will cause the compressed cylinder to fire and the engine starts up.

if they sit too long or the rings are worn it wont work, though.

tom w

Thanks for sharing. I have asked people I know for years and they all said that was impossible.

pastmaster · #58 10-06-2006, 12:14 AM

Hi Tom and John.

If I can add my knowledge on the subject?

Tom, after WWII, there was a shortage of everything in Europe and The UK too. Gasoline was scarce and expensive. RR/Bentley sold a compact size to us, car. These had the improvements like independent front suspension and servo/mechanical assisted brakes. They are good driving cars. The Silver Cloud series are what most people think of when RRs are discussed. The SCI, II, III are basically the same car with a 5L-300cid Inline 6 cylinder engine, and the later series have the V8s. My favorite was the SC I to drive and OWN! Because of their less complication. RR's are never simple! Tom, as you can see I can talk forever on these cars.

John, Lot's of the early cars could be started on the "spark". The Silver Ghosts were easy to start when the engine was up to operating temperature and not too much leakdown of the mixture had occured. A battery-coil ignition was needed, but it could be fired on a magneto, if you are lucky! I used to do it with the Ghost and also a 1919 Cadillac V8--57 Touring Car, like General Pershing used during WW I. You could tell the condition of your engine by doing this. Leaking compression, you couldn't do this.

I see you guys were talking to each other on the site as I was slowly typing this out, you got the facts right! Click click...BANG! Sometimes!

t walgamuth · #59 10-06-2006, 12:22 AM

so are the late forties early fifties simpler to maintian than the later cars?

or just as complicated in different ways?

tom w

pastmaster · #60 10-06-2006, 12:59 AM

Tom, they were simpler because the high tech stuff and expensive parts, wasn't really incorporated until the Silver Shadows and they were sold form 1966 on... The Mid-50's Clouds and the Ghosts as well as some of the others too, are the ones to keep for a lifetime! The new ones maybe fine too, but, it takes a lot more money and the depreciation will kill your bank acct.
RR would purchase a new Buick Roadmaster Limited from GM, in the 1930's to study it's design and incorporate any usable ideas into RR Motorcars. It was Buick who RR considered a Benchmark, look at the design of the Clouds. I'm sure Cadillac was involved and MB, too.

The earlier post-war Clouds and Wraiths, have their own baileywicks! That's a RR word.

Albers Rolls-Royce in N. Indiana, near you I think, would be a great place to spend an afternoon, to learn all about this. It really is another world.