If you were driving down the highway and saw a Rolls-Royce at a car wash with a FOR SALE sign on it, would you stop and look? Well, I did (of course!) The car was beautiful, and apparently in mint condition. Price? $12,000–a lot of money for a 1987 Silver Spur, but still “attainable”. I walked around the car (without kicking the tires!), and I thought “Can I really see myself buying this Rolls and tooling around in it? What would that be like?” Ah, yes–I’m a dreamer, and now I was conjuring up another fantasy.
I went into “car inspection mode”, studying every detail. Just then the seller magically appeared–“average age” adult, intelligent, non-threatening, friendly. We talked about the history of the car, its condition, its special features, and possible problems. It was a nice day, I was in a good mood, and I was seriously considering making an offer.
What struck me about this Silver Spur was that while it was unquestionably recognizable as a Rolls (especially from the front), its overall styling was rather sedate and minimalist–almost like a Mercedes, a Jaguar, or even a Volvo. But definitely upscale. The vinyl roof adds a touch of ’70s brougham to its appearance, a material called Everflex and used on various high-end British cars over the years.
The car’s minimalist feeling continues when you open the driver’s door and behold the interior. There is a lot of beautiful wood and leather, and the craftsmanship is of a high order. But at the same time things look a little austere and primitive–like that plain black steering wheel. Looks like something out of a Checker cab or a GMC school bus. But I figured that this was a throwback to the Classic Era when most cars had plain black steering wheels, even in the luxury class.
The Silver Spur was a variant of the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, first announced in late 1980. Under the skin, the Silver Spirit and Silver Spur were still based on the ‘70s Silver Shadow II, but they had revised styling and some mechanical updates. The Silver Spur was the long-wheelbase version of the Silver Spirit, with 4 additional inches aft of the B-pillar, and longer rear doors.
This was not the first time I was checking out a used Rolls-Royce. Back in the late 1990s someone who lived locally was selling a 1977 Silver Shadow II like this one. To my amazement, my father actually supported the idea of me buying it. I don’t remember the price–again, not cheap, but seeming like a bargain compared to what it sold for new.
The seller drove the white Rolls to our house. I have to say, it looked magnificent parked in our modest driveway. He handed me the keys. Wow, I get to take the Silver Shadow for a test drive! To me, this is really exciting. I am going to drive a Rolls-Royce! This may be my new car! What’s it like? Well, here’s what I remember: As you would expect, it’s smooth, quiet, with “sufficient power” (6.75 litre V-8, 189 to 220 HP).
It drives somewhat like a big American luxury car of the time–generally soft and level, but with some lack of control over big bumps and dips. It feels solid and heavy (and it is heavy–about 4800 lbs.) The big thing is–you feel really rich driving it! And in that pre-SUV era, you sat a little higher than all the “proles” in their lesser machines, giving you a feeling of lofty superiority. The view across that creased hood–terminating in a classic upright radiator grille topped by the Spirit of Ecstasy flying lady–such splendor!
However, there was trouble in paradise. As I increased speed above 40 MPH, I noticed an odd shimmy or vibration. My brother (who knows a lot about cars and is very mechanically inclined) was sitting in the back seat. He noticed it too and said, “I don’t think you should buy this.” Uh, oh.
When we got home, we opened the hood. It dawned on me–this is not a car you can work on yourself. Everything is stuffed in there with no room to maneuver or reach things. There are all these unique and over-engineered systems. So this Rolls will almost certainly need professional service when something breaks. Will parts and labor be painfully expensive? Yeah, probably.
I felt like I was getting in over my head. And then I thought, how absurd is it for young me just a couple years out of college to be driving around in this super-status mobile? Especially since I was working a low-level office job at the time. “Oh, yes–that Rolls-Royce belongs to our file clerk.” LOL!
So I told the seller, “Sorry, I’m not going to buy it.” He wasn’t particularly happy about my decision, and he stormed off in a huff. I still feel bad about telling him no, since I completely understand that when you’re the seller, you really want to make a sale–and when the deal falls through, it’s very disappointing. But what am I supposed to do? Buy a car that’s not right for me just to make the seller happy?
Almost thirty years have passed, and things are a little different now. I definitely think that it would be very satisfying to own and drive a Rolls like this, but as a collector car for occasional use, not a “daily driver”. The 1987 Silver Spur is a little less ostentatious than the 1977 Silver Shadow (but not as beautiful). Yet it’s still a classic Rolls, with everything that implies.
At this point we run into what I call “The Great Eternal Problem” of car collecting: lack of space. It’s like, there are so many cars you love and want to experience, but you’re very limited in terms of how many cars it is practical to own at one time. I know of two rather wealthy individuals who solved this problem by “building bigger barns”. One local fellow I knew had 33 cars stored in two barns at the time of his unfortunate passing. “You can’t take them with you.”
To acquire this Rolls I would probably have to give up my ’59 Chevy to make room. And the Chevy is more my thing. With its basic and robust mechanicals–six cylinder engine, Powerglide transmission and power nothing, parts and service are significantly less expensive and complex than on an exotic Rolls-Royce.
But I still have my Rolls-Royce dream. Maybe in the future circumstances will change, another opportunity will present itself, and I’ll be gliding along the Great Highway of Life in my Rolls.
Further CC reading:
1995 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur III–I’m #3, So Why Try Harder? by Tatra87
Curbside Outtake: 1980’s Rolls-Royce Silver Spur Mark I–She’s Seen Better Days by Jim Brophy
Wordless Outtake: 1977 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow II–Dignity by Joseph Dennis
Me? While I have officially sworn off European cars (your-the-peeon) for life after my 245 Volvo, I wouldn’t hesitate to work on a Rolls. It might even be fun!
I think you made a **very** wise choice passing on that car back in the 90s! I helped a friend sell an ’85 Silver Spirit around the same time. It was cosmetically a duplicate of the ’87 pictured, minus the vinyl roof. It had about 80k miles but had been well-maintained. There’s no denying it was a quiet, comfortable, and handsome vehicle, but to be honest I was distinctly unimpressed with the car overall. As you noted, it generally drove like a large American sled, although its driving dynamics seemed extra “squishy” to me, even though the hydraulics were inspected and in perfect working order. Power from the 6.75L was “meh”.
I realize it’s subjective, but it did not exude an aura of quality or being well screwed-together. This both surprised and disappointed me, since it was a pampered one-owner vehicle. I also received a rather haughty reception when I phoned a local RR dealer inquiring about some trim replacement pieces. All in all, I was glad to see the car go. We sold for about $19k USD to a gentleman that bore a passing resemblance to Liberace…which seemed a perfect fit for both parties! Hopefully he and the Rolls are still out there happy together…
Stephen, my thoughts exactly on the steering wheel and column. Looks like they were plucked out of a Kalamazoo parts bin.
Back in the late 80’s, I would often park my 57 Chevy 210 sedan next to a 70’s Silver Shadow at the weekly Galloping Hill Cruisers meet at 5 Points in Union, NJ. It looked pristine and was whisper quite when running. The owner and I would chat. When I asked about repairs and parts availability he responding by stating each time it went to the shop he left a blank check with a “not to exceed” note attached!
My 210 was equipped like your 59 but with a 3 speed. I had no such issue!
I’d really rather have your ‘59 Chevy.
It is a neat car but I am not sure this particular Rolls Royce would meet the threshold of special enough to justify the costs and downsides of owning a Rolls. To me a Silver Shadow II is infinitely more special but would be tough to make a good of making a daily driver on a budget. You are likely wise to pass on both.
I definitely feel the pinch of space (and time to work on / enjoy) specialty cars.
A 1950s RR might be a better choice: they look more distinctive and they’re undoubtedly easier to fix. And if the six cylinder in it goes bad, you could always swap in the six from your ’59 Chevy. Who would be able to tell the difference?
This ’54 R Type sold for $16,900 on BAT not long ago. Needed a bit of work, but looks pretty solid.
This looks very similar to the car Joan Collins bought after she was made a series regular on Dynasty. For that reason alone I’d consider buying it 😘
If I had the resources, I would love to own a 1980s Rolls-Royce. The car’s minimalist qualities (sedate styling, anachronistic interior, etc.) are what attract me, and I like Silver Spirits and Spurs more than the Silver Shadows. But I’d need to have the kind of resources where I wouldn’t be fazed by insanely expensive replacement parts, and labor. And even if I suddenly stumbled into that kind of money, I’d probably conclude that buying a Toyota Century would provide much of the enjoyment, but with a less temperamental car.
And I love your story of the Silver Shadow in the 1990s. Good thing you avoided that one… amusing, though, that your father actually supported you looking at it.
A few years ago, a Silver Shadow was for sale at a gas station around here – if I remember correctly, it sat on their lot with a for-sale sign for at least a year.
I noticed that Silver Spur was from New Jersey. I believe it was better and more modern car than the Silver Spirit — it is nothing wrong about Silver Spirit, but it is a 1950s design. Silver Spur has some modern design feature although those are never important for RR.
BTW, three years ago I saw a 2006 Bentley Arnage for sale at DCH Honda at Old Bridge, NJ, it had only 70k miles, and asking for $27k . Not bad, wonder what type of engine it had.
Also Duncan of Virginia is the used car dealer. I often go to his dealer website to look at its Japanese JDM inventory. It often carries over ten Toyota Century with mileage under 100k kilometers. Century is real luxury car, probably has better workmanship than Rolls-Royce, it also has a better reliability for sure.
I follow Hoovie’s Garage on YouTube. Tyler has had a couple of Rolls Royce and Bentley cars of the era. The cars are money pits. They are highly complex and when you have one thing fixed, then another pops up. There is a reason these cars come cheap and it’s not because of their reliability.
In the late ’70s, business was good and while my Volvo was being serviced I stopped by the local Rolls dealer. Sitting on the showroom floor was a gorgeous 3-yr old (can’t remember the model) in gold/cream. Detailed and with new tires. Best of all, it was 40% cheaper than a new one!
I was hooked! Fortunately, logic and my wife intervened. And I realized that it would be tasteless in the extreme at that stage of my life (the word bougie hadn’t been coined yet)
Still….
I always joke that I do not have the proper lands and titles to own a Rolls Royce. And I like to drive, nothing more vulgar or crass than driving your Rolls instead of riding in the back lol.
That’s why things are rather plain up front. The owner is not the one that’s going to be driving it!
If you want to drive, buy a Bristol instead!
I went down the Rolls rabbit hole a few years ago on YouTube. This was before I was on my Jaguar kick. They have some things in common; unusual and complex engineering approaches to simpler systems used in “lesser” cars. Many parts are not only expensive, but also almost unobtainable. Another big problem is finding a competent shop to work on them. New car dealerships won’t work on anything that old, and indie shops often prefer not to. I thought that I could handle most of the work on my Jags, and I could, and did. However old electronics for the ABS system and complex hydraulic designs, just for the regular service brakes were a sticking point. I’m not saying that it can’t be done, but it takes a lot of commitment and a fat wallet, along with the attitude that spending a lot of money on a car with middling value is an acceptable proposition. However, the heart wants what the heart wants.
I too looked at a similar model Rolls for sale 20 (? maybe more) years ago at the used car buy here pay here lot on the S/W corner of Hawthorne Blvd. and 118th street, they said asking $14K , I looked but didn’t even test drive it because I have extensive experience with old British vehicles and many decades ago a high school buddy of mine who also went into the Mechanic’s Trade, briefly worked for a local independent Rolls garage (it turns out that back then if you took the factory R.R. service training your could hang out your indie shingle with “ROLLS ROYCE” anywhere legally) , anyway, after work we’d hang out and work on his Hod Rod Dodge Challenger and he’d tell me humorous stories of how they were built and what went wrong .
IIRC at that time they has GM engines and the sturdy TH400 slushbox .
Anyway, in a year or so that car sold and soon turned up nearby street parked in front of an apartment, after a week the hubcaps got stolen and after a month it stopped ever moving .
There’s a reason older Rolls are always just affordable, I remember a crappy, low budget Ron Howard movie that of course, in the end he wrecked the no close ups Rolls, as it flew through the air one could see the rusty undercarriage and hokey-pokey home made exhaust system it had .
-Nate
These cars do have TH400, but the engines are the Rolls-Royce “6.75 Litre” V-8.
The basic problem with something like this is that once any car depreciates to 10 percent of its original list price, things are going to going to start getting dodgy, and these were originally $120K+ cars.
“The file clerk drives a Rolls-Royce? Do you have any more job openings for file clerks?”