Lot Ended
Description
Rare LWB example with division and reduced-size rear window; ex-Lord
Grade and in single family ownership from 1976 - 2016; very smart and driven 60
miles to the sale; lots of history
Supplied new by Lex
Mead of Maidenhead in 1972, chassis LRH 12423 was supplied in Shell Grey
with a dark blue Everflex roof. The upholstery was dark blue VM 3209 Connolly
and it was ordered as a long wheelbase model, with division and a smaller rear
window. It was very exclusive, the conversion to LWB being undertaken by
Mulliner Park Ward before it left Crewe.
It was ordered with the electric
division, cruise control, electric windows and central locking, dual a/c
systems, dual radio 8-track stereos (now with iPod jack), electric front seats
and wool over-rugs and drop-down foot-rests.
It's first owner is listed
as Leslie Grade Ltd, the company owned by Lex and Lew Grade, the cigar-smoking
Impresarios responsible for much of Independent Television, as well as the
Thunderbirds puppet series and who bought us all The Muppet Show!
It
lived with them until 1976, presumably wafting around Soho with the
rich and famous sitting behind the electric division. Its next owner lived in
Berkshire, the car remaining in their family ownership until 2016.
A
much-loved member of the family, it did service at all of the family
weddings, took them to Henley, Ascot and the Polo and was regularly maintained
and used, although by 2017 it had still only covered some 81,000
miles.
In 2003 it was treated to a bare metal respray - thankfully
painted in its original shade of ICI Shell Grey. The bill for this came to
£10,300 and there are photos on file of the work. In 2006 the vendor had the
interior wood trim restored, the radios sorted, seats re-Connollised and a full
service, the bill for this lot coming to £3,750.
There are
multiple bills on file to show care and maintenance, the current owner acquiring
the car in 2022 and using it regularly. His intention at the time had been
to buy a Cloud, but when this Shadow 1 came along he couldn't resist,
although Brightwells have subsequently been able furnish him with the Cloud
that he had always dreamt of, hence the Shadow's inclusion in this
sale.
The V5C shows six former keepers, although most were from the
same family and it retains its original buff logbook, old style logbook and
ownership history. It also has its original book back, including the
handbook, serivce book and delivery sheets and has been running and driving
around Brightwells as one would expect having been driven some 30 miles to the
sale.
There is lots to like about this low-owner, low-mileage LWB Shadow
1 and the Lord Grade provenance only adds to its appeal.
Contact
[email protected]
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