Lot Ended
Description
1969 Rolls-Royce MPW Two-Door
Saloon
Wonderfully rare and elegant coachbuilt Rolls that
drives beautifully; last owner 32 years; long MOT
First registered in June 1969, this fine-looking
Rolls-Royce Mulliner Park Ward two-door saloon has had just five owners from
new, according to the V5C, the fourth of whom owned it from 1988 until earlier
this year.
Our vendor acquired the car from a deceased estate, the
solicitors handling the sale claiming that the car came with a very large
history file which sadly never materialised. It is therefore presented here as
something of an enigma with no paperwork whatsoever apart from a V5C which the
vendor had to apply for as the original was lost along with all the other
documents.
Currently registered as SCX 635G, it seems to have had the
number GOW 283 from 1989 until 2020, according to Experian, which may perhaps
give a clue as to the identity of the previous long-term owner. Intriguingly it
also comes with two pennants, a Union Jack and an RAF flag, which can be flown
from the car using the fixings installed on the tops of the front wings.
We are told that the brakes were fully overhauled fairly
recently and while there are no invoices to substantiate this, the fluid looks
clean and fresh and they certainly pulled the car up sharply as we moved it
around for these photos. In fact the car started instantly and ran so quietly
that we could barely even hear the engine. It also ironed out the potholes in
our yard as if they didn’t exist, feeling nice and taut with no undue squeaks or
rattles.
The Regal Red paintwork is in very good shape, as is the
exterior brightwork. The cream leather upholstery is also very presentable, as
is the cloth headlining and the red lambswool carpets. The woodwork appears all
original and undamaged although it has lost its sheen and would doubtless polish
up beautifully once refurbished.
An online MOT history check shows that the car has an MOT
until 26th June 2021 with just two advisories: ‘horn operation
intermittent; oil leak but not excessive’. It also shows that the car has been
MOTd fairly regularly over the last 14 years but has covered fewer than 700
miles during that period. The Avon tyres all have plenty of tread left and the
MOT history would suggest that they were probably renewed only 500 miles ago.
Our vendor has done around 20 miles in the car and reports that it
drives beautifully, the only fault he noted being the fuel gauge which seems
unduly pessimistic – he put £65 of petrol in but the gauge showed that the tank
was only quarter full.
This is a very attractive and honest-looking car all round
and it is possible that an inquisitive new owner may be able to piece together
at least some of its history using the services of those helpful chaps at the
RREC or the RROC.
PS: Thanks to a contact at the RREC we now know that
CRH 6595 was originally supplied by dealers Robert
Massey of Market Weighton, York for first owner J L Spooner of Cottingham, Hull
and delivered on 17th June 1969. Further information may be available should the
new owner wish to contact them.
MODEL HISTORY
The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow was introduced in 1965 to
much acclaim for its outstanding modern lines and advanced engineering. It
continued to use the excellent and incredibly smooth and silent 6,230cc V8
engine with a 3-speed automatic transmission but now featured unitary
construction with no chassis as such but with an integrated body and frame. This
gave a strong and light structure and enabled the car to provide more internal
space than the old ‘perpendicular’ models whilst being much lower, lighter,
slimmer and shorter.
A modern improvement was independent suspension all round
with an ingenious automatic self-levelling system powered by an engine-driven
hydraulic pump with servo-assisted disc brakes as standard. Dignified but
understated, the Shadow was an immediate success and sold very well,
particularly in the United States.
However, some customers demanded a more bespoke motorcar,
so from 1966 Rolls-Royce offered a coachbuilt two-door Coupe which was joined by
a Convertible version the following year. With fabulously elegant coachwork
designed by Bill Allen, each and every one was handbuilt by Mulliner Park Ward
in a necessarily lengthy process that took all of 20 weeks and resulted in a
price some 50% higher than the standard Silver Shadow.
Only the very finest materials were used including Wilton
carpeting, Connolly hide and the best burr walnut veneers, giving these cars a
level of quality and glamour that far outstripped the saloon. Demand for these
magnificent cars was so great that the waiting list was measured in years, not
months, a state of affairs that resulted in them being given their own model
name, Corniche, in March 1971.
For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or
email [email protected]
* All charges are subject to VAT