1976 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow with sunroof (very rare) and low mileage

1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow With very rare factory sunroof Description

Stunning two tone white and deep blue with less than 30K miles. Has very rare original working electric sliding sun and moon roof. Starts right up, brakes and shifts properly, but periodically stalls, may need fuel pump and new fuel filter. It will need to be towed. Non-OEM dual exhaust without cats so can't be registered in California (which is why I’m selling.) Clean AZ title and current registration in my name. Will need A/C work, fuel gauge inoperative, electric seats and radio (8 track!) not functional. Paint is shiny but starting to craze. Very little rust for a car of this vintage. Has typical British car leaks, hydraulics work fin and most hydraulic lines have been replaced. The previous owner had brake works.

This is a drop dead gorgeous two-tone blue over white Rolls Royce Silver Shadow for the price of late model economy car. It is one of those cars that should never depreciate, while making you look like a million bucks with front of the restaurant parking and continuous double takes. If you don’t like attention DO NOT BUY THIS CAR! All kinds of people will want to have their pictures taken with car – you have been forewarned! I’m an old dude, but still get a kick out of jaded Southern California girls going ga-ga over this car.

I purchased this car about two years ago. I live in California, and because it is a 1976 model, it needs California Smog Equipment to be registered here. While it is located here in Sunny Southern California, it is registered in my name in Arizona. Neither you nor I can register it in California unless you get it retrofitted with smog equipment, so it is only for sale to out of state buyers. This is why I’m selling it for half the NADA value (AZ DMV valued this car at $32,000.)

What is good

It’s a freaking hand-built Rolls Royce! Often imitated never duplicated. As of this morning, this car is showing 29,153 miles. I have no way of verifying if this is accurate, but from the condition of the engine bay and interior, mechanics tell me this appears right. Nothing is perfect on a car this old that hasn’t been extensively restored, but this car presents very well. The leather is in good condition, everything looks original except for fuel pump, the newer somewhat throaty dual exhaust and the Nardi-like wood rimmed steering wheel. There are thick wool carpets, floor mats and removable wedge footrests in for the oh-so-pampered rear seat passengers. I put new tires on it this year. There are no dents and very few chips. And about that sunroof, I’ve never seen another SS with a factory sunroof (actually Rolls Royce sent cars to a company in France to install the sunroof.) The sunroof even works, I can’t tell you how many cars less than 10 years old have broken sunroofs.

What needs work…

This car starts right up, it idles, accelerates, shifts, stops, turns etc. with aplomb. But occasionally it will lose power and stall. Sometimes it’ll start right up, other times I’ve had to have it towed back up the hill where I live. My mechanic believes it is electrical. I think it is due to the non-OEM fuel pump and possibly clogged front fuel filter (in the base of the dual SU carbs.) I purchased a used original replacement fuel pump and a used replacement alternator to cover the bases. But because I can’t register this baby in CA, I’m leaving the to the next owner to install. The fuel gauge doesn’t work; it keeps blowing the fuse – so am not sure what’s going on there. (I could be out of gas for all I know.) The right rear window is v-e-r-y slow to raise, the electric seats don’t adjust and the radio is disconnected – but you do get a vintage 8-track tape player for authenticity! My plan was to install a Bluetooth receiver and amplifier to play music from my iPhone (the pieces are included in this sale.)

Sorry about the ‘stream-of-consciousness’ here, I’m trying to remember what else is wrong. The paint looks good from about 10 feet away, it is very shinny and rich looking. However, it is starting to crack/crazing(?) on the roof. There are very small rust spots around the sunroof, just surface rust – but you’ll want to fix this to create a show car. Also, there are no rear seatbelts, so these will need to be added.