California Car 3rd Owner Long Wheelbase R-R Owner's Club Member

1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow White with Tan Coach Top Description

We have run out of room!

As avid Rolls-Royce collectors/owners, we have had the privilege of owning twelve (yes an even dozen) Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motorcars. A wise person once said ‘you don’t own a Rolls, you are the caretaker of a Rolls”. Truer words have never been spoken as over 65% of all Rolls-Royce’s ever built (since 1904) are still on the road, hence the term Caretaker.

We have enjoyed the caretaking and driving enjoyment of our vintage cars and certainly would not consider selling them unless it was truly time to transfer the enjoyment to another. That time has come as we cannot renew the lease on our large garage where they live.

Listed here for sale is our 1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Long WheelBase. (in 1977 Rolls changed the name of the Long WheelBase Shadow to Silver Wraith II). Less than 10% of the Silver Shadows built are LWB’s which makes this model so much in demand and valuable. The Long Wheelbase model is approximately 4 inches longer which provides much more legroom and the overall exterior is of the proper proportions. The LWB also is fitted with a much smaller rear window which gives additional privacy and the limousine look. All LWB Rolls have a top covered in Everflex fabric and includes an additional Rolls-Royce Badge on each side to remind you that you are about to enter the finest Motorcar of the ‘70’s! This car is was built in Crewe, England and according to the build sheets “Acrylic White” exterior with a Tan Everflex Coach Top and Tan Connelly Hides. It was shipped from England directly to Los Angeles and commissioned by Roy Carver Rolls-Royce of Newport Beach, Ca. The sticker price in 1976 was $44,225 (the average price of a single family detached home in So. Cal. in 1976 was $38,000—interesting as a new Rolls Phantom Extended Wheelbase is about $480k today).

This car has remained in Orange County and San Diego all its life—that’s right—it is truly a ‘Southern California Car’. Originally bought by a lady in Rancho Santa Fe, Ca. then sold to another local San Diego owner, and then purchased by us in 2012. This Rolls is available for inspection by appointment in San Diego about 15 minutes from the San Diego Airport.

It is a true ‘survivor’. To my knowledge, she is as original as can be as there is no evidence of a repaint or interior replacement. Even the ‘Twin Gold Fine Lines’ (pin striping in Rolls language) is original, although through years of waxing these hand drawn stripes are broken in a few places. The original radio has been replaced with a current sound system with CD and external access for digital input. The paint is beautiful, she has a newer set of Vogue Tyres (less than 5,000 miles on them), the leather is adorned with contrasting piping which is supple and shows appropriate wear (no tears), the Everflex top is excellent, the windshield has a small crack behind the mirror, the a/c blows ice cold, seats, windows, door locks—all issues on a car this age--- work flawlessly. Even the cruise control holds like a new car (you’ll be surprised how smooth 80+ feels in this Silver Shadow with Vogue Tyres).

Actual mileage on the Rolls is unknown. She was purchased from an estate sale and the odometer (like all Rolls up to 1977) doesn’t have the 100k mile marker. Currently the odometer reads 73,000---we suspect the odometer was changed at some time. She drives like a solid Shadow of under 100k miles should: straight down the road, lots of power, solid braking, and her hydraulic ride control keeps her ‘on her lines’ at all times.

Since owning her, we have gone through her completely to be sure she is mechanically sound. All fluids including a full servicing of her complex hydraulic braking and load leveling systems has been accomplished. We have a retired Rolls-Royce Trained Mechanic to help maintain all our fine vehicles. In fact our mechanic was THE Rolls factory mechanic at Roy Carver’s in Newport Beach when this car was taken out of the container and commissioned! You’ll notice a pic of the hydraulic tank—very hard to see the fluid level because it is so fresh and clean! We aren’t experts in the business of auto maintenance, but between our mechanic’s 40+ years of experience as well as our education in owning 12 of these beauties, we feel confident this Rolls is in great shape and would drive this car anywhere, but she is sold as is where is. We have had her registered commercially to allow the proper insurance as she goes out on Saturdays carrying wedding couples on their special day, but now is registered as a private car and insured as a vintage car by Hagerty.

She is absolutely gorgeous as you can see in the detailed pictures, but not a Concours level car. She meets the Hagerty description of Excellent! You will find all the ‘tell tale signs of wear’ are not here---i.e. I think she has always been garaged as we haven’t found any rust, the light lenses are perfectly clear, and the chrome is brilliantly shiny. When we purchased her, they had the wrong catalytic converter installed, which scorched the carpet under the driver’s seat. She is complete with a new battery and very reliable. We are proud long term and active members of the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club and proudly take her on many Club outings. You will be astonished at the ‘thumbs up’ you will receive driving her around town and you’ll always find her parked ‘up front’ by the valet’s as she is truly a stately and beautiful Rolls-Royce.

Feel free to email, call or text any questions and I’ll get back to you quickly. My cell is 619-300-4274 Rick. Thank you for taking the time to review this fantastic LWB Silver Shadow and I welcome you to come to San Diego and see her in person.