[shanebarber]

Hello. I just acquired my first Royce, a Silver Shadow. It is currently in need of restoration. As is typical, it had been sitting for 5 years before I acquired it.

It runs and drives, but the brakes and hydraulic self-leveling suspension must be replaced. Yes, I know that this repair is extremely costly, but I wish to at least try to repair it using the vast amount of info I've found on the internet.

My last daily driver was a Jaguar and my current daily driver is a Saab, so I am well acquainted with quirky cars with silly designs and constant repairs.

I need to refinish all of the wood, redo the interior, all of the electronics, tune-up the engine, replace the Lucas lights, and repaint the car. I am looking for experts for the wood restoriation, for sure.

For now, I am simply trying to decide on the most appropriate paint job and interior colors. The original color is Mason Black with tan interior and black dash.

While it was a recommended color, I really dislike the black dash and feel it would appear more elegant if it matched the interior color.

I would like to perhaps make the car Black over Silver or Silver over Black with a Tan or Mahogany (discouraged) interior and matching pipes.

I am up for suggestions on the best color combinations. I am not interested in making a show car, so I basically want to exercise creativity while keeping it as authentic as I can.

Regards,


Shane - Jacksonville, FL

 

[guyslp]

Shane,

You should definitely see:

http://www.rrsilvershadow.com/EIndex.htm

to research almost anything there is to research about the Silver Shadow/Bentley T (the SY series cars) and derivatives.

There is extensive information there on the available color choices over the life of these cars, including color combinations.

The section with animated diagrams of the hydraulic system are a must see for a new owner.

FYI, Crewe generally only used dark leather on the top roll of the dash unless the owner specifically requested otherwise. They felt that the higher reflectivity of lighter colors posed a safety hazard. If you ordered a light-colored top roll you had to sign a letter. My '78 Shadow II (which was originally Chestnut Brown, and is now a Range Rover cranberry metallic) came with a dark brown top roll and piping with light tan hides.

Good luck with your venture. These cars are not cheap to maintain, but the expense can be greatly reduced if you do some of the work yourself or can find a good mechanic locally who doesn't to into "oooooh, he just drove up in a Rolls-Royce [lick lips, rub hands]" mode.

There is a great deal that the semi-ambitious to ambitious amateur can do in rebuilding the hydraulic system. The only one that's a real pain is the rebuilding of the accumulators (or getting at the hydraulic pumps to rebuild them, now that I think of it). You can definitely get the necessary hoses for *far* less than Crewe originals cost, and that meet precisely the same standards.

 

[shanebarber]

Thank you so much for the information.

This is by far the most incredible site I've seen on the subject.

Thank you so much. It is such a beautiful car. I can't wait to make it, well, safe to drive =)