[hardhatz]

Glad I found this place!

I've had a Shadow, a Wraith II, a Phantom V, and my present Bentley, which has been re-bodied as a RR. I've had many other fascinating oddballs from Abarth to Willys, with a special taste for Jaguars.

My car is a 1971 SWB, which was apparently a German-market car.
It has metric instruments, no smog equipment, and is substantially faster than any other Rolls I have driven. It was lost to me for several years, then recovered in sad shape, despite its low (100k km) mileage. It is currently apart for restoration.

My PV was a barn-find with 22k miles, parked for almost 40 years. It cleaned up pretty nicely, and ran like a Swiss watch. Having to sell it was not my favorite day...

I have quite an interest in upgrading the RRB cars. I developed an ignition distributor replacement for my cars-with vacuum advance & electronic ignition, which greatly improved the driveablility & economy of the cars. I also have designed patterns to make some replacement door panels which are rather nicer and stronger than the originals.

One day I will get around to improving the handling, and develop an overdrive transmission swap and carburetor upgrade.

In my own car, I have raised the fenderwells slightly to allow the fitment of modern larger wheels.

Cheers!

 

[Stirling]

Hi hardhatz, great to have you aboard - thanks for joining us.

It sounds like you've taken DIY to a whole new level.... we might be picking your brain pretty extensively around here!

 

[Stirling]

Nice picture of the barn-find PV. Can you share the story behind the discovery?

 

[hardhatz]

Back in 1966, a California Lady of independent
means, decided to get married. She possessed (among
other things) a 1960 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Limousine.
Not being such a lady as cares to be seen in a ratty-
looking limo, she sent the car out for new paint and
upholstery just prior to the event.

Wedding Day came and went, and the Lady betrothed
to Mr Right, whereupon they immediately departed for
a month-long honeymoon in Europe. During their travels,
it became her conviction that she was in fact in the
company of Mr. Wrong. She thereupon departed said
honeymoon poste haste, sans new groom, but accompanied
by considerable bitterness. This bitterness was to
be her constant companion for the longest time and
was to extend to The Phantom mentioned above, as
the Phantom was party to the unhappy event.

Feeling this bitterness about the Phantom, she
did something perhaps only another person so unhappy
would understand. She took the Phantom to her mother's
home in the country and left it protected only by
the chickens which roosted on it at night. There it
sat for the next 35 years, its new paint fading,
its beautiful woodwork peeling, but its proud wheels
turning naught. The Spirit of Ecstasy tarnished and
forgotten.

Then one day, an automotive Don Quixote happened
by, and saw the Grand Lady abandoned and forgotten.
This man could see her as she once was, when she was
the Mistress of the highway. He became consumed with
the dream of returning her to her former glory. Her
bitter Madam was contacted, and offers were made, and
accepted.

Upon arrival at my home, tires were aired, fluids were added,
battery replaced and fuel pump replaced, and a few things
fiddled with. The water pump had marks from a pipe wrench,
as someone had tried to turn it over.

The starter was unwilling to turn the motor either. I finally
realized that the water pump was frozen, but the motor was not.
I loosened the belt, and the motor started nicely. Like a Rolex.
No smoke. After I added some ATF to the Hydramatic, it
drove well. My daughter drove it, and pronounced it "cool".

An odd note: This car contained an early mobile phone.
Inside the car was a Los Angeles area Mobile Phone book.
The listings in LA at that time were so few that they fit into
a book printed on 2 sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 paper, and folded
to make a 4-page book.

Sadly, financial pressures necessitated its sale. The car
went to a collector in Germany.

I have posted a few pics of it in the gallery

I did retain the Spirit of Ecstasy as a keepsake of the
finest car I ever had.. (and will ever have, I imagine)

 

[Stirling]

Classic tale, well told. Thanks for the story hardhatz.

 

[koenig]

Not sure if your still posting or around browsing the site. Just noticed your tunnel hull jag powered. Nice Eliminator 21 hull? Assuming its an Eliminator. I'm currently looking at either a Young Blood or Eliminator 19 Daytona--either will be powered with less exotic big block chevy power. Hence the reply, I'm a boater as well.

 

[hardhatz]

Its a Nordic Thor 21 footer, built out in Lake Havasu. Not sure if Orville's still building that model or not...
Nothing wrong with an Eliminator, for sure. But, take a hard look at a Douglas Skater.

The 12 is a little light on torque, but there is a stroker crank that gives 427 to 440 inches & that solves the problem. Also, its pretty light. I don't know how light exactly, but I remember lifting the long block up on a bench by myself, and I'm no body-builder. The cache is over the top.

 

[koenig]

Nordic. Similar to the Eliminator. Both sorta based on the Condor. Kinda like MTI being based on Skater's. More into the smaller, more classic jets and V-drives. Besides the Skater I want is $300 to $400K, rather buy a vintage Bentley project and do something special!

Like this: http://www.oldracingcar.co.uk/section/forsale/bentley-658-litre-special/

VS

http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifieds/2002_skater_46_extreme_class_race_boat-o26463-en.html

The above boats original owner was Paul Tracy. The older smaller Skaters rarely come up for sale.