If you have any intentions of being a well-rounded car enthusiast, you need to experience a super-depreciated luxury car at some point in your life. A 1960s Lincoln or Cadillac would be a good choice, or perhaps a Mercedes or Jaguar from the late 1960s or 1970s, or a 1980s BMW. But what if your tastes are more discerning, and you want your leather-and-wood interior combined with a tall chrome grill, understated, boxy design, and needless complexity? In that case, only a Rolls Royce will do, and to keep the purchase price manageable you’ll have to be very selective. But that’s where RustyButTrusty comes in, finding you this 1969 Rolls Royce Silver Spur for sale for $2950 in Davie, FL.
Doesn’t look too bad for three grand. Sure, the flying lady is missing, but are you surprised considering its surroundings? If this is the original plate, it shows the car to have been originally registered in Newcastle-upon-Tyne between August 1, 1969 and July 31, 1970. Since it’s a left-hand drive car, though, it’s quite possible the car acquired those plates later on, or perhaps it spent some time in the UK before leaving for foreign shores. Either way, as an early Silver Shadow, it’s got tiny sidemarkers, little chrome bumpers, and other details making it more elegant than later cars. The two-tone paint is nice too, and looks in decent condition.
Oh dear, that just won’t do – it seems to have sustained a slight shunt in the rear. Now it’s coming a little clear how this seemingly nice car is in what appears to be a wrecking yard. And the angle of the bumper suggests the left rear took the impact harder, so you’re looking at some body work, new lights, and bumper straightening. And how long has it been off the road? There’s no doubt some recommissioning work to be done.
And this is where the milk crate comes in. While the dash looks decent, one front seat is missing, as are the carpets, and the squab of the passenger seat has been pressed into service so the car can be driven. What does remain of the seat looks pretty rough, too – perhaps its companion is in the trunk if you’re lucky. The passenger side door panel looks to be missing too.
And here’s the final damning blow – oxidized paint on the horizontal surfaces. That said, if you’re feeling mechanically competent, how much fun would it be to run a beater Rolls Royce? Find a junkyard solution for the missing seat, fix the taillight lenses with that cheap red plastic film you get at the local chain store, and spend the rest of your time (and maybe all your money) sorting it out mechanically. When you’re done with it, part it out, perhaps for even more than you’d get for the whole thing… there are certainly worse ways of having one last fling with this old lady.
Tags: british, Feature, rolls royce, sedan, silver spur
Rusty But Trusty 
April 4, 2016 at 10:04 pm |
This a bankruptcy waiting to happen
April 6, 2016 at 2:44 pm |
there seems to be a few roached Rollers and Bentleys in South Fla. there was a derelict 50’s Bentley with a RR hood decaying down the street from our shop in Hollywood back in the 90’s; it’s been awhile since I’ve been in the area but that one on Hollywood Blvd wasn’t the only one I’d see in my travels. My ex told me a tale of her and her friend wrecking her friend’s mama’s Roller driving home from Penrod’s drunk in the 80’s. My thoughts on this car is there’s better things to squander your money on down there.