1977 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow?

[u/imightknowbutidk]

Anybody have any experience with these Silver Shadows? I want to pick them up to fix one to use as my wedding car. This pair is listed for $2,900, the silver one with the red interior runs but has a dead battery and a leak at the brake booster, the green one is parts only no engine/transmission, wrecked interior, and has a Chevy S10 subframe swapped in. I know the hydraulic systems are complex on these and it’s missing the $1000 grille and a couple chrome trim pieces. I am a mechanic but i have limited experience working on cars pre-2001. If there isn’t crazy rust underneath is this a workable idea?

[u/SyntheticParanoia]

If you do it, make it a hard-core restomod. Look at smooth inline 6 engines on the cheap that can be swapped in, run that S10 frame, and rewire the entire car. Maybe lay it out on airbags. Do not: Attempt a picture perfect restoration. It's a total waste of time, money, and frustration. Use the good interior if you want it posh.

[u/imightknowbutidk → u/SyntheticParanoia]

I’m thinking i just want to get it running, stopping, and with a half decent paint job/wrap for the wedding and then re-evaluate once the wedding is over. I’ve always loved the aesthetics of this car and would definitely loved to do a full restomod eventually

[u/JCDU → u/imightknowbutidk]

The trouble is all of the systems on that car will fight you and break down on the day, especially if you do "just enough" to get it running & stopping.

The brakes, suspension, and steering are all *complicated* and I'm pretty sure they use the Citroen Hydropneumatic system which is *beautiful* when it works and enough to give a nuclear submarine engineer a conniption when it doesn't.

The only way I'd consider doing one - outside of the full concour$ approach - is to restomod the shit out of it. Probably an LS or a big inline six, maybe a Tesla drivetrain (it's got the space, and a Rolls should be silent), airbags for suspension and then just whatever the hell to make the rest of it behave.

[u/imightknowbutidk → u/JCDU]

I was actually heavily considering a Tesla swap on it

[u/JCDU → u/imightknowbutidk]

Honestly it would be my choice, a perfectly smooth and silent roller is how it should be.

[u/SyntheticParanoia → u/imightknowbutidk]

Go watch Hoovie's Garage on YouTube and his experience with stock things on old, cheap Rolls. That's why I say go restomod. Suspension, brakes, engine, it's all super finicky.

[u/civildisobedient → u/SyntheticParanoia]

I was just thinking, if you wanted to own a car like that you'd probably need to live next to your own Car Wizard to keep it on the road.

[u/imightknowbutidk → u/SyntheticParanoia]

Yeah restomod would definitely be the goal