NICK YOUNG
ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER SHADOW – CHASSIS NO. SRH 5133. REGISTRATION NY 1
The car was supplied by H.R. Owen and first registered 5th December 1968. Its original registration number is not known. As older members will know, Rolls-Royce was not interested in anything so vulgar as a registration number and only ever quoted chassis numbers.
The car was delivered to its first owner on 16th December 1968. It was supplied with the disastrous Regal Red paint finish (ICI. M. 035-2642) and the upholstery was described as beige VM. 3234.
The body No. was R.77404
The transmission No was RR68-1935
The tyres were Dunlop black (i.e. not whitewalls)
The car was fitted with air conditioning and a radio.
The car’s first owner was John T. Brandwood of Tresco, Clamhunger Lane Mere in Cheshire. No postcode in those far-off days.
The car was subsequently acquired by John Stephens, one of the founders of the clothing revolution in London’s Carnaby Street. He registered the car JSS 11.
It was then acquired by Sir Robin Phillips who kept the car for a year before being bought by me in 1975. During Robin’s ownership, the car was re-registered LEO 30 which I found for him on an old Vauxhall. Leo was Robin’s birth sign and we drove up to Barrow in Furness to collect the “rot-box”, as Vauxhalls were affectionately known in those days. The Rolls-Royce was eventually part-exchanged for my Triumph TR 6 which was registered NY 1 at the time, and the number was transferred from the Triumph to the Rolls-Royce.
The paint was by then already turning matt; as did all Regal Red paint jobs of the period. It was re-sprayed shortly afterwards in a similar (Jaguar) colour with which I was never happy. When Rolls-Royce introduced a similar, more stable alternative, I had the car re-sprayed yet again. That same paint work has remained untouched ever since, and the car’s third re-spray is now overdue.
The car was maintained by Rolls-Royce at North Acton until it became clear they found looking after older models problematic. It has been maintained by Nigel Sandell ever since and underwent a complete engine re-build about five years ago.
The car has been in my possession for almost 45 years and it is likely to remain in the family in the future as my son has been a Rolls-Royce enthusiast since he first drove the car in his early twenties.
Nick Young