Happy Hallowe'en

It's that time of the year again:

 

A.K.A. time to park the car for the winter -  one last drive before the nasty weather.

 

(Posted by David Irvine)

Plenty of Rolls-Royces

Great spotting!



Love the music.

Another Sad Silver Shadow

This time it's a 1980 Shadow II on Ebay.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1980-ROLLS-ROYCE-Silver-Shaadow-II-Must-LQQK-/170717474700?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item27bf8def8c

 

 

It may be another one which is 'Beyond Economical Repair...' (My favourite 'Flying Spares' term).

I have learnt that it's good to keep a fire extinguisher in my own car.

Hopefully someone will save it.

(posted by David Irvine)

 

 

 

 

Bentley Magazine Photo Development

Here is a pretty amazing video of the photo development for the Bentley Magazine.

Sure you will believe a photo again.

You can read that issue of the magazine here.

Crewe in the 60s

I do like a period factory photo.

This one is from Crewe during manufacturing of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III and the Bentley S3.

Both can be seen here on the factory floor.



Very nice.

Send more in if you have them!

Bonhams Auction at Motorclassica, Melbourne Australia

I'm at Motorclassica today at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne.

It has been a very nice day.



Here is a video of the main event.




Not quite there...

The Sweeney

A great old British cops and robbers series from the seventies starring Dennis Waterman and the late (great) John Thaw. It broke all the rules and set a new trend in crime drama.

Never mind their famous super cool brown Ford Consul and evil handling old Rover Police cars - there are lots of Rolls-Royces in various episodes too. In one of the last episodes during a bank robbery under cover tip off, Jack Regan posing as a security guard is 'hit on' by an older woman claiming to have a 'Powder Blue Camargue'.

 

Another great RR & B spotting British TV series is the late seventies, early eighties 'Minder' also starring Dennis Waterman. Most of the time the villains drove old Jags, but the special people (usually Crime Lords) had Rolls-Royces...

 

(Posted by David Irvine)

Kiwi Ghost

A Ghost spotted at New Zealand's Armstrong Prestige in Christchurch by my Kiwi spy.

I love the graphics on the number plate.

Thanks again to 'Charlie'. 

(Posted by David Irvine)

The Canadian Automotive Museum

There is a place in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada that every car enthusiast should visit.

It's the Canadian Automotive Museum.

A very informative collection highlighting the Canadian auto industry - and there were actually a surprising number of Canadian car manufactures at the turn of the century.

But they also have a number of Rolls-Royces and a Bentley.

A 1926 three litre Van den Plas Bentley, Lady Eaton's (the Canadian equivalent of royalty) 'Ladybird' 1912 Silver Ghost Barker bodied formal limousine, a 1914 Silver Ghost 'balloon car' (maybe...?), a 1935 20/25 Tourer by Park Ward, a 1935 Phantom III Sedanca de Ville by Barker, a 1939 Wraith by Windovers, what I think is a Phantom V by James Young (no sign for it - hidden in a corner behind some boxes..) and a late eighties Silver Spur.

Other cars of note: a 1975 Panther J72, an Austin Princess Van den Plas limousine (my Grandfather had the use of one when he was a mayor many years ago), a Mulliner bodied 1928 Hispano Suiza, and a 1926 Isotta Fraschini Dual Cowl Phaeton bodied by Cesare SALA... - Rodd, any relation?

And of course numerous significant Canadian and American Automobiles.

Here is a video.

Just go see the place for yourself. It's not Beaulieu nor is it the Imperial Palace but well worth seeing -you'll enjoy it.

Maybe I should lend them my old Shadow...

The best five dollar admission fee I ever spent. I did donate a bit more to the museum as I left.

(Posted by David Irvine)

Bentley Turbo R Two Tone with Chrome

Take a look at this one.

Someone loves this car, cares about it and is not afraid to do things to it which are cool, but may not be standard, or actually add any value to the car, but are just cool.

But I really like it!

Clear indicators to start.



But the pièce de résistance is the two tone with the painted bonnet.

It is not what is expected on a Turbo R, which makes it so much better.

The flow from the painted grill surround is just great. Good idea to keep the bonnet centre strip.



Now from the side. Notice them?

Yep, chromed Bentley alloys. Deep down everyone knows that after market alloys on a Crewe car is not really right, so to keep the originals is the way to go.

The late 90s Crewe alloys are hard to fine, so the next best thing to do? Chrome them up baby!



They are cool. I have seen this on a Hooper car as well.



The clear indicators do match the chrome wheels.



The interior does look good. Ii is a 1991 car so think air bag steering wheel is standard, but if not, a nice to update to the interior.



There are proper facilities for picnics in the back seats.



Now to the rear.



Yep, that is a coloured insert on the lower rear bumper. Reminds me of the mesh from the Turbo RT Mulliner rear bumper bars. Like it a lot! Actually it could be mesh...



The delete of the chrome strip around the bumper bars does work well with the black.

Very good work sir!

So if you want it, £10,000 and it is yours on Pistonheads here.

Rolls-Royce Cloudesque made by Heuliez for the Sultan of Brunei

The Rolls-Royce Cloudesque made commissioned by the Royal Family of Brunei.

Three Rolls Royce Cloudesque cars were made, two in 1995 and another in 1997.

They were made by the French coachbuilder by Heuliez.



From the VIN numbers the cars featured 6.75 Litre V8, naturally aspirated, non-catalyst exhaust system engines, were 'built' in Crewe , right hand drive with twin air bags. Build in Crewe I presume means that they were signed off there.

Initially two cars were registered in Brunei and one in the UK.

The registration number plate of the UK car is N282 AMP. If you spot it, take a photo! The Brunei number plates BQ 6363 and KF 7899.



Here are the VIN for the cars.

1995 Rolls-Royce Cloudesque SCAZH008SSCH0006
1995 Rolls-Royce Cloudesque SCAZH00C6SCH00062
1997 Rolls-Royce Cloudesque SCAZH13C4VCH00468

What is new is that Heuliez have posted a photo of the Rolls-Royce Cloudesque in the body-in-white stage of the construction.

Quite a unique photo.



Just take a look at all the detail build around the number plate. Quite amazing. Certainly not done on the cheap, or with any cost considerations I might imagine.

As always, if anyone has any further information and photos please do email.

Please Heuliez, post some more!

Bentley Arnage RL under Metropolitan Police Special Escort

I do like a good convoy. Expecialy if it involved a special Bentley, like this 2008 Bentley Arnage RL.



Have a look closely. They are going the wrong way around the roundabout. I do like the small rear window for privacy.



Presumably the quickest way from A to B.

Bentley Mulsanne in Sydney

Take a look at this Bentley Mulsanne in Sydney.

Nice number plate. 1 WO.



Thanks Will for the photo.

PS. that is an Aussie Ford Falcon ute in the background. Not sold anywhere else in the world.

Rolls-Royce Phantom in Korea

When you don't understand the language, sometimes the mind just wonders.

This lovely Korean girl must be taller than average.

The car is 69 in (1,800 mm) in height. I did not think Keoran girls were that tall.



She certainly likes to open and close the doors.

The Honeymoon Express - Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud DHC by Freestone & Webb, 1957

This is an interesting drawing.

It is by the coach builder Freestone and Webb Ltd and is on the chassis of 1957 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud.



It is a 2 seater drop head coupe Body No. 1827, Design No. 3423C. With fins if you did not notice.

Here it is in real life, in 1957 I think.



The rear fins are not its only party piece. So is its electronically controlled roof. Quite futuristic.



This car was exhibited at Earls Court in 1957 by Freestone and Webb Ltd.



The car was named the Honeymoon express, due to only having 2 seats, and quite large boot space. Nice and appropriate.



Here is the brochure if you were looking to order one in 1957.



Three cars were made with this body design, two Rolls-Royces and a Bentley.

Here is the first, chassis number SGE270.



This was the one displayed at the motor show in 1957.



The second, chassis number SED179, from 1958 which is sometimes on display that the Petersen Museum in LA here.



I'm not quite sure which had the best honeymoon.

Now to the Bentley.



The chassis number is B377EK, and I do like the colour!





Here is another picture of the car presumably before a colour change.



The is Bentley is apparently also in the USA.

Thanks to Flickr users BentleyBoy, RR-B and rroyce0615 for tracking all of them down.