Determining value of my vehicle. Need guidance please.

[Restorer32]

We had a '64 RR here for a while. Friend bought it with inoperable brakes. There are two basically independent braking systems on those cars. They use accumulators that are pressurized to about 1500 psi by a pair of pumps that run off the engine camshaft. Eventually we determined that these pumps were not operating because the cam lobes were worn so the engine would have to be pulled. Rebuild RR brakes: Step 1, pull engine. There is also a third rudimentary brake incorporated into the system with hydraulics and a separate "shoe" whose sole purpose is to give "feel" to the braking system. Pretty cars though.

[60FlatTop]

I have some pretty intimate knowledge of the workings of the RR&B (that ain't music) cars from the 20/25's and PI's through the Spirit-Spur (the short name has the long wheelbase). Five years ago when  I was looking for a personal driver for myself I seriously considered an early 1990's Spur. They are a pretty durable car and not hugely trouble prone. I figure the average cost to own one for 10 years would be about $6,000 per year not including the purchase price. There are some very good examples available in the $15-20 K range. The better choice would be to join the RROC and ante up another $10,000 so one could buy a member's car. I may still do that. My membership lapsed and I was looking at renewing it this week. Membership is your only link to survival if you own one of these cars.

 

Anyway, having automotive attention deficit disorder, I ended up choosing the best 1994 Impala SS I could find. It's a long way away from the technical level of the Spirit. Late last summer my friend who is one of the best known Silver Cloud and general RR mechanics in the country stopped by and we took the Chevy out for lunch. As we pulled out of the driveway I said "You know I chose this over a Spur." He replied "You are a very smart man." HE is a very good teacher.

Bernie

[Restorer32]

About 10 years ago we transported a '76 Corniche Convertible for a customer. Car had only 4800 documented miles on it and was absolutely new in all respects. I would have been very happy to have that RR in my garage and the $50k the new owner paid for it was very reasonable in my mind. The previous owner had a tough time selling it as no one wanted to believe it only had 4800 miles on it.

[mrspeedyt]

my experience has been anything that is not currently popular and pristine... you've got a challenge.

[John_S_in_Penna]

... I ended up choosing the best 1994 Impala SS I could find.

...As we pulled out of the driveway I said "You know I chose this over a Spur."  He replied "You are a very smart man." 

 

Bernie, how revealing that a Rolls-Royce expert feels a Chevy is a better purchase!

Your quoted $6000 PER YEAR year maintenance costs, over 10 years--with that money

wisely invested and growing--could buy you a really nice extra car or two or three.

 

I'd rather have the extra cars than frittering away maintenance money on a Rolls---

Edited March 1, 2016 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[JACK M]

I had a 53 Bentley once.

Fortunately the brakes had been recently sorted and gave me no trouble in the few years that I had it.

They have a servo the relies on motion of the car to spool up.

If you put your foot on the brake on a hill and release the parking brake it takes a few feet before you have brakes.

Difficult to parallel park on a hill.

[60FlatTop]

Purchasing a collector type car, as opposed to the utilitarian type, is one of the big three decisions; an old car, a wife, and a dog. The better selection is such a mixture of subjectivity and objectivity that it's a hard and personal task. In my case, the more objectivity, the less I have liked the decision. The Chevy was selected as a car I could run across the state with if I didn't want to take my work truck. Of the three the car is the easiest decision to reverse. I may sell the Chevy this year. I have really developed a fondness for the mid-1990's Bentley Continental R. Luckily my wife would let me get one if I wanted and I wouldn't mind the dog riding in it. I've had lots of cars, a few dogs, and one wife. Seems to be working pretty good.

Bernie

Edited March 2, 2016 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

 I have really developed a fondness for the mid-1990's Bentley Continental R. ...

 

Bernie, if you get a Bentley, let us know on another thread

how it works out.  See if people's estimates of maintenance

costs are realistic.  The $2000-3000 per year was a figure

given me by a member of the Rolls Royce Owners' Club,

and he had to take his car 2 hours away to have the work done.

 

Do you have a R.R.-Bentley mechanic somewhere close at hand?

Alternatively, I hear that Chevettes are the future hot item---

[60FlatTop]

A little humor is hard to get across in a digital world. Are we both failing?

 

I have half a mind to pick one up to test the theories. One RROC member told me I don't even need that much.

 

Today I'm going to stop by and check the progress on a P V that came into a local shop last week.

Bernie

[padgett]

Seems simple enough to me, put a set of 1993 Grand Prix 4 wheel disk brakes on it. Probably stop faster.

[nzcarnerd]

Seems simple enough to me, put a set of 1993 Grand Prix 4 wheel disk brakes on it. Probably stop faster.

Seeing that the Rolls-Royce weighs about a ton more than the GP I would think that even those brakes would struggle.

[Dandy Dave]

Well now, covert it to Air Brakes off of a Mack Truck then.  Dandy Dave!

Edited March 4, 2016 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

I have heard of converting Rolls Royce to Dodge truck disc brakes. Was told the conversion cost $5000 but once it was done, brake jobs were a cinch. Heard this about 15 years ago, no idea if it is true.

[Dandy Dave]

If one has a enough machine tools, welders, and most of all some Yankee Ingenuity anything is possible. Dandy Dave! 

[auburnseeker]

I would have to think that almost any 4 wheel disc brake system would stop it atleast as good if not several times better than the original drum brakes.  I'm not one for converting things but in the case of a RR I might be the first to give it a shot.  Might actually increase the value unless you have a super low mileage well preserved convertible.  Sedans are really not that rare. 

[alsancle]

This is me back in 81 at my Junior prom.  The car is a 59 Silver Wraith with a factory Bentley engine which is bigger.  We have had it since 1963 and t has a 180k miles on it now.  The engine has never been apart.   The only time in 52 years it has let us down was on a 1000 mile trip to Ohio back in 1972 the water pump failed in the middle of Penn on 80. 

 

I can speak for the RR cars in the 50s that were rock solid from our experience.

[60FlatTop]

Here's a picture of a RROC Flying Lady magazine from a couple of decades ago. That's me servicing 201RY. That was the last article John Utz, the long time editor of the magazine submitted before he passed away. I feel lucky to have had a chance to hang around the shop and talk cars with him.

I wrote earlier that I had intimate knowledge of the cars. That is true. Once an owner moves past the Silver Cloud with the Silver Shadows of 1966 and it's derivatives they get into new adventures. If I had just one car I'd be more inclined to get one.

 

I've seen the modifications and economic shortcuts. It's sad. On a Silver Cloud, I think the most common damage is to the power steering ram. It's under the front bumper and is right out there when the brakes don't quite stop. And I've heard the owner ask "Why did you have to replace the motor mounts to do a brake job!"

 

They are all fun, but this topic started with the comment " I know nothing about cars". For that, the choices weren't good.

Bernie

[nzcarnerd]

This is me back in 81 at my Junior prom.  The car is a 59 Silver Wraith with a factory Bentley engine which is bigger.  We have had it since 1963 and t has a 180k miles on it now.  The engine has never been apart.   The only time in 52 years it has let us down was on a 1000 mile trip to Ohio back in 1972 the water pump failed in the middle of Penn on 80. 

 

I can speak for the RR cars in the 50s that were rock solid from our experience.

 I am no expert on Rolls-Royces but your '59 must be one of the very last Wraiths and I guess it has the larger of the three engines used over the production period; the 4.9 litre used from 1955 and also seen in the Silver Cloud and Bentley S1.  The early cars used the 4.3 and then the 4.6 from 1951.

[nzcarnerd]

Here's a picture of a RROC Flying Lady magazine from a couple of decades ago. That's me servicing 201RY. That was the last article John Utz, the long time editor of the magazine submitted before he passed away. I feel lucky to have had a chance to hang around the shop and talk cars with him.

001.JPG

I wrote earlier that I had intimate knowledge of the cars. That is true. Once an owner moves past the Silver Cloud with the Silver Shadows of 1966 and it's derivatives they get into new adventures. If I had just one car I'd be more inclined to get one.

 

I've seen the modifications and economic shortcuts. It's sad. On a Silver Cloud, I think the most common damage is to the power steering ram. It's under the front bumper and is right out there when the brakes don't quite stop. And I've heard the owner ask "Why did you have to replace the motor mounts to do a brake job!"

 

They are all fun, but this topic started with the comment " I know nothing about cars". For that, the choices weren't good.

Bernie

Yes this thread has evolved a little, from Ford to R-R.  There have been some interesting comments relating to Rolls-Royces and I wonder if the thread could be edited by the moderator to have the R-R stuff put somewhere else for future reference

[padgett]

OK the 4 wheel disks on my Jeep GC are considerably bigger and designed for a 5000+ lb vehicle with trailer but the calipers barely clear a 17" wheel. What size is the Rolls wheel ?

ps friend of the family had a Bentley Continental with a fastback design from the '50s when I was growing up that always liked but would rather have a Facel.

[John_S_in_Penna]

Yes this thread has evolved a little, from Ford to R-R.  There have been some interesting comments relating to Rolls-Royces and I wonder if the thread could be edited by the moderator to have the R-R stuff put somewhere else for future reference

 

That's because the original poster first asked 

about his Ford, then quickly followed that up

with a question about a Rolls-Royce.