Crewe or Goodwood: which Rolls-Royce cars does the workshop look after?
The modern history of Rolls-Royce falls into two chapters. Until 2002 the cars were built at Crewe, alongside their Bentley cousins; since 2003 they have come from the Goodwood factory, under BMW ownership. An independent Rolls-Royce specialist has to know both worlds: the mechanics, the materials and the diagnostic tools have almost nothing in common.
The workshop looks after, from classics to recent models:
- Silver Cloud I, II and III (1955–1966), on a separate chassis, with a six-cylinder engine and then a V8 from the Silver Cloud II;
- Silver Shadow and Silver Shadow II (1965–1980), the first Rolls-Royce with a monocoque body, and the long-wheelbase Silver Wraith II;
- the Corniche, coupé and convertible derived from the Silver Shadow, and the Camargue, styled by Pininfarina;
- the Silver Spirit and Silver Spur, from 1980, followed by the Silver Seraph;
- the Goodwood era: Phantom (2003), Ghost, Wraith, Dawn, Cullinan and Spectre, the first electric Rolls-Royce.
From the Crewe V8 to the Goodwood V12
Classic Rolls-Royce cars share a light-alloy V8 introduced in 1959 and enlarged from 6.25 to 6.75 litres in 1970; the company famously described its power output only as “adequate”. Its smoothness depends on careful ignition and fuel settings, a healthy cooling system and sound engine mountings. On the Silver Shadow and its derivatives, the high-pressure hydraulic system is added to the list: the page on the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow explains how it works and what to watch.
The Goodwood cars rely on V12 engines of BMW origin: naturally aspirated in the first Phantom, twin-turbocharged in the Ghost, Wraith, Dawn, Cullinan and current Phantom. Air suspension, numerous control units and a dense electronic network call for a diagnosis with the proper equipment before any part is replaced. Servicing a Rolls-Royce, classic or recent, follows the manufacturer’s programme.
Veneers, leather and carpets: the interior first
In a Rolls-Royce, wear shows first on the inside. Book-matched burr veneers, lacquered in several coats, craze or cloud with sun and humidity; leather cracks on the cushions and bolsters; deep wool carpets and lambswool rugs flatten with use.
Rolls-Royce upholstery is carried out entirely in the workshop: seats, door cards, piping, headlining and carpets, faithful to the original or in a colour scheme of your choosing. The restoration of the woodwork is organised within the same project, so that wood, leather and wool come back together in harmony.
Separate chassis or monocoque: two kinds of restoration
A Silver Cloud and a Silver Shadow are not restored in the same way. On the former, the body sits on a separate chassis that can be dealt with on its own; on the latter, the body carries the car, and corrosion in the sills, floors or subframe mounting points affects the structure directly.
The restoration of a classic Rolls-Royce therefore begins with an inspection of the structure, before paint, brightwork and interior. Two-tone finishes, common on these cars, call for a crisp division and an even coachline. You receive an estimate itemised line by line, then photographs of the key stages.
Rolls-Royce and Bentley: shared engineering
From 1931 to 1998, Rolls-Royce and Bentley belonged to the same house: the Bentley S is the twin of the Silver Cloud, the T-Series that of the Silver Shadow, the Mulsanne that of the Silver Spirit. The same work applies to both, and the Bentley page covers the models specific to the Crewe marque. For a first opinion, an estimate from photographs and videos can be prepared remotely.