| Author | Message | ||
     Jeff Cheng Experienced User Username: makeshift Post Number: 33 Registered: 2-2016 |
I was 6 years old when my parents and I migrated from Hong Kong to Australia in 1992. My father was never a 'car guy'; as car ownership was uncommon in Hong Kong; but for whatever reason, a few years later came home with a cream Silver Shadow II SRH36915. Being 9 at the time, it was unlike anything I had seen or ridden in, the sum of my automotive experience being Matchbox toys and my parents' Nissans. It was better appointed than our living room, and more comfortable than out couch. Of course by then it was a 15 year old top end car, and my father being the automotive layman he was, brought it back to the local authorized RR dealer for servicing, where he was charged and arm and a leg. My father was financially savvy, but I'm guessing even he could not justify this servicing cost differential between this and his 3yr old Nissan, and so SRH36915 was sold 3 years later. This was his only automotive foray, turning him sour on any automotive enthusiasm, and making him shake his head anytime cars come up as a hobby. Deep down I know that despite being one of my fondest childhood memories, he regrets owning that car and would be deeply disappointed if he knew I had recently bought one too. So what brought on this post? I was at my parent' house flicking through old photo albums and came across this. I think I'll recreate this photo with my SY1 sometime when my father is overseas...  | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 585 Registered: 4-2016 |
Great read Jeff. It's a shame he did not enjoy his car. Where is it now? Tell him now mate before he finds out from someone else. | ||
| Alan Ford Experienced User Username: herne13 Post Number: 29 Registered: 8-2016 |
Thanks for sharing Jeff. Nice read. | ||
| ross kowalski Prolific User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 156 Registered: 11-2015 |
Jeff, I like the idea of the photo, but where are you going to find that purple jump suit in an adult size? | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 586 Registered: 4-2016 |
ROFL Good one Ross. Maybe this can be the uniform for Amsterdam. | ||
| Jeff Cheng Experienced User Username: makeshift Post Number: 34 Registered: 2-2016 |
Patrick; I have no idea where the car is now, but I admit I only found the car number yesterday. Maybe I'll make some enquiries with the RROC brains trust. My father and I have an odd (but comfortable) relationship, where as long as he knows I'm OK he prefers to be ignorant of things that might upset him. In my mother's words, "Nice car, but don't tell your father. Save us both from his lecturing." In reality, I plan to tell him down the track, once I have the proof that they are not the financial black hole he experienced if you are willing to get your hands dirty once in a while. Ross; great idea. I have no idea where one woild get a purple tracksuit, but it sounds like a second hand store shopping trip is in order! | ||
| Jean-Pierre 'JP' Hilbert Prolific User Username: jphilbert Post Number: 158 Registered: 9-2013 |
Jeff, You can get such a track suit done by any tailor. It will definitely be worth the effort & expense to have a 2016 pic of yourself with your car! Try local tailors or Thailand! Few if any of us could claim the same heritage! Keep us posted! JP | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1156 Registered: 5-2015 |
My love of SS1s started in 1970s when my new boss lent me a 6 month old black T1. It was absolutely superb. It was almost as good as a Jag XJ12 except the T1 didnt go wrong. The XJs suffered from electrical and injection faults. The owners of new cars expected better. Once out of warrantee the XJs were returned. | ||
| Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Grand Master Username: soviet Post Number: 621 Registered: 2-2013 |
My love of RR/B was due possibly to the lunatic that partially raised me. A daddy figure who said trust me then died leaving an estate of around 7 million. Oh yeah I got zero. But his yap was Rolls Royce was best car in the world but Jaguar Mark 10 has the best brakes. For himself apart from being a Mercedes Benz agent he had a new 1964 Pontiac Grand Prix and I have fond memories of being flung about in the back seat (no belts needed) at well over 100 mph as he polished off the local hoods in their under powered Aussie cars. I told this fool that one day I would own a Rolls Royce. He told me I would not like it. He was wrong. Jeff I say pick him up for lunch one day in your car. When he starts to lecture just agree with him but add that you have your eye on something more sensible like a 180 mph Bentley Arnage in London. Yes you will look the part in that purple jump suit in Crewe - quite dapper really. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 596 Registered: 4-2016 |
My earliest memories of a Rolls Royce I fell in love with was FAB1 from the Thunderbirds. The magnificent grill and kneeling mascot and the Rolls Royce logo was what set me on the path to loving the Shadow shape which was released 2 years after I was born. Thunderbirds was in full swing right about then as well so both were in my face everyday. I do like the SSI most, but I have seen some lovely front shots of SSII that I have to admit are strikingly modern and very good looking from some angles. Quite amazing really how the same basic thing can look so different through the ages of its model run. | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1536 Registered: 4-2009 |
Where it all started for me was when I bought my first "dirty car magazine" in 1977. I was only 16 and the Rolls-Royce Corniche was the most amazing car on earth at that time. I still have the copy of that magazine from 1977. If sir had caught me with that magazine at school I would have been toast.  . | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1884 Registered: 9-2004 |
Omar, cripes this reminds me of Mayfair mag, now where are the copies I have, how things move on. Found them and in 1987 Mayfair had a few pix of my Jowett's one the Bradford from my apprentice days. The Alfa also in another Mayfair write up.    After progressing to a Stag V8 in the late seventies it was soon time to have a proper V8 engineered car. This was the 1974 SS1 and still going strong. |
