Not A Rolls: 1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Custom Cloud

The story of the Custom Cloud modified Monte Carlo is long and tedious...and not one I am willing to recount, other than to give you the quick version..which is; from 1973-1977 a small company in Florida put some fiberglass front and rear ends on the 2nd generation Monte Carlo to make it look vaguely (in the same sense that Danny DeVito looks vaguely like Arnold Schwarzenegger) like a Rolls Royce, until the corporate goons at Rolls sued them and stopped the insanity...anyway, you can read the entire story of the Custom Cloud here and here...or you can buy one of the 14 examples built.  Find this 1976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Custom Cloud offered for $12000 in Las Vegas, NV via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

What Could Go Wrong? 1980 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith II

I'm just going to leave this next car here with a simple comment: a 40 year old Rolls Royce Silver Wraith for about 6 grand!??!  What could possibly go wrong??!  Find this 1980 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith II offered for $6500 in Downey, CA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Chevy V8 Powered: 1972 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow

If you've never been to the LA Inland Empire...let me tell ya, you ain't missin' much.  It is connected to the web of pavement known as the Greater Los Angeles Area, but was ceded to the "Desert People" many years ago and most cities combine the charm and sophistication of Orange County's wide roads & strip malls with summer temperatures that would make a Bedouin cry for relief. However, there are a few highlights --or hidden gems -- such as the city of Temecula that combines a shockingly high medium income with golf courses, reasonably priced homes, and vineyards that offer respite from the scorching temperature.  This next car exemplifies the diamond in the rough character of Temecula and seems like a good deal. Find this 1972 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow offered for $8500 in Temecula, CA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

Masochistic Tendencies: 1990 Bentley Turbo R

The Bentley Turbo R wasn't just ahead of its time (with features like dual climate zone control in the 80s) it was also so ruthlessly complicated that ownership 30 years later requires an undeniable amount of pedigree or masochistic tendencies. Power in the Bentley came from a Rolls Royce 6.75 liter turbocharged V8 that pushed something in the realm of 300 horsepower and 485 ft-lbs of torque (Rolls never released official power output figures in a coy "gentlemen don't tell" sorta manner) into a GM turbohydramtic slushbox.  Expect even the smallest repairs to cost serious coin if you take it to a Bentley expert..but ownership shouldn't be that bad if you are handy with a multi-meter and a wrench. Find this 1990 Bentley Turbo R offered for $14,900 in San Antonio, TX via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Safe At Speed: 1975 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow

Whenever I make the mistake of taking a tour around on public streets, I am aghast at the vehicles that I encounter.  All manor of economy cars are clogging up lanes and people even seem to think it is appropriate to drive electrically powered automobiles.  Particularly offensive is anything that doesn't have the class, elegance and unfettered weight of something like a Rolls. Find this 1975 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow offered for $8000 in San Jose, CA via craigslist.

Dat Top: 1978 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow

The Rolls Royce Silver Shadow was introduced in 1965 and has the remarkable distinction of being the first Rolls to be built with unibody construction.  Rolls built and sold an astonishing 30,057 examples of this ode to opulence before it was replaced with the Silver Spirit after the 1980 model year.  Find this 1978 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow offered for $6,500 in Rancho Murieta, CA via craigslist.  Tip from Rock On!

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh...Say What? 1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, later known by his Cher-like nickname "Osho," was born in India as Chandra Mohan Jain. Ranjneesh developed a technique known as dynamic meditation, through which his followers could achieve enlightenment or a closer connection with the spiritual being through a process that began with sex...probably with him.  Anyway, in the 1980s he fled a hoard of angry husbands/fathers by heading from India to Oregon where he established a large commute of almost 2,000 people, and it was here that he had a Rolls-Royce painted in the craziest peacock paint job you've ever seen.  Find this 1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur offered for $44,900 in Bedford Heights, OH via hemmings.

Begging Your Pardon: 1982 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit

The Silver Spirit replaced the Silver Shadow in 1980.  It was meant as a short term stop-gap until the smaller, more fuel efficient SX series.  The SX never made it past the experimental stage, and the Silver Spirit soldiered on for 20 years over four "marks".  In 1982, a "mark 1" Silver Spirit would have set you back $111,000 ($277,000 in 2016 dollars).  Today, you can pick one up for the price of an econo-box. Find this 1982 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit for sale in Kirkland, WA for $11,950 via craigslist.

DTO: Pickup The Grey Poupon: 1961 Rolls Royce Dually

This crazy monster first showed up in a comment by K2 Mystery Car -- and I wasn't going to feature it because the price was insane.  But, I kept seeing visions of this thing in my sleep...nightmares really...so in order to appease the dually gods, I figure it might be a good idea to feature it.   Find this 1961 Rolls Royce Dually offered for $75,000 buy-it-now or make-offer, here on eBay located in Port Richey, FL.  Tip from K2 Mystery Car. 

10k: Shabby Chic: 1966 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow James Young Coupe

Ludacris once eloquently stated, "I left the Jag and I took the Rolls." Mr. Christopher Bridges (now that's an English name if ever there was one) is right. $12,000 is a price point shared with an assortment of Jaguar road machines - cars with similar class and arguably similar lurking electrical problems - and, of course, a Nissan Versa. But no Jag can approach the panache of a classic Rolls Royce, let alone one of 35 built by English coach builder James Young. Find this 1966 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow James Young Coupe in Front Royal, VA for $12,000 via craigslist.

10k: German For Manure: 1980 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow

The Rolls Royce Silver Shadow replaced the Silver Cloud and was originally planned to be called the Silver Mist...however, the English word mist translates directly to crap (or manure, dung, rubbish, muck, droppings) in German, so the smart folks at Rolls HQ in Crewe, England decided to change the name to Silver Shadow.  It is a shame they didn't keep the "mist" name as the Silver Shadow hasn't exactly kept price pace with classics such as the Silver Cloud, Silver Dawn or Silver Wraith...quite the opposite and much of the original owners $65,000 is very much in the toilet in today's used car market.  Great for us bargain shoppers, not so great for 80s royalty, despots, warlords, drug dealers and oil executives.  Find this 1980 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow for sale in Santa Clara, CA currently selling on craigslist for $12,000 FIRM.  Tip from the King of Kraigslist...Kaibeezy who says: I suppose the maintenance costs would cover you in Colman's hot mustard and eat you alive, but still... how cool to DD an RR.

10k: 1971 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow

The Rolls Royce Silver Shadow was built from 1965 to 1980 and was the first unibody car from Rolls - a departure from their historical use of body-on-frame construction.  It cost an arm and a leg new -- but today you can buy one for less than the price of a new Honda - so why drive beige when you can drive silver?  This 1971 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow is for sale on ebay for $8000 buy-it-now in San Jose, CA.