Rolls-RoyceSilver Wraith II 1979 Bullet proof and armour plated! Here is a really interesting find for a Silver Wraith II. The car is a fully armour plated and bullet proof car bespoked specially for its owners who were avid car collectors and lovers of exotic cars. The owners; J. B. Nethercutt and his wife Dorothy Nethercutt purchased the Silver Wraith II new and had the full armament done. For those looking for some interesting "drug lord" and dictator stories will be disappointed. as the Nethercutts were the founders of a a large cosmetics company and not in any way "life threatened" (or not that we know!). They simply liked the idea of having an armour plated car. This Silver Wraith II is finished in 2-tone Walnut over Silver Sand with a mid tan vinyl top and fine lines in gold to the waist-rails. The interior is Biscuit tan with chocolate piping. The carpets are seat matching tan and the same colour theme carries through to the boot. On the rear doors. there are the faint markings of the owners initials. Originally hand painted but worn off thru polishing over the years. The Silver Wraith II is the long wheel base version of the Silver Shadow II. Easily identified by the same rear window (opera window) and standard fitment vinyl top. it is 4” longer in the rear door. This provides a noticeable increase in rear passenger space. This is a Californian and later a southern state car for most of its life so as a result. has been freed from the perils of harsh weather and is very clean underneath. It has always been well maintained and serviced and comes with its original manual. The Armour plating:The task of armour plating this example was monumental and involved some of the best components money could buy at the time. Kevlar. for example. is used widely throughout this car and one has to appreciate that it was only in 1971 that the product first came commercially available and as such. was very expensive. The cost of the armour plating to this Rolls-Royce is estimated at almost $100. 00 in 1980. Specifications: 1-7/8 thick glass to front. rear and side windows Sealed glass on all doors except driver which allows for half opening. Each door has a bolt action lever that locks each door into the frame of the car. Not like a standard door lock. this bolt lock renders the door un-openable. The drivers door has a master solenoid to active all 4 (this feature is currently not functioning) Each door has a spring loaded steel plate "gun-port". Under attack. an individual simply pokes the barrel of his weapon into the gun port and shoots. The outer door skin on a Rolls-Royce is aluminium so the design is to simply "shoot thru the outer skin". All internal space is lined by Kevlar to offer maximum protection. As Kevlar is 5 times stronger than steel. the half inch of Kevlar used on this Rolls-Royce is technically equivalent to 2. 5" thick steel plate. The trunk has an additional barrier of Kevlar and steel plate to protect the gas tank mounted behind the rear seat. The "double floor" of the trunk was used to conceal weapons. The front bumper conceals a 3" steel "girder" welded to the lower sub-frame so as to provide as a strong "battering ram" in a crisis situation The suspension on the car has been stengthened and stiffened for better handling and to support the estimate additional 2-3. 00 lbs weight. The Silver Wraith II presented here has been work-shop inspected with all major work needed carried out. The most recent service just prior to listing included a complete rebuild of the hydraulics and brakes. This plus other mechanical work totalled $10. 00 (full receipts available). The odometer shows a low 53. 00 and although this is not verifiable. the mileage is commensurate with the condition. It is very quiet and smooth on the road without any of the typical “thumps” and “rattles” typical of poor (or even averagely) maintained examples of this model. She is surprisingly spritely given her additional weight. Overall the car is in nice condition but she is not a show car. Best described as a well maintained example that is neat and tidy but with various imperfections here and there. The paint is predominantly original but in hand with that is 40 year old paint technology and finish that is starting to show some blemishes. The vinyl top was changed at some stage and is not the original Everflex but is clean and nice presenting. The interior is "all together" but with the modifications as part of the armament. comes some compromise. The carpets had to be changed to accommodate a revised floor plan shape and so these are not the original Wilton wool. The seat cushions are also not factory finish and we are not sure why these were changed. The door woods were modified to accommodate the thicker glass and the surrounds to the front and rear window have modified trim to accommodate bullet-proofing materials. The factory wood on the dash and doors has some hairline cracks in the lacquer and various chips (rather typical for Rolls-Royce but considerably less than the average example). The car presents well overall but just to be clear. she is not show quality. We describe her as a good 7-8 out of 10. The bullet-proofing and armour plating are what make this car very cool of course and indeed quite unique. Given the eclectic nature of Rolls-Royce collectors and the uniqueness of the marque itself is what makes this car a desirable one to own. Not to mention if you have a real need to protect yourself - it all depends on how many enemies you have! ~~ This very interesting Silver Wraith II with armour plating and bullet protection is a very rare find and just the car you may need! Take her to your next Rolls-Royce meet and you will attract a lot of attention! ~~ Interesting information on the Silver Shadow series The “II” mark provided considerable improvement over the earlier Silver Shadow. In 1977. the model was renamed the Silver Wraith II (Shadow II) in recognition of several major changes. most notably rack and pinion steering. modifications to the front suspension which improved handling markedly. a dual exhaust along with the first-to-market fully automatic dual system air-conditioning system and a modernised and improved dash lay-out. The model represents the pinnacle in design features for the Silver Shadow series that started production in 1966. For extra photos on this fine example go to the link below. The photos are of super high resolution so if you right click on any. you can zoom in and see every little detail and defect in considerable detail. Click HERE to see high resolution photos A note from RRMOTORSINC:For those Rolls-Royce enthusiasts who have followed my auctions in the past I welcome you all. For those who are new to my adverts and/or the marque. please note that as a serious collector of some 30 years. all my cars are truly described examples. I have my own private Rolls-Royce workshop (not open to the public but dedicated to my own cars and fellow RR enthusiasts) with trained Rolls-Royce craftsmen who are proficient in all aspects. As a team. we are dedicated to the preservation of the marque and as such. any car that leaves the stable is completely inspected and work-shopped to ensure mechanical and operational items are maintained appropriately. We adopt a “keep it original” mentality with pride and confidence. offering after sales technical support and assistance well beyond the sale. Because most of my cars are offered for the pleasures of driving enjoyment it is not always possible or practical to seek perfection (in the true sense of the word) but we do always uphold excellence in whatever we do. Our cars are by no means cheap priced cars but we like to think they are amongst the best. To this end. I firmly believe in the famous adage; “Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten. ” We hope you do too. ”RRMOTORSINC is a division of Park-Ward Motors and The Park-Ward Motors Museum. We can always be reached at +1-312-320-6996. **PLEASE read auction terms and conditions below BEFORE bidding. ** ~~ Important note: the $2. 00 deposit is due within 24 hours. If not paid. or if no contact is received within that period. we reserve the right to offer the car to any other party. ~~~~oo00oo~~ This Rolls-Royce is part of a private collection. Although licensed and bonded. I am not a main-stream retail car dealer or broker; I am a professional car collector of some 30 years with considerable experience and knowledge of Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motor Cars. I have a long standing reputation being associated with the marque which I take seriously. I take pride in my cars and have fun in collecting and restoring them. However. auctions are not a game so when you place a bid or offer. and you are the winning bidder. please understand you have entered a binding contract. You cannot bid and win the auction and expect not to meet the terms and conditions. Bidding and/or winning does not mean you are expecting me to “hold” the car until you have the opportunity to inspect it. Any inspection contemplated should be undertaken BEFORE you bid or make an offer and I openly welcome any potential buyer to come and personally inspect the car. Once you bid or make an offer. you are doing so to buy WITHOUT conditions. Your bid can not be subject to anything. A $2000. 00 deposit (non-refundable) is required within 24 hours of the close of the auction and payable by PayPal. The balance of funds are required within 7 days of the close of the auction and must be provided by cashier’s check or bank wire. I cannot accept PayPal for the balance unless you are willing to meet the cost of transfer fees. Full payment must be made (and payments cleared) before the title and/or the vehicle is released. All payments are non-refundable. Payments as described above form an important part of this purchase contract and so. if all the funds are not received as outlined above. I reserve the right to terminate the transaction without notice. If there has been any deposit or other part payments received and I elect to terminate the contract. I reserve the right to keep any such deposits or payments and resell the vehicle to another bidder or interested party or re-list the vehicle at any time. To be clear. if you change your mind for ANY reason and do not complete the transaction in the time-frame required. you will forfeit your deposit. I am happy to assist with shipping arrangements on a national and worldwide basis but the winning bidder takes full responsibility for pickup and/or shipping and at his cost. As a collector and experienced restorer of the marque. I make every effort to bring my cars to a high standard. By comparison. my cars are generally superior to others available but they are by no means perfect. You must expect some issues. Unless specifically stated. the car is not of show standard but of nice "driver" condition. Please understand. show cars of this model cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to achieve and sell for prices commensurate. so the sale price of this car reflects its relative condition. You are buying "condition" accordingly. Buyers should not expect to receive concours quality or "perfect" cars at these prices. Please also understand. the very nature of these classic Rolls-Royces is such that it is not always possible to attend to every item. or perhaps I may have inadvertently overlooked items. Further. and very importantly. these cars are classic cars also because they are old. So this means a 25 year old car is predominantly comprised of 25 year old parts. And old parts will fail. All buyers must understand and expect that things can or will wear out. break and/or stop functioning without notice. This is even more likely with hand-built English cars of early technology when compared to the typical American car of the same vintage. Please note. fitted radio/stereo systems are usually subject to upgrade by purchasers so I do not ensure operation of these. Similarly. cruise control systems fitted to these classics were of an inferior design and I do not check or warrant the operation of these. Suspension and brakes on these cars are complex. We thoroughly check them and replace things that are identified faulty. But please understand. by example; if we change a brake line because it appears aged or faulty. we do NOT at the same time replace all other hoses because they are of similar age. This is considered "preventative maintenance". We do not do this unless specifically requested and is not included in the purchase price. Feel free to ask for this additional service. Further. a feature or function that is working perfectly one moment. may decide to play-up the next. After all. it is some 25 years old. This is the nature of any classic car and especially a Rolls-Royce which was very "complicated" for its era. For this reason it is necessary for the following condition: The vehicle is being sold "as-is/where-is" with no warranty expressed. written or implied. Any descriptions or representations are made with reasonable judgment and all efforts are made to ensure fair assessment and accuracy but they are for descriptive and identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. The seller shall not be responsible for errors in description. authenticity. genuineness. or defects herein and makes no warranty in connection therewith. If any aspect of the description contradicts what can be seen in the photos. then the photos shall prevail as the reference point. No allowance or set aside will be made on account of any incorrectness. unforeseen imperfection. defect or damage. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have satisfied himself as to the condition and value and to bid based upon that judgment solely. The seller shall and will make every reasonable effort to disclose any known defects at the buyer’s request prior to the close of the auction. Seller assumes no responsibility for any repairs regardless of any written or oral statements about the vehicle. Being a classic car in excess of 10 years of age. in most US states. the mileage may be recorded as “exempt”. In this regard the seller makes no warranties as to the accuracy of the mileage indicated or shown and accepts no responsibility for any discrepancy with independent reports such as Carfax. AutoCheck. etc. In this regard the seller makes no warranties as to the accuracy of the mileage indicated or shown. I can hold the vehicle up to 30 days while you arrange shipping but you must immediately insure it. I will not bear any responsibility for any additional costs including storage. transportation. or repair after the close of the auction. Whereas I am happy to store the car in excess of 30 days from auction end. a cost of $35 per day shall apply beyond 30 days of auction end. Also. you must remember that this is a classic +/-25 year old vehicle. and while it is up to you. I do not recommend that you just “hop in and drive it across the country”until you have familiarised yourself with the car. At least. I have never done that. I have always professionally transported the cars in enclosed carriers from where I bought them to my home. PLEASE; IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ABIDE BY THESE TERMS. CONTACT ME BEFORE YOU CONTEMPLATE DOING SO AS. RESPECTFULLY. THERE CAN BE NO EXCEPTIONS. I am sorry if these terms seem harsh but there seem to be some very unrealistic buyers out there - fortunately. only few of these people exist but those that do can make life difficult. so it appears EVERYTHING needs to spelled out. Very simply put. this is an old car being offered for sale. It is not new and is subject to the perils of age. Further. Rolls-Royces are not without nuances. idiosyncrasies and they are renown for a host of design issues which can make them not inexpensive to maintain. This is well documented in many circles. You need to be a special and considerate type of purchaser to own a Rolls-Royce. Their down-side is part of the fun in owning them! As the old saying goes; "we love to hate them and hate to love them!" So. please respect the terms and conditions when you bid. ~~oo00oo~~ ~~ **Please note: As a professional collector and experienced restorer. I have my own Rolls-Royce dedicated workshop with qualified craftsmen on hand; The Park-Ward Motor Museum. As a passionate collector of the marque I take great pride and pleasure in passing on any of these great cars to its next owner (“caretaker”). In so doing. once this Rolls-Royce is sold. I will put the car thru my workshop to ensure that it is mechanically sound and all major features and functions are operating as described even though the car is contractually being sold "as-is". Certain items such as final electrical tests and hydraulic pressure checks are usually left for this stage as these are considered "commissioning procedures". In this case. this will include the air conditioning system of this car. This and considerable other work will be performed after the sale and before delivery. This is all done at NO CHARGE. Who else selling a Rolls-Royce on eBay does this?! Depending on our work load. please allow approximately 7-10 business days for this procedure. For more information on the Park-Ward Motor Museum and our skills. please eBay message me and I would be happy to show you some 100 Rolls-Royces restored to varying levels over the last few years ~~VALUES:Rolls-Royce values vary wildly. entirely dependent on their condition. There are. of course. other aspects that add or subtract from their values – Long Wheel Base versus regular. the year which dictated certain technical changes. etc. The colour alone. for example can make a big difference. So for the benefit of new-comers to the marque please see the approximate guide to values based on a particular model below. Please remember. these are “plus-or-minus” figures: Year: 1977-1980Make: Rolls-RoyceModel: Silver Wraith II Show car: $50. 00+Exceptional: $35-45. 00 Excellent: $25-35. 00 Good: $18-25. 00 Average: $12-18. 00 Fair: $6-12. 00 Basket case: < $6. 00 Hopefully this will provide a reference point for the Rolls-Royce being featured in this listing as it compares to the range of different condition examples. Please note. a very poor condition example that is tired and not maintained can easily demand some $30. 00 in restoration to make it a "nice" example but remember. it will be no longer original. So don't be fooled by "cheap buys". For any specific questions about this unique example of a Rolls-Royce. please do not hesitate to contact me. According to the London based investment research firm; Historic Automobile Group International. classic cars have appreciated on average. 13% per year since 1980. whilst overall stock values averaged an 11% gain over the same period. The following graph charts the value of collectible cars vs. the S&P500.