Issue 1 • 2014-2015 THE SPIRIT Official magazine of the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club SZ Register EVERY MODEL COVERED All production data CARS, OWNERS, EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES If it’s SZ, then it’s in here FREE TO ALL RREC MEMBERS AS A PDF FILE. A PRINTED COLLECTORS’ EDITION IS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM SHOPTHE CLUB FOR ALL OWNERS AND ENTHUSIASTS OF 1980s AND 1990s ROLLS-ROYCE AND BENTLEY CARS THE SPIRIT THE SPIRIT New | Reconditioned | Recycled www.flyingspares.com Welcome… … to The Spirit, produced by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, and aiming to cover all aspects of owning and enjoying a Rolls-Royce or Bentley SZ car What I really like about Registers is that We decided to buy a Rolls-Royce on the Silver Spirit stylist they are the home of anoraks; and I am day I turned 40. Back then, in March Fritz Feller summed proud to be one. For me, it is sheer bliss 1996, I knew no more about Rolls-Royce it up for me when to research certain models, really going than I did about any other make of car. In the new model was into their history. I love meeting like- May 1996, after a thrilling three-month announced in 1980: minded enthusiasts to kick tyres and search, I bought my wonderful 1969 Silver “Nothing in this discuss important things such as a missing Shadow that I have owned for 18 years. life is so dull and pinstripe on a hubcap, or why their leather My desire to learn as much as I could miserable as the ‘average’ and ‘mean’… smells better than that of my own car. about everything Rolls-Royce and Bentley Once we regard dreams as a waste of I am 46 years old, I live in Germany and, had ever created was overwhelming. time, magic also dies. That is why Rolls- Specialising to date, I have owned 10 cars from Crewe. My investigations into facts and figures Royce motor cars must always remain I joined the R-REC started then and I have never looked back. true to our best traditions.” in parts for all as a schoolboy and In 2000 I set up www.RRSilverShadow. Keeping that dream and the magic I am one of a dying com and the next year I began publishing alive is what SZ ownership is all about. breed who likes to articles about the cars. Other milestones The aura, the feel, the smell… the sense 1980 to 1998 SZ models add the hyphen would follow, such as the membership of occasion you get from sneaking out to between the ‘double of international clubs, annual visits to the garage to have one last caress of the Dedicated to all post-1945 models of Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor car we offer: R’ in R-REC. That’s RREC Rallies, days of research in the Hunt bonnet, one last peek at the dashboard. because I am an anorak and, therefore, I House archives, and the creation of my Owning a Rolls-Royce or Bentley fulfils • Unrivalled stocks of New (Genuine & Aftermarket), Reconditioned & Recycled parts know that it’s important! second website www.RRSilverSpirit.com. a lifelong ambition for many of us and • Ten experienced salesmen dedicated to offering you the fastest service and best prices I used to have a green 1981 Silver Spirit The world of RR&B has brought me into it can take years to find the perfect car. • Fully searchable web catalogue offering photographs and exploded parts diagrams called “Kermit”. I used her every day contact with an unbelievable number of The best source of information comes • Website also includes Tool Hire, Recommended Garages, Cars For Sale, Gifts & Manuals for seven years, covering up to 40,000 enthusiasts, an insight into the heritage from listening to the experiences of other • Worldwide mailorder facilities including fully encrypted web payment system kilometers per annum without any of cars that were owners, so it is great to join Juergen who • Free catalogues available on request or as a download from our website problems. Other Rolls-Royces followed only dreams when lives near Cologne (and whose enthusiasm and, two years ago, I bought a 1995 MY I was young, and knows no bounds) and Marinus from The Brooklands which I drive as often as I can. enormous joy from Netherlands (who has forgotten more SZ Last year, for example, I travelled 3,000 being privileged facts than I will ever learn) in producing kilometers across England in her. to travel in many The Spirit. There was an Englishman, a I must say I was surprised to learn just of these ultimate German and a Dutchman… it sounds like what constitutes an SZ and how many are cars. My interest in the SZ generation the opening line of a bad joke but is, in in our database. We now have a brilliant increased a few years after the last car fact, the start of a fantastic adventure. magazine, we will receive technical help left the factory in Crewe and my research I have been amazed by the knowledge from knowledgeable people, and we will into them has led to data and overviews and enthusiasm of SZ owners who have have a lot of fun. I hope you will enjoy that had not previously been available. I sent us articles from all around the world. this Register as much as me and I also can help owners and fans with facts about To them, I say a heartfelt “thank you”. hope you will become an active part. It’s a their favourite SZ models and with insights I hope you enjoy reading their stories place for car nuts, anoraks, and for those into the heritage of of these spectacular and they make you want to join the SZ who want to make friends as part of a big modern cars. I can’t wait to meet you, Register and share your own experiences family around the globe. either on-line, or in person with your car. in the next issue. Juergen Buech Marinus Rijkers Richard Charnley [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 2 Issue 1• 2014-2015 THE MAGAZINE OF THE ROLLS-ROYCE ENTHUSIASTS’ CLUB SZ REGISTER THE MAGAZINE OF THE ROLLS-ROYCE ENTHUSIASTS’ CLUB SZ REGISTER 2014-2015 • Issue 1 3 THE SPIRIT THE SPIRIT Sign up today – membership is free! Who can join A membership form to join the the SZ Register? SZ Register can be downloaded at the Register page on www.rrec.co.uk or Contents by emailing [email protected] The RREC SZ Register welcomes every or [email protected]. Please owner or enthusiast of these charismatic FEATURES complete the form and email it to cars. That means any Rolls-Royce or 3 WELCOME either address above. Bentley that has a “Z” in the fourth Introducing the first issue of The Spirit position of the chassis number and was 14 IN SZ-lEBRITY WHEELTRACKS built between 1980 and 2003. Bentleys with famous owners 40 16 THE FIRST TEN YEARS Eligible cars include: How the Silver Spirit came of age • All Silver Spirit and Silver Spur models, 21 PICNIC TIME Mulliner editions, Park Ward editions, Meet register members at Hythe from 23 to 25 May, 2015 stretched limousines and division editions 22 A GOOD CLEAN FIGHT • Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn (1995-1998) Class 17 concours winners at the Annual Rally 2014 and Flying Spur (1995) 30 THE BOY’s bENTLEY • All Mulsanne, Mulsanne S, Eight and How a schoolboy dream came true Brooklands models, long wheelbase 32 LA GRANDE CORNICHE Bringing a convertible back to as new condition editions and stretched limousines 38 RULE BRITANNIA • All Bentley Turbo R and RT models, Mulsanne S becomes a work of art 38 and Mulliner editions 40 LIVING WITH A SILVER SPIRIT • All Bentley Continental R, S, T and SC A used Rolls-Royce as an everyday car models, Le Mans, Mulliner, Millennium 46 IT’s still AN SZ UNDER THE SKIN 32 and Final Series editions There’s more to the Corniche V than meets the eye • All 1995-2003 Azure models, Le Mans, 51 ONLY SEVEN CAREFUL OWNERS Mulliner and Final Series editions 32 years old and 15,000 miles on the clock • Rolls-Royce Corniche (2000) and 52 HOOPERFEST! Corniche Final Series Bespoke SZs converge on Rockingham Castle • Rolls-Royce Corniche convertibles 59 ABOVE RUBIES Silver Spirits suffering from too much sun and sand from chassis number CCH05037 60 TIME FOR T onwards (1982), Corniche II, III, IV and S Bag a bargain Bentley Continental T while you can • Bentley Corniche convertibles from chassis number CCH05822 onwards 64 STRETCHING OUT The Spirit is produced by Charnley Publishing Ltd for Exclusive production data for stretch limos the SZ Register of the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club. 24 (1982), Continental convertible and 70 AFTER EIGHT IT WAS TIME FOR A MINT… RT SWB It is distributed free of charge as a PDF, with a printed Continental Turbo. Collectors’ Edition available from the RREC club shop. The only RHD Turbo RT short wheelbase in the world 74 MEMBERs’ gallERY Editor What SZ Register members are driving Richard Charnley ([email protected]) Registrar TECHNICAL Juergen Buech ([email protected]) BENEFITS Database and data security 24 PIECES OF EIGHT Marinus Rijkers ([email protected]) How a basket case became a prize winner Contributors to this issue OF SZ REGISTER Richard Alexander; Ralph Bünger; Daniel Diewerge; MEMBERSHIP Andy Hurfurt; Tony Flood; Ross HappyHearts; DATA Emmanuel de Menten; Martin Puthz; Malcolm Tucker. 6 THEY CAME FROM THE SHADOWS The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are 51 Timeline and production data for four-door cars not necessarily those of the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ • The Spirit magazine 10 FROM CORNICHE TO CONTINENTAL Club nor of the SZ Register.