A Rolls-Royce is usually the last car anyone would choose for an off-road adventure. But one British car enthusiast decided his $1,300 luxury sedan deserved a very different kind of retirement.
After buying a broken 1972 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow for just £1,000 ($1,500-ish), the creator behind Hudson Auto Films had a choice. He could spend a fortune restoring it or turn it into something that might upset a few classic car fans.
He chose the second option. The aging Rolls now has chunky off-road tires, a roof rack, rally lights, and enough camping gear to look ready for a desert trip.
There’s just one catch. The car still isn’t running quite right, and its first camping trip is already on the calendar.
Too Cheap to Restore
The Silver Shadow had spent years sitting outside before Hudson bought it. Getting the engine running was only the beginning. Its brakes and suspension also needed work, and the repairs quickly became a project of their own.
Even with those problems, the car was surprisingly solid. The real issue was money. Hudson estimated that a full restoration could cost $20,000 to $30,000, leaving him with a car worth perhaps $15,000.
Rather than pour money into a perfect restoration, he wanted something he could enjoy without worrying about every scratch.
“All I want is a safe, rough and ready Rolls-Royce to rag around in,” he explained.
There was one important rule. Nothing could permanently damage the car. Hudson wanted the changes to be reversible so a future owner could return it to its original appearance.
Luxury Goes Camping
The makeover began with aggressive off-road tires mounted on the original wheels. Hudson kept the worn finish and removed the hubcaps, giving the old sedan a tougher appearance without losing its character.
Next came a roof rack, although finding one large enough proved difficult. The Silver Shadow’s enormous roof made the universal rails look tiny.
His solution was hardly what anyone would expect on a Rolls-Royce. After cutting down the mounting rails, Hudson used part of an old gazebo frame to help make them fit. He bolted the pieces together and wrapped the joints in rope for a rugged look.
Four large spotlights went onto the rack instead of the front bumper. Hudson didn’t want to drill into the bumper or cover the famous Rolls-Royce grille.
The finishing touches made the car even stranger. A spare tire, fuel can, old ammunition boxes, camping tent, and vintage luggage trunk filled the roof rack. Rally-style stickers completed the transformation.
The trunk was a particularly fitting addition. Hudson had bought the old case at auction for about £5, or roughly $7, and decided it deserved another adventure.
One Last Problem
Despite its rough looks, the Rolls-Royce turned out to be in better shape than its price suggested. An inspection of the trunk floor revealed mostly solid metal, though small rust holes ran along the lower sides of the car.
The engine remained a bigger concern. It still misfired at idle, and Hudson planned to rebuild the carburetors before taking the car camping. New brake discs were also on his shopping list.
For now, the makeover is largely complete, but the off-road Rolls has yet to prove itself on an adventure.
Hudson plans to spend the coming months driving it locally, fixing problems as they appear, and preparing for a much longer journey next year.
His first test will be a camping trip, with the old Silver Shadow carrying its collection of gear into a setting its original buyers probably never imagined.