When you think 'Rolls Royce', notions of class, style, and the four-wheeled choice of the world's most elite members.
Bet you don't think of anything remotely like this thing.
On the surface, it's a 1979 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Turbo. But, as you can see, it comes with a handful of minor modifications.
The key difference in this particular Roller's life trajectory is that it ended up meeting a fellow named Corbin Goodwin.
Corbin is one of the interweb's favourite car builders — a guy who has no real care for traditionalists. It was his Mazda RX-7 build, lovingly known as the 'Zero F**ks Given RX7', that put him on the map and set the tone for our expectations.
As for the Rolls Royce. Well, it's existence before meeting Corbin was low key enough.
“Originally sold by Beverly Hills Rolls Royce, the car was owned in California and Las Vegas before being purchased by the seller around four years ago from an estate sale,” said Bring a Trailer, the auction site that recently had the car up for sale.
“Modifications include a twin-scroll turbocharger, large bumper-mounted intercooler, welded rear differential, trunk-mounted radiator, 19-inch Porsche Panamera wheels, and much more.”
When you dryly read the changes out loud like that, it doesn't really tell the full story does it. The manner in which Corbin has haphazardly layered the modifications to the once humble Royce is ... umm ... provocative.
Let's talk about the radiator, for example. Contrary to where you'd normally expect it to be, it now sits in the boot. It gulps air from two homemade vents grafted onto the rear fenders.
The radiator on the front, meanwhile, says "God save the EU" because of course it does.
The transmission is a four-speed manual from a Ford F250, and it's linked to a dirty twin-scroll turbocharged 6.75-litre V8. Despite the weight, it's a car that's more than capable of hauling rump in a straight line.
Now, if you've read though this spiel and thought to yourself 'I need this car in my life', well tough luck. Yes it was recently up for sale at Bring a Trailer, but it's sadly sold for the sum of US$11,000. That's NZ$15,200.
That's a lot of performance for the money, and even more haters-gonna-hate charisma.
