Owned by Blake Edwards. Now fully Restored. Only 531 made - 1st of series!

Description for Rolls-Royce Other 1976

Rolls-RoyceCamargue 1976 One of the most historically significant "modern" Rolls-Royce motor cars. A very rare piece of Rolls-Royce history - only 531 made with less than half in the USA Monumental restoration by Rolls-Royce experts This is a very meticulously restored Rolls-Royce Camargue finished in Velvet green with Biscuit Tan leather interior. The waist-rails are accented with twin tan/gold hand-painted fine lines. The colour combination is very elegant that presents beautifully and regally. In any setting the car takes on a very formal appearance. Contrasted with the rich biscuit tan hides she simply looks stunning. This Camargue was purportedly owned by famous film director Blake Edwards as the first owner. Best known for films such as;"Breakfast at Tiffany's". "The Pink Panther" series and "10" with Dudley Moore and Bo Derek. It was understood he took delivery of this Camargue during the making of Revenge of the Pink Panther. This was also at the time of conception of the movie "10". which was finished in 1979 and it was Blake Edwards love of Rolls-Royce that influenced the use of a Corniche Convertible for Dudley Moore's character in that film. Please understand that this information has been "passed down" with the ownership of the car so there is no formal documentation to support this. This Camargue has remained in Californian its whole life until purchased by us at Park-Ward. As you would expect of a west coast car. she is very clean and dry throughout without a spec of rust (before or after restoration!). The underside is factory original. She has also seen little use in her life having been dry stored on and off for many years. The car is so "clean" throughout that we have no question of its 45. 00 miles. When Park-Ward acquired the car. it was very straight and completely dent free and overall clean. The car was originally "Paprika" in colour and had been repainted black many years ago and was showing signs of fading and light scratches. The interior was clean and complete. It could easily have been described as in "drivable condition" but in order to achieve perfection. this unique Camargue underwent the "Royal treatment" of restorations. The paint job is stunning and was a bare metal respray costing some $20. 00 and carried out by Rolls-Royce experts - Park-Ward Motor Museum's experienced RR body-shop. There is not a single spot that shows the previous colour. Because window rubbers no longer exist for Camargue. these were all fabricated by us including those fitted along the lower edge of the side window. Other items. common to Silver Shadow and Corniche. were replaced; body gaskets. clips. boot seal. and edge finishers. All the bright work was removed and machined polished and then hand polished upon finally reassembly. This includes the grille. headlight brows. bumpers. side mouldings. rocker mouldings. door handles. hub caps. inner sill mouldings and door entry scuff plates. The finish is as good as you would hope for. To complete the "new-look". new tail lamp lenses and headlights were fitted! The final touch being the pin-striping down the side of the car applied by the original hand-painted technique using only the finest squirrel hair brushes and performed by an artisan with the steadiest of hands. The interior is like new and is brochure quality. Most of the leather was in good condition when we received the car other than the front seat facings which were feeling dry. We replaced the leather facings with much research to find well matching leather and making sure the stitching and seat padding was made to exacting factory look. The result is excellent. The rest of the leather was put thru our hand-finishing re-Connollising process. Everything else inside the car was renewed or refurbished. If renewed. it was all done utilising genuine Rolls-Royce quality finishes and materials. The headlining was in good original condition and that has remained. The carpets were renewed; hand-made utilising genuine imported English Wilton wool. with original specification Connolly leather edge binding. individually hand operated machine-stitched in accordance with original factory Rolls-Royce standards. Before new underpadding and the carpet was fitted. we installed the highest grade bitumen sheeting sound deadening to all the interior sheet metal areas. All the Italian burl walnut wood inside the car was stripped and refinished with no less than 25 coats of clear lacquer. each hand-rubbed between coats to provide a final finish like glass. This includes the dash. front doors. rear seat inner waist-rails and under console lid. The final finish on the wood throughout is simply stunning. Every single switch. gauge. button and feature was disassembled. cleaned. polished and refitted. The interior is stunning and its only down-side is the fear to sit in it!The trunk floor carpet was also replaced including the underfelt. There was none of the typical rust scaling in the trunk so minimal refinishing was required. As you would expect with a detailed restoration. all features and functions are working; electric windows. electric seats etc. The air conditioning blows icy cold with new hoses and valves having been recently fitted. Mechanically. this Camargue is a very fine example. The engine was fully gone over measuring compression and balance. Just a look at the engine bay pictures is testament to that. It has been detailed workshop inspected with anything required doing. attended to by Park-Ward's Rolls-Royce mechanics and craftsmen. The engine is smooth and quiet and the steering light but tight. Important costly items such as the hydraulics and brakes were all fully inspected and serviced as required. This included servicing the reservoir. brake pumps. accumulators. valves. master cylinder. lines. hoses calipers and then final system pressure tested and bled. Many other serviceable parts were replaced and items attended to and repaired as needed. This includes the exhaust. It is ready to drive and enjoy. This Camargue drives very well. considerably smoother than you would normally expect for this model. Mileage is not verifiable but. as mentioned previously. entirely commensurate with the car's pre-restoration condition and ownership; we believe it to be original. The white-wall tyres are in good usable condition with 80% tread. We thnink the car would look better with a set of factory look Avon Turbosteels. Please enquire if you agree. Every single feature and function is operating as it is supposed to and electrics have been checked right down to the smallest and insignificant dash and courtesy light. A total of some $60. 00 has been spent: Paint & finishers - $30. 00 Interior refurbishment - $10. 00 Mechanical service and repairs - $14. 00 Sundry restoration items & procedures - $5. 00 ~~ The Rolls-Royce Camargue is not only an iconic 70's classic but of great historical significance to the Rolls-Royce brand. This particular example is one of those hard-to-find examples where a huge amount of money has been spent on restoring her to correct and original specifications. It is an excellent purchase for a buyer who simply wants a 9. 999 out of 10 collectable Rolls-Royce that is completely turn-key; ready to "go and show". ~~ Interesting information about the Rolls-Royce Camargue The Rolls-Royce Camargue is a two-door saloon manufactured and marketed by Rolls-Royce Motors from 1975-1986. Designed by Paolo Martin at Pininfarina. the Camargue was the first post-war production Rolls Royce not designed in-house. With bodywork manufactured in London by Rolls Royce's coachbuilding division Mulliner Park Ward. the Camargue reached a production of 530 units over 11 model years. At launch. the Camargue was the Rolls-Royce's flagship and the most expensive production car in the world. eventually selling in North America for approximately US$147. 00 ($588. 00 in 2008 dollars). At its official U. S. launch. the Camargue had already been on sale in the UK for over a year. The New York Times made much of the fact that the U. S. price at this stage was approximately $15. 00 higher than the UK price. In the 1970s. many European models retailed for significantly less in the U. S. than they did in Europe in order to compete with prices set aggressively by Detroit's Big Three and Japanese importers. The manufacturer rejected this approach with the Camargue. referencing the high cost of safety and pollution engineering needed to adapt the few cars (approximately 30 per year) it expected to send to North America in 1976. It remained the most expensive car in the world throughout its entire production life. The recommended price of a new Camargue at launch on the UK market in March 1975 was £29. 50. including sales taxes. Rapid currency depreciation would greatly raise the price of the Camargue in the late 1970s. both in the UK and North America. The car was sold in very limited numbers in European. American. Canadian. Australian and Asian markets. At its 1975 press debut. Rolls-Royce highlighted automatic split-level climate control system. the first of its kind. According to Rolls Royce. the system's development took eight years. The Camargue shares its platform with the Rolls-Royce Corniche and Silver Shadow. It is powered by the same 6. 75 L V8 engine as the Silver Shadow. though the Camargue is slightly more powerful. The transmission was also carried over — a General Motors Turbo-Hydramatic 3-speed automatic. The first 65 Camargues produced used SU carburettors. while the remaining 471 used Solex units and fuel injected systems. The Camargue was fitted with the Silver Shadow II's power rack and pinion steering rack in February 1977. In 1979. it received the rear independent suspension of the Silver Spirit. With a 3048 mm (120 in) wheelbase. the Camargue was the first Rolls-Royce automobile to be designed to metric dimensions. and was the first Rolls-Royce to feature an inclined rather than perfectly vertical grille; the Camargue's grille slants at an inclined angle of seven degrees. 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 (if any!) in considerable detail. Click HERE to see some 200+ 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. We at Park-Ward Motors – the things we do. When our Rolls-Royces are commissioned for resale. they are indeed professionally and correctly “fully work-shopped”. No corners are cut. And it is all addressed in true Crewe tradition. There is way too much to list here but to give you an example of our commitment to excellence of the various processes. this is one such example of what we do: Doors and windows:- Every car has its interior door panels removed. If the wood is in need of repair (as most are) it is refinished in-house by trained and talented craftsmen at Park-Ward Motors. This is a detailed process of stripping the wood of its old lacquer. repairing the veneer if there is damage. staining the top surface as per Rolls-Royce methodology and refinishing with no less than 25 coats of clear lacquer. Hand wet-sanded and polished between all of its last 15 coats. New window felt guides and wood-to-glass foam seals are fitted. All window mechanisms are checked and serviced for smooth and efficient up and down movement. This includes an electrical modification to rectify the typical “slow window syndrome”. All tracks. chains and gears are lubricated. Where central locking is fitted. these are all serviced to ensure no “solenoid sticking”. another common problem. Units are repaired and or changed as required for refurbished units. Door wiring and door-to-body wiring is checked. repaired and/or replaced as required. The splash plastic on the inside of the doors to protect the leather panels from rain splash from inside the door is replaced with correct specification black plastic as used by the factory. Cut to shape and glued in position as per original. All door hardware is checked and repaired as required including locks. handles and scuttle finishes. The door is reassembled with all items cleaned and polished. The wood refitted and the leather panels are re-Connollised before final fitment. Take this example and apply it to the many. many different aspects of Rolls-Royce restoration. service and maintenance and you have our dedication to correct and professional vehicle pre-delivery preparation and commissioning. **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: This Rolls-Royce is part of the collection of the Park-Ward Motor Museum. As a professional collector and experienced restorer and I have my own Rolls-Royce dedicated workshop with qualified craftsmen on hand. As a passionate collector of the marque I take great pride and pleasure in passing on any of my cars to its next owner (“caretaker”). In so doing. once this Rolls-Royce is sold. I will put the car back 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". This and considerable other work will be performed after the sale and before delivery to ensure the car is in excellent order. This all done at NO CHARGE. Who else selling a Rolls-Royce on eBay does this?! This provides the buyer the peace of mind to purchase with complete confidence. 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 their skills. please contact me thru my eBay home page where I can direct you to see some 100 Rolls-Royces restored to varying levels over the last few years. ~~ FREE! Sellers: Add a FREE map to your listings. FREE!