In the sun-baked grounds of Hampton Court Palace, Anton Constantine is trying to keep his cool in the shade beneath a yew tree, while the Flying Lady of his beautifully restored Rolls-Royce shimmers in the 27-degree heat.

The Silver Shadow II is unquestionably a classic car and most definitely an unusual choice for a 25-year old. The 1977 model is 22 years Constantine’s senior. Originally, a Shadow was the choice of rock royalty, with everyone from Keith Moon to Freddie Mercury owning one. But then came decades where it was little more than wedding car fodder. Now young car enthusiasts like Constantine are bringing the Shadow out of, well, the shadows.

When I spy the stately Rolls and tattooed Constantine – who looks every inch the guitarist and singer he is, with his band Rant – at the 2024 Concours of Elegance, the unlikely pair feel like they fit perfectly together.

Man and machine are taking part in the Thirty Under 30 competition at the concours. As the title suggests, it’s a curated selection of 30 cars dating between 1900 and 1999, and their owners who are no older than 30.

The organisers describe it as being ‘designed specifically for the next generation of motoring enthusiasts’ and suggest that it’s a ‘generation that will face possibly the greatest challenges to the vintage and classic automobile hobby, as vehicle prices soar, and petrol becomes less popular.’ Quite.

Youth of today: classic cars can be cool

During this concours for younger car enthusiasts, each car is paraded around the Great Fountain Garden, created by William III and Mary II and designed by their gardener, Daniel Marot. It is doubtful Marot envisaged a beige Ford Escort MkII or BMW Koenig 635 CSi being driven around the central fountain feature, but we’re glad they are as it makes for a pleasing change from the countless perfectly restored, near-priceless collector cars that deservingly hog the limelight during the three-day event.

For Thirty Under 30, the overall winner is voted for by the owners themselves.  This year, a 1958 Austin Healey Supercharged Sprite – entirely original, its faded bodywork displaying the very definition of patina –  took the honours. But it was the sight of Constantine and his Silver Shadow II that caught my attention.

Constantine sold a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle, in 2020. It was his first car, he’d “put a lot of money into it” and he got £5500. He and his dad decided putting that money into a savings account wouldn’t be the right thing to do for a pair of petrolheads who run Sterling Windscreens. So instead, dad put some money into the pot as well and they went shopping…

“He was looking at T2 Bentleys, which is rarer [than the Silver Shadow] and then we looked at a few of the Silver Shadows and found this one.” Remarkably, the car was advertised for sale by a family that had listed it on eBay, and when Constantine collected it from Thames Ditton he was only the fourth owner.

At the time of its launch, in 1965, the 'Shad' was a big step forward for Rolls-Royce. The old style set-up of a separate body plonked on top of a ladder chassis had been replaced by an all new monocoque chassis. The innovation didn’t end there. Four-wheel disc brakes with fail-safe dual circuits were introduced, and, in a bold move, the engineers at Crewe introduced front and rear independent suspension with automatic self-levelling.

An original Rolls-Royce colour match

The appeal of this particular Silver Shadow II? “It’s a one of one Shadow II painted in that colour by the factory,” reveals Constantine, who has a letter from Rolls-Royce confirming its rarity.

Then began a restoration that included a bare-metal respray in the original shade of Polychromatic Green Masons, carried out by Adam Redding Classic Cars in Fulmer, Buckinghamshire. “It’s a deceptive colour because in photos it looks blue – you have to see it in person,” says Constantine. It really is a wonderfully deep colour that has a depth of shine that no picture could ever convey. Rich, deep, and shimmering in places, the paint is as mesmerising as an emerald.

Luckily for Constantine, the car’s original logbook and paperwork included its original colour swatch. “It was ordered new by a Mr Starley, of Twickenham, who ordered it in ‘chauffeur spec’ without headrests in the front, one door mirror and the colour combination was apparently to match his favourite ice bucket – so the story goes!”

This is no garage queen to be kept in storage for the rest of its life and polished and waxed every weekend. Constantine loves driving it, telling me “If I could, I’d drive it every day” and says everybody appreciates the car as it’s so rare. “Everybody loves a Rolls-Royce, it’s always going to be cool.” Many would beg to differ, though; it’s only recently, with the next generation taking them on, that Silver Shadows have shrugged off the stereotypes that followed them round.

It is unquestionably a ‘keeper’ and Constantine and Constantine Senior drive it as much as possible. In the first month of ownership, Anton embarked on an 800-mile road trip “around Somerset, Devon and all around the UK – more miles than it did in the previous three years of its life.”

Who can blame them? The cabin is as sumptuous as they come, with deep lambswool floor mats, beautifully trimmed ‘special green’ Connolly leather upholstery and wood veneer so varnished that it appears to drip from the dashboard.

He declares if he could only drive one car for the rest of his life, it would be “Ronnie” the Shadow. That’s some claim when you learn he and dad also have inherited a Mini Mayfair – “from nan” – and also have a beach buggy and BMW Isetta.

“We buy weird cars, I suppose,” laughs Constantine, “we egg each other on but my mum hates it!”.

If a 25-year old is buying into the dream of driving a Silver Shadow II, that must be some sort of barometer of cool. And unlike a new Rolls-Royce, the prices are within reach of many – the average sum made at auction since 2020 is £11,336, according to The Classic Valuer. Take note, young car enthusiasts…

And it's good to know that an increasingly rare car like this has a long and bright period of custodianship ahead of it.

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If you would like to know more about Racing Green’s services, or arrange for your classic car to be placed in our care, please speak with a member of the team, on 03330 909722, or email us at enquiries@racinggreencarstorage.co.uk

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