Vehicle Description
Rolls-Royce Camargue; finished in Ming blue (non-metallic) with a
dark red single fine-line to the waist-rails and dark red Connolly
Nuella hides with matching carpets. This is a very rare opportunity
to be part of motoring history. The Rolls-Royce Camargue was the
most expensive Rolls-Royce in its time, and also the most expensive
car in the world. Pininfarina of Turin was commissioned to design
Camargue, with their chief stylist Paolo Martin being responsible
for the final result. A total of 526 cars were delivered to
customers, with the US taking 74 per cent of production. Already a
rare car, accounting for those that "didn't survive" and so this is
a very rare car indeed. This 1976 North American example, chassis #
JRE22723, was the ninth ever Camargue to be sold into this
continent. She was delivered in June, 1976. She was completely and
totally restored by Park-Ward Motors over the last 4 years. A
meticulous and very detailed restoration of all mechanicals, a back
to bare metal repaint, interior restored to include new factory
correct Nuella hides on the front seats (colour matched and ordered
through Connolly Bros direct), the wood all refinished to Crewe
standard, right down to brand new lambs-wool "full-cover" moutons.
This Camargue has been restored to a monumental degree and may well
represent the best restored Camargue in the world. The restoration
as well in excess of $125,000. She is simply in stunning condition.
The car shows 5,300 miles and common sense suggests this is
105,300. That said, not a single part of the car's mechanicals has
been overlooked to include removing and reengineering the engine
heads, all the hydraulics, brakes, suspension, exhaust, right down
to every little operational item. Mechanically, the car can only be
described as "excellent". She drives incredibly smooth and tight
and we think as a result she is probably the best representation of
what a Camargue drove like when brand new. Notwithstanding this
huge amount of work, the car is still subject to our full
Predelivery Commissioning (certification) program upon sale, like
all of Park-Ward's cars. This process ensures EVERYTHING is in top
form. The Camargue is the best-driving Rolls-Royce of its era and
this specific example drives magnificently. She truly glides,
smoothly and effortlessly taking everything in stride, and sweeping
through bends with grace and poise. Even over rough roads she
displays no knocks, rattles, or unwarranted disturbances, being
superbly tight indeed. The presentation in the engine compartment
is excellent testament of the effort gone into the car. The body
and paint on the car are spectacular. She was repainted by us on a
complete body strip-down basis and back to bare metal preparation.
There was no rust in the car to repair nor were there any signs of
previous accident damage of any kind. The car was originally Green
and then painted black some 25 years ago. The current colour is
Ming Blue and the combination with the dark red Nuella hide
interior is nothing short of striking. The interior colour is its
factory designation. The paint presents perfectly consistent, deep
in lustre and without any blemishes, chips or dings whatsoever.
Where possible, all rubbers, gaskets and seals were replaced. The
interior of the car was refinished to perfection whilst maintaining
originality where possible. The head-liner was/is in superb
condition and as such retained. The leather on the door panels and
rear seats were excellent and so retained also, albeit lightly
Connollised. The front seats were actually not too bad but showing
age. Although no rips or tears but showing the early stages of
drying leather. For a lesser car, these could have been hide fed,
softened up and then retained, but we elected to replace the faces
with brand new Connolly Nuella hides ordered directly from Connolly
Bros in the UK. The ordering process required us to send a sample
of the seat leather to Connolly who then leat
