Vote: Classic face-off – Luxury barges from the past

Classic face-off is a feature where we show you a couple of similarly priced classic cars from the same era, and you vote for the one you find most appealing.

In this round we have a couple of vehicles which at some point in their lives could have been described as fine luxury automobiles. Now however they could euphemistically described as “fixer-uppers”. Just over a decade separates their production dates, although perhaps surprisingly its the older car which seems to have had an easier life. One is a finely honed German machine, the other was cobbled together by Englishmen toiling away with hand tools and overcoats. Both of them offer character by the bucketload.

First up we have a 1968 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. This is a six-cylinder model with 111,000 miles on the clock. It’s  been repainted, changed from cream to a maroonish brown color. It doesn’t look to be the best paint job in the world as the door jams and engine bay still display the original color. Surprisingly the interior looks to be in good condition and more or less complete, the rear seats in particular look immaculate. The seller says it was bought as a parts car, but in the end they decided it was too good to break up. The engine runs – but only when its force-fed directly through the carbs. It comes with many new parts, including new tires, belts, hoses, water pump, points, plugs and wires. The price is $2,500.

Up against the Merc is none other than a Rolls Royce! In this case a rather sorry-looking 1979 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. It’s clearly not in the same “well used” condition as the Mercedes. It sits more in the “used to within an inch of its life” category. The car is lumbered with a salvage title, and has minor damage to the trunk and body, as well as some rust. It’s also missing numerous trim elements, including the trademark grille and Spirit of Ecstasy figure. Aside from the cosmetic deficiencies, it also requires electrical work, new brakes, and engine work – happily it sounds like the engine still runs, but unfortunately it makes a knocking noise. But at $2,500 for a genuine Rolls Royce, what do you expect?