Rolls Royce

Celebrating 25 Years

by Rau June 6, 2017

William Rau continues to create the finest custom steering wheels.

Rolls-Royce Ghost Custom Steering Wheel by William Rau

by Rau October 17, 2013

      The Rolls-Royce Ghost is the most famous Rolls-Royce model. Every Rolls-Royce Ghost is a handmade work of art, filled with luxuries most people can only dream of, but it is possible to improve upon the work done at the Goodwood factory. A bespoke carbon fiber steering wheel is a great way to […]

Rolls-Royce Custom Pre-Airbag Steering Wheel (video)

by Rau April 9, 2013

William Rau shows a custom Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit steering wheel. This steering wheel has a unique design, and is just one example of the beautiful custom pre-airbag steering wheels that have been customized by William Rau…

Learn about Rolls-Royce and Bentley Picnic Tables (video)

by Rau February 4, 2013

The picnic tables found in Rolls-Royce and Bentley automobiles from the late 1950s and 1960s are beautiful, and have unique obstacles for refinishers…

Damaged Wood

by Rau November 1, 2012

One day in October, we received three damaged trim pieces from three different dealerships from across the country…

Rolls-Royce Gallery

by Rau October 16, 2012

Our Rolls-Royce work, both restoration and steering wheels, predates the Phantom in 2003…

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Wood (video)

by Rau July 30, 2012

When buying a used car, even a Bentley or Rolls-Royce, there are things most buyers know to look for. Maybe they’ll kick the tires, maybe they’ll check the fluids, and maybe they’ll check the upholstery for damage, but few know what to look for when looking at used wood trim. Hopefully this video series can give you a little bit of advice on what to keep an eye out for when shopping for your next used Bentley or Rolls-Royce automobile…

Rolls-Royce Corniche with Picnic Tables (video)

by Rau July 16, 2012

There are a lot of makeover shows on TV these days. There are shows about home makeovers, personal makeovers, bar makeovers, and car makeovers, like one of the show we were a part of “Pimp My Ride”. These shows all show the after, or the “reveal” at the end. Why? It’s not as much of a surprise if everyone knows the surprise is coming at the end of the show. We’ve recently refinished a set of wood from a Rolls-Royce Corniche, and here’s the beautiful after…

Rolls-Royce 1972 Silver Shadow gets Personalized (video)

by Rau July 8, 2012

Based on our extreme before and after photos, some may think William Rau Automotive Woodwork only does makeovers on wood that’s badly damaged, but this is not true. We often work on wood that looks almost as good as it did when it was brand new. Some owners grow tired of their wood, some want something new, or on the rare occasion, they have another car and they want the woods to match. The wood from this Silver Shadow (later named the Silver Wraith) with the long wheelbase was in good condition but the owner wanted a personalized interior with more visually interesting wood treatment…

Rolls-Royce 1991 Corniche wood evaluation: A New Discovery (video)

by Rau May 7, 2012

While working on this 1991 Rolls-Royce Corniche door cap a discovery was made. Watch this video for an explanation…

Rolls-Royce Phantom Steering Wheel

by Rau May 2, 2012

The Rolls-Royce Phantom was missing a hand crafted wooden steering wheel! That was until a Service Director from our local Rolls-Royce dealer came to us with the wheel off the first 2003 Phantom in America. This steering wheel would be the first wood Phantom wheel in the world…

Rolls-Royce Steering Wheel Before and After (video)

by Rau April 25, 2012

It’s hard to believe that you would find a plastic steering wheel inside of an otherwise beautiful Rolls-Royce automobile, but that’s what you would find in a Silver Shadow from the mid 1960s…

1991 Rolls-Royce Corniche wood evaluation (video)

by Rau April 23, 2012

The first step in wood restoration is a proper evaluation by a qualified wood restorer. The preliminary examination takes place when the wood arrives and prior to the removal of the old finish…

Wood Repairs for Luxury Automobiles

by Rau April 17, 2012

For nearly 15 years Rau Restoration has offered Bentley and Rolls-Royce Dealers the finest wood service in North America, featuring seamless repair, and expedited turnaround for parts under warranty…

Veneers used by Bentley and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars (video)

by Rau April 17, 2012

Some people would like to see what the wood veneers look like before they’re turned into beautiful steering wheels and accessories…

Modern Lady Article: Picnic Table Repair Overview

by Rau April 17, 2012

When we say Picnic Tables, we’re not talking about tables down at the park, we’re talking about the folding tables in the back of Rolls-Royce automobiles. We are proud to have an article in the current issue of “Modern Lady” covering the topic of picnic table repair…

Bookmatching Veneer for Rolls-Royce and Bentley Wood Trim (video)

by Rau April 16, 2012

You shouldn’t judge a book by the cover, but what about a bookmatch? We often mention bookmatching and bookmatches, but some people may not be sure what we’re talking about…

Have you ever wondered how things are made?

by Rau May 3, 2011

Many people have been openly wondering why, “How It’s Made”, the uniquely entertaining cable program, has never featured the process of making a Bespoke pre-airbag, 2-spoke, full walnut burl Rolls-Royce steering wheel with custom leather, on their show…

New Rolls-Royce Ghost Wood Repair

by Rau November 22, 2010

Rolls Royce (RR) is famous the world over for its superior level of customer service. The following real-life example illustrates this point, and how Rau was approached and able to facilitate a win-win solution. The RR Ghost was first offered to the public in 2009.  The “Ghost” nameplate is named in honor of the Silver […]

Full Custom Rolls Royce Phantom Wood Steering Wheel

by Rau March 12, 2009