Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II License Plate Bulb Size

The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II license plate light requires bulb size 257 or bulb size 1159 depending on the specific application. Data for the lighting components covers the range from 1977 to 1980.

The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.

Bulb Size by Year Range

Years	Bulb Size
1980	257
1977	1159

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Festoon or BA9s base instrument bulb. 12V, 2W.	257
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Dual-filament bulb with BAY15d bayonet base. 12V.	1159

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II uses two distinct bulb types across its model years for the license plate position: the 257 and the 1159, both classified under ANSI standards applicable to the US and Canadian markets.
The 257 bulb operates at 12 volts with a 2-watt output and is fitted with either a festoon or BA9s base, making it a low-draw instrument-grade bulb suited to illumination applications where minimal power consumption is a factor.
The 1159 bulb carries a BAY15d bayonet base and operates at 12 volts. The BAY15d fitting is a dual-contact bayonet base, which physically distinguishes it from single-contact bayonet types and makes it non-interchangeable with those variants.
The 1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II uses the 257 bulb for the license plate position, while the 1977 model year uses the 1159 bulb, indicating that the two model years are not compatible with the same replacement bulb.
Because the 257 and 1159 bulbs differ in base type, wattage rating, and filament configuration, substituting one for the other is not supported by the specifications for either model year.