West Coast Classics are proud to present and absolutely stunning and exceptionally rare example of this unrestored and virtually all original 1964 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III V8 4 door saloon, with only 2,044 of these completely hand built cars ever built (1962-65) and with only very few remaining! This particular example boasts recent long time southern California ownership has rare factory options of air conditioning, 'Sundym' reflective tinted glass, White sided tubeless tires, power steering, power brakes and power windows. Finished in its original and classic striking factory color of 'Antique White' with 'Gold' painted pin-stripes' with its all original 'Beige' color Connolly hides and original lambswool rugs over beautiful original factory carpeting showing superb maintenance and care from its long time owners with only very minimal and quite desirable patina for its age.
For those who are unfamiliar, the Bentley S3 and the Silver Cloud III were absolutely identical with both vehicles hand built at the Rolls Royce factory in Crewe, England with the only differences being their nameplates, radiator and mascots. The Silver Cloud III was introduced in 1962 and lasted until 1965. Little changed externally from the Silver Cloud II with the same improved 6.2 L V8 Series II engine from the original Series I, which had also pushed the weight to 2.11 tonnes. Performance was greatly improved though in the new upgraded Series III models with the top speed raised to 183 km/h (114 mph), with the main improvements being in acceleration and torque. Power steering had become standard with the Series II and electrically operated windows and air conditioning were now available as an option.
In autumn 1962 the Series II production cars were given a facelift and the Silver Cloud III and Bentley S3 were introduced. The most obvious visual feature was the twin headlamp arrangement in what was virtually an unchanged body style. Four headlamps provided more illumination and made it easier for Rolls-Royce to pass the latest North American lighting regulations. Also this layout had been chosen for the next generation Silver Shadow and this provided a convenient way of bridging the visual gap between the old and the new. The side lamps and flashers were combined and mounted in the noses of the front mudguards: the earlier cars had separate side lamps on the top of the mudguards and used the fog lamps also as flashers. Internally, individual front seats became standard and there was some reshaping of the rear seats. The heating/ ventilation system was upgraded, there were extra radio controls and a number of other such details were improved. The engine had a new compression ratio of 9.0:1; the crankshaft was hardened and there was extra power assistance for the steering.
This particular original U.S specification example (Left Hand Drive Model) was imported to the U.S. from England with the car factory ordered and optioned with:
Cash Price of Car: approximately $15,655
Electric Windows $220
'Sundym' Glass: $45
Air Conditioning: $795
The car still retains many original items including quite amazingly its rare original wood and leather wrapped rear leaf springs and original Connolly leather. The car has been extraordinarily well maintained over the years with recent work including a rebuilt power steering gearbox, a new radiator core and hoses, a rebuilt carburetor, a new starter, a new air conditioning compressor, a rebuilt master brake cyclinder, new valve cover gaskets and a new exhaust pipe. The car has been family owned by its most recent southern California owners since 1998 and is undoubtedly a cherished and always garaged car which has had no accidents and which is a completely rust free example - the floor boards, trunk and all the typical rust-prone areas are completely solid and rust free - see below undercarriage photos for probably the finest shots of an all original Rolls Royce Silver Cloud undercarriage anywhere in existence!
The beautiful and highly desirable classic 'Antique White' exterior color paint is in exceptional condition and the car has its original matching Rolls Royce hubcaps and it's original full 'Connolly' Beige color leather interior. Connolly leather is legendary for being exclusively used in Rolls Royce and other high end British cars and came from unfenced cows which produced unblemished hides. The hides are in phenomenal condition throughout with only very minor patina for its age, and which we chose to leave unblemished rather than dye over as we feel it respects the cars age nicely. All the chrome work including the front Rolls Royce grille and bumpers is absolutely outstanding. The door panels, carpets, dashboard and the original mohair headliner remarkably show virtually no signs of any wear. The car has it's original spare wheel with original jack still located in their rightful place of storage in the trunk compartment. The car also boasts its original owners handbook and a full set of lambswool rugs.
Obviously always garaged with no accidents or damage history and owned by only obviously very careful owners for over fifty-five years - never abused! The car drives exactly like a well maintained and serviced Rolls Royce should and must be driven to be fully appreciated and seen to be believed! This car drives very well - the engine is extremely strong and purrs like a sewing machine, the transmission shifts smooth as butter with Rolls Royce's legendary almost imperceptible shift and the engine temperature always remains cool. The car drives straight as an arrow with no strange road wobbles, shakes or rattles and is a truly remarkable and responsive daily driver! The factory air conditioning blows cold air and the power windows work smooth and fast. A truly remarkable example both mechanically and cosmetically.
This particular model truly must be driven and seen to be fully appreciated. For those who are unfamiliar, Rolls Royce no longer exists as it had for over one hundred years - this is one of the last in the original line of cars handbuilt in the legendary Rolls Royce factory in Crewe, England with a quality and craftsmanship that far surpasses that of today's mass produced models with many BMW parts - this is a rare opportunity to own a piece of automobile history, from a time when Rolls Royce was truly building the world's finest motor cars. This increasingly desirable and collectible Silver Cloud III, one of the most desired of the Silver Clouds by enthusiasts with the all aluminum 6.2L V8 engine and the quad head lights!
Along with it's tall grill and tall flying lady the Silver Cloud III is an absolute moving work of art from a time when Rolls-Royce and Bentley were arguably building the "Best Cars in the World" at the time of it's production; the craftsmanship and quality of these cars obviously speak for themselves and it is becoming increasingly hard to find any examples at all, let alone any such unabused and rust free unrestored stock examples - with only some 2,044 Silver Cloud III's built, and very few remaining or available for sale, you will surely look long and hard to find another in such fine condition. So bid with confidence, with Silver Cloud drophead coupe convertibles now selling well in excess of $600K +, this will no doubt prove a fabulous investment for the astute investor, Rolls Royce enthusiast or British Classic Car Collector or simply a great weekend toy for the discerning luxury classic car owner!
VIN: LSDW587
