West Coast Classics are proud to present an 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 ownership with service records and has rare factory options of air conditioning, 'Sundym' reflective tinted glass, White sided tubeless tires, power steering, power brakes and power windows. Finished in a classic striking factory color of 'Two tone Blue' and with its all original 'Royal Blue' color Connolly leather hides over beautiful original Blue carpeting showing superb maintenance and care from its long time owners with only very minimal and, to some enthusiasts for sure, quite desirable patina for its age.
This particular car is a RHD model originally purchased and owned by a British aristocrat, Lord Derby, the Earl of Derby and one of the richest landowners in England, whose family resided then, as now, at Knowsley Hall in Lancashire. The car was imported to the U.S. from England by it's long time California owner in the late 1970's with the car factory ordered and optioned with:
Cash Price of Car: approximately $15,655
Electric Windows $220
'Sundym' Glass: $45
Electric Antenna
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 'Royal Blue' Connolly leather. The car has been extraordinarily well maintained over the years with service records as evidence with the car being serviced for many years primarily at the renown 'Classic Coachworks' of Fair Oaks, CA and has been one California family owned for many years and is undoubtedly a cherished and always garaged car which has no signs of any accidents and which is a completely rust free example with only very few minor blemishes or imperfections - the floor boards, trunk and all the typical rust-prone areas are completely solid and rust free - see below undercarriage photos for probably some of the finest shots of an all original Rolls Royce Silver Cloud undercarriage anywhere!
The car is finished in a beautiful and classic 'Two-Tone Blue' exterior color paint and the car has its original matching Rolls Royce hubcaps and it's original full Connolly 'Royal Blue' 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 original and in good condition. The door panels, carpets, dashboard and the original mohair headliner are also all in very fine shape. The car has its original spare wheel and heavy tools still located in their rightful place of storage in the trunk compartment along with the original full small toolbox and the car also boasts its original owners handbook.
Obviously always garaged with no rust or accidents or damage history and owned by only obviously very careful owners for over fifty-seven years - never abused! The car drives exactly like a well maintained and serviced Rolls Royce should and must be driven to be fully appreciated! The engine is extremely strong and purrs like a sewing machine, the transmission shifts smooth 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!
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 model 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. So bid with confidence, with original factory ordered & coach built Silver Cloud drophead coupe convertibles now selling well in excess of $1M +, 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: CEL33
