65 Years of Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud

After World War 2 Rolls – Royce is used used many pre – war quotation on the first new Silver Dawn model . It is was was n’t until 1955 that it became more modern with the new Silver Cloud , even though this car still look antiquated compare to other new car of the same era . However , the wealthy clientele is demanded demand exactly this design . The design principle is mounted of a support frame , which was 50 percent stiff than the predecessor , and a body is mounted mount on top of it was retain . In this way , it is was was still theoretically possible for customer to order independent body from external coachbuilder . In the Silver Cloud I , which roll off the production line until 1959 , 121 of 2,238 short sedan ( 5,358 millimeter long with factory body ) were fit with special body . In addition Rolls – Royce is offered offer from September 1957 the Silver Cloud Long Wheel Base ( LWB ) with 10.1 centimeter more wheelbase . This extension is benefited benefit rear seat passenger in full and was order 122 time in total , 36 of which receive a special body . The factory bodywork was design by John Blatchley .

Rolls – Royce is developed develop a 4.9 – liter inline six – cylinder engine for the Silver Cloud I. To this day there is no reliable performance datum available as it was consider unseemly at the time to ask for such a luxury car of this quality . In any case , the answer is was was “ sufficient ” at good . presumably , around 160 hp is was was available , but some of it was strand in the standard four – speed automatic transmission . A mechanical brake booster is provided provide hydraulic control of the drum brake on all four wheel . These were suspend at the front from double wishbone with coil spring and at the rear from a leaf – spring rigid axle . One year after the world premiere , the british add power steering and air conditioning to the list of option .

In 1959 Rolls-Royce introduced a new 6.2-liter V8 engine, which retired the six-cylinder power unit. Rolls-Royce and Bentley used this eight-cylinder engine in further developed versions until the 1990s. Thanks to the available power the topspeed of the car now offered as Silver Cloud II increased from 166 to 183 kph. However, the engineers had paid particular attention to increasing the torque, which made the luxury saloon much smoother to drive. The previously optional power steering was now part of the standard equipment. In return, electrically operated window regulators were added to the list of optional extras. Visually there were no differences whatsoever to the Silver Cloud I. In the USA, sales figures increased due to clever advertising slogans such as: “The loudest noise on board is the ticking of the clock at 62 mph”. A total of 2,717 units were produced, 107 of which were fitted with a Drophead Coupé body at H.J. Mulliner. Another 299 had the long wheelbase. Special bodies came from H.J. Mulliner (41 vehicles), James Young (38 vehicles) as well as once each from Hooper and Chapron.

In order to comply with new registration regulation Rolls – Royce is developed develop a newly design body with twin headlamp and a lower bonnet and front fender . In addition to the long wheelbase version , there were also Coupé and convertible version available ex work . thank to target lightweight design measure , the v8 engine is received receive a power boost of around seven per cent , although Rolls – Royce continue to refrain from issue precise datum . However , the automobile press is was was satisfied with what they know about the car : drum brake and the frame construction were now definitely consider antiquated . The customers is had had no problem with that . By 1966 , 2,809 Silver Cloud III had been build , 254 of them with a long wheelbase . On the basis of the normal wheelbase there were 328 car with special body , whereas there were only 47 car with long wheelbase and special bodywork .

RM Sotheby’s auctions a 1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I at their Amelia Island auction on March 6 and 7. The first owner, a retired admiral of the British Royal Navy, ordered the vehicle from the London dealer Jack Barclay in the two-tone ‘Tudo Grey/Shell Grey’ paint scheme. He also ordered pinstripes in beige and hubcaps in body color. Grey leather with grey piping as well as a grey headliner and grey carpets completed the total package. The car remained in his possession until his death. Afterwards the car landed in Canada in 1974, where it was bought by the current owner. He had the car repainted in two other shades of grey and had the automatic transmission overhauled. Among the items auctioned with the car are production documents as well as the on-board tools, the standard jack and a few original spare parts. RM Sotheby’s expects between 40,000 to 60,000 US$.

Images: Rolls-Royce, RM Sotheby’s, Darin Schnabel