Open Roads, October 2021
1963 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Drophead Coupé Conversion
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$225,000 - $275,000 USD | Not Sold
| Fort Lee, New Jersey
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- Recently completed drophead conversion
- Finished in Claret over Conolly saddle leather
- 6.2-liter V-8 engine; automatic transmission
- Accompanied by tools and copy of original build sheet
The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III represented a watershed moment for its manufacturer. It was still a traditionally crafted luxury automobile with wood-framed bodywork featuring a library’s worth of burled walnut; the engine was reassuringly silent; and the interior was surpassingly comfortable. The V-8 engine, improved over the previous Silver Cloud II, was the epitome of the Rolls-Royce ideal of gradual refinement of a design. Yet this model also represented the company’s first nods toward contemporary styling, with quad headlamps, a lowered hood and radiator shell, smaller bumpers, and separate front seats.
This example, chassis LSDW251, originally a four-door saloon, has been converted to a two-door convertible in the style of the exceedingly rare Drophead Coupé Adaptations crafted by Rolls-Royce’s period coachbuilding shop, H.J. Mulliner. The conversion is said to have begun in the 1980s and was completed in 2020 after a period in storage. The conversion is said to have made use of parts and jigs from Rolls-Royce. As such, the car features engine-wall braces, reinforced A-pillars, and rear crank windows like those on authentic H.J. Mulliner conversions.
The car is beautifully finished in Claret with a matching red soft top. The interior is lined in sumptuous Connolly saddle leather and features new wood trim.
Included with sale are a tool kit, spare, jack, and various documents, including copies of the original build sheet and chassis card.