1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Convertible

1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Convertible - Rare, luxurious and exclusive model - Only 37 cars built with just 25 LHD examples - Formerly owned by the actor Nicholas Cage - Magnificent condition, extensive history file - First prize in its class in the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance The traditional design of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, which was still built using a separate chassis, allowed H.J. Mulliner to offer particularly elegant convertible bodies, whilst enabling them to benefit from the technical and stylistic developments enjoyed by the saloons. The car presented here is a Silver Cloud III Drophead Coupé, recognizable by its spectacular radiator grille flanked by four headlamps, a distinguishing feature of the final generation of the Silver Cloud. It left the factory on 12 November 1962 and was built to the specifications for the American market. These included electric windows, a Blaupunkt Köln radio with a Hirschmann electric aerial, whitewall tyres, wool carpets and a strengthened chassis. Dispatched in March 1963 to the Rolls-Royce dealer in California Peter Satori, it was delivered on 16 October that year to its first owner, the company King Midas Match Lumber & Nursery, in Beverly Hills. It was subsequently owned by Sergio Franchi, a famous Italian-American actor and tenor, before joining the collection of a renowned restaurant owner in the area. In 1989, he sent the car to Vantage Motorworks in Miami for a complete restoration, including a mechanical overhaul and the restoration of the beige Connolly leather upholstery (ref. VM846). In 2007, this elegant Silver Cloud III was acquired by the famous American actor Nicholas Cage through his company Hancock Park Collection. At the time, it had 64,548 miles (103,880km) on the clock. Sold back to Vantage Motorworks in November 2008, it was repainted in garnet red, at the request of its fifth owner. Further restoration work was also carried out and an air-conditioning system installed. When that owner passed away, the car was acquired by one of his friends, before it was bought back in 2016 by Vantage Motorworks, who offered it for sale. On 13 March 2016, it was presented at the prestigious Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, where it won first prize in its class, a particularly significant distinction for a car of this type. A few months later, on 28 July, Thierry Dehaeck purchased the car and shipped it back to Europe to join his collection. There it joined its two sister models, a Silver Cloud I and a Silver Cloud II Convertible, thus bringing together the three generations of Silver Cloud with drophead coupé bodies. As Thierry Dehaeck summed it up: “In my view, the Silver Cloud is the most beautiful car the company built after the war.” In the eleven years it was in production, fewer than 130 special-bodied Silver Clouds were built, across all three generations. This rarity, combined with the quality of H.J. Mulliner’s bodies, contributes greatly to these cars’ appeal to collectors. This car will be sold with a particularly comprehensive file of documents, including its owner’s manual, wiring and lubrication diagrams, a Rolls-Royce price list with details of the options available, several rare catalogues from the period, its factory build sheet, a certificate from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation and its FIVA ID card. It also comes with its original toolkit and the trophy marking its success at Amelia Island. Presented in very good condition, this Silver Cloud III Drophead Coupé represents the culmination of this prestigious line of cars and was one of the last Rolls-Royce models with the traditional body-on-frame design, before the transition to monocoque construction with the Silver Shadow. In its day, its price was well above that of a Ferrari 250 GT, making the Silver Cloud III one of the most exclusive cars on the market. Today, its elegance, rarity and prestigious provenance, as well as its win at Amelia Island and the remarkable file of documents accompanying it, make this an especially desirable example. With comfortable room for four passengers, this Drophead Coupé also retains all the qualities for which the Silver Cloud was renowned: exceptional comfort, remarkably silent running and a V8 engine offering everything needed to enjoy a long trip. It could therefore continue its life in a collection or taking part in the finest meetings, rallies and concours d’élégance, in Europe or further afield.

Stima:€350,000

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