1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II Drophead Coupé
Coachwork by HJ Mulliner - Park Ward
Chassis no. LSAE499

Facing increasing competition from faster rivals and with development of its ageing six-cylinder engine nearing its end, Rolls-Royce turned to V8 power as the 1960s approached. Introduced in the autumn of 1959, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II and Bentley S2 appeared externally unchanged from their 'Cloud and S-Type predecessors, though the duo's performance was considerably enhanced by the new 6,230cc aluminium-alloy V8 engine. Although wider and shorter than the 'six' it replaced, the new power unit fitted relatively easily within the engine bay, relocation of the steering box from inside to outside of the chassis frame being the most obvious alteration to the previous arrangements. Externally the new models appeared virtually unchanged, while beneath the skin Rolls-Royce's own four-speed automatic transmission was now the only one on offer and power steering was standardised. Immensely successful both at home and abroad, the Silver Cloud II and Bentley S2 remained in production until the autumn of 1962.
As well as the factory-bodied cars, bespoke creations from coachbuilders James Young and the now merged firm of H J Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd (now Rolls-Royce-owned) continued to be available on the 'Cloud II chassis for those discerning enthusiasts wealthy enough to afford them. Indeed, as the factory did not offer a convertible or drophead coupé, a coachbuilt car was the only option if one's preference was Rolls-Royce-style fresh air motoring. Available in both Rolls-Royce and Bentley forms, H J Mulliner's two-door drophead coupé (Design No. 7504) was by far the most popular, a total of 107 being built on the Cloud II/S2 standard-wheelbase chassis (74 left-hand drive and 33 right-hand drive). Hand crafted style such as this attracted a hefty premium though, H J Mulliner's convertible being priced some 30% above the standard Silver Cloud II four-door saloon, which was already one of the world's most expensive cars. Out of a total of 2,417 Silver Cloud IIs built from September 1959 until August 1962, only 107 had the stylish and desirable drophead coupé body built by H J Mulliner.
Dating from the final year of production, this H J Mulliner-bodied Silver Cloud II drophead is the fourth from last example built. Chassis number 'LSAE499' was built to North American specification and shipped to Montreal, Canada in July 1962. Through Rolls-Royce of Canada Ltd, the car was handed over to a local Montreal dealer, Budd & Dyer Ltd, and delivered to its first owner, Mr V G Cardy of Quebec, Canada.
The second owner, Mr James J Reeves of Pensacola, Florida, USA purchased the Silver Cloud II on 6th November 1972. On 10th October 1974, the car changed hands again and was sold to well known RR and Bentley specialists The Carriage House in New York. Exported to Spain in 2006, the Rolls-Royce was sold in 2018 to the current vendor. The engine and transmission were completely overhauled in 2019 and the car is presented in excellent mechanical and running condition, complete with an illustrated valuation report from 2020. We recommend close inspection by the discerning collector of this rare original LHD coachbuilt Rolls Royce.