1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II Long-Wheelbase Saloon
Coachwork by Park Ward
Registration no. 667 XUY
Chassis no. LCC22
Engine no. 21LCC
•31 years in Hong Kong
•Present ownership since 2012
•Extensive history file
Footnotes:
Introduced early in 1955, the all-new Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and Bentley S-Type were conceived as replacements for the ageing Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn and Bentley R-Type. The duo sported sleeker bodywork on a new box-section separate chassis - Rolls-Royce eschewing unitary construction for the time being - incorporating improved brakes and suspension, the latter featuring electrically controlled damping. Enlargement to 4,887cc and the adoption of a six-port cylinder head boosted the - traditionally undisclosed - power output of the dependable inlet-over-exhaust six-cylinder engine. Automatic transmission was now standard and power-assisted steering an option.

Catering for the stately limousine market in the 1950s, Rolls-Royce offered the royalty and heads of state-only Phantom IV and the generally available, if somewhat dated, Silver Wraith. Following the introduction of the Silver Cloud and Bentley S-Type, a long-wheelbase version of this more modern design was made available, with bodies closely based on the factory's standard offering. Four inches longer in the wheelbase than the standard saloon and usually fitted out with an internal division, these bodyshells were extended by Rolls-Royce's in-house coachbuilder Park Ward (soon to become H J Mulliner, Park Ward) at its London works and finished off at the factory in Crewe. These long-wheelbase models continued after the introduction of the new 6,230cc aluminium-alloy V8 engine on the 'Cloud II/S2 in the autumn of 1959, offering a less expensive alternative to the newly introduced Phantom V. Only 299 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II and 57 Bentley S2 long-wheelbase saloons were made before the introduction of the Silver Cloud III.

This Silver Cloud II long-wheelbase saloon comes with copy paperwork relating to its original sale in 1961 together with history and build details; spares book; workshop manual; and its original owner's handbook. The car also comes with history relating to its time in Hong Kong, having been exported there in 1977. Brought back to the UK in 2008, the Silver Cloud was acquired by the current vendor in 2012. A well-maintained example, it is described by the vendor as in good condition throughout. We are advised that the only notified deviation from factory specification is the application of silver wrap below the waistline which was fitted in 2013. Offered with a V5C document.