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Image Left 1959 Silver Cloud I1961 Silver Cloud II Image Right
 

1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II news, pictures, and information

Convertible Coupe
Coachwork: Mulliner
 
Adoption of an all-aluminum 6.23-liter V8 engine replacing the straight six of the Silver Cloud I was the most remarkable innovation when Rolls-Royce introduced the Silver Cloud II in 1959. This engine was still being utilized in Rolls-Royce motorcars some 40 years later. Rolls believing that evolutionary design improvement, rather than innovation, was the key to success. Of the 2,418 Silver Cloud IIs which were produced from 1959 to 1962, 107 were fitted with H.J. Mulliner drophead coupe bodies, as this example displays. The Silver Cloud II was enormously successful in the United States, and the slogan coined by David Ogilvy's advertising agency, 'At 60 mph, the loudest noise in the new Rolls-Royce is the ticking of the electric clock,' became a classic of its own.
Saloon
 
In 1903, Rolls-Royce Limited began manufacturing cars. Currently, the factory at Goodwood is the fifth Rolls-Royce UK-based automobile production facility since 1904. The previous four were located in Manchester, London, Derby, and Crewe.

The characteristic Rolls-Royce badge on the front of the grill changed from red to black in 1934 upon the death the prior year of patriarch Henry Royce. The Phantom III of 1934 was the first Rolls-Royce to display the black badge, as it was the first car without benefit of Mr. Royce's input.

With the introduction of the Silver Ghost in 1906, the Rolls Royce cars were acclaimed as 'the best cars in the world' by Autocar magazine. The appellation has continued to be used, and deserved, by Rolls-Royce ever since.

Cars produced through the years included the Silver Ghost, Phantom I, II and III, wraith, Silver Wraith, Silver Dawn and Silver Cloud. The Silver cloud was introduced in 1955, first with the traditional six cylinder engine and then in 1959 with an aluminum V-8 coupled to a 4-speed automatic transmission. A total of 2716 Silver Cloud II's were produced. They were built with a steel body with aluminum hood, doors and trunk lid. Top speed is 104.7 mph, 0-60mph in 10.9 seconds, and with a fuel consumption of 11 miles a gallon.

This Saloon was produced for the Canadian Market. It is a superb example of the iconic British luxury car and has been owned by the current owner since 1999.
Convertible Coupe
Coachwork: Mulliner
 
One of only 75 left-drives built to this most popular of all H.J. Mulliner body styles, this well-maintained example was acquired by Vantage Motorworks in October 1993 through an agent from its second owner in unrestored but solid condition with 41,434 miles covered since new. That gentleman title it in April of 1968 after purchasing it from Art, Inc., the company of famed gallery owner Wally Findlay, who reportedly used it in Palm Beach to transport large paintings. It was restored by Vantage Motorworks for the late Marv Tonkin in 1994-95. An exceptionally fine example, it has since been in the care of noted collector facilities and is consequently one of the lowest mileage 49-year-old Rolls-Royce convertibles known. The mechanical aspects and air conditioning have been upgraded for the present owner.
Saloon
 
The second generation Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud was introduced in the fall of 1959. The mostly aluminum V8 sports twin SU carburetors has a displacement of 380 cubic-inches. As in all Rolls-Royce vehicles to that time, when asked about the power output, the factory's response was simply 'adequate.'

This example has been in the owner's family since new. It is presented in the unique combination of Steel Blue over Shell Grey. Other than a repaint in its original colors, the car has never been restored.
The next major model change took place in 1955 wîth the introductions of the Silver Cloud. It was fitted wîth the current 4,887cc engine, but a totally new pressed-steel body was designed and the streamlined, elegant and perfectly balanced look of this car made it an instant success. Most cars were fitted wîth an automatic gearbox although a few were manual.

The rear brakes were combined hydraulic and mechanical wîth the usual Rolls-Royce gearbox-driven servo. Front suspension was by unequal length wishbones and coil springs wîth rear semi-elliptic electrically controlled dampers. A top speed of 106 mph was possible.

The press called the new Silver Cloud the 'finest car in the world' and said, 'There is little doubt that these find new cars will carry on the maker's tradition and reputation.' They were right: orders came from all around the world, wîth an unprecedented number from America, where it proved to be extremely popular in Hollywood.

The Silver Cloud II, launched in 1959, retained the same body as the Silver Cloud I, but was powered by a completely new V8 engine of 6,230cc. Coupled wîth automatic transmission as standard, the Silver Cloud II set new standards of refinement and performance. The 'Autocar' wrote: 'Only by adopting advanced production methods and thereby increasing yearly output can a superlative machine like this be made today at a price its clientele can afford. The Rolls-Royce is one of very few surviving top quality cars; the maintained standard of overall excellence is rewarded by full order books, and a world reputation which has never stood higher.'

In 1962, a lower bonnet line and twin headlamps were introduced and the Cloud III was born. Engine power was upped by 15% and the top speed rose to 117 mph. The compression ratio was increased and the 1-inch SÚ carburetors replaced by 2-inch units.

A 1963 road test stated: 'It is a pity that a connoisseur's car like the Rolls-Royce remains far beyond the dreams of the vast majority of the World's motorists, but good to know that cars of this quality can be built still and that there is a healthy market for them. They set a standard that is really appreciated best when one returns to driving lesser cars.'

The Silver Cloud range prompted the immortal line used in its advertising, 'At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.'

Source - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
The last of the Rolls-Royce separate-chassis cars from Crewe, the Silver Cloud was the main vehicle manufactured by Rolls-Royce from April 1955 until March 1966. The Silver Cloud replaced the Silver Dawn and was eventually replaced by the Silver Shadow. A major update from the pre-war models, the main design work was accomplished by J.P. Blatchley.

With a simple steel box section, the chassis was welded together and was very rigid while construction was still split into chassis and pressed steel and aluminum coachwork. It wasn't until the Silver Shadow that the uni-body construction arrived.

Weighing a total of 1.95 ton's, the Silver Cloud measured 5.38 m long and 1.90 m wide. Transmission was a four-speed automatic with an engine that was a 4.9 L six-cylinder unit. Suspension was independent coils at the front and semi-elliptic springs at the rear while the brakes were servo-assisted hydraulic drums.

In 1959 the Silver Cloud II was introduced with minor changes externally, but with the addition of a 6.2 L V8 engine with now pushed the vehicles weight to 2.11 tons. The top speed jumped to 183 km/h while the biggest improvements were showcased in acceleration and torque. Essentially the Silver Cloud with a different engine, the Rolls-Royce new 6.2-liter light-alloy V8 has been said to have been inspired by Cadillac's 1949 OHV unit.

Identical in everything but the nameplate, and of course, the Rolls-Royce radiator and mascot, the Silver Cloud II favored the companion Bentley S-Type Series II. 229 units of this model were long-wheelbase limo's with division window and handcrafted coachwork, though most of these vehicles had the ‘standard steel' sedan body. Though falling behind the rising standard of chassis refinement, the 1959-1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II was still the ‘Best Car in the World'.

In 1963 the Silver Cloud III was unveiled with slightly updated external tweaks and a remodeled interior. The weight of this newest model was reduced by almost 100 kg which resulted in boosted engine speed and slight performance. Very similar to the later Silver Shadow, the headlights were updated to a four-headlamp layout.

A total of 2,238 units of the Silver Cloud were produced during its production time.

By Jessica Donaldson
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Rolls-Royce
Monthly Sales FiguresVolume
April 201384 
March 201384 
February 201384 
January 201338 
November 201232 
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20/25HP
20HP
25/30HP
Camargue
Corniche
Ghost
Phantom
Phantom I
Phantom II / Phantom II Continental
Phantom III
Phantom IV
Phantom V
Phantom VI
Silver Cloud I, II, and III
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Image Left 1959 Silver Cloud I1961 Silver Cloud II Image Right
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