1958 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud – Project Profile

Now, you may be thinking that taking on a project Rolls Royce Silver Cloud from the late ’50s would be a brave move and you would be right, in part, but there is a flip side to that coin and one that we’re going to discuss here. Generally regarded as the last traditionally-styled Roller the Silver Cloud is a truly regal conveyance and one that will instantly make you feel like royalty when you climb inside the luxuriously appointed cabin. Harking back to a time when cars were built with love, care and a meticulous eye for detail and with its separate chassis combined with that wonderfully elegant body the Silver Cloud retains an old-fashioned feel whilst also managing to be incredibly refined at the same time. On the face of it this particular Rolls Royce Silver Cloud doesn’t appear to be in too bad shape, aside from the obvious body blemishes. It’s a running and driving example with a decent looking interior and full compliment of trim. There’s nothing hanging off or missing and the potential is clear to see, at least to our eyes and it could represent a bit of a bargain, depending on how the bidding goes.

What is it?

Old fashioned or old school, depending on your perspective, the Silver Cloud was a case of Rolls Royce doing exactly what it did best: crafting a comfortable and elegant luxury car, eschewing the then new trend for monocoque construction. Big changes were around the corner for Rolls Royce with the Silver Shadow representing a complete shift in design principles but that’s what makes the Silver Cloud so special and the car we have available here is a first generation 1958 model. Designed by John Polwhele Blatchley and quite the departure from the earlier, pre-war cars Rolls Royce had been producing, the car still very much represents a link to the past. Fitted with a 4.9-litre straight-six engine (that was later changed to a V8) the Silver Cloud is surprisingly simple to work on making it an accessible classic for the tinkerers among us and with great parts support to boot those initial feelings of biting off more than you can chew start to subside somewhat.

Why is it a project?

Taking a closer look at the pictures (this is one of our auction listings so there are plenty of quality images to pore over) it becomes evident that the bodywork is in need of some attention. This is far from a basket case, though, with the majority of the rot being confined to the front wings, offside sill and rear arch, and as mentioned, panels shouldn’t be too difficult to obtain. The interior does have some patina but there is nothing here that will scare off any potential buyers. The car starts, runs and drives and although a thorough mechanical inspection would be pertinent the in-line six and drum brakes are not complicated affairs. There is paperwork here and with a few large bills for various maintenance work showing a certain level of care, there doesn’t appear to be too much here in the way of big scares.

Five things to look for:

1) Body and Chassis

We can see that there are some rust repairs to be dealt with as well as the replacement of the nearside wing but this will be well within the remit of any decent bodyshop and panels are still readily available along with other parts from specialists like Introcar. The key thing to look at with this particular car is the chassis. It’s inherently tough but it pays to get underneath the thing and have a proper look, especially at the rear around the battery tray and rear axle. The radiator looks to be in great shape which is good news as these can cost thousands to replace.

2) Engine

As mentioned earlier the six-pot engines in these early Silver Clouds are a doddle to work on but as with any Rolls Royce engine it should be as smooth as butter. They’re robust units too and with correct and regular servicing can provide hundreds of thousands of happy miles, on top of the 72K this car has already racked up. Carry out the usual audit, including healthy head gasket checks and although there will likely be some weeping of oil from various points it isn’t really an issue as long as the car displays good oil pressure.

3) Suspension and steering

This is a large, heavy car and as such a lot of strain is put on the various steering and suspension components which need to be tip top to retain that legendary Rolls Royce ride quality. Any excessive slop in the steering will indicate a worn box and/or steering joints. The car doesn’t look to be sagging but that’s not to say the dampers and springs are not on their way out or the bushes have not deteriorated so a full inspection will be required. The car should feel comfortable on the road without being overly loose.

4) Interior

A decent level of patina always adds to the charm of any classic Rolls and this particular interior is no exception. There are a few small issues to address but the important thing is there is no real damage or missing trim which is a boon as a full professional re-trim will run in to the tens of thousands. There is no mention of the functionality of the electrics so that would have to be included in your analysis of the car but generally speaking the system is fairly hardy.

5) Service history

The car does come with some history, including old MOTs and several large invoices dating all the way back to 1990, with a bill for £5,000 in ’95. Kept in serviceable, running condition ever since this Silver Cloud hasn’t been parked up and forgotten and that’s a good thing because, in our humble opinion, keeping a car on the road and working is the best case scenario when it comes to any potential recommissioning work – it keeps the wheels greased, so to speak.

What should you do with it?

There’s only one way to realistically go with this Silver Cloud and that’s down the sympathetic recommissioning route. A full, body-off restoration would be far too expensive and defeat the object of picking up a potential bargain. Personally speaking we don’t think it needs it but that’s not to say you should cut corners – this is a rather resplendent Rolls Royce after all. Sort any mechanical niggles out to get the car running and driving as Rolls Royce intended and then address the rest of the reconditioning on a rolling basis. Not only will the project be more digestible that way but it will also quickly get you behind the wheel, which is vitally important to keep enthusiasm for a project alive, and who wouldn’t want to float around in this Silver Cloud ASAP, warts and all?