1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II ‘Adaption’ drophead coupé that crossed the Atlantic on HMS Queen Elizabeth and was designed with drinkers in mind to be auctioned
Our final pick from tomorrow’s RM Sotheby’s 28th January Arizona sale is a 1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II ‘Adaption’ drophead coupé by H. J. Mulliner.
Offered with a guide of £279,000 to £331,000 ($400,000 to $475,000, €368,000 to €437,000) is the very last of the 107 ‘Adaption’s’ made and was ordered new by Boyd Calhoun Hipp I (1922 – 1976) of Greenville, South Carolina, a decorated Second World War hero who went on to become a leader in the insurance, finance, and television broadcasting industries.
Two stories to keep beside you
Bonded to a Rolls
1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I drophead coupé owned by Bond set designer Sir Ken Adam to be auctioned at RM Sotheby’s Battersea sale tonight
Bring your own seats
Seatless 1962 Rolls-Royce for sale for £420,000 For £420,000 ($539,000 or €481,000) one would expect a car to come with a seat but a 1962 Rolls-Royce currently offered by Vintage & Prestige Fine Motor Cars currently has nothing but a wire framework. The 1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II H. J. Mulliner drophead coupé […]
Delivered to Mr Calhoun Hipp I in England in September 1962, the American specification, left-hand drive Rolls-Royce accompanied him home to New York aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth. It features Perspex sun visors, a fitted locker with an ice thermos in the left-hand door pocket, a fitted cocktail bar with three spirit flasks and six tumblers in the backs of the front seats and removable “toadstool” cushions that affix to the rear bumpers to provide seating for “tailgate dining”.
The car was last sold by RM Sotheby’s at Villa Erba for £284,000 ($407,000 or €375,000) in May 2015 and is described as “the ultimate Rolls-Royce convertible”.
Update 31st January 2016: Sold for £270,000 ($385,000 or €355,000). Down 5% on 2015 price.
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11 comments
As the colour scheme matches your sartorial style; don’t surprised if some of your wealthy pals have a whip-round tonight, and buy this as a glamorous birthday present
Elegant car, wonderful interior. Having flown from Heathrow to Montreal with my motorbike in the hold beneath me last August in order to ride across the USA, I can easily imagine how excited he must have felt to land in New York with his lovely new Rolls on board anticipating the wonderful drive down to South Carolina. Lucky man.
Puts the cocktail cabinet in my Silver Spur to shame – no thermos to keep the ice cold!
Normally speaking I would consider a gold Rolls as the height of vulgarity. However the particular shade of this car is quite subtle and the car carries it off, I think it would be referred to as “champagne gold.” It would still not be my choice, I am more of a dark blue man, but considering it was going to live in America and during the era when there was still a backlash against war time austerity, it is forgivable.
Having so recently returned from the USA as I mentioned in my earlier post, I have been day dreaming all morning about his drive from New York to his home in South Carolina and imagining the incredulous reaction the car must have created from the locals along the way. In those days country petrol stations will have been charming little places with stylish little diners attached to them staffed by elegantly attired waitresses. I imagine in some places the whole town will have dropped whatever they were doing to come out to look at this amazing creation from another world. It now stands as a beautiful reminder of a less pressurised and more elegant period.
1962
Petrol was about 25 pence a gallon
The average wage for someone well to do was less than a thousand a year
A round might have cost less than forty pence
The CEO of BP was earning one hundred and twenty five thousand pounds a year and I was getting four shillings nineteen and sixpence a week
I bought a Singer Le Mans for twenty eight pounds
Aldo Carpanini – one of my clients – had a 280 Coupe that cost eleven and a half thousand
A Rolls S 111 cost six or seven thousand
This beauty might have cost eleven thousand
There were ten cash millionaires in the UK – need I go on
Four pounds nineteen and six pence
At the end of the 70s I had the joy of owning a Silver Shadow 11 in what I believe was known as Bronze with a cream interior. Meandering through rural France evoked a lot of forelock tugging and (almost) friendliness towards the ‘rostbifs’. My circumstances changed somewhat in the 80s and I switched to a 2CV! Oh memories, memories!
I have heard the tale of the yellow Rolls- Royce driven by a toff Terry-Thomas sort, however, Hugh Grant was known to cruise down the Hollywood Boulevard without a real purpose. Rolls- Royce has a purpose to demonstrate style and elegance.
Is all that ‘ A gentleman should never be seen in a Rolls-Royce unless he’s the chauffeur ‘ stuff is out dated now?
Not really Martin it still very much stands at least in my view. I suppose a vintage Rolls might be forgiven providing it has been in the family since before the time that ownership of one became vulgar simply because at the time of purchase any motorcar was a novelty and Rolls Royces were establishing their credentials through genuinely superior engineering rather than superficial snobbery. A car with a interesting Empire or WW1 war record which has maintained it’s cool under fire whilst bringing a family member home safely would be definitely forgivable.
I so enjoy the views contributors view his his Mattheness’s pages
I came late to his pages and have Rupert James to thank entirely
I was lucky enough to be invited to his birthday party last week
Great mixture of his pals – great long evening