1964 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III by Mulliner Park Ward

Finished in Garnet, this MPW Silver Cloud III won the Scottish Section of the  Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club’s Charles Palmer Concours De Elegance trophy only two years ago – but despite winning such a prestigious prize, the seller treated it to £3,500-worth of titivation in the hands of Classic Restorations (Scotland) Ltd in September 2025 to get it ready for sale.

He had it serviced in the same month too, which drained his bank account of a further £2,800 – and not content with that, the MPW received further attention from the same firm in October, this time to investigate a rattle, running up another hefty bill for £2,209.

Clearly the seller is not one to do things by half…

As for why he’s selling it, he has four other cars and finds he simply isn’t using this one as much as he’d like.

While the rear and side profiles could be that of an Italian saloon, there’s no mistaking the Silver Cloud’s lineage from the front, with the angled twin Lucas headlamps and that iconic radiator grille working in unison with the Spirit of Ecstasy to show the world that you are not only driving a Rolls-Royce, you are driving a coachbuilt Rolls-Royce.

The shutlines are pretty darned impressive for a bespoke car, even sixty years later. Everything else lines up neatly too, including the chromework, which is surprisingly restrained but when a car is as beautiful as this it has no need of flamboyant jewellery. 

The brightwork is in generally good order and is largely shiny, even if the offside front corner of the bumper is slightly scratched and bubbling.

The front lamps, all of which were made by Lucas, sit withing a R-R-badged chrome surround. All are in good order being free of cracks and other damage. 

The rear lamps are also from Lucas, and these sit within body-coloured surrounds. The surrounds themselves have some marks to their finish, but the light lenses are still colourful and free of damage with the sole exception of the nearside reversing lamp.

The 15-inch steel wheels are fitted with full-width hubcaps that’re finished in a combination of a body-coloured centre section and chrome inners and outers. They’re in a fine condition with only faint scratches to very outer rim of some of them. 

The beautifully decorated wheels are fitted with a matching set of 235/75R15 Hankook Optimo H724 whitewall tyres. 

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

As for flaws, the windscreen is just starting to delaminate, and the bonding sealer has oozed out onto the nearside pillar. The rear screen seal isn’t terribly neat either.

A good machine-polish should get rid of most of the light swirls and scratches across the coachwork, although the doors have been painted a slightly different colour to the rest of the panels. They also have noticeable chips and marks to their edges. 

There are also scratches to both nearside wings as well as below the rear bumper and the boot lid and its aperture. There’s also a blister at the bottom of the offside front wing, the front splitter has a few cracks and marks, and the offside rear wing has been touched-up.

The leather interior is finished in Magnolia piped in Chinese Red and while the seats have clearly been refreshed/recoloured at some point, they look very smart and are still plump and resilient. 

There are some surface creases and cracks to the driver’s seat, but most folk could live it with as it is for a good while yet – maybe even another 60 years if you don’t mind a patina.

The car was fitted with many extras by the factory including air-conditioning, twin speakers on the rear parcel shelf, a leather headliner, a tachometer, black nickel air vents, tinted glass, electric windows, and even a manually wound Swiss clock.

Plus a slide-out front picnic tray that incorporates a double-width ashtray, which isn’t something you see every day.

The dashboard is a masterpiece in understated elegance; as a time when luxury often means having as many touchscreens as possible, the MPW makes do with the minimum of instruments and controls, using the available space for a impressive slab of walnut veneer instead. 

The walnut veneer is generally in good shape too with no chips, cracks, or peeling lacquer. However, it has faded throughout, and this is most evident along the top of the doors.

The boot is trimmed in a blue wool carpet, which is again bound in Chinese Red. The luggage space is voluminous, well-preserved, and contains a full-size spare wheel that is also fitted with a Hankook Optimo H724 tyre. The floor is also solid. 

Speaking of storage, the glovebox has a proper Yale lock on it to stop the chauffeur nicking your cigars, and there’s further space for smaller bits and bobs in the door pockets. 

As for cosmetic issues you might like to work your way through, the headlining is starting to sag, and the carpets are a little worn around the edges, although the centre sections, including the startingly good ‘MPW’ heel protector, have been protected by overmats. 

The full-width ‘Easirider’ wool overmats have been fitted within the last three years. They are in a very good condition, although you might like to get them professionally cleaned.

There’s some wear around the ignition key too, but we think that’s just a developing patina and should be encouraged rather than removed, and there is a small hole in the carpet trim at the bottom of the nearside door where a lock should be. 

Oh, and the radio doesn’t work, and nor does the fuel filler flap release when you use the knob on the dashboard. You can still unlock it using the pull cord in the boot though, so it’s not a catastrophic problem.

As you can see, the V8 engine starts well although you’ll probably need to turn the volume up before you’ll be able to enjoy its sewing-machine idle, as it is every bit as quiet as you’d hope. 

It has a delightfully raw edge to its exhaust note when you provoke though, which is nice, and the dashboard shows both decent oil pressure and a healthy charge to the battery. 

The seller tells us it has never let him down despite roaming far and wide across Scotland to attend RREC events, cruising at an easy 70mph on the motorway.

Interestingly, the bonnet hinges along its centreline, an elegant relic of a bygone age. It’s a design that gives good access to the engine and ancillaries, and the panels can be removed completely should you want more room.

The engine itself is very neatly presented and is clean enough to make working on it a joy, yet it is not so overly detailed as to make you think twice about using it in the rain. 

Perfectly judged then. Obviously. 

The underside bears witness to welded repairs over the years, but it’s still well protected by underseal across most of its surface, with only the odd spot of peeling protection and subsequent corrosion making itself known along some of the edges. 

The paperwork on file shows ‘OSL 393’ spent some time in the United States. It was also originally painted Ming Blue, changing to the Garnet it is finished in today at some point after 1987.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the history file has some hefty recent invoices in addition to a charming History Book that details the car’s build and earlier life, including significant work by Fiennes Restoration in 2021 for which the final bill came to almost £16,000. 

There are earlier receipts too, including a couple from Ristes Motor Company dated 2013 and 2010 for £35,505 and £7,210 respectively.

It also appears to have benefitted from work from the late-eighties through to the mid-nineties by folk such as RO-BEN Cars, Alan Dyson Restorations, and Hofmann’s of Henley.

The Silver Cloud doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 

If you were thinking of putting an MoT on it, take courage because the last one, which expired in 2023, was issued with no advisories.

Representing the end of an era, the MPW Silver Cloud III is still one of the most elegant and civilized ways of getting from A-to-B – and yet, in an age of SUV-shaped vulgarity, they are still criminally undervalued and have yet to take their rightful place in the hierarchy of mid-20th century luxury automobiles.

Because we expect this one, which may we remind you was a concours winner only two years ago, will only fetch somewhere between £50,000 and £60,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.