Rolls-Royce II Mulliner Drophead Coupe heads to auction

One of the stars of Historics spring sale on Saturday looks set to be a 1962 Rolls-Royce II Drophead Coupe by H.J. Mulliner. And this desirable and rare coachbuilt Rolls-Royce – one of only 106 – could fetch up to £370,000.

Introduced in 1959, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II established a new standard for luxury motorcars, but was not offered until West London coachbuilder, H.J. Mulliner began offering conversion.

The car, known as an ‘adaptation’, was created from a factory-standard Silver Cloud II steel saloon body. So extensive were Mulliner's modifications that the resulting car was essentially a coachbuilt body.

This example - specified with an electrically-operated hood, windows and aerial, Sundym glass, seat belts and, most unusually, twin cocktail cabinets in the rear - was delivered new to its owner in Long Beach, California on 3 August, 1962.

Sadly, the owner had little time to enjoy his sumptuous new possession before he passed away, at which point the car was acquired by the second owner, within whose family it remained until 1995, the last 15 years spent in Honolulu, during which time it covered just 12,000 miles.

In 1997, the car returned to the UK where it was registered and underwent a £26,000 restoration by Rolls-Royce specialists, P.J. Fischer Classic Automobiles of Putney, South West London. More recently, £7500 was spent at marque specialists Michael Hibberd.

Understandably, the flowing lines of this stunning car then attracted the gaze of its first UK owner, publishing magnate Felix Dennis.

The car will be sold will a full MoT certificate, a file of receipts from its restoration period, plus a service booklet, handbook, build sheets and a typed history that provides a glimpse at its 54-year life to date.

For more information, visit the Historics website.