Lot Ended
Description
1963 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III
Recon
gearbox; formerly owned by actor Roy Stewart; a genuine '60s Kings Road
icon with leopard print headlining: simply GROOVY!
Delivered new
through Jack Barclay and first registered in December 1963, the factory build
record and test sheets confirm that this Cloud III was originally
painted Midnight blue, trimmed in Tan Connolly leather and was ordered by a gent
from Moorgate in London.
A purchase note (undated) from Jack Barclay
shows that they sold it, presumably to Roy Stewart, the details referring to a
paint change to ICI Violet over Ermine White. There is a continuation logbook on
file with Stewart's name in it dating from 1971 and this may, or may not,
be when he purchased it - the V5C listing him as the only former keeper prior to
our vendor acquiring it....so, either the V5C is incorrect or the original order
was cancelled and the car colour-changed when new. This was not
uncommon.
Roy Stewart was a very well-known character. He started his
career as a stunt man and opened a gym in Kensington (where Sean Connery toned
himself for the Bond films) as well as a Caribbean club and restaurant called
'The Globe' in nearby Talbot Street. This became extremely fashionable in the
Swinging Sixties and was frequented by Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and Van Morrison
- in fact Hendrix was seen there the night before his tragic death.
He
also developed a successful acting career, starring as Quarrel Junior in the
James Bond film 'Live and Let Die', various Carry On films as well as lots of TV
work during the '60s and '70s.
Flamboyant and fashionable, he
had leopard skin material fitted to the head lining and a drinks cabinet
fitted behind the rear seats (he was done three times for selling booze from his
gym where he hosted an 'after hours' club) and was very much part of the Kings
Road set. The history file includes Stewart's Equity Card from 1966,
business cards for a variety of ventures he was involved with and one for 'The
Pack of Cards' club - 'Girls Girls & Dolls'!
Moving on to the car
itself, the vendor acquired it in 2013 (some five years after Stewart died) and
has enjoyed using it, although it hasn't been the 'go to' car in his collection
so it has covered very few miles since.
Now Mauve over silver, it has
air conditioning which is untested and a few added switches and gadgets which we
haven't had time to investigate either - it even comes with a drinks
cabinet behind the rear seat with glasses and a champagne bucket...The seats
look to have been professionally retrimmed in blue leather at some point in the
recent past.
The vendor spent £4,200 in 2021 on a fully
reconditioned gearbox and torque converter from JT Automatics in Kent,
adding that his journey of over 100 miles to the sale is probably the
furthest he has driven the car.
The paintwork is average, but the car
looks solid which is the main thing with these Clouds. The tinted windows, mauve
highlights and wacky headlining add a roguish anti-establishment layer and
we think it is terrific fun - like a toned-down John Lennon
Rolls.
Having Historic Vehicle tax status, it is ULEZ exempt - what fun
it would be wafting up and down the Kings Road.
Bidders are advised that
it isn't currently running on all eight so could do with a good service. The
noise at the end of the video is a creak from the dash caused by the uneven
running.
For more information - contact [email protected]
* All charges are subject to VAT