Riding on a Custom Cloud – an LS Powered 1961 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II
We’ve heard tunes that sing the praises of Hot Rod Lincolns, Little GTOs, 409s, Deuce coupes, a Little Red Corvette, and Sally’s Mustang. But nothing for a Hot Rod Rolls Royce. If you’re an aspiring song writer, how about composing lyrics for Brian Gantley’s 1961 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II? The LS-powered British beast deserves it.
Brian built the car in honor of his British-born wife, Pearl, who loved cars, especially Rolls Royces. But finding a buildable Rolls is this country isn’t easy. A tip from a friend led to this car. “It was in a barn for 18 years,” Brian says. “Rat infested and disassembled.”
Of course, that sort of condition dictates a project requiring more than do-it-yourself skills, so Brian turned to Joel Williams and his team at Nobody Customs. The challenge: Maintain the Rolls Royce elegance while making the car perform like a modern ride.
Upgrading the performance started with a custom Art Morrison chassis fitted with Ridetech air ride suspension components, a Flaming River right-hand-drive steering rack, and four-wheel Wilwood disc brakes, with a twist: they’re electric powered. The chassis is painted and detailed and rolls on custom 20-inch Detroit Steel wheels wrapped in Continental rubber.
Powering the stately 1961 Rolls Royce is a brawny American V8 – a 6.2-liter Chevrolet Performance LS3 that produces 650 horsepower, thanks to a Competition Cams camshaft and Holley Sniper EFI and ignition. A cold-air induction system guides fresh air to the EFI through openings in the front grille. The stainless headers were hand built by the guys at Nobody Customs and connect to a Magnaflow exhaust system. A GM Performance 6L80E automatic transmission with push-button controls feeds the power to a Currie 9-inch rearend with 3.73 gears.
Restoring the Rolls Royce body required removing all the factory lead work, re-welding and smoothing seams, and fine-tuning other areas like the smoothed wheel wells. The PPG Vibrance Brown Sugar and Cool Vanilla finish was applied by Nobody Customs and looks right at home on this classic.
Creating the interior meant restoring original elements (burlwood inlays, for example) while adding modern upgrades that complement the luxury vibe. Custom color-matched gauges from Classic Instruments look at home in the original dash, while a Flaming River tilt column hosts a custom wood-rimmed wheel that matches the classic Rolls inlays. Rolls Royce leather covers custom memory-foam seats thanks to the skill of Colonel’s Custom Upholstery. Front and rear air-conditioning systems as well as front and rear stereo systems enhance the luxury feel.
Seamlessly blending British luxury and American performance, there’s one thing certain about Brian’s 1961vRolls Royce: it hauls much more than Grey Poupon.
Photos by John Jackson
