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1976 Custom Cloud: Rolls Wannabe

1976 Custom Cloud

I’m sure at some point in time, most of us have dreamt of owning a big Rolls Royce or Bentley. Then the reality of what they not only cost to buy but to maintain and that dream is quickly squelched. Someone in the ’70s decided that all most people really wanted was the massive grill and ornate hood ornament, so they created the Custom Cloud. They based their Rolls Royce wannabe off of the common and affordable Chevrolet Monte Carlo. No one knows just how many conversion kits were built, but it can’t be many. The example you see above was submitted by Bob L and can be found here on eBay, where the seller claims only 14 were built, but I have a feeling there are far more than that. As a matter of fact Robert R found another one!

Monte Carlo Custom Cloud

This clean example can be found here on craigslist for $15,00. Whether there were 14 or 100 built, these machines are rare and unusual enough to take a look at. The question is, would a Rolls Royce wannabe ever fulfil the dream of owning the real deal or would you feel bad driving a knock-off? Special thanks to Bob and Robert for sharing these with us!

Comments

  1. Avatar Grr

    What a douchemobile.

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  2. Avatar the chucker

    A weekend ride suitable for Cousin Eddie.

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  3. Avatar jim s

    looks better in two-tone then all white. if you want a custom chevy this may be your ticket. if you want a custom beetle you can find them with the fake rolls front also. but if you want a rolls buy the real thing! i bought the real deal ( and sold it ), glad i did buy one but would not do it again. interesting find

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  4. Avatar Stu Member

    Like Jim we had a Rolls Royce, too, for a few years. The ’51 Silver Dawn was lots of fun. We learned a lot and made a little money by sorting a few bugs out.

    Also like Jim, been there–done that–don’t need to go again.

    Comparing this thing to a Rolls Royce is like comparing a plastic fork to your great grandmother’s silver cutlery.

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  5. Avatar craigerb

    The Chevy Monte Carlo was, well, a chevy. Trying to make something that is average and boring to begin with into something noteworthy is pointless.
    This thing just looks so dumb.

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  6. Avatar Kenzo

    Why oh Why ! !

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  7. Avatar Charles

    It’s certainly not a Rolls, and is a waste of a good Chevy.

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  8. Avatar Tom S.

    Homer mobile.

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  9. Avatar Ed P

    Is the driver required to wear a white fur coat and hat?

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  10. Avatar Jose

    A dog by any other name is still a dog. Come to think of it, that’s an insult to man’s best friend.

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  11. Avatar Ranger Herb

    Pimpmobile deluxe, SuperFly, the names just keeping rolling off the tongue..

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  12. Avatar grant

    This thing is the very personification of 70’s tacky. I believe there was one built on a Lincoln as well, called the Excaliber, or something to that effect. The guy who thinks it is or will ever by worth 14k would make more money selling whatever he is smoking.

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  13. Avatar dave57210

    I have been lusting after an early 70’s Roller – but I want to stuff a 500 inch Cad motor in there, along with a 4L80E trans, and add disc brakes and suspension from a Chev 1500 pickup and a 9 inch ford rear end. The ultimate sleeper!

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  14. Avatar Henrie Swanepoel

    About as ugly as the latest model

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  15. HoA Howard A Member

    I too, agree on the tackiness. I’m reminded of another abomination of the era, the ’76 Stutz Blackhawk, built off a Grand Prix, that also had limited appeal. The Monte Carlo and the Grand Prix were great cars, just not dollied up like this.

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  16. Avatar cory

    I actually kind of like that

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  17. Avatar Vince Habel

    Ugly.

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  18. Avatar Bill

    I actually have tried to buy the Ebay car but the seller is either a flake or is hiding something… completely unresponsive to any questions and the price keeps changing….

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  19. Avatar Will

    With all these negative comments I just want it more. Yes it is an example of 70 tackiness taken to an extreme. That is why I like it. Over priced though, as I am sure it was when new.

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  20. Avatar Fred

    Thought you may not drive…..a great big Cadillac……gangsta whitewalls…..TV antenna in the back…..you may not ha-ave….a caa at all……but remember…bruthus and sistas…..you can still….stand tall……

    Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin the scene with a gangsta lean, woo hoo….

    William DeVaughn, 1974

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    • Avatar JW454

      Fred,
      I worked at a Shell station in Dayton, Ohio around 1972. There was a green one and an orange that was “dressed out” just like the Cadiliac in your picture. They came in for gas a couple times a week. Ha! The 70’s…. what a decade!

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    • Avatar Jeffro

      Remember seeing these beauties sitting brand new at the ’73 New York Auto Show. There were dozens of “Superflies” buzzing around them. These things weren’t cheap if I remember, but I imagine that most of them were bought with cold hard cash. A crazy era in urban transportation.

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    • Avatar Ray McCollum

      Now, that’s what you call ‘taken to the extreme!’

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    • Avatar scooter8

      broham!

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  21. Avatar bob gressard

    When almost new my dad bought one from the local bank. It has been sitting ever since. I think it has 4000 miles on it. Any one want it? I have a 64 S3 Bentley and I don’t think the two would get along. Bob.

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  22. Avatar Vince Habel

    You never see a El Morocco come up for sale. They were a lot nicer than these.

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  23. Avatar Jim

    Here’s another abomination for sale at the same place that is selling the burned out Merc you listed earlier:

    http://www.porfor.com/

    http://www.porfor.com/gallery3/albums/album51/1980_STUTZ_IV_PORTE_3139F.jpg

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    • Avatar Jim

      woops. did the image wrong

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  24. Avatar EmmyJ

    I remember the Custom Cloud! The Excalibur, mentioned by Grant, is an entirely different beast and predates the Custom Cloud.

    There was a great writeup on these in Collectible Automobile about 15 years ago, but I found one online as well: http://www.coindispenser.com/story.html

    I would totally rescue it, though I might not drive it!

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  25. Avatar That Guy

    I was a teenager when these came out, and I remember reading the Car & Driver article referenced in the eBay posting. I think this was the article which described the padded vinyl roof as looking “like it was made from fat ladies’ bottoms.” That’s still one of the funniest things I have ever read in a car magazine.

    There’s a part of me that would love to own something like this, just to revel in its glorious ridiculousness.

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  26. Avatar tom999p

    Reminds me of the Dunham Coach cars, in a lot of pimp movies in the 1970’s, including Superfly….

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  27. Avatar fred

    Just in case someone hasn’t heard the song I posted the lyrics to…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myCDlel_Ek8

    You’ll instantly be transported back to a summer day in 1974, radio blasting…this song.

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  28. Avatar St.Ramone de V8

    Fire up the crusher. Some things humans did with automobiles was wrong. Just wrong…

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  29. Avatar gunningbar

    All these posts…some funny shit mon! I appreciate it!

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  30. Avatar bruce R. Colbert

    ” This is a real head turner! ” Turn the other way.

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  31. Avatar Joe

    One of the most butt ugly wastes I’ve ever seen.

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  32. Avatar Dustin

    Paint it maroon and grey.

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