In 1947, only two Bentley Franays were commissioned. This car was ordered by a Frenchman who wanted it for extensive touring throughout Europe.
After finding its way to England, it was 'restored' to a pleasing appearance and sold to the current owners in 2000.
It has since been disassembled and restored properly, including new wood.
Originally purchased by A.J. Liechti of Saint Louis in East of France on the Franco-Swiss border one mile from Basel. The Liectti family had apartments in several of the world's capitals and kept their Rolls-Royce and Bentley at their various residences.
The Liechti family owned paper mills since prior to World War II which are still active today. A.J. purchased this car for touring the African Continent and years later subsequently registered the car in Paris in early 1960 with the same license plates on this today. 725-JT-75
It was 'restored' by an English car dealer and sold at a Pebble Beach auction in August 2000. The 'restoration' was a cosmetic one to sell the car. Upon closer inspection one problem surfaced after another and it took 8 years and over 8000 hours of paid labor to bring it back they way it should have been. Not only did the current owner have to remove the body from the chassis but all the attachments, nuts, bolts, suspension, etc. needed attention. The wood beneath the metal skin was found to have been burnt in one section and other areas had rot. Nearly 90% of the wood was replaced keeping only a few firm solid pieces. Two and one half years were spent at a metal fabricator where damaged or rotted metal that had been laden heavily with bondo, was meticulously replaced.
This car features two jump seats, a set of champagne glasses in the back seat and the original luggage. Beneath the tire cover the small tools are set in a nest within the spare tire. Additional tool storage is found set in a well on the floor.Also photographed at :