1931 Bentley 8-Liter Tourer

This Bentley 8-Litre is the 13th of just 100 examples built. It was delivered as a company demonstrator to Société Européene Bentley Automobiles SA, near Paris, France, on March 1931. Bentley Motors commissioned the car's four-door sports saloon coachwork by Jacques Saoutchik. The car was registered in France as 4379 RE9 and is known to have been displayed in a local concours d'elegance in period.

This car was included as 'new-old stock' when Bentley was acquired by Rolls-Royce. It was then sold to London Bentley dealer Jack Barclay and a month later, in December of 1931, was acquired by Sir John Jarvis, trading in his 6.5-Litre on the purchased. Over the years that followed, the car was continuously updated, including with the addition of Andre shocks. In 1935, the car was sent to London coachbuilders Hopper for a new all-weather tourer body.

The car was sold in May of 1938 to S.G. Howard and saw little use during World War II. It was acquired in 1950 by Wentworth L. Rowland, passing in the mid-1950s to the first American owner, George C. Chilberg, who brought it to the United States. In December of 1962, the Bentley was purchased by the late Norris Allen of St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Allen elected to have the car restored in a more sporting configuration. The Hooper body was removed, and the chassis was shortened to 11 feet, 2 inches, as on the Speed Six team cars, while a new custom open four-seater body was built by Swallow Coachbuilding of Coventry, accented by British Racing Green paint, Lucas P100 headlamps, and Lucas 'snail pattern' sidelights. The car retains its original radiator and cowl, as well as its 1935 engine bonnet. The wings and running boards are believed to have been retained from the Hooper body and suitably shortened. An overdrive was installed. The car has its original engine and front and rear axles.

The car remained with Mr. Allen until his passing in 1995 and was then sold to Bill Ford.

The engine is a 7983cc single overhead cam six-cylinder unit fitted with dual SU HO8 carburetors and offering 220 horsepower. There is a four-speed 'F'-type manual transmission and Dewandre L3 servo-assisted four-wheel drum brakes. The wheelbase measures 134 inches. There is a live front and rear axles with Woodhead semi-elliptic leaf springs and André Hartford tele-control shock absorbers.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2016