1931 Bentley 4.5 Litre Sports Tourer

This 1931 Bentley 4.5-Liter Supercharged example has coachwork in the style of a Birkin Team 'Blower' and is one of the original 50 'Blower' chassis. It has the correct D-Type racing gearbox, an original ribbed supercharger (number 130), and the correctly stamped engine (SM 3921). When it left the factory, it wore coachwork by Gurney Nutting and a drophead coupe body. Its first owner was W.C. Gordon Black of Fife, Scotland who took delivery in March of 1931. It was sold in 1951 to Hilda Richardson of Surrey. The next owner was Squadron Leader William Kent of Norfolk who owned it from 1952 to 1954. A.J. Sterling Wakbloy of London was its next caretaker, selling it on March 1, 1961, to R.J. Whittaker. Since then, it has remained in the same family ownership to this date.

The current owner's father imported this car from England as a rolling chassis - devoid of its body. It was re-bodied in the style of a Birkin Team Blower with coachwork by Restor Ltd. in England in the 1970s. A mechanical restoration was performed by Hoffman & Burton, Jeff Huckle, and later Hoffman & Mountfort.

This vehicle has lightweight fabric four-seat coachwork, cycle-style fenders, aero screens, mesh stone guards to protect the Zeiss headlamps, a large-capacity LeMans fuel tank, a racing dashboard with correct larger instruments, cord-wrapped steering wheel, and hood straps.

In 2008, this Blower Bentley was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company Auction held in Pebble Beach, California. It was estimated to sell for $1,800,000 - $2,200,000. The lot was sold for an impressive $1,760,000, including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2009