1928 Bentley 4.5 Litre Tourer

Bentley built 665 examples of the 4½-Litre chassis, with nearly all of them with the longer 3300-millimeter (129.9 inch) wheelbase and all with custom coachwork. Production lasted four years, with few modifications being made to the engine during that time.

This particular example was originally fitted with a coupe body by London coachbuilders Victor Broom. M.D. Corrigan received the car from Henlys in July of 1928 and it was given registration YX 2006. It was owned by several owners before coming into the possession of William Howarth of Cheshire, England in May of 1947. It was purchased in (roughly) 1955 by J.R. Walmsley who kept the car until 1982. The car then went to the African continent, residing in Zimbabwe in the ownership of D.M.A. Stronge. In 1995, Mr. Stronge, having reconditioned the largely original automobile, proceeded to drive it in that year's South African Bentley Drivers Club rally. At the time, the car still had its original Victor Broom Coupe coachwork.

William Sykes purchased the car in 1999 and it returned to the United Kingdom. At that time, the Broom body was replaced with the current Vanden Plas-style Le Mans Tourer body. The work was performed by British coachbuilders James A. Pearce and Roger Wing. The Tourer body included cycle fenders, a folding windshield and Brooklands windscreens. It was given the correct Weymann patent bodywork of synthetic leather over a padded wooden frame, turned aluminum dashboard carrying the traditional large speedometer and tachometer, as well as other aeronautical-type gauges and an extended louvered bonnet and belly pans to better replicate the Le Mans appearance. Quick-release caps were installed on the fuel tank and the radiator. The 'D-Type' gearbox was given Laycock overdrive and an Eldown Engineering clutch conversion. The engine was given a Phoenix crankshaft, and dual Draper shocks were installed on the front axle. A large racing fuel tank was fitted along with proper Zeiss headlights, dual Bosch horns, and four 'diver's helmet' tail lamps.

The Bentley was acquired by East Coast collector Piers MacDonald and at that time, came to the United States. It was used in several Bentley Drivers Club rallies and many of the North American Vintage Bentley meets. More recently, it has been shown by its current owner in AACA National judging, winning a First Prize in 2014.

The current owner acquired the car at Amelia Island in 2016 and since then, it has been on the California Mille, three times on the Colorado Grand, and the West Coast Bentley Tour. It has been to Laguna Seca Raceway and Thermal Race Track. The car just received a restoration by Neil Davis, NDR Restoration in the United Kingdom. It is driven on a daily basis and in 2021, it was driven from Los Angeles to attend The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2016