1926 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Weymann Drophead Coupé

This Bentley 3-Litre is one of 15 examples built by Bentley Motors to 'Speed Weymann' specifications, and this is the only example delivered as a Speed Weymann Coupe. The other examples were built as saloons. The elegant coachwork rests on the 3/16'-gauge chassis frame which measures 117.5-inches in length. It was given a double silencer exhaust system and a lower-ratio rear axle. It has lightweight wooden framework which is held in place by steel plates and covered with fabric. This setup is called the Weymann type of body construction and was named from its inventor, Charles Terres Weymann. Weymann licensed production to many independent coachbuilders, as well as produced bodies at its factories in France and (later) England. This example wears Weymann style coachwork by Freestone & Webb.

This car was sold new by the Bentley agent in Birmingham, Garner, and was given registration 'OP 4536.' Its first owner was W. Carr of Myton, Warwick, who retained the car until 1938 when it was offered for sale by Brooklands Motors Ltd. of Bond Street, London. In early December of 1938, it was acquired by Peter Littlewood Hainsworth of Farsley. It was later sold to his father-in-law, William Bateson, who kept it for only a short period. After a succession of owners, the car entered the care of Warren E. Lovesey in 1964, who had it restored and showed it a year later at Blenheim. Little is known about the vehicle from this point in history until 1983, when it was registered by Charles Russett. Mr. Russett soon sold it to Colin Pettitt, manager of the Stratford Motor Museum, who had the Bentley restored by James E Pearce. It was then sold through Stanley Mann to Dr. Peter David Wilson, who owned it from 1989 through 1997. Owen Corrigan owned it briefly before it was purchased by John MacRae at Brooks' Olympia auction in December 1998. Mr. MacRae sold the car to Robert Ian Harley in 2004, who in turn sold it to Andrew Maurice Gibbs in 2005.

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2019