1936 Bentley 3.5 Liter

Bentley Motors was acquired by Rolls-Royce in 1931, robbing it of its independence but ensuring the company's survival. The first of what would become known as the 'Derby Bentleys' arrived in 1933, continuing to build upon the company's reputation for sporty and refined motoring.

The 3.5-Liter (3,669cc) Bentley was based on the contemporary Rolls-Royce 20/25hp, but with a slightly shorter wheelbase and powered by an overhead-valve six-cylinder engine with twin SU carburetors and delivering 115 horsepower. It was joined by a four-speed manual gearbox containing synchromesh on the top two ratios, a single dry plate clutch, and servo-assisted drum brakes. The suspension was by semi-elliptic leaf springs all round.

The 3.5-Liter Bentley long-distance tourer offered effortless sports car performance in nearly absolute silence, earning it the nickname, 'The Silent Sports Car.' It successfully combined the refinement of the Rolls-Royce with the performance and handling of the Bentley.

Production

The Bentley 3½ Litre was an exclusive, coachbuilt automobile with total production reaching 2,442 units (including the subsequent 4.25 Liter model; production of the 3.5-Litre continued into 1937, by which time 1,191 (as few as 1177) examples had been produced), with nearly half receiving coachwork by Park Ward in a limited number of styles. The last year's allocation was manufactured alongside the incoming 4.25-liter (4257cc) version that would ultimately supersede the 3.5-litre cars. The MX-series of 1939 was the final iteration of the model. The Series A to F were 3½ Litre cars; G to L (with the exception of I) were 4¼ Litres, and the M series was the 4¼ Litre Overdrive chassis. Each series had 100 chassis numbers, with the numbers 13 and 113 being excluded due to superstition.

The series was replaced in 1939 by the MKV, but some examples were still delivered as late as 1941.

Coachbuilders

The list of coachbuilders who clothed the 3.5-Liter includes Park Ward, Vanden Plas, Barker, Hooper, Windovers, James Young, Arthur Mulliner, Thrupp & Maberly, Gurney Nutting, Figoni et Falaschi, Kellner, Saoutchik, Vanvooren, Carlton, Rippon Bros, Mann Egerton, and H.J. Mulliner.

Many of the bodies were built from aluminum which was lighter and more expensive than steel.

The Engine

The 3,669cc inline six-cylinder engine had a 3.25-inch bore and a 4.5-inch stroke. Developed from Rolls-Royce's straight-6 powering the 20/25, it had a higher compression ratio, two SU carburetors on a crossflow cylinder head, and a sportier camshaft. It developed 110 horsepower at 4,500 RPM, giving the Bentley a top speed of around 90 mph, depending on coachwork.

Mechanical Specification

The Bentley 3.5 Litre had 126-inch wheelbase chassis was manufactured from nickel steel, with a 'double-dropped layout. Inherently strong, the chassis did not require additional diagonal cross-bracing, allowing it to weigh less than most of its contemporary competitors. The suspension was via leaf springs, and four-wheel servo-assisted mechanical brakes provided the stopping power. The four-speed manual transmission had synchromesh on the 3rd and 4th gears.

The Bentley 4¼ Litre

Bentley introduced its 4¼ Litre replacement for the 3½ Litre model in March of 1936. It had an enlarged bore of 3.5 inches for a total displacement of 4,257cc (4.3 liters). The MR and MX series of 1938 had Marles steering and an overdrive gearbox.

A total of 1,234 examples of the 4¼ Litre cars were built, with Park Ward continuing to cloth the lion's share.

by Dan Vaughan

Drophead by Derham
Chassis number: J519

This car was exhibited at the 1936 New York Motor Show on the Brewster stand and was the last 3½ liter chassis.

In January, 1937, the first private owner was Francis (Frank) DuPont, who designed the Interstate Highway system for President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

This Derham customized body was changed from a Tourer to a Drop Head. It is the only Bentley bodied by Derham. It is the only Bentely with two body builders from New York: Vanden Plas - England - Tourer Body and J. J. Derham - USA - 2-door Drophead Body. It is powered by a 3,669 cc in-line, six-cylinder engine.

Sedanca Coupe by Windovers
Chassis number: B111FC
Engine number: G9BA

From 1933 through 1936, there were 1,177 Bentley 3.5-Litre cars produced. Just only chassis were delivered to Windovers, a British coachbuilder that was founded in 1796 and continued until 1956.

This is a one-off Bentley and features custom coachwork by Windover Coachworks. The Sedanca body design is attributed to Howard 'Dutch' Darrin.

This award-winning Bentley earned the 'Best European Car' award at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance following a frame-off restoration.

The 1933-37 3½ litre Bentley was the first Bentley built after the original firm folded in 1931 and was sold to Rolls-Royce. It was known as 'the Silent Sportscar.' All Bentleys carried bodies by custom coachbuilders such as Windover.

This car was tailored for its original owner, B. Gootnick, who accepted delivery in March of 1936. It was later owned by Dr. Mark Sheppard, followed by Herbert Boyer. Mr. Boyer showed the car at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 1983, where it won First in Class and the Lord Montague Trophy. Then, it underwent an extensive body-off restoration before it was shown by him again at Pebble Beach in 1993. Owner shop later changed to the Blackhawk Collection. In 2002, it was sold by Mr. Williams of the Blackhawk Collection to Mr. Swimmer. In 2003, it was shown at Pebble Beach.

The overhead valve, six-cylinder 3½ litre motorcars were built at Derby, not Cricklewood. Wheelbase was 126 inches. Total production of the 3½ litre Bentley was 1,177.

Sports Saloon by Park Ward & Co.
Chassis number: B19FC
Engine number: H9BY

This 1936 Derby Bentley 3½ Liter close coupled Sports Saloon by Park Ward was sold to agents Pass & Joyce for stock on November 30, 1935, and then to Henry Willis (recorded as the vehicle's first owner), of the Chase, in Hornchurch on the Thames estuary, in Essex. Later in the car's existence, it was owned for roughly two decades by Dale Powers of Florida, having purchased it in California and selling it to John Eriksen of Blair, Nebraska, in the early 2000s.

When the car entered Mr. Powers' care, it had undergone a cosmetic restoration and finished in Mason's black paintwork, and the interior was refurbished in red hides. The driver and front passenger have bucket seats, and there are armrests for the rear seats with period stowed ashtrays on each outside. There is a sliding sunroof, an opening windshield, black wall tires, and period-style wheel discs.

The 3,669cc inline 6-cylinder engine has twin SU carburetors and delivers approximately 115 horsepower at 3,800 RPM. There is a four-speed manual transmission, four-wheel Servo assisted drum brakes, and a leaf spring suspension.

by Dan Vaughan

In 1931 Bentley Motor was purchased by Rolls-Royce. As a result the Bentley factory was moved to Derby. Many of the future designs of the Bentleys utilized the Rolls-Royce creations and borrowed many of their mechanical components. The first example of this was in 1933 with the introduced of the Bentley 3 1/2 Liter which was very similar to the newly introduced Rolls Royce 20/25. To continue Bentley's heritage and racing accomplishments the Bentleys were given a sportier design and a more powerful engine. The Rolls Royce vehicles were outfitted with luxurious amenities and elegant designs.

As was customary at the time, automobile manufacturers supplied various coachbuilders with rolling chassis and left it to the coach builder to design and build the body of the vehicle. This meant that each vehicle could be created to the exact requirements as dictated by the customer. By utilizing a similar chassis, the coachwork for the Bentley's and the Rolls-Royce were streamlined, making it easier on the coachbuilder.

During the production lifespan of the Bentley 3.5 Liter which lasted from 1933 through 1937, around 1177 examples were created in various size, configuration, and coachwork. Power was supplied from a straight-six cylinder engine with overhead valves and two SU carburetors. The 110 horsepower was distributed to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox. Performance was modest with a top speed nearing 100 mph. The performance of the Bentley was further increased with the introduction of the Bentley 4 1/4 Liter which featured a larger engine and a higher compression ratio.

The low production figures of the Bentley 3 1/4 guarantees their exclusivity in modern times and is further amplified by the unique designs created by some of the most famous coachbuilders during that era to include Mulliner, Vandenplas, and others.

Derby Bentley's

The vehicles that were first produced by Bentley under the ownership of Rolls Royce in the factory located in Derby, are commonly referred to as the Bentley Derby's. The union between Rolls Royce and Bentley was a marriage of quality construction, reliability and sporting heritage. The engine and chassis of the Derby Bentley's were constructed by Bentley with the final construction and assembly handled by coachbuilders, selected by the customer and built to their specifications.

The engine sizes ranged throughout the years from a 3.5 liter unit to a 4.25 Liter unit, later fitted with overdrive. There were over 1,100 examples of the 3.5 liter vehicle created in less than three years. Most were bodied by Park Ward and given the standard bodies consisting of wood and aluminum or steel. Other coachbuilders include Rippon, Thrupp & Maberly, Saoutchik and vanvooren, Vanden Plas, James Young, Barker, Freestone & Webb, Gurney Nutting, Hooper, Mann Egerton, Mulliner, Figoni, Kellner, and more.

A total of 2422 examples left the Derby factory. Most were in Saloon configuration. Drophead Coupe configuration was next most popular configuration.

by Dan Vaughan