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1937 Bentley 4¼ Liter

Competition between carmakers grew increasingly desperate during the dawn of the 1930s and in the shadow of the Great Depression. W.O. Bentley sought to refine his 8 Liter into the ultimate luxury carriage, however, his plans were sidelined by Bentley's collapse in 1931. Rolls-Royce was able to outflank rivals D. Napier & Son, and acquired Bentley (including W.O's services) for £125,257.

Work began on a new Bentley, built on a double-dropped chassis with a semi-elliptic leaf spring suspension and assisted by drum brakes. It used a tuned version of the Rolls-Royce 20/25's 3669cc overhead valve straight six breathing through twin SU carburetors, and fitted with a wider camshaft, strengthened connecting rods, and a higher compression ratio. This tuned engine offered around 120 horsepower, a fifty percent improvement, and backed by a four-speed manual gearbox. Additionally, it received a high-geared worm and nut steering and hydraulic dampers. Soon, the Bentley 3.5-liter became known as the 'Silent Sportscar.'

The first of what would become known as the 'Derby Bentleys' was launched in 1933, and continued the marque's sporting associations, but in a manner even more refined than before. Based on the contemporary Rolls-Royce 20/25, the 3½-Litre Bentley had a slightly shorter wheelbase at 10-feet, six-inches and fitted with a tuned version of the six-cylinder engine.

Bentley soon offered its customers the option of a larger 4.25 liter engine during the 1936 season. Priced at £50, a comparatively small sum compared to the cost of a basic chassis, the new unit proved so popular that the standard 3.5 litre powerplant was soon dropped. The Derby Bentley chassis was more than capable of handling the extra power and torque.

Of the 2,442 Derby Bentleys manufactured, almost 50 percent were bodied by Park Ward in a limited number of styles. A total of 1,234 chassis of the 4.25-liter specification were produced, with later-series chassis being fitted with overdrive transmissions. Production of the 2.25-liters lasted from 1936 to 1939.

by Dan Vaughan

Fixed Head Coupe by Vesters & Neirinck
Chassis number: B156KT
Engine number: E9BH

Bentley entered into receivership in 1931 was acquired by Rolls-Royce. The Bentley Company is said to have been in this predicament due to their automobiles being so well designed that their list of clients dwindled due to not needing another vehicle. When Rolls-Royce acquired Bentley, the first issue was to re-examine the products and determine what caused the demise of the company and what could be done to revitalize the nameplate. The supercharger was a proven technology and powerful but it was noisy and lacked refinement.

Bentley had a long tradition of quality and superior performance. This goal was to be continued with the Litre-series. As engines grew in size, so did the size of the vehicles and ultimately, the weight. The Bentley Motor Company realized this and made every effort to protect sophistication, performance, style, refinement, quality, and handling.

The Rolls-Royce 20/25 engine was used as a base for Bentley. Dual S.U. carburetors and a revised manifold raised horsepower to 110. A four-speed manual gearbox was adapted and provided smooth shifting.

The original engine was a 3.5-liter unit which was flawless in design with only one exception - it was too small. As time progressed, the engine was enlarged, resulting in the 4.5- 6.5- and 8-liter Bentley's.

Claude Raoul Benoit Lang commissioned two one-off Bentley's during the late 1930s. At the age of 27 he sent one of the chassis's to Vesters & Neirinck to be fitted with coachwork. The second was delivered less than three years later. M. Lang was actively involved in the design of the car and built to his specifications.

The early history of the Vesters & Neirinck Coachbuilding Firm is unknown. It is believed to have begun around 1914. In 1923 the Vester & Neirinck Firm was an exhibitor at the Belgian Auto Salon. From the following years, the firm would show its work to various shows in an effort to attract new clientele. Their vehicles were often built atop chassis's by Minerva, Rolls-Royce, Delahaye, Delage, and Graham. Their most notable work was the Lang Fixed Head Coupe. Also part of their resume was around 11 examples built with Derby Bentley's chassis.

This 1937 Bentley 4.25 Liter Fixed Head Sport Coupe with coachwork by Vesters & Neirinck of Brussels was offered for sale at the 2006 RM Auction in Monterey, CA where it was one of the highlights of the show. Its history is prestigious and the craftsmanship is unique and refined. It is powered by a 4257-cc six-cylinder overhead valve engine that produces 125 horsepower. It sits atop a 126-inch wheelbase and is finished in black lacquer paintwork with a saddle leather interior. There is seating for two and is bodied with a light aluminum body and steel front wings. The teardrop-style wings appear as though they are suspended in space; they are not attached to any running boards as there is none on this vehicle. It has a large sunroof and a hidden luggage compartment. There is an interior hidden tool compartment and an exterior chrome luggage rack. The rear-mounted spare tire cover has an engraved monogram from the original owner on the side of the chrome faring.

The vehicle stayed in the possession of M. Claude Lang until 1977 when it was sold to Monsieur J. who retained the vehicle until 1989 when it was sent to its third owner. The vehicle has traveled less than 35,100 kms from new. When offered for sale at the 2006 RM Auction marked its first time on US soil. The vehicle did find its fourth owner at the auction, selling for $1,265,000.

In 2009, this car was brought to Gooding & Company's Scottsdale Auction where it had an estimated value of $900,000 - $1,400,000. It was sold for $1.2 million at the hammer. It was also announced that this Bentley had an invitation to the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours.

by Dan Vaughan

Drophead Coupe by Windovers

Bentley Motors was purchased by Rolls-Royce in 1931, and one of the first Bentleys produced at the Derby factory after the merger was the Bentley 3.5-liter. The larger Bentley 4.25-liter was introduced in 1936 and soon outsold the smaller capacity car. Derby Bentleys were known as 'the Silent Sportscar' and were the last of the purely coachbuilt Bentleys.

This Derby Bentley was ordered by Sir Malcolm McAlpine with drophead coupe coachwork by Windovers of Huntingdon. A total of 1,234 Derby Bentley 4.25-liter cars were built before the outbreak of war in 1939 when car production was halted until 1946 and the more modern Mark VI.

Drop Head Coupe by Mulliner

In 1936, Bentley used a larger 4,257 cubic centimeter engine, attached to a four-speed gearbox. The extra 588 cubic centimeters gives this model the same acceleration potential in fourth gear that the previous car offered in third gear. This resulted in a very lively and sporty new model. This car can reach 50 mph in just over 10 seconds and top out at 95 mph.

This car also marked the beginning of the use of externally contracted components. Previously, Bentley manufactured all its own parts, but beginning in 1936, they used SU fuel pumps, Lucas electrics, a Stromberg carburetor, a Borg & Beck clutch, Marles steering gear and a Hardy Spicer Propeller shaft.

The particular car, first registered in November of 1937, sports an all-aluminium, full-disappearing drop head coupe body. The coachwork was built by H.J. Mulliner of London. It is a wonderful example of a Bentley, the 'Silent Sports Car'.

Sedanca Coupe by Gurney Nutting
Chassis number: B70KT
Engine number: M2BY

The first Rolls-Royce-built Bentley was the 3.5-Liter model and it was a more refined product than previously seen during the W.O. Bentley era. It earned the nickname, 'The Silent Sports Car' and was a welcomed addition to the quality-built sports car market. A larger displacement chassis followed in early 1936, the 4.25-Liter, to help offset the weight gains and subsequent loss of performance. The model was accompanied by a full spectrum of body styles and saw many different uses. Some found their way to the European racing circuits while others became chauffeur-driven luxury automobiles.

This example, chassis number B70KT, was completed in July of 1937 and was given a Gurney Nutting Sedanca Coupe body. It was delivered to Bentley dealership Jack Barclay Ltd. of London and subsequently sold to H.B. Mollins. The history of the car from that point is unclear. Sometime after World War II, the car was exported to the United States.

In the late 1960s, the car was in the care of Robert P. Whorf of Birmingham, Michigan, having acquired it from Gilbert Moorman. The next owner was James S. Dusseau and remained in Michigan until 1976. It was then purchased by Karl Zoller of Pennsylvania, who then set out to restore the car. It was sold in 2000 to Thomas J. Gatley, who in turn sold it to Mr. Henry Petronis.

It currently wears a 30-year old restoration. In 2011, the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction where it was estimated to sell for $300,000 - $400,000. It would leave the auction unsold after its reserve was not met.

by Dan Vaughan

Saloon by Mann-Edgerton

In 1931, Rolls-Royce had acquired the Bentley Company when the latter was forced into receivership. By 1937, Bentleys were being manufactured in Rolls-Royce Cricklewood plant.

This chassis was built in January 1937, then shipped to Mann-Edgerton to receive its coachwork - a four-passenger, light, sliding head sport saloon, with 'semi-razor edge' styling.

Since receiving a complete restoration more than 15 years ago this Bentley has received numerous awards but, perhaps more significantly, its owner has chosen to tour with it extensively throughout North America and Europe.

Fixed Head Coupe by Gurney Nutting
Chassis number: B 4 5HM

This Derby Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Coupe wears coachwork by Gurney Nutting and Co. of Chelsea. It has an Art Deco design with pillarless construction and a split rear window, and a swooping waistline. It has a rear-mounted spare wheel and a sliding sunroof.

The original owners of the car kept it for around 35 years. Later in life, it was treated to a restoration to original specification, with caramel-coloured leather highlighting the woodwork of the interior.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at Coys 'Legende et Passion' Monaco sale where it was estimated to sell for €175.000 - €220.000.

by Dan Vaughan

Sedanca Coupe by Gurney Nutting

In 1936, Madame Yvonne Cahen d'Anvers de Rothschild wanted a fast, luxurious, compact car that had all the style of her banker husband's pair of French-bodied Hispano-Suizas. H.R. Owen, London supplier of motorcars to the nobility and gentry, commissioned Gurney Nutting to build her a one-off sedanca coupe on a Derby Bentley chassis. Designer John Blatchley drew a sweeping design in black and white, with complex swaging across bonnet and scuttle and it was approved by Mme de Rothschild. Seven months later the car was unfinished, and the impatient lady cancelled her order. When finally completed in 1937 the car was sold to a jam millionaire. Only one similar body was ever built.

Roadster by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: B-42-KT

This two seat 4.25-liter Derby Bentley was sold through the London Bentley dealership of Jack Barclay, and delivered in July 1937 to its first owner, S.B. White. It was ordered with sporty yet graceful coachwork from Vanden Plas that is similar to two other very famous Derby Bentleys owned by Sir Malcolm Campbell and the Countess of Warwick. Its current owner purchased the car in 1972 and has enjoyed it ever since.

The 4.25-liter Derby Bentley replaced the smaller 3.5-Liter model in 1936. Just over 1200 examples of the 4.25-liter were sold before the short-lived Mark V, which was introduced just as war broke out and the production of all motor cars was brought to a halt.

Open Two-Seater by Carlton Carriage Company
Chassis number: B55KU
Engine number: B7BK

Bentley produced 1,234 examples of their 4¼-Litre chassis; of those, 530 received coachwork by Park Ward, and most of them were steel saloons. Only a few Derby Bentley cars, however, received bodies from a more exclusive body builder named Carlton. The company was originally known as the E.B. Hall & Company, a North London horse-drawn carriage maker. It evolved into designing and building special car bodies on a few select Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Daimler chassis. After they were licensed to produce the Weymann fabric bodies, they changed the company name to Carlton Carriage Company.

The Carlton Carriage Company built just four bodies on the 4¼-Litre chassis. This particular example, chassis number B55KU, is the only two-seater open tourer ever built. The others were a sedanca coupe, a saloon, and a four-seater drophead coupe.

The design has the touring spare placed in the front wing rather than the boot lid. It has Ace deluxe wheel discs (also known as 'Easi-Clean'), a vintage Bentley-type fold-down twin aeroscreen (often called the Brooklands windscreen), a correct slanted Winged B mascot, and its original Marschal headlamps and centrally mounted driving lamp. Under the bonnet is a correctly restored engine. It is finished in its period-correct color scheme of midnight blue with a saddle tan interior.

The original owner ordered this car with special-order instruments. There is a Smiths tachometer with a clock built into its center top. The speedometer and tachometer are positioned to the left of the driver's position. The ignition and lamp switch are placed even further left, in front of the single-passenger seat.

The car's first owner was Gordon C. Wood, of Weybridge, Surrey, England, who accepted delivery from the Bentley dealer H.R. Owen on July 14, 1937. Mr. Wood used the car in several rallies in 1939, including the Royal Automobile Club's Blackpool Rally and the J.C.C. Brooklands Rally.

Mr. Wood sold the car to H.G. Holcroft of Shropshire, England, on September 18, 1938. In 1956, on New Years' Day, the car was sold to R. Guy, of Wolverhampton, England, who then sold it to its first U.S. owner in 1966. Around 1993, Dale Powers of Florida acquired the car, and over the next decade, he managed its complete restoration. After the work was completed, the car participated in several car club caravans, tours, and meets.

In 1999, the car was sold to Bill Jacobs, who refinished the car in midnight blue and saddle tan hide interior. The current owner acquired the car approximately eight years ago.

by Dan Vaughan

All-Weather Cabriolet by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: B114KT
Engine number: T7BP

Rolls-Royce acquired Bentley Motors from Walter O. Bentley in 1931. The 4 1/4 Litre Bentley was marketed as the 'Silent Sports Car.' They are often referred to as 'Derbys,' as they were built in Derbyshire, England. 1234 of these cars were built between 1936 and 1939. This car is a four-door, four-passenger convertible tourer with a fabric top on an English ash-framed and aluminum-paneled custom coachwork body. A characteristic of the Vanden Plas Allweather is that the doors are hung from the 'B' post and the hood, when folded, sits above the level of the doors. The Allweather Tourer also has roll-up windows and a disappearing B pillar. 19 Allweather 4 1/4 Litre Bentleys were built by Vanden Plas.

The 4 1/4 Litre Bentley has a 126 horsepower, 4257cc OHV inline six-cylinder engine with two SU carburetors, four-speed manual gearbox with synchromesh on the third and fourth gears, front and rear semi-elliptic spring suspension with hydraulic shock dampers, twin fuel pumps and single coil ignition, centralized lubrication system and four-wheel mechanical brakes with servo-assist.

All-Weather Tourer by Thrupp and Maberly
Chassis number: B-39-KU
Engine number: M 9 BZ

Bentley introduced the 4 ¼-liter model in 1936. Designated the 'K' Series, the new chassis was built in two consecutive runs, the 'KT' and the 'KU'. Derby works produced one hundred of each, with the KTs being numbered evenly and KUs being assigned odd numbers. The 4.25-liter unit was a bored out version of the 3.6-liter motor. The larger engine gave these K Bentleys a higher top speed, now approaching 100 mph, with a few streamlined racing example capable of considerably more.

Some of the improvements found on the K Bentleys included new white-metal bearings, larger SU side-draft carburetors, larger valves, and an improved scraper ring design. The generator was now air-cooled, which helped its longevity. There was a new Borg and Beck single-plate clutch and the front end was redesigned to reduce axle tramp under hard braking.

Bentley produced a total of 1,234 examples of the 4 ¼-liter specification, with later-series chassis being given an overdrive transmission.

This particular example is the 19th of the 100 K-Series 4 ¼-liter Bentley chassis built at Derby. It is one of nine bodied as a four-door, four-seat All-Weather Phaeton by Thrupp & Maberly, located in London's West End. This phaeton features twin side-mounted spares within the front fenders.

It was delivered to Bentley's London distributor, Rootes Ltd and then to Thrupp & Maberly, Ltd. on July 2, 1937. The first owner was Captain Charles William Spiers, MP, of New Malden, Surrey. It is believed that the car remained with Captain Spiers for more than three decades.

It is believed that the engine was overhauled in 1977 by Mr. Stanley Brunt of Staffordshire, England.

The car was later acquired by Mr. Arthur B. Mullaly of Carmel, California, and then by Seattle newspaperman Monty Brown. Mr. Brown sold the car to Seattle auto dealer and collector Wade Carter in August of 1995, at which time the car showed 95,600 miles on the odometer. After Mr. Carter's passing, the Bentley remained with his family, until coming to Bonhams Amelia Island Auction in 2016.

This Bentley All-Weather Phaeton has a green body with dark green fenders, and polished full wheel discs. The interior is trimmed in brown leather with a tan canvas top and boot. It has its owner's manual, tool kit, and a set of fitted luggage. The overhead valve six-cylinder engine is fitted with two SU carburetors and produces an estimated 125 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual transmission, four-wheel drum brakes, beam axle in the front, and a live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs.

by Dan Vaughan

Sports Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: B1KU
Engine number: U4BR

The Derby Bentley was introduced in the fall of 1933. The 4.25-liter Derby Bentley had a half-inch increase in bore, raising displacement to 4 1/4 litres, coupled with a higher compression ratio, resulting in a 10 hp increase over its predecessor.

This particular example was the first of the KU series and it was given Vanden Plas coachwork, wearing an open sports tourer body number 3597. The first owner was Captain Lawrie Graham Bain who took delivery from Winter Garden Garages Ltd. in August of 1937. Linread Ltd., a Birmingham manufacturer of automotive hardware, purchased the car in May 1941. The sale was facilitated by the London agency of Jack Barclay Ltd., with mileage being noted as 10,700. Around 1947, it was acquired by Will Archdale. By 1950, it was in the care of O.F. Maud & Sons, a company owned by Daniel Nahum, passing to him directly in 1955. By the late 1950s, the car was owned by RROC member Edward Paul of Hollywood, California. It then passed in the 1960s to John E. Milchick of Glendale, California. More recently it has emerged from storage following long-term family ownership. Currently the car wears its original coachwork and drivetrain, finished in gray paintwork and black leather upholstery.

by Dan Vaughan

Sports Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: B1KU
Engine number: U4BR

In all, only 18 of these 4.25-litre Vanden Plas Tourers were built, and of the four iterations, many believe this handsome rendition with its swooping lines to be the most desirable. This car features a lightweight body with a fold-flat windshield and scooped-out doors, powered by the same engine as the 3.5-litre forerunner, only with more displacement. Sir Malcolm Campbell MBE, the successful racing motorist and journalist, who held the world speed record on land and water in the world-famous 'Blue Bird,' owned a similar car, and hence the model became known as the 'Malcolm Campbell Tourer.' This Bentley 4.25 Litre Vanden Plas Tourer was further honored as the Road & Track Salon car in 1958.

Bentley Motors was purchased by Rolls-Royce in 1931. One of the first of the Bentley vehicles produced after this merge was the 1933 3-1/2 Liter, a vehicle similar to the Rolls Royce 20/25. Bentley automobiles personified racing and the 3 1/2 Liter vehicle followed this tradition. It had a more powerful engine than its 20/25 counterpart. This had been achieved by adding a second carburetor and modification of the compression ratio.

Rolls Royce introduced the 25/30 in 1936 and Bentley introduced its counterpart, the 4 1/4 Liter. The Bentley featured 2 SU carburetors and a naturally aspirated straight-six engine producing 125 horsepower. It could achieve sixty mph in around fourteen seconds with the top speed just below 100 mph. The front-engine designed was matted to a four-speed manual gearbox and drove the rear wheels. Production lasted from 1936 through 1939 during which over 1240 examples were produced. This was the most vehicles of a single series Bentley had ever produced up to this time.

by Dan Vaughan