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1925 Bentley 3 Litre

After designing aero-engines for the R.A.F. in World War I, Walter Owen Bentley redirected his attention to motor cars. W.O. was a railway engineering apprentice he later became an aero-engine designer, before introduction his immortal 3-Litre model in October of 1919 at the London Motor Show. The production version did not become available for another two years. The 2,966-cubic centimeter four-cylinder model proved to be very popular, and over 1,600 examples (published figures have stated 1613, 1622, 1624, 1636) examples were built in three wheelbase configuration and three performance levels, including 513 Speed Models which wore a distinctive red radiator badge, or 'Red Label.' They were renowned for their performance and unrivaled quality, with the list of approved coachbuilders totaling over 100. The majority were bodied by Vanden Plas with either open tourer or saloon coachwork. After receiving coachwork, the vehicles were then inspected by the company before allowing them to be sold, and each 3-Liter received a five-year guarantee.

The long-stroke four-cylinder unit had an 80mm bore and 149mm stroke, with a five-bearing crankshaft, shaft-driven overhead camshaft, Twin ML magnetos provided the ignition, monobloc construction, aluminum pistons, and four valves per cylinder. It prioritized torque over top-end power, and produced between 65 hp and 88 hp. It was backed by a separate four-speed gate-change gearbox and was delivered to customers in bar chassis guise only, albeit with a choice of wheelbase lengths and engine tune. The pressed-steel chassis started off with a wheelbase of 9' 9½' (the 'short standard') then adopted dimensions of 10' 10' ('standard long') in 1923. Rear-wheel brakes only were employed up to 1924 when four-wheel Perrot-type brakes were introduced.

Production continued until 1929 earning numerous victories along the way. They won the Whitsun Brooklands Meeting on May 16th of 1921 and earned the Team Prize at the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man a year later after finishing second, fourth and fifth. Proud of their accomplishment, Bentley published a celebratory booklet entitled 'The Blue Riband' and introduced a commemorative 'T.T. Replica' built on the 'short standard' chassis. Identified by the Red Label on its radiator, this Speed Model differed by having twin SU 'sloper' carburetors, a higher compression ratio, different camshaft and the close-ratio A-type gearbox, the latter being standard equipment prior to 1927 when the C-type 'box was adopted. With the engine offering 80 horsepower, the top speed increased to an impressive 90 mph. Other competition enhancements included a larger (11-gallon) fuel tank and many received André Hartford shock absorbers.

Captain John Duff and Frank Clement drove a 3-Litre Bentley to fourth place overall during the inaugural 24-hour race at Le Mans on May 26th-27th 1923. The 'T.T. Replica' would evolve into the 'Speed Model' that same year, and would go on to achieve outright Le Mans 24-hour victories.

The standard model was the 'Blue Label' which rested on a 117-inch wheelbase from 1921 to 1929 or a long 130-inch wheelbase platform offered from 1923 to 1929. The 'Red Label' and 'Green Label' were produced from 1924 to 1929, with both powered by high compression engines. The Red Label had a 5.3:1 compression ratio while the Green Label had a 6.3:1 compression ratio. The Red Label rested on a 117.5-inch wheelbase while the Green Label measured 108-inches.

While production figures vary, it is believed that three experimental chassis were built, along with 1,088 regular production examples, 513 Speed models, and 18 Super Sports (for a total of 1,622). The oldest surviving production Bentley is 3 Liter chassis number 3 wearing coachwork by UK coachbuilder R. Harrison & Son.

by Dan Vaughan

Supersports Brooklands
Chassis number: 1161
Engine number: 546

Bentley's were impressive automobiles that were victorious at LeMans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930. They were driven with great success by legendary drivers such as Woolf Barnato, Jack Dunfee, Tim Birkin, and Sammy Davis.

At the 1919 Olympia Motor Exhibition, W.O. Bentley proudly debuted the new 3-liter car bearing his name on Stand 126. The prototype engine had been fired up for the first time just a few weeks earlier. This new model, still in its infancy, was destined to become a legend in motor racing history. It has also become a vintage sports icon with its leather-strapped bonnet, classical radiator design and British Racing Green livery.

Between 1925 to 1927, Bentley offered the 100mph Supersports model for their most demanding motorists. Only eighteen examples were built of which 17 were on the short 9-foot wheelbase. The other example was on the Standard Speed model 9f 9.5-inch wheelbase. These cars were very expensive and featured a lightweight chassis, a 15:53 rear axle and an A-type gearbox. The Supersports models were immediately recognizable by their distinctive Green Label tapered radiator.

This example, chassis number 1161, is fitted with the short 9-foot wheelbase. It was first registered in July of 1925 with London County Council. The first recorded owner was J.B. Stennett of The Laurels, Winchmore Hill. The original body style is unknown. Lt. Col. Peter Gillett of The Royal Artillery owned the car in 1949 before selling it that year to Lt. Col. Hugh Widdington-Moor. D J Haley owned the car in 1950, W Main of Fitton, near Bristol was the recorded owner in 1951 and Jim Howarth of Burnley acquired it in 1966.

While in Haley's care, the car was given engine number 72 which came from chassis number 68. The first owner of that vehicle was J.B. Stennett. At some stage in the car's life, chassis 1161 was given a 4.5-liter engine and the engine now fitted, number 546, comes from chassis number 540. The original engine in 1161, engine number 1145, is now in chassis number 609.

In 1987, Jim Howarth constructed the present coachwork for chassis number 1161. It is a Brooklands-style body similar to the competition Bentley models of that era. The vehicle is finished in dark British Racing Green and the interior is trimmed in black leather which matching black carpets. Driving equipment includes Lucas King of the Road head and side lamps, CAV rear lamps, including flashing indicators and brake lights. There are Andre Hartford shock absorbers, front-wheel brakes, quick fill and release petrol cap and fishtail exhaust. The car rides on 820 x 120mm beaded edge wheels, Excelsior tires with Dunlop heavy duty tubes with brass air fittings installed. There is a luggage storage area behind the seating accommodation.

In 2011, this vehicle was offered for sale at the Quail Lodge auction presented by Bonhams. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $601,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Speed Model Tourer by L & L. T. Taylor
Chassis number: 921
Engine number: 917

W.O. Bentley unveiled the new 3-litre car bearing his name at the 1919 Olympia Motor Exhibition, the prototype engine having fired up for the first time just a few weeks earlier. This 3-Litre is built on the short 117.5-inch frame reserved for the TT Replica and Red Label Speed Models. On its journey north from Bentley's Cricklewood factory in London to its owner Hubert Mason of Southport, it was bodied by the small coachbuilder L & L. T. Taylor of Wolverhampton, which operated from 1920 until 1927. Taylor built the bodies for a variety of different cars, including four 3 Litre Bentleys, but this is the only survivor, kept in very original condition by its 12 previous owners.

Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: 1108
Engine number: SR1424

Bentley built their reputation in the 1920s by winning races with their cars. The 3 Liter cars won Le Mans in 1924 and 1927, the 4-1/2 in 1928 and the Speed Six in 1929 and 1930. Their chief competition was Bugatti which made light and nimble small cars. The 3 liter Bentleys were larger, heavier cars at around 2,900 lbs but won races against Bugatti with their higher power engines and greater durability. Ettore Bugatti was not happy and referred to the Bentleys sarcastically as 'the fastest lorries in the world.' The 1925 Red Label had a 4 cylinder overhead cam engine with 4 valves per cylinder and twin SU carburetors producing 82 horsepower with 4-speed transmission.

This 3 Liter Red Label Speed chassis has a Vanden Plas Tourer body. It had several owners in the U.K., some of whom did extensive restoration work on it. It was acquired by the current owners in 1975 from collector Edward Selfie in the U.K. and shipped in a container directly to Detroit. It has been toured extensively on car rallies in the U.S. over the past 40 years. In 1998 a previous U.K. owner from 1950 to 1956, Ken Dangerfield, learned of the new ownership and during a visit to the US visited the current owners who let him renew acquaintance with the car by going for a drive.

Tourer by Gurney Nutting
Chassis number: 930
Engine number: 914

This Bentley Three-Litre Tourer with coachwork by Gurney Nutting is a correct, 'Blue Label' car that still wears its original open bodywork.

It is believed that the original owner of this car was Mr. John McMeeking of Southampton, England. During the 1940s, it may have been owned by Captain Ivan Finchow of Lygarth, Dorset, UK. In 1956, the car was imported to the United States by Neil McDade of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Soon after, the car became part of the collection of bernie Goldflies of Dayton, Ohio. In 1962, it was purchased by Richard Fisher. In 1968, George Evenson of Washington state purchased the car, and would retain it for the next quarter-century. Mr. Evenson kept the car in a heated garage and used it regularly.

At the RROC 24th National Meet in 1975, this car was awarded Third Place. This was followed by a Third Place Certificate of Merit at the 1988 RROC British Columbia Regional Meet, a Second Place Certificate of Merit at the 1990 RROC Meet and a First in Class Certificate of Merit at the RROC Spring Meet in British Columbia.

This Bentley is finished in green over tan and has an exposed alloy bonnet, nickel plated radiator, side-mounted spares and an auxiliary light mounted on the windscreen. It has a tonneau cover and an Auster rear screen.

Power is from a 2996cc SOHC four-cylinder engine fitted with twin SU carburetors. There is a four-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel servo-assisted mechanical drum brakes.

In 2010, this Bentley was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company Auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona. The lot was estimated to sell for $250,000 - $300,000. As bidding came to a close, the lot had been sold for the sum of $253,000, inclusive of buyer's reserve.

by Dan Vaughan

Four Seater Tourer by Jarvis
Chassis number: 777
Engine number: 787

Bentley's domination at Le Mans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930. On Stand 126 at the 1919 Olympia Motor Exhibition, W.O. Bentley proudly unveiled his new 3-liter car bearing his name. The prototype engine had been fired up just a few weeks earlier. Bentley's four-cylinder 'fixed head' engine incorporated a single overhead camshaft, four-valves per cylinder and a bore/stroke of 80x149mm. Twin ML magnetos provided the ignition and power was transmitted via a four-speed gearbox with right-hand change. The pressed-steel chassis started off with a wheelbase of 9' 9½' (the 'short standard') then adopted dimensions of 10' 10' ('standard long') in 1923, the shorter frame being reserved for the TT Replica and subsequent Speed Model. Rear wheel brakes only were employed up to 1924 when four-wheel Perrot-type brakes were introduced.

This particular example, chassis number 777, was delivered in August of 1924 to Lt. Col Brooke. It wore coachwork by Harrington thought the style was unspecified. In 1933, it received new four-seater sports tourer coachwork by Bays with slab tank, twin spares and cycle fenders.

In the early 1960s, the car found its way to the United Sates when a Chicago based orthopedic surgeon imported it. Having not informed his wife that he had purchased a vintage Bentley from England, he was promptly forced to sell it to his friend Dr. Glover of Canton, Missouri.

Dr. Glover retained the car for the next forty years until his death. Purchased out of the estate of Dr. Glover in August of 2004 by its current caretaker, the car was found to be in good mechanical order but in need of a comprehensive cosmetic restoration. The crude Bays four-seat tourer coachwork was in poor condition and being non-original the decision was made to replace this with a new body in the style of Jarvis.

The resulting coachwork was finished in dark green in honor of Bentleys racing heritage. After the work was completed, it was shown at Amelia Islnd where it won its class.

by Dan Vaughan

Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: AP311
Engine number: HP376

Production of the 3-Liter Bentley reached 1,624 cars in three wheelbase configurations and three performance levels, including the Speed Model with its distinctive red radiator badge, or 'Red Label.' Each 3-Liter carried a five-year guarantee and Bentley preferred customers send their chassis to one of 100 different coachbuilders approved by the company. The finished product was inspected thoroughly before Bentley allowed it to be sold.

This particular example is a short-chassis Red Label model and one of just 513 such cars built. It was delivered new to Sir Harry Warden Chilcott and registered as YM 1462. During its early ownership history, it received several Works modifications, including long-skirt pistons (fitted by Bentley at the time of the engine rebuild in 1930), a larger oil sump, and larger oil pump; various factory 'speed' parts, including the twin SU 'sloper' carbs, close-ratio gearbox, finned brake drums, and twin Bosch magnetos were also period Work upgrades. It is believed that its Super Sport specification is the only one done on the 9-foot, 9.5-inch chassis with such an engine done by the factory.

Dr. W. Mayne of Bristol, England purchased the car in 1950. It was later owned by John Douglas, then in 1964 was sent to the United States and sold to O'Neil Ford. It remained with Mr. Ford until his death in 1982. It was sold two years later to Richard Burdick. In the early 1980s it received a high-quality restoration with the current Vanden Plas-style fabric LeMans tourer coachwork, built by British coachbuilder James Pearce. Since that time, the car has been used very little and remains in exceptional condition. The car was exhibited in Burdick's Central Texas Museum of Automotive History until 2007.

The car currently has a modern electric fuel pump hidden discreetly inside the Autovac tan. The radiator is also a non-original component.

by Dan Vaughan

Speed Model by Park Ward & Co.
Chassis number: 1025
Engine number: 451 (was originally 1037)

In 1923 W.O. Bentley built the 3 Litre TT Replica, later known as the Speed Model, on a shorter 9-foot, 9.5-inch chassis. With its distinctive Red Label radiator badge, the Speed Model was the first 3 Litre to be fitted with 4-wheel Perrot-type brakes, twin SU 'sloper' carburetors, a higher compression engine and the sporty close-ratio A-type gearbox. Bentley built approximately 1,600 3 Litres, the majority bodied by Vanden Plas.

This car, however, is a rarity; not only is it one of just 513 Speed Models built, it was fitted with a 2-seater sports body by Park Ward that it still retains today. The car was owned by a single family for over 30 years before being acquired by its current owner, who drove it on the 2019 Seattle to Pebble Beach Motoring Classic Tour.

Speed Model Tourer by L & L. T. Taylor
Chassis number: 921
Engine number: 917

This 1925 Bentley 3-Liter Speed Model Tourer is powered by a 2,996cc single overhead camshaft inline four-cylinder engine with four overhead valves per cylinder, and delivering 80 horsepower at 3,500 RPM. There is a four-speed close-ratio gearbox, leaf spring suspension, and four-wheel drum brakes with Perrot shaft actuation. Its engine, number 917, was the same one it left the factory with in 1925.

This Bentley was ordered in December 1924 through Blackpool agents Queen & Brighton Ltd, and delivered to its first owner Hubert Mason of Birkdale, near Southport in England. It was given coachwork by a Midlands coachbuilder, L.T. Taylor of Wolverhampton.

In 1926, the Bentley was sold to William Belrose and a year later to G.C. Campbell Taylor who retained it for the next six years. In late 1932 or early 1933, it was re-registered for the road, presumably by Taylor with plate 'RB 7566' which it still wears. The Bentley would have five additional owners through the 1930s.

In 1956 it was in the care of C.H. Elliot with whom it was registered with the Bentley Drivers Club. A. R. Larman purchcased it in 1965, and J. O. Stannard in 1970. It would remain with Mr. Stannard for five years before it was sold to A.J. Harper in 1980. By 2007 it was owned by Stanley Mann, with the current caretaker purchasing it in 2013. Since then, it has been given a refurbishment with a bare-metal repaint in British Racing Green and a newly matching interior completed by Classic Automobiles of Lancaster, California. The engine rebuild was performed by Mosier Restorations at a similar time. The work was rewarded with a class award at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

by Dan Vaughan

Super Sports by Will Short Ltd
Chassis number: 1174

One of the rarest Bentley models, with just 18 made, the Super Sports was the first Bentley to wear the coveted 'Green Label.' The short 9-foot wheelbase gave the car unmatched agility, and the high-compression 3.0-liter engine resulted in the factory guaranteeing a top speed of 100 mph. A groundbreaking performance at the Brooklands racetrack marked it as one fo the first 'supercars' of the automotive era. Delivered new to Bentley racer W.G. Barlow in November 1925, this Super Sports was ordered with special features such as a 'Super radiator and dashboard,' and it was graced with a striking 'occasional 3-seater' body by the coachbuilder Short - notable for its unique 'Bat Wing' mud guards.

Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: 1009
Engine number: 1007

Together, Walter Owen Bentley and Vanden Plas created a compact, lightweight sports car with open four-seater touring coachwork, and this formula would be replicated by the company throughout its first era of production. It was a style that remained true to its core yet perfected with each new model that was presented. Bentley created the rolling chassis, and Vanden Plas created the bodywork.

As the legendary four-cylinder Bentleys were usurped by 6-cylinder models, the most sporting examples were still constructed in this guise. Nearly all of the famed Le Mans campaigns were undertaken in this configuration.

W.O. Bentley introduced his 3 Liter model on Stand 126 at the 1919 Olympia Motor Exhibition. Beneath the bonnet was a 'fixed head' engine with a single overhead camshaft, 4-valves per cylinder and a bore/stroke of 80x149mm. Twin ML magnetos provided the ignition, and power was transmitted via a 4-speed gearbox with right-hand change. The chassis was formed from pressed-steel with a wheelbase size of 9 feet, 9.5 inches, then adopted dimensions of 10 feet, 10 inches (Standard Long) in 1923; the shorter frame being reserved for the TT Replica and subsequent Speed Model. Before four-wheel Perrot-type brakes became standard in 1924, rear-wheel brakes were employed.

Bentleys finished second, fourth, and fifth and took the Team Prize in the 1922 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. This accomplishment led to the introduction of the TT Replica (later known as the Speed Model) on the 117.5-inch wheelbase (short standard) chassis. The Speed Model, identified by the Red Label on its radiator, received twin SU 'sloper' carburetors, different camshafts, a higher compression ratio, and the close-ratio A-type gearbox (the A-type gearbox became standard equipment in 1927 when the C-Type gearbox was adopted). In this guise, output rose from 70 to 80 horsepower. Additional performance options usually included Andre Hartford shock absorbers and a larger 11-gallon fuel tank.

Promoted through competition, the 3 Liter Bentley was successful in the salesroom and on the track, with approximately 1,613 examples constructed with around a third of those being the short chassis Speed model.

MH 4796 | A 1925 Bentley 3 Liter Four Seater Tourer by Vanden Plas

The 1,996cc SOHC inline four-cylinder engine powering this Bentley has four overhead valves per cylinder, a four-speed close-ratio gearbox, leaf spring suspension, and four-wheel drum brakes with Perrot shaft actuation.

The current caretaker of this Bentley acquired it in the U.K. during the 1980s from a London Bentley dealer. It was then imported to the United States, where it has resided ever since.

This Bentley began life as a Speed Model powered by engine number 1007 and wearing coachwork by Vanden Plas (body number 1125). It wore Dockers French Grey paintwork, with its chassis and fenders contrasting in Parsons Long Acre Red and with a corresponding Grey mohair top, side curtains and tonneau cover and Connolly leather upholstery and red wheels.

The car's first owner was C. L. Warwick, of Beech Hill Park, Hadley Wood in the UK, who owned it briefly before selling it to C. A. Cuthbert of Compton, Nr. Guildford. In 1927, it was sold to G.R. Sutton of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne at which point it migrated to the North of England.

By 1943, this Bentley was owned by J. F. Collinge of Rochdale in Lancashire. The next recorded owner was a Squadron Leader Baron, who kept the car up to 1949. It was owned by K. Hadley, J. F. Edmondson in 1952, W.F. Crosland from October 1954, and P. Patchett from July 1960. In 1965, the care entered the long-term care of the Simons family of Chippenham in Wiltshire.

During the 1970s, the car was given a restoration by UK-based Elmdown Engineering. During this time, a decision was made to cover the metal bodywork in black fabric, which meant the holes for the side curtains were covered; they are no longer with the car. Also during this time, the original engine was repatriated to the car.

The car currently wears a black livery with red upholstery and German silver accessories.

by Dan Vaughan

Walter Owen Bentley, commonly known as 'WO', worked as an apprentice at the Great Northern Railway where he designed airplane engines. The first Bentley automobile was created in London just after the end of World War I, and given a three-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 65 horsepower. It was designed by the company's founder, Walter Owen, and benefited from his technical abilities and skill. This car was the first to carry the flying 'B' insignia and the hallmark radiator casing. An example was shown at the 1919 London Motor Show, though it was void of an engine that was not ready in time.

The 3-liter Bentley would remain in production until 1929 with a total of 1622 examples being produced in various configurations. A total of 513 examples of the Speed Model were created during this time. The 3-Litre Bentley was the car that would give the Bentley Company its fame. The car would emerge victorious at the 1924 24 Hours of LeMans race, which is a true testament to the car's abilities, stamina, technology, ingenuity, and speed. The Bentley's would win LeMans again in 1927, 1928, 1929, and 1930. They competed at various other important races, such as the Tourist Trophy and Brookland's Double 12, where the cars proved they were the fastest.

Under the bonnet was the powerplant, which was a technical marvel and advanced for its time, featuring aluminum pistons, twin spark ignition, and an overhead camshaft that operated four-valves per cylinder. The cylinder block and head were cast as a single piece which prevents leakage from the gaskets. The dry-sump lubrication allowed for increased oil capacity, lower center of gravity for the engine, and reduced energy/power loss.

Various coachbuilders were tasked with creating the bodies; Vanden Plas was one of the popular favorites, as was the LeMans type Bodystyle which closely mimicked the body style of the LeMans racer. During that era, the cars that raced at LeMans were often given bodies of road-going Tourers, at the request of the organizers of the event. The Bentley's that raced at LeMans were given lightweight bodies, 25-gallon fuel tanks, and a re-worked suspension that included double hydraulic shock absorbers in the front with improved front axle beams. To help while driving at night, some cars were given a central Marchal headlight.

A six-cylinder engine soon followed, appearing in 1925, and provided additional power to carry the large and elegant coachwork bodies. It displaced nearly 6.6-liters and was given all the technology and mechanical ingenuity of the 3-liter units. In 1928 a high-performance version was introduced, dubbed the 6.5-Liter Speed Model, also known as the Speed Six. In the capable hands of the 'Bentley Boys', the works drivers spearheaded by Woolf Barnato captured many important victories for the company. Their first major success came in 1928 at LeMans where Barnato and Rubin drove a 4.5-Liter Bentley to victory. The Speed Six would dominate LeMans again in 1929 and 1930 with Barnato as their driver. The success of the Speed Six was due to its reliability and 200 horsepower engine.

Bentley was unable to compete in 1931 at LeMans due to financial difficulties. The company would soon be acquired by Rolls Royce which spelled an end for the racing program.

by Dan Vaughan