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1929 Bentley 4.5 Litre

In 1919, W.O. Bentley's company, the Bentley Motors Limited, began from humble beginnings in a mews garage off Baker Street in London. Over the years that followed, it would achieve fame for its fast touring cars, and ability to compete with the best of American and European sports cars. They dominated at LeMans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, and 1930.

At the 1919 Olympia Motor Exhibition, W.O. Bentley debuted the new 3-liter car. This model, with its leather-strapped bonnet, British Racing Green livery, and classical radiator design, would become legendary in motor racing history. Bentley finished second, fourth, and fifth in the 1922 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy earning the company the Team Prize. This monumental accomplishment spawned the TT Replica, later to become known as the Speed Model.

By the mid-1920s, the competition was catching up to the performance of the 3-Liter. Additionally, the coachwork on many road-going vehicles had become large, luxurious, and heavy. Bentley offered the 6½-litre 'Silent Six', but for many of the customers, it was too expensive. This led to the introduction of the '4½', which effectively used the transmission, brakes, and chassis of the 3-liter, with the engine that was in essence two-thirds of the six-cylinder 6½-litre unit.

The new 4½-Litre model had a four-cylinder motor that retained the six's 100mm broke and 140mm stroke and Bentley's traditional four-vales-per-cylinder fixed-head arrangement. The front-end vertical camshaft drive of the 3-Liter was adopted. It is believed that the prototype engine was installed into the 3-Liter chassis of the 1927 LeMans practice car. That same engine was later installed in the first production 4½-Litre chassis which raced at that year's Grand Prix d'Endurance at the Sarthe circuit. The team nicknamed the car 'Old Mother Gun' and driving duties were entrusted to Frank Clement and Leslie Callingham, who set the fastest race lap of 73.41 mph. Sadly, their day ended prematurely due to the infamous 'White House Crash' multiple pile-ups.

The Bentley 4½-Litre, offered to the public in late-1927, was produced for four years with 662 (other sources state 665) examples produced. All but eleven examples were built on the 3-Litre's 'Long Standard', 130-inch wheelbase chassis.

Bentley offered a Plethora of mechanical and electrical equipment to satisfy the needs and wishes of the buyers. All Bentley's were bodied by independent coachbuilders. The operational chassis consisted of a radiator, firewall, and hood panels. They were road-tested on public highways prior to being sent for their coachwork. Approximately 120 coachbuilders, most of whom were British, supplied bodies for the Bentleys. Vanden Plas provided 669 bodies from 1922 through 1931. Vanden Plas and Bentley's relationship began in 1922 and by 1924, they bodied 84 Bentleys. Vanden Plas leased a portion of the premises to Bentley in 1925 as a service department.

Bentley's were produced between 1919 and 1931 at Cricklewood. The 'Derby Bentleys' were produced by Rolls-Royce after their purchase of the company out of receivership

by Dan Vaughan

Robinson Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: HB3410
Engine number: HB3412

By the mid-1920s, Bentley realized the need for a new four-cylinder model. The 3 Litre model - though a Le Mans winner - was suffering due to increasingly heavy bodies. With the 6.5 Liter in production, Bentley sought to combine the light chassis of the 3 Liter with the extra power of a larger motor. The result was basically a chassis from a 3 Litre with a four-cylinder version of the 6.5 litre engine.

The new 4.5 Liter was immediately put into competition. The Bentley Boys quickly amassed Le Mans and Grand Prix finishes and victories. Though the Speed Six was a true champion at Le Mans for Bentley, it was Birkin's admiration and respect for the 4.5 Litre that led to the development of the Blower Bentley.

Apart from its racing duties, the production 4.5 Litre was also a luxury car fitted with saloon coachwork. They gained a reputation for being a superb handling Bentley with an exceptional power-to-weight ratio.

The body of this car is a Tony Robinson aluminum skin Vanden Plas 4-seat-tourer with a 6 and 1/2 liter bonnet (long hood). This car started life as a sedan in 1929 and was quickly converted to a Vanded Plas tourer in the 30s. The car has been an open tourer most of its life.

The car is powered by a water-cooled, single-overhead-cam, 4-cylinder, with 4 valves per cylinder, 4,500 cc (4.5-liter) engine, developing 110 horsepower coupled to a 4-speed manual transmission. The 3,630-pound car has a top speed of 94 miles per hour. The chassis consists of channel-steel, front and rear suspension by semi-elliptic leaf springs, and 4-wheel drum brakes.

The car's mascot, 'Icarus,' is a rare commission by W.O. Bentley and sculpted by Gordon Crosby. The car underwent a complete restoration from the bare chassis to the Hobson Telegauge gas gauge that actually works.

Production amounted to a total of 733 cars of all body styles. Fifty-four cars were equipped with the famous supercharged engine, 'Blower Bentleys,' built by the race driver Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin as a private venture - against W.O. Bentley's wishes.

Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: HB3403
Engine number: SM3902

This car is one of two supercharged Blower Bentleys built by Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin to race at LeMans in 1930. Today the car is almost exactly as it was when driven by Birkin as he played his part in ensuring Bentley's fifth victory in the 24 Hour race. From the start of the race, a battle took place between the Mercedes-Benz SSK driven by Rudi Caracciola and Birkin's Bentley. Birkin finally managed to pass his rival at over 125 mph, but in so doing, he damaged a rear tire, and, instead of stopping to make a repair, he went flat out. On the next lap, after setting a record lap time, the remains of the tire exploded and put him out of the race. The SSK's engine had also been pushed too far and it soon expired. It was left to two Speed Six Bentleys, 'Old Number One' and 'Old Number Two,' to finish in first and second place. W.O. Bentley's victory that year, and in particular Birkin's heroic drive, made headlines around the world and secured Bentley's legendary LeMans-winning reputation.

by Dan Vaughan

Two-Seat Sports by Harrison
Chassis number: DS3568

The new 4.5-liter Bentley arrived on the scene in late-1927 following the prototype's debut at that year's LeMans race, where it set a new lap record. It was the successor to the 3-liter using features of the original 4-cylinder engine as well as some from the later 6-cylinder engine on which development had begun in 1925. The 4.5-liter was brought about by the need for greater power and speed that was required for Bentley to ensure competitive supremacy.

The engine quickly proved its mettle with an outright LeMans win in the 1928 and subsequent Brooklands competition success. During the production run from 1927 until the takeover by Rolls-Royce in 1931, few modifications to the engine were deemed necessary attesting to its overall excellent design. In standard Vanden Plas tourer form, the 4-liter Bentley was good for 92 mph; in LeMans trim, 120 mph was possible - quite remarkable for the era. Bentley built a total of 665 units during the model's lifespan.

This Bentley 4.5-Liter Two-Seat Sports was ordered as a semi-LeMans chassis. It was a special order with 'LeMans Style' constructed with a large 25-gallon fuel tank, extended bonnet, spring-loaded bonnet strap, stone guard radiator, inboard foot-brake adjustment, adjustable Andre shock absorbers, a low-mounted spare and P100 headlamps with stone guards. It was fitted with a 'British Flexible' Harrison sports two-seat body with a fold-flat wind-screen. The new owner took delivery of the car in August of 1929. The purchaser was J.H. Hanley.

In 1930, ownership passed to LH.W. Preston, who used the car in New York for a period of months in 1931. It was purchased by Harecourt Smith in 1933. It was apparently sold in 1939. It is believed that during this period, the rear of the body was opened to accommodate another seat.

In 1947, the car was in the care of D.J. Garsten and purchased a year later by R. Elton. That same year, the car was involved in an accident. The driver's side of the car apparently collided with a truck and the axles, fenders and coachwork were seriously impacted. In 1949, Mr. Elton commissioned a professional rebuild of the car with NOS items. At that time, the car was re-registered HBY 625.

After the work was completed, Mr. Elton retained the car for another six years before selling to C.A. West in 1955. Seven years later, it was sold to M.A. Roberts of New Jersey. While in his care, the car was restored to its original trans-American record attempt configuration. The original owner had attempted a trans-American record attempt after acquiring the vehicle, but the treacherous and impassible roads of the era made it difficult. The car made it across Iowa, but in Wyoming or Colorado, just before the Great Divide, trouble struck. A supposed blizzard ended the trek when the sump was damaged.

In 1984, the car was sold to the current owner. In 2001, the car received a Second in Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, First Place and Best of Show at the RROC National Meet in Calgary, Senior and Premier 100 points at CCCA events, and a Senior award, Senior Grand National award and the S.F. Edge Trophy in AACA competition.

In 2011, at the Pebble Beach, CA auction presented by Gooding & Company, the car was estimated to sell for $1,000,000 - $1,400,000. It would leave the auction unsold after its reserve was not met.

Tourer by Vanden Plas

This Bentley 4.5 Litre Vanden Plas Tourer was first delivered to Hubert Mason with body number 1615 by the Vanden Plas works in June 1929. It was later owned by the great Bentley collector and author, Johnnie Green. When acquired by the present owner, the car was sent to Bentley specialist R.C. Moss Ltd in England where it was stripped back to bare metal and restored from the ground up. Special attention was paid to the body, which has been re-trimmed with the original Rexine fabric. This process was made possible after the recent restoration of the original Rexine coating machine by Graham Moss. The Rexine fitted to many Bentleys was embossed with a wood grain pattern as shown on this car. This is one of a pair of Bentleys bearing the first new Rexine-covered bodies to be seen in public since the mid-1930s.

Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: FB3317
Engine number: FB3320

This Open Tourer by Vanden Plas has never been converted to Le Mans replica status. It wears its body, chassis, engine and registration which it was born. It was delivered in January of 1929 from the Bentley Motors, Ltd. Cricklewood, England factory to its first owner F.W. Howarth, The Danes, Higher Crumpshall, Manchester, England. The vehicle passed through several owners before arriving in the United States from England in 1956.

It was acquired in 1966 by the Boone family of Winnetka, Illinois and then treated to a ground-up restoration. It was a consistent top award winner competing at 19 major events from 1968 to 1976. Those included three AACA meets, seven GIRCCA spring concours, two RROC National meets, seven Grand National Classics and one BDC International meet. Honors include the 1970 NIRCCA Grand National Award for Excellence, 1970 RROC 1st Place Vintage Bentley, 1972 AACA S.F. Edge Award for the Outstanding Restoration of the Year for a Foreign Made Automobile Entered in a National Meet, 1974 Best Overseas Car, PDC Kensington Gardens, London and 100 points in the 1976 Senior Foreign at the Indianapolis Grand Classic.

FB1337 is painted in British Racing Green over green hides. There is a large LeMans petrol tank, headlight with stone guards, Hatford shock absorbers, Wefco spring gators, twin leather bonnet straps, a corded steering wheel and sloper SU carburetors. The body is a traditional Vanden Plas style with an aluminum bonnet and fabric covered coachwork.

It has been in the current owners care since February of 1999. In 2011, the car was offered for sale in Monterey, Ca. presented by RM Auctions. It was estimated to sell for $700,000 - $900,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $ 671,000, including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Tourer by Thrupp and Maberly
Chassis number: MR3990

This particular car is one of a very small number of vintage Bentleys that have survived with their original open four-seater coachwork intact. Chassis MR3390 was delivered to Thrupp & Maberly, one of the oldest English coachbuilders who excellence had attracted the patronage of the Royal Family. The exquisite touring bodywork on this car is the only example of Thrupp & Maberly coachwork on a 4.5-Litre Bentley chassis. It retains all its original fittings, including engine and gearbox. In 1938 the car was sent back to Thrupp & Maberly to have the windscreen raked back and a second rear door added. Since then it has been used on hill climbs and rallies by subsequent enthusiastic owners.

Offset Single Seater
Chassis number: HB3402
Engine number: SM3901

Reid Railton designed this offset single seater for its owner, Bentley Boy Tim Birkin. The engine was modified to cope with the stress of the supercharger. This Blower Bentley recorded its first victory at its first race at Brooklands. The next target for Birkin was the Brooklands outer-circuit lap record, which he broke at 135.33 mph. Birkin then improved the car for the 1932 season and set a new record at 137.58 mph. The car retired from racing soon after. After the war, the car was fitted with a conventional two-seater body and was raced in club events. Fortunately the Monoposto body was preserved and was eventually refitted on the car.

Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: HR3976
Engine number: HR3976

This 'Birkin Blower 4' is the second of the pair of Blower Bentleys entered by the Dorothy Paget and Tim Birkin team at LeMans in 1930. Driven by Dr. Dudley Benjafield and Giulio Ramponi the car expired after 144 laps. This tendency for the Blower Bentleys to break down is at odds with the cars' image as the ultimate dream of the 'Bentley Boys.' The supercharged LeMans are distinguished from other 4.5-Litre Bentleys because they have a 45-gallon fuel tank, a bolted rather than riveted chassis for ease of maintenance, and a beautiful turned-aluminum dash with many extra gauges. Although it was far from popular with W.O. Bentley, the addition of the supercharger more than doubled the 110 bhp to 240 bhp.

This car's race history spans just three years, but it is one of the most famous Bentleys in the world, having raced at Brooklands, the Tourist Trophy, the Irish Grand Prix and the French Grand Prix at Pau as well as at Le Mans.

Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: HB3404/R

YU3250 is one of the most famous registration numbers in Bentley history. This car is the subject of some of the most collectable model cars in many different scales and can be found in many children's car collections - and those of their fathers! Although the Blower Bentleys were spectacularly fast, they suffered from reliability problems in race conditions. This car raced at Brooklands, the Tourist Trophy and the Irish Grand Prix. Although it broke many lap records, its best finish was at the Ards Circuit in Belfast where it came in second in 1930 driven by Bertie Kensington Moir. This car is completely original and has been well cared for over the years by its many enthusiastic owners.

This is the first of the legendary 'Blower' Bentleys and one of the four supercharged Dorothy Paget team cars produced by Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin. Birkin was convinced that supercharging the normal aspirated 4.5 Litre Bentley engine was the route to racing success, but W.O. Bentley disagreed, believing that it would 'pervert the design and corrupt the performance' of his engines. Birkin, with the backing of Bentley Chairman Woolf Barnato, prevailed, and four racing Blower Bentleys were prepared, followed by 50 factory-built road cars. All were produced using a supercharged designed by Charles Amherst Villiers. When owned by Bernard Rubin, a member of the 'Bentley Boys' team and winner of the 1928 Le Mans race, this 4.5 Litre was the first to be fitted with the new supercharger. After a few changes were made to the original chassis and the original Vanden Plas body, the Blower was campaigned between 1928 and 1930. W.O. was eventually proven right: the Blowers suffered reliability problems and were not as dominant as Birkin had hoped. Later, this Blower was driven at Brooklands successfully until 1936, and it has since been the muse for numerous children's toys and models. Today the car is exactly as it was in the 1929-1930 season.

Tourer
Chassis number: NX3466
Engine number: AD3655

This 1929 Bentley 4.5-Liter LeMans Tourer carries chassis number NX3466. It was brought to the 2007 Monterey Historics where it participated in the Group 1A 'Pre-1939 Sports, Touring Cars' race in Laguna Seca.

Coupe by Salmon & Sons
Chassis number: AB3373

The 4.5-Litre Bentley arrived on the scene in late-1927 following the prototype's debut at that year's LeMans race. The engine quickly proved its mettle with an outright win in the 1928 24 Hours of LeMans with driver Wolf Barnato and co-driver Bernard Rubin. During the production run beginning in 1927 and ending in 1930, few modifications to the engine were deemed necessary, attesting to its overall excellent design. Bentley built a total of 665 units over the model's lifespan.

This 1929 Bentley, 2-seater, drophead coupe retains its original coachwork by Salmons & Sons of Newport-Pagnell in England who has produced coaches from the early 1800s. It (Chassis No. AB3373) was custom-built to-order for Mr. Edward Hunter through the Agency of Ashworth and Merideth, The Strand, London West-Central. It was registered on May 13, 1929 and was the only 4.5-Litre drophead coupe with a dickey seat and Salmon & Sons coachwork. Special accommodations were made for his fishing tackle behind the front seat. It remained in Hunter family ownership until 1973. The Bentley was purchased from the Milligen Collection and brought to the U.S. in 2004.

The 16-valve, single-overhead-cam, 4,398 cc, 4-cylinder engine produces 110 horsepower and is coupled to a 4-speed manual transmission. It has dual magneto ignition, four valves per piston, crosflow head, and dual vintage SU carburetors. This 3,630-pound car has a top speed of 94 mph and is equipped with 4-wheel drum brakes.

Tourer
Chassis number: SM 3903
Engine number: SM 3907

Chassis number SM 3903 was first registered on October 21st 1929 as UW 3761, the engine number being entered in the log book as SM 3907. It was owned originally by the factory and sent straight away to the Olympia Motor Show. After the show the factory retained the car and used it as a showroom demonstrator for many different Bentley dealers to promote sales. In 1932, the car passed through dealer Jack Barclay, Ltd., to its first customer, J. Weston Adamson of Yorks, a well known Bentley owner. The car was a subject of a total restoration in the early 1990's and its current condition is simply fabulous.

by Bentley

Sport Touring by Harrison

In late 1927, Bentley added the 4.5-Litre model to its successful 3 Litre, and the new car dominated endurance racing. Woolf Barnato and Bernard Rubin drove a 4.5-Litre to victory at LeMans in 1928, the first of three wins by Barnato in the 4.5-Litre. W.O. Bentley recognized that sporting success sold cars, and between 1927 and 1931, his cars were sold to aspiring 'Bentley Boys' and Girls the world over. Most vintage Bentley have lost their original coachwork but this car is an exception; it is an original, matching numbers 4.5-Litre. Ordered by a Mr. M. W. Keefer, it was fitted with Weymann-type coachwork by the North London coachbuilders Harrison & Son. Harrison was one of the smaller coachbuilders at the time, but it produced trucks and buses and also car bodies for Daimler and Rolls-Royce as well as Bentley. This car lived in England until the 1950s, then spent a long period in Australia before coming to the United States.

This Bentley has articulated wind wings that open and close with the doors. In conjunction with the wind wings, the rear wind screen makes it a very comfortable touring car for front and rear occupants. The car is powered by a 4½ liter 4-cylinder engine developing 100 horsepower.

by Dan Vaughan

Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: RL3427
Engine number: RL3429

W.O. Bentley introduced his Bentley 3-liter on Stand 126 at the Olympia Motor Exhibition in 1919. In 1922, Bentley finished in second, fourth and fifth place at the Isle of Mans Tourist Trophy, earning them the Team Prize. This led to the introduction of the TT Replica (later known as the Speed Model).

As the years continued, the competitiveness of the 3-Liter began to wane. It was also unsuitable for heavier coachwork, which was typically fitted to the more expensive and complex Bentley 6.5-liter 'Silent Six.' This brought about the 4.5-liter, which effectively used the transmission, brakes and chassis of the 3-liter. The 4.5-liter four-cylinder engine had a 100x140mm bore/stroke and Bentley's four-valves-per-cylinder fixed-head layout.

It is believed that the first prototype 4.5-liter engine was installed in the 3-liter chassis of the 1927 Le Mans practice car. The engine was later fitted to the first production 4.5-liter chassis for that year's Grand Prix d'Endurance at the Circuit de la Sarthe. The car was given the nickname 'Old Mother Gun' and driven by Frank Clement and Leslie Callingham. It set the fastest race lap of 73.41 mph before being eliminated in the 'White House Crash' multiple pile-up.

In 1928, a 4.5-liter Bentley won at LeMans. Production of the 4.5-liter Bentley would continue for four years with a total of 665 examples being built on the 3-liter's 'Long Standard', 10-foot, 10-inch wheelbase chassis.

Vanden Plas was Bentley's preferred coachbuilder, having bodied 84 Bentleys between 1922 and 1924. From 1922 to 1931, they bodied 669 Bentley bodies.

This particular 1929 Bentley 4½ Liter Sports Tourer wears Coachwork by Vanden Plas. It is fitted with a 4,398cc single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine with four overhead valves per cylinder. The 100 horsepower engine is mated to a four-speed 'C' gearbox and has four-wheel drum brakes with Servo Assist.

The car's original owner was Major E.G. Thomson, a wealthy shipbuilder in Scotland. It was the second of three that he would own. It wore livery like his ship, in a grey hue. The car was delivered to his Edinburgh address on January 14th of 1929. After about a year, it entered the care of its next owner A.J.H. Mowbray of Stirling, Scotland. The history from this point on is unknown. It may have remained in that country as it was still there after the war. By 1951 it is known to have been the property of John Sword. Mr. Sword would amass an amazing collection of 200 plus cars. After his death, there were two dispersal auctions. Ralph Dunwoodie, operating on behalf of the Harrah Collection, acquired numerous cars and had them brought stateside. This Bentley, however, was not presented for sale. Instead, it was retained and placed on public display in the Glasgow Transport museum where it would remain until 1992 when Bonhams Co-Chairman Malcolm Barber in previous employ handled its sale. It was acquired by Rt. Hon. Alan Clark.

The car would pass from Clark through two collectors, selling with the Brooks/Bonhams team in 2005, before coming into the care of its present owner in 2016. It left the British Isles for the first time in 2016 and into the current U.S.-based ownership.

by Dan Vaughan

Tourer
Chassis number: RC2209

This authentic 4½-Litre 'Blower' Bentley wears a later, period-style fabric tourer body, in similar fashion to the Vanden Plas style tourers of the 1920s. The work was performed by Graham Moss, of R.C. Moss in Melchbourne, Bedford. Original components were sourced and used when possible. When not available, they were remanufactured.

This Bentley has a new 130-inch wheelbase chassis, with some original components. It has a new 5.3-liter cylinder block with a new magnesium 'Birkin Blower' racing-style crankcase and winged sump, counterbalanced billet crankcase and connecting rods, modern shell bearings and forged pistons, and a new, correct supercharger. There is an original 4½-Litre 'D' type gearbox, with overdrive fitted. It has a 3-Litre steering box converted to 4½-Litre specifications. The front axle and steering arms are also original components, as are the back axle casing, the self-wrapping brakes, the instruments, the dynamo and starter motor, and the pedal shaft, while the brake drums and wheels were remanufactured to original specifications.

by Dan Vaughan

Robinson Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: HB3410
Engine number: HB3412

This 1929 Bentley 4½ Liter Sports Tourer left the factory and delivered new to Mr. G.G. Law of Renfrewshire in August 1929. It wore a Weyman flexible saloon body by Arthur Mulliner. The car remained with Mr. Law until February of 1932 when it entered the car of Dr. W.K. Chalmers of Argyllshire. Two years later it was sold to Mr. G. Dawson in London. From there, its history is not known until March of 1951, when it was owned by G.K. Stratton. He had the car registered as 'Rebuilt Bentley.' In August of 1951, it was advertised for sale in Motor Sport. It had grey paint and wore a Vanden Plas body sourced from another Bentley 4.5-liter.

During the 1950s, it was owned by J.M. Hancox who sold it to J.E. Crossman in 1955 and it is believed to have remained with him until 1973. While in either Mr. Hancox or Mr. Crossman's care, the car was involved in an accident. The damage was extensive and required a rebuild using another frame and front axle. The parts were sourced from another 4.5 saloon, chassis number AB3352.

After 1973, the car entered the care of C.J. Teal, and then to Mr. J.A. Murch in 1977. An extensive restoration soon followed. At the time, Mr. Murch also owned chassis ST3024. Since ST3024 had the stronger engine, it was swapped with engine HB3412 from chassis HB3410. At this time, the car was also fitted with its current Vanden Plas style body by Tony Robinson.

The car was in Germany during the 1980s. In 1990 it was sold to Greg Johnson of California. Dr. Johnson used the car extensively and had it fitted with a LeMans 3.3:1 axle ratio and electrical fuel pumps.

In 2003, it was sold Mr. Rodger Morrison who retained it for two years before selling it to James Stickley. Mr. Stickley displayed the car at the Amelia Island Concours and won a national award with the car at the RROC national meet in 2007. A year later, it went to the United Kingdom after passing through Stanley Mann, and was sold to Hugh Apthorp, who kept the car until December of 2010, when it entered its current owner's care.

by Dan Vaughan

Tourer
Chassis number: TX3246
Engine number: PM3275

This famous Bentley 4.5 Litre, known by its registration number YW5758, is one of the most successful racing Bentleys ever built. 'YW' was driven by its first owner, Humphrey Cook, at almost all of the British sports car races during 1928, and then, in 1929, it was part of the most successful Bentley team at Le Mans - when the team finished in the first four places. Later that year, YW won the first 500 Miles Race held at Brooklands, as well as the inaugural British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) race. In 1931, YW participated in six more races at Brooklands, including the Gold Star Handicap, finishing third overall. Its current owner acquired this very original Bentley in 1999 and has striven since then to conserve and preserve the car's racing pedigree.

Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: DS3575
Engine number: DS3572

This 4.5 Litre Vanden Plas Tourer was once owned by author and Bentley guru Johnnie Green, who was a personal friend of W.O. Bentley and a founding member of the Bentley Drivers Club in 1936. He purchased the car in 1985 from its previous owner, who had owned it for 48 years. At that time, it was considered to be the most original 4.5 Litre Bentley in existence, largely due to the fact that it had been in storage since before the Second World War. In 2005 it was bought by another important European collector who embarked on a particularly thorough restoration. This included locating, purchasing and restoring an original Rexine machine in order for the body to be re-covered in the exact material that it left the factory with in 1929. Although many Bentleys have since been reskinned in the proper Rexine material, this is the first car to ever have the correct material fitted in a modern restoration.

Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: NX3451
Engine number: NX3455 - XF3507

In 1929, William Berkley Scott ordered this Le Mans-specification 4.5 Litre Bentley to race at Brooklands and beyond. A few specially prepared Bentleys were built exclusively for the Works Racing Team and a few favored customers. In total just eight Le Mans-specification 4.5 Litre cars were built between 1927 and 1929, four for the Le Mans factory team and four for privateer entrants.

This chassis was bodied by Vanden Plas and painted in Parsons Napier Green. The finished car was delivered in May 1929 and raced at the Brooklands Double Twelve that same month. Throughout its career, the car finished every race in which it was entered and was driven to and from every race circuit it visited. Scott sold the car in 1930 and it was then bought and sold by several enthusiastic owners. In the 1950s the engine was changed following a blow-up, but it has been recently reunited with its original 4.5 liter block, which still bears the imprint of the official RAC stamping from its Brooklands racing days.

Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: NX3452
Engine number: NX3454

The Maharajah of Bhavnagar became possibly the youngest Bentley owner in the world when, aged just 17, he ordered this 4.5 Litre Tourer through the Bentley dealership Jack Withers & Company in Osnaburgh Street, London. The motor car was built with a number of special features, including a radiator stone guard, chrome-plated fittings, and a 6-inch longer bonnet, and was delivered to Vanden Plas to be bodied in January 1929. The Bentley was also fitted with unusual hydraulic shock absorbers to the rear axle and Hartford shock absorbers to the front, and a Smiths fuel gauge was added to the dashboard. All of these features point to its future use on the rough roads of India, where few petrol stations existed at the time. The Bentley was finally delivered to India at the end of 1930 and was kept by the Maharajah until his death in 1965. The car later returned to England and was acquired by the renowned watchmaker and arch-Bentley collector George Daniels, in 2004. Its current owner bought it in 2012.

Open Sports Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: NX3463
Engine number: NX3469

Bentley produced ten examples of the 4½-Litre with a 'short-chassis,' with a wheelbase size of 117.5 inches, which was similar in length to the earlier 3-Litre. This original, factory-built short-chassis was built to special-order as the last of six vintage Bentleys ordered by repeat customer John Ward Cox of Derby, with 'Bertie' Kensington-Moir as the selling agent. Given a four-passenger sports tourer body by Vanden Plas, Cox retained the car for a brief period before selling it in 1930 to C.R. Robinson, who, after two years, passed it to Edwin 'Bill' Pacey. It then passed to Peter Eckersly of Stockport, and in 1933 was purchased from him by J.F. Aspin of Manchester. Mr. Aspin retained it through the war years, and then it was owned by a succession of short-term post-war caretakers. The body was externally repaneled in metal before, in 1956, the car was purchased by William Thompson, a longtime Bentley Drivers Club member from Richmond. Mr. Richmond changed the car's registration number to 'WT 43,' and restored and maintained it for 18 years.

In 1973, the car was acquired by H.L.G. Melly, who sold it in 1980 to David B. Benson of Tadcaster. The car remained with Mr. Benson for 28 years during which time the engine was rebuilt with a counterbalanced Allan crankshaft, Carillo rods, and new pistons. The radiator was recorded, a rear axle was rebuilt, and new gears were installed in the 'D'-type gearbox. After spending a brief period in Cambridge, the car was then purchased by a vintage Bentley specialist who kept it for his personal use for nine years. In April of 2006, this owner was able to reacquire and return to the car its original registration, 'CH 8280.' Elmdown Engineering performed additional, comprehensive mechanical rebuilding during 2008 and 2009, including a full engine rebuild and fitment of overdrive.

In 2011, the car was sent to Graham Moss for a sympathetic but highly detailed cosmetic restoration and additional mechanical sorting. The car was returned to its original and blue over blue color scheme.

by Dan Vaughan

Tourer
Chassis number: AB 3669

This Bentley was delivered in January of 1929 to W.L. Van Allen, wearing registration YE 312 and fabric saloon coachwork by Weymann. In the 1950s, it was acquired by Charlie Lowe Jr., and it was from him that the current owner acquired the car in the early 2000s. At that point, a project began to upgrade the 4½ Liter Bentley to Blower specification along with a proper Le Mans VDP style tourer body.

The project was undertaken by an American engineer and Bentley expert in conjunction with Neil Davies Racing in the UK. Many correct Brlower specifications were located, including an original Speed-Six rear axle, along with an original works style hood. A new Neil Davies Racing 5.2 liter heavy sump engine was commissioned. The early John Bentley Engineering supercharger produces 8-10psi of induction pressure and is fed by large 'Works' specification aluminum SU carburetors. It is estimated that the engine delivers 200 horsepower and is backed by a fresh D series gearbox. Its Le Mans VDP style tourer coachwork was constructed in the United States and finished and trimmed in the United Kingdom. It has a large Works-type fuel tank, original Zeiss headlamps, a works-type hood, and cycle fenders. The dashboard carries large Works-style instrumentation and original Air Ministry switchgear.

Additional Brower specification upgrades include leaf springs and shocks, reinforced frame with Works 'Le Mans' style truss work, late pattern Bentley self-energizing brakes, and Alfin drums all round.

by Dan Vaughan

Tourer by Cadogan
Chassis number: DS3570
Engine number: DS3568

Cadogan Motors (1928) Ltd. created five of the four-passenger fabric-paneled tourer bodies for the Bentley 4½-Litres, with a slightly larger rear compartment than the Vanden Plas design. Of those five, this is the only survivor on its original 4½-Litre chassis.

This 4½-Litre Bentley is a late-specification car with a reinforced, stiffer frame, plate clutch, and self-wrapping front brakes. Cadogan received the car on July 22nd, 1929, and upon completion, it is believed to have been a demonstrator by London Bentley dealer Gaffikin Wilkinson before being sold to its original owner, D.C. Cowans Fairweather of Angus, Scotland. The car was registered in Aberdeen as SR 7702 in July 1930. The car's second owner is believed to have been G. Ellis of London, who acquired it around 1932.

Following an accident, the car's chassis frame and front axle were replaced with NOS components. Thus, the Bentley's frame carries the original number of DS3570, but the replacement axle is not numbered.

J. Armstrong of London purchased the Bentley around 1935 or 1936. In 1938, while in the car of W.O.'s brother and Bentley dealer, H.M. Bentley, the Bentley was restyled with the front doors cut down, and the fenders, running boards, and valances were modernized. Telecontrol shock absorbers and an oversized gasoline tank were fitted.

In 1946, after World War II, the car was purchased by John Harris, who soon sold it to Captain H.A.K. Lay. Among the subsequent owners was K.J.R. Tanner, who purchased it in 1967 and owned it for four decades. Its next owner was Alessandro Tonolli, who commissioned Bentley specialists James Pearce & Company to restore the bodywork while preserving the H.M. Bentley modifications. Blackmore Engineering restored the mechanical and electrical systems, and a new fuel tank was fitted, along with an overdrive and electric cooling fan. The accelerator and brake pedals were exchanged to the modern conventional positions.

This Bentley entered the current owner's collection in 2015.

This Bentley retains its original engine, C-Type gearbox, hood panels, differential casing, magnetos, exhaust manifold, carburetors, and steering column, among other components.

by Dan Vaughan

Open Sports Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: NX3463
Engine number: NX3469

This Short Chassis Vanden Plas Sports Tourer is one of nine short-chassis 4.5 Litre cars made to special order. It was ordered for Mr. J. Ward Cox of Derby through W.O. Bentley's favorite London dealer, 'Bertie' Kensington Moir. The Short Chassis model was built to a semi-Le Mans specification, which made it easily capable of over 100 mph. This motor car was later owned by the Brooklands racing driver E. W. Pacey, famous for the record-breaking Pacey-Hassan Bentley special. It was acquired by the Fisken family some years ago. Throughout its life, the car remained in largely original condition and retains all her original equipment but with new and authentic Rexine fabric.

Open Sports Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis number: RL3428
Engine number: RL3432

This Bentley 4 1/2 Litre was sent to Vanden Plas on February 26, 1929, where it was gien four-seat Sports Touring coachwork (body no. 1429.) This coachwork had originally been fitted to 4 1/2 Litre chassis SL3066, but shortly thereafter was reconditioned by the coachbuilder and installed on this chassis (RL3428).

This Bentley departed the company's Cricklewood works on March 28, 1929, and into the care of its first owner, Rootes Ltd. It wore a black exterior and had a leather interior, and its 4,398cc SOHC inline four-cylinder engine breathed through a pair of SUX HGV5 sidedraft carburetors. It had a four-speed C-Type manual gearbox and four-wheel mechanical drum brakes.

Rootes Ltd. sold the Bentley on July 12, 1929, to its first private owner, Major Charles L.Y. Parker of the Royal Engineers. In January 1930, Major Parker took chassis RL3428 back to the Bentley factory for a 'Le Mans Conversion' which included flat-top valves and hourglass pistons to the engine, an extra pair of shock absorbers to each axle, taller 15/50 rear-gear ratio, an Autopulse electric fuel pump, and a large rev counter to the dashboard.

On June 23, 1932, Major Parker traded RL3428 back to Jack Barclay Ltd. in part exchange for a supercharged 4 1/2 Litre drophead coupe. Barclay sold the Bentley on March 14th of that year to Mr. J. Belmont Taylor of London. In 1939, it was sold to Alistair MacLennan of London, and the Bentley would remain in the MacLennan family for eight decades. The current caretaker purchased the Bentley in 2019.

An exhaustive £500,000 refurbishment was conducted by R.C. Moss in Melchbourne, England. All characteristics of its Le Mans modifications were restored, as well as the addition of the large fuel tank with proper threaded filler cap, radiator stone guard, and conversion to cycle fenders.

This Bentley currently wears a black Rexine fabric exterior with brown leather and wool carpet interior.

by Dan Vaughan

The Bentley 4 1/2 liter came into existence to fill a void left by the 3-liter and the 6.5-liter variants. The 3-liter suffered from underperformance while the 6.5-liter was unsafe for the roads. The 6.5-liter was powerful, and with poor road-conditions often caused tires to fail quickly. The solution was the Bentley 4.5-liter; a vehicle that had enough power to carry the vehicle down the road at a good pace. The chassis consists of channel-steel, front and rear suspension by semi-elliptic leaf springs, and 4-wheel drum brakes.

The 4.5-Liter Supercharged Bentley, better known as the 'Blower' Bentleys, is a sporting automotive icon that earned its place in history as an engineering marvel and powerhouse. Only 50 examples, plus an additional five racing prototypes, were created. In the modern era, they are among the top rank in collector cars throughout the world.

Engineer and founder W.O. Bentley was hesitant to adapt a supercharger to his 4.5-liter engines. Rather, the development was financed by a woman, the Honorable Dorthy Paget, who provided the funds necessary to complete the project. It was for Henry R.S. 'Tim' Birkin, one of the 'Bentley Boys' who campaigned the Bentleys at many venues and various competition events bringing recognition and victories to the Bentley marque. The list includes Brooklands with its closed oval course, and the other extreme, LeMans, with his challenging road course.

Birkin had intended to race the supercharged 4.5-liter Bentley at LeMans in 1929, but lubrication problems on the early cars halted those plans. Instead, Woolf Barnato (Bentley's chairman and fellow factory team racer), Birkin, and Glen Kidston drove the Bentley Speed Six Models in 1929 to victories at LeMans.

Birkin was able to convince Barnato to enter the 'blower' Bentley in the 1930 LeMans race. In order to do so, homologation requirements had to be satisfied. The rules stated a minimum of 50 examples had to be built. Bentley officially introduced their production versions of the cars at the 1929 Olympia Motor Show, with the fist cars on sale in April of 1930.

With homologation requirements satisfied, Bentley entered two blowers and three Speed Six models. Birkin's LeMans blower was co-drive by Jean Chassagne. The Blower Bentley showed great promise early in the race, and by the fourth lap had passed a highly-competitive supercharged Mercedes at 126 mph. In the process it shredded a tire and was forced to stop. At the time, they had been averaging 89.66 mph per lap, which was a new lap record for the course.

The other Bentley's were given the job of chasing down the Mercedes. Their job became much easier when the Mercedes was forced to retire when their battery died. The Blower Bentley's would endure similar fate, as they were forced to retire in the 20th hour. The Speed Six models went on to secure a 1-2 Bentley victory.

1930 was the last year the Bentley factory team would compete at LeMans, as the company had fallen on very difficult economical times. Dorothy Paget eventually withdrew her support for the Birkin blowers as the cost to compete continued to escalate. This brought an end to the short-lived saga of the Bentley blower era.

by Dan Vaughan