1952 Bentley Special Roadster

Bentley Motors Limited was founded in 1919 by W.O. Bentley who was primarily known for his rotary aero-engines used in WWI Sopwith Camels. Though hard to imagine today, early on, the company was also known for its racing prowess. After the war, Bentley designed and made production cars that won the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1924 and again in 1927, 1928, 1929, and 1930. Bentley even fielded an entry in the Indy 500 in 1922.

In the 1930s Bentley was at the top of the British sports car market, with few competitors other than Bugatti and Hispano-Suiza. But, financially laid low by the Great Depression, Bentley sold out to Rolls-Royce in 1931. After Rolls-Royce acquired Bentley, the once-clear distinctions between the two marques became blurred. So much so that eventually the main differences were the grille, hood ornament and some handling and performance characteristics.

This roadster raced in the 1960s at tracks from Antwerp to Silverstone. It emerged from 30 years in storage in 2009; with a full restoration completed in 2012. The engine is a de-stroked and bored 4.5 liter straight six fitted with twin Arnott carburetors and is supercharged. A lightweight aluminum body was built by Robert Peel over an ash frame. The aerodynamic windscreen was fitted from an early MGB. The suspension was modified to accept advance tube-style shock absorbers and incorporated a hand-formed front sway bar.