1923 3-litre Bentley with original Vanden Plas coachwork
Chassis Number 276, Engine Number 285, Vanden Plas Body Number 3262

This stunningy original 3-litre Bentley has been a treasured possession of the present custodian -- a respected professional restorer of fine vintage cars and motorcycles - for approximately sixty years.

The chassis of the car (frame, suspension, steering, motor and ancilliaries, drive train, wheels, brakes and axles) has been restored with a strong focus on originality, while the elegant Vanden Plas body, with its orignal aluminium panels and black-stained timber frame, awaits refinishing and retrimming.

All major parts are with the car including its hallmark radiator and bonnet, whose hinges are stamped with the chassis number.

The images above show the car in its present condtion and state of assembly.

Expressions of Interest: 1923 3-litre Bentley
This very original motor car has been in the keeping of the present custodian for approximately sixty years, and is of great sentimental value. Sadly the time has come to dispose of the vehicle and the family is interested in finding it a good and suitable home. The following conditions have been designed to provide the custodian maximum control in the disposal of this much-loved vehicle.

A brief history of the car
I'm neither the owner of the car, not a Bentley historian, so please excuse any inaccuracies that may have crept in to the brief history laid out here: it is my best attempt with the information available to me at the moment.

Three-litre Bentley chassis number 276 is an original Australian-delivered car, first owned by Mr. Massey Burnside in Adelaide, South Australia. It left the factory in June 1923 fitted with engine number 285 and a four seater Vanden Plas body number 3262, both of which are still fitted to the car. I am not sure how many three litre cars preceded it to Australia, but it is certainly among the earliest cars to survive here.

The Bentley Drivers Club of Australia, of which the present custodian was a foundation member and later made a Life Member, knows of at least two other owners: Mr. Don Dow and Mr. Peter D'Abbs.

The photograph and short article below is from Australian Motor Racing Yearbook 1950-51, published by Motor Manual and edited by Theo Van Alkemade. The photograph dates from the D'Abbs period of ownership; it is not know when the car acquired the 21" wheels and the braked front axle. During its most recent renovation, the 21" wheels, on the car when acquired by the present custodian, were replaced with 880-120 beaded edge tyres and rims, and the car is now fitted with a brakeless front axle (see below).

Amongst the series of photographs taken at the same time as the one above there is one of a cravatted Peter D'Abbs sitting at the wheel of the car. D’Abbs was one of the leading motoring and motor racing photographers in Victoria during the 1950s and up to mid 1960s, and clearly he had an eye for a handsome motor car. It is likely that the present custodian bought the car from Peter D'Abbs, if indirectly. Bill Dobson was a member of the Preston MCC and raced Douglas motorcycles. Just after the war he had a garage on Park Hill Rd, Kew, (near the cemetery) where he did some work on vintage cars. One Saturday morning in the early 1950s the present custodian saw the Peter D'Abbs 3-litre Bentley at Bill Dobson's, and instantly fell in love with it. After some negotiation he was able to buy the car; his recollection was that the owner at the time of purchase was Peter D'Abbs, although Bill Dobson acted as an intermediary.

The following snapshots show the car in the condition in which it was acquired:

An interesting discussion has arisen regarding the front axle of the car. One of the photographs from the D'Abbs period, as well as one of the later snapshots, clearly show the car fitted with a braked front axle, albeit without the mechanism to render the brakes useable. The current custodian's best recollection is that he bought the car with an unbraked front axle, but he does recall the car fitted with a braked front axle, without the brake actuating mechanism attached. Although he thought he might use the car like this, he fairly quickly changed his mind and either fitted an unbraked axle, or refitted the unbraked axle that came with the car - in his 90th year his memories of 60+ years ago are not too fresh. Can anyone suggest where a chassis number might be stamped on an unbraked Bentley axle? If we can find a number perhaps this issue can be resolved.

Shortly (probably only months) after acquiring the ex-D'Abbs 3 litre car, another Bentley was purchased to share the garage: this time an an accident-damaged 4½ litre car. Since damage to the 4½ was mostly confined to the body, the Vanden Plas 'Sporting Four Seater' body was lifted from the 3 litre car, repainted cream, and fitted to the 4½. The result, shown in the photograph below, is a car that was used for a number of years as a daily drive, as well as for vintage car events.

Please note that this car is the 4½ fitted with the body from the 3 litre, not the complete 3-litre car that is on offer here.

The three litre car has not been on the road since its body was removed and fitted to the 4½ in the early 1950s.

Before the 4½ was sold the body was removed and refitted to the 3 litre chassis on which it was delivered in 1923. At least three of the floorboards carry the Vanden Plas body number 3262 (see photographs), which correspond to the following entry in the Vanden Plas register:

3262 Bentley 3 litre; 276; Sporting 4-seater; Scratched aluminium and Green

Also of note in the photograph of the 4½ is the Victorian registration number Vic. 1.170. This number was acquired from "the Godfrey Bentley" - another Melbourne-based three litre that famously carried around some rather oversized coachwork. The registration number 1.170, having already done time on two vintage Bentleys, was also transferred to the three litre car when the 4½ was sold.

The number 1.170 is NOT for sale with the car, but should the car remain in Victoria negotiation may be possible.

Regarding the present status of the car
Perhaps it's best to start with a disclaimer: I'm not a vintage Bentley expert, but rather an enthusiast with reasonable knowledge of things vintage. I'm helping out with the disposal of this car in an unpaid capacity. My approach is to try to describe the vehicle as accurately as possible, and to answer any questions to the best of my ability. It is possible that I might make a mistake or two in this process; for any such mistakes I apologise in advance but accept no responsibility. Before acquiring the car, it will be your responsibility to ensure that it is as described. No warranty will be given.

Provenance
The car was acquired by the present custodian in the early 1950s. Although the purchase proceeded through Bill Dobson, it is believed that the owner at the time was Peter D'Abbs. After purchase the car was used on the road for only a short period of time; perhaps a few months. The Vanden Plas body from the car was then transferred to a 4 1/2 litre Bentley that was used for many years as daily transport and for vintage vehicle events. At this time the body was painted cream. Before the sale of the 4 1/2 litre car, the body was returned to the 3 litre chassis on which it was acquired.

Chassis Number: The chassis number 276 has been located stamped on the left side of the front cross member, the bonnet hinges, and the Smiths switch panel. The steering box carries a number which is close to but different from the chassis number of the car (278 I recall). A Bentley expert has told me that he believes that it is possible that the car left the factory with this steering box. The custodian has no recollection of the steering box being changed during the 60 years the car has been in his possession.

Engine Number: The engine number 285 (originally fitted to chassis 276 according to various Bentley records) is stamped on the left rear of the crank case and also on the front bevel housing between the magnetos.

Vanden Plas Body Number: The body number 3262 is stamped under at least three of the floor boards. To date it has not been located elsewhere on the body, but it may be revealed by cleaning. The book on Vanden Plas lists body 3262 as "Bentley 3 litre; 276; Sporting 4-seater; Scratched aluminium and green". Despite the time spent on the 4½ chassis, this body is the one fitted to the car when it was acquired in the early 1950s, and, from the body number, is the body fitted when it left the factory in 1923.

Completeness
Earlier this year (2013) I spent about 4 hours with a Bentley expert, familiar with restoration of vintage Bentleys, going over the car paying particular attention to completeness. At the end of this exercise the car was deemed to be "essentially complete", with only a small number of "nuts and bolts" type items obviously unaccounted for. These may yet be present in the shed.

Parts not present in the photographs, but neatly stacked on a shelf and included with the car:
- Radiator (in excellent order, believed ready to fit)
- Bonnet (aluminium, numbered 276, painted green, seems straight and solid)
- Two magnetos (reconditioned)
- Starter motor and drive gears (reconditioned, new gears)
- Smiths carburettors (the original plus another identical)
- Exhaust manifold, exhaust pipe flanges, original muffler parts (endcaps etc.)
- Water gallery pipes
- Smiths switch panel with chassis number 276; miscellaneous dash items
- Pair of front seats, upholstered in red, useable as is
- Seat rails
- Hood and hood bows
- Head lamps (Lucas) and running lights
- Crank handle and fittings
- Drive from rear of camshaft to reconditioned Smiths generator
- Drive from front of camshaft to tachometer (includes 90-degree gearbox)
- And more; please ask

Parts possibly missing
- One magneto drive block (easily copied from the one that is there)
- Smiths tachometer (likely not present when car was acquired; Jaeger available)
- Some exhaust pipe bends are present, but other parts to be remanufactured
- Various small parts: e.g. acorn nuts for water gallery
- If any other part is missing, all reasonable attempts will be made to locate it in the shed!

Restoration completed
The current custodian began restoration of the car when he retired after a lifetime working on other people's vintage and thoroughbred cars. The restoration has a strong focus on originality, and the work was carried out with passion and the desire to give the car "the restoration it deserved". To some extent the restoration could be deemed "old school", eschewing recent trends to use remanufactured parts in the place of genuine Bentley items. A marvellous example of this is that the universal joints in the drive train have been carefully rebuilt as original, rather that adapting modern components as is the norm in the majority of restorations. The same philosophy is seen elsewhere in the restoration: the motor uses fully reconditioned Bentley parts throughout. All elements of the motor, drive-train, suspension, steering and brakes have been completely restored. The major electrical components - two magnetos, fire-wall-mounted Smiths generator and starter motor - have also been rebuilt.

By the time of the D'Abbs ownership c1950 the car was was fitted with "modern" 21" rims and tyres. These have been replaced with wheels and tyres more in keeping with an early car such as this: the four road wheels and the spare are now fitted with 880-120 beaded edge rims and tyres.

The paint and plating on the restored part of the car is serviceable rather than stunning; perhaps much as it was when the car left the factory in 1923. Enthusiasts in search of mirror finish coatings will have to allow for refinishing; or perhaps better to ponder just what it is about an early vintage Bentley that provides its allure. I suspect it's not the paint, as even in its present state this car has a captivating charm that was obviously there in the early 1920s and remains there today. I'm not sure where the Bentley Zeitgeist resides, but it is present in bucketloads in this car.

Study the photographs in a quiet, semi-dark room. You'll know you understand the car when all thoughts of two-pack have gone, and you're beginning to wonder how the body would look in hand-brushed satin-gloss enamel...

If the restorer's numerous other efforts are any indication, the mechanical part of the chassis should provide many years of reliable motoring at vintage touring speeds.

Contact and enquiries
Please keep in mind that I am helping the family to try to find a new home for the Bentley based on a 30+ year friendship with the current custodian: just at the moment he's not in a position to be intimately involved with the disposal process but I am. So bear with me: I'm not a professional car salesman, nor a Bentley expert, but I'll do my best with your questions.

If you are seriously interested in acquiring the car, or would like to submit an expression of interest, you can email me at: sales@earlymotor.com. Please put the word "Bentley" in the subject line so I can keep things relatively ordered. I will do my best to acknowledge all emails.