"Robert, I read with interest the article in Hemmings that you wrote about your Bentley Experience. I saw your car while it was in the James Pearce shop as I have been working with David on obtaining needed hardware and coach parts for my own 3-Litre – Chassis #461. Mine is a 1924 speed model with VDP body.

My car was sold new into New Zealand and, since there was only one other 3-Litre in that entire country, my car is complete numbers matching chassis components. Unfortunately, the original body of my car was removed in the late 1930’s and replaced with a coupe’ body from a 4.5 Litre. We are now undertaking a comprehensive restoration back to the original VDP body style. I was fortunate to receive with my car the original wood body framing so had appropriate patterns for building the body.

Of particular interest to me is your research on the “scratched aluminum” finish. As my car was one of a handful where the original VDP records are lost, we have no indication of the original livery. I have noted that about every 4th car in the 1924 time frame was finished in “scratched aluminum” and therefore am exploring doing my car in that livery. I have spent considerable time with Clare Hay and others and have learned that no one has ever seen an original scratched aluminum finish. This leaves us to speculation on how the finish was produced. I note in your Article that you were advised it was done with steel wool. Clare Hay surmises it was done with a wire brush.

We’ve started practicing with some finish techniques and have not yet found one that is particularly pleasing to the eye. We can get a pretty good appearance in scratched aluminum however, when we apply a coat of clear over the aluminum, the look is not so pleasant. I have not yet given up but I am curious about your experience in this regard. Did you get to point of experimentation in scratched aluminum? Did you fine a satisfactory finish?

Thank you for sharing your Bentley experience and I do look forward to your input on my scratched aluminum dilemma."