"Robert, what an absolutely superb rally (for the 8 litres) that must have been. I am struck by massive pangs of jealousy, haven driven those roads in a Porsche GT3 a few years ago. One day in YR5083 perhaps...

My car looks like this now (photos above). These pictures are to go in a book on "top" cars to have reached the shores of India at some point."

July 13, 2016
This 8-litre Bentley Chassis number YR5083 resides in Mumbai, India and has been there for many decades. The car that cannot leave India (cannot be exported from India) under the country's Heritage Act.

I was with the vehicle in June 2016 to carry out some work on the car. The past owner Ronnie Khan is now deceased but the car is still owned by the family. The car continues to remain at the service station Kundamal on Peddar Road, Mumbai.

Whilst working on a RR Silver Wraith 2 in 2014 I was asked if I could look at the 8 litre as they could not change gears on the car, which turned out to be the clutch brake lining having the rivets touching the disc metal to metal. A new friction material and correct adjustment and there were no more problems. Ronnie Khan's son Darab Khan told me that no one in the family had driven the car since its acquisition in 1968. (Darab Khan, Owner, 26th Sep 2016: "The car has been driven a few times since its refurbishment in 2010.") Whilst back in India May-June this year (2016) I had another look at the car, and the carburettors had been removed and sent to SU for overhaul, and so were not fitted at the time.

I do not believe this is a McKenzie enhanced car, only the engine as has been previously documented. Unfortunately I did not get to drive the car on road test.

~~~

I did have the opportunity to drive WO's 8 litre (YF5002) last year whilst in the UK. Magnificent!! And as you will know, we have a quantity of WOs here in West Australia covering the entire range of WOs."

"I am the owner of GO 13 (the original 8 litre registration on your website) — chassis no. YR5083. I am keen to understand more about the history of the car, but there is little available.

The car has a 3rd Su, the result of a modification by McKenzie."

8 litre YR5083, 1931, 1st body A Mulliner coupe, 2nd body India built tourer.

To Darab Khan:
"Regarding your Bentley. It is listed as a Jack Barclay demonstrator first of all and as a HJ Mulliner coupe originally. The attached advert shows what may be your car in its first form. The advert shows it as having been built for Jack Barclays. There were only 2 HJ Mulliner coupes and only yours listed as a Barclay demonstrator.

If it is your car then the mudguards have also been changed along the way. What do you think, maybe you have already been through this."

Darab Khan responds:
"Thanks for your insight for the Bentley. It is very likely that this is our car as it was sold by JB and was the old demonstrator. The mudguards were changed by Adenwala (former owner) and Dad did try to change them back."