1926 6½-Litre Vintage Bentley chassis no. WB2570 at BDC Silverstone 2016

Bentley Drivers Club Silverstone, August 2016

VSCC Silverstone, April 2016

Bentley Drivers Club at Silverstone - Saturday 2nd August 2014

VSCC Spring Start, April 2014

"Hi, I had to send a photo of this magnificent car. Last recorded as 'being rebuilt with Landaulette body', here is the finished product. So nice to see one returned to original spec. rather than being turned into yet another VdP Tourer. Seen at Vintage Sports Car Club 'Spring Start' meeting at Silverstone on 13th April 2014."

1926 Bentley 6½ Litre Four Seat Tourer
Registration No. KU 9000; Chassis No. WB2570; Engine No. WB2570

Engine: six cylinder in line, water-cooled monobloc, bore 100 mm, stroke 140 mm, capacity 6,597 cc. Overhead valve, overhead camshaft. Four speed right hand change gearbox. Single plate clutch; bevel Back axle. Semi-elliptic leaf springs front and rear. Wheelbase 12 ft 7 1/4 in. Tyres 7.00 x 21 in.

The 3 litre Bentley was an exciting and capable car in sporting form but was rather more docile when blessed with formal coachwork. This inspired "W.O." to look at the development of a car which would not be troubled by the heaviest coachwork. The prototype was a 4½ Litre car, known as "The Sun," however the 6½ Litre engine was fitted to the first production model, to compete more effectively with Rolls-Royce's New Phantom. A chassis was exhibited on Stand 224 at Olympia in 1925, priced at £1,450 and the first production models sold in the Spring of 1926.

WB 2570 was supplied in July 1926 to Sir B (later Lord) Moynihan, a notable surgeon at Leeds General Infirmary, fitted with elegant Landaulette coachwork by Connaught. It is believed to have seen war service as an ambulance and passed to a York owner soon after the war. It seems that the original body was removed at about that time and in 1954 the car found a new owner in the West Riding. It has remained in the West Riding ever since, being in the hands of one family for about thirty years and was last licenced in 1957. It is thought that the indicated mileage of 71,700 may well be correct.

The car is now equipped with rather spartan four seat tourer coachwork, although much of the upholstery and door trim may well be from the original car. Instrumentation appears to be entirely original, with the correct "The Big Bentley", identification, and the car still has its original Smith's fivejet carburettor. Chassis detail throughout is remarkably original, although twin S.U. fuel pumps replace the original Autovac.

Despite standing for thirty years the car was recently started and driven to its MoT test which it passed successfully.

Following a thirty year hibernation the car should be thoroughly checked mechanically before serious use.

This car is an important re-discovery and is offered with old and new style registration documents and a current MoT certificate.