Found on Will Stone Historic Cars website on May 29, 2018

1925 Bentley 3 Litre

Chassis 1037

The 3 Litre Bentley is a legendary car that hardly needs an introduction! It brought Bentley Motors its first Le Mans victory in 1924 and again in 1927. Bentley went on to win Le Mans an additional three times, giving a total of five victories over an eight year period. An extremely commendable achievement considering that the company was only founded in 1919.

The specification of the 3 Litre was then and still is impressive. Drawing from his locomotive engineering background W.O. designed an engine with an overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder and twin plug ignition. The desirable ‘Speed model’ was made on a shorter than standard chassis, 9’ 9½” and fitted with the speed model specification engine.

This car, chassis 1037 is one of the most original 3 Litres in existence. Fast approaching its 90th birthday 1037 has stayed remarkably intact over the years. It has managed to avoid having its original coachwork converted or its engine replaced like so many of its peers. This is no mean feat and puts 1037 in an ever decreasing club of originality! Copies of the factory service records (from new until 1939) show it was first registered 24th April 1925 and delivered to A G Raven in London. With careful and discerning ownership over the years 1037 has been preserved in highly original order.

Clare Hay, the noted Bentley historian wrote the following when the present owner acquired the car in 2010: “As now the chassis and running gear of chassis 1037 is almost entirely original, and largely unchanged since it left Bentley Motors in April 1925” She also says “The body is the original VdP body with, as far as I can tell, all the original wings and stays, and with the original aluminium panelling…difficult to find 3 Litre cars in such original order."

It must also be pointed out that not only does it tick the originality box, 1037 has also been meticulously maintained mechanically in recent years by the marque expert Graham Moss for the exacting and fastidious enthusiastic owner. It is also therefore ideal for spirited use in rallies and tours such as the Flying Scotsman and those organised by the Bentley Drivers Club.

A wonderful piece of Bentley history, which is becoming increasingly rare to find in this unmolested condition.

"Photographed at the BDC Silverstone meeting, 10th August 2013. Listed on DVLA as first registered 24th April 1925."

BDC Concours, 29 June 2013

This 3 Litre Speed Model is an unusually original. Supplied by the factory in 1925 and clothed by Vandan Plas with an open four-seater body, the body that it retains to this day. Factory service records show careful and regular maintenance in its early years, the grand mileage of 47,890 recorded by 1937. The history file that accompanies this Bentley includes a buff log book, service invoicing and notes from the 1940s and 1950s as well as a tax disk from 1929! With early examples of the 3 Litre model approaching their 90th birthday, 1037 represents a rare opportunity to secure an original, unmolested example of one of the most important and recognisable of all pre-war cars.

"Dear Robert, I've found some old photos of 3 litre chassis 1037 that I took at the Midland Motor Museum near Bridgnorth, Shropshire, (sadly closed now, I believe). This would have been approximately 1988-1989. I was very young! (I was little more than a schoolboy when I took these pictures with a kids plastic camera.) The 4.5 just in shot on one picture is Reg. GC 3337."

More Info: According to original Vanden Plas Coachbuilder records, this car was originally fitted with Body No. 1134 with a standard 4-seater Sports; blue and black; 4/1925.

Michael Hay, in his book Bentley: The Vintage Years, 1997, states: "Vanden Plas body no. 1134. For sale 1989 - original body, three owners from new."

The registration no. is wrongly stated as XV 1464 in Stanley Sedgwick's and Michael Hay's books, respectively All the Pre-War Bentleys and Bentley: The Vintage Years