1926 Bentley 3-Litre Vanden Plas Tourer
Kop Hill Climb, September 2019

Bentley 3 Litre VDP Tourer 1926
Kop Hill Climb, September 2019

1926 Bentley 3-Litre Vanden Plas Tourer
Kop Hill Climb - Sunday 16th September 2018

VSCC Silverstone, April 2017

VSCC Silverstone, April 2016

VSCC "Spring Start" at Silverstone - Saturday 18th April 2015

1926 Bentley 3 Litre

Kop Hill Climb, September 2014

Saint-Malo - Rallye Automobile International du Pays de Fougères, May 2014

VSCC Silverstone Spring Start, April 2014

VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone, April 2013

1926 Bentley 3 Litre
Registration Number YN 3245
Chassis Number PH1463
Body: Vanden Plas
Prescott Hill Climb, August 2011

VSCC Prescot, August 2010

Prescott, 2010

Hemel Hempstead, 2009

BDC Concours, 2008

Found on Bonhams website on February 13, 2019

Sold for £ 128,000 (INR 11,673,186) inc. premium

Lot 1022
1 Dec 2003
IMPORTANT COLLECTORS' MOTOR CARS, MOTOR CYCLES FINE AUTOMOBILIA, F1 MEMORABILIA AND TOYS & MODELS
LONDON, OLYMPIA

1927 Bentley 41/2-litre Tourer Coachwork by Van den Plas
Chassis no. NT3139
Engine no. NT3139
Registration no. YU 3247

W O Bentley proudly debuted the new 3-litre car bearing his name on Stand 126 at the 1919 Olympia Motor Exhibition, the prototype engine having fired up for the first time just a few weeks earlier. In only mildly developed form, this was the model which was to become a legend in motor racing history and which, with its leather-strapped bonnet, classical radiator design and British Racing Green livery has become the archetypal vintage sportscar.

Early success in the 1922 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, when Bentleys finished second, fourth and fifth to take the Team Prize, led to the introduction of the TT Replica (later known as the Speed Model). However, by the middle of the decade the 3-Litre's competitiveness was on the wane and this, together with the fact that too many customers had been tempted to fit unsuitably heavy coachwork to the excellent 3-Litre chassis rather than accept the expense and complexity of Bentley's 61/2-litre 'Silent Six', led to the introduction of the '41/2'.

The new 41/2-Litre model effectively employed the chassis, transmission and brakes of the 3-Litre, combined with an engine that was in essence two-thirds of the six-cylinder 61/2-litre unit. Thus the new four-cylinder motor retained the six's 100x140mm bore/stroke and Bentley's familiar four-valves-per-cylinder fixed-'head architecture, but reverted to the front-end vertical camshaft drive of the 3-Litre. Bentley Motors lost no time in race-proving its new car. It is believed that the first prototype engine went into the 3-Litre chassis of the 1927 Le Mans practice car. Subsequently this same engine was fitted to the first production 41/2-Litre chassis for that year's Grand Prix d'Endurance at the Sarthe circuit.

The original 41/2-Litre car, nicknamed by the team 'Old Mother Gun' and driven by Frank Clement and Leslie Callingham, promptly set the fastest race lap of 73.41mph before being eliminated in the infamous 'White House Crash' multiple pile-up.

The 41/2-Litre was produced for four years, all but nine of the 665 cars made being built on the 3-Litre's 'Long Standard', 10' 10"-wheelbase chassis. Purchasers of the 41/2-Litre model were, in common with those of all vintage-period Bentleys, free to specify their preferences from a very considerable range of mechanical and electrical equipment, in addition to whatever body style and coachbuilder might be required.

Recorded on the inside cover of this car's accompanying original instruction book is the name of the original purchaser: Mr Eric F Lewns of Princes Gate Court, London SW7, the entry being dated 10th March 1928. After being laid-up during the war years, 'YU 3427' passed to his son Owen Michael Lewin (as recorded in the old-style logbook) before being acquired in 1957 by Mr Peter Yarwood, the vendor's late husband. A naval architect and mechanical engineer, the latter restored the car in the 1960s, keeping to the original specification. Mr Yarwood was a keen Bentley enthusiast and attended many Bentley Drivers Club rallies and events throughout the UK and Europe. After his untimely death in the 1970s the car remained in use being regularly run and generally fettled by a family friend, before being laid-up on axle stands in 1988. Despite its long period out of use, the engine was successfully re-started by Bonhams staff just a few weeks ago. Nevertheless, careful re-commissioning is advised before returning the vehicle to the road.

Finished in black/green with red Connolly leather interior, chassis number 'NT3139' retains its original classically-proportioned four-seat tourer coachwork by Vanden Plas, widely recognised as the most pleasing ever to clothe the Bentley chassis. The original engine 'NT3139' also is retained. Offered from long-term cherished ownership having enjoyed just three owners from new, this early example of W O Bentley's classic '41/2' is offered with buff and green old-style logbooks recording all owners, original instruction book, restoration invoices for the period 1965-1971, expired MoTs for the periods 1961-'63 and 1969-'78, numerous copies of the Bentley Drivers Club Review (some bound) and Swansea V5 registration document.