4½ litre 'Bobtail' Bentley chassis no. KM3088
By Mark Ewing - Forbes, January 2017
Only a handful of the original racing cars are more desirable than this 4½ liter "Bobtail," chassis no. KM3088. Though the car suffered a retirement at the 1928 Le Mans 24 Hours, in June of 1929 it came home third in the French classic. A month before that Le Mans success it took second place honors in the Brooklands Double Twelve, clocking an average 81.39 mph. It then served as a team practice car into 1930. The car has had precious few owners in nearly nine decades of existence, and its health and condition have been carefully attended, with a restoration in 1964 followed by a “preservative” restoration in 2009.
Originally purchased by Sir Roland Gunter to serve as a factory team race car, in 1930 KM3088 ownership passed to Lauchlan Rose, who reportedly drove the car to work on occasion. For after-lunch entertainment Rose supposedly lapped the Brooklands circuit. Rose sold off the car after a few years. By the time of World War Two, the much-loved car reportedly had almost 100,000 miles logged. Rose bought it back after the war, and passed it to his son. KM3088 remained with the Rose family through 1971. The Bobtail then formed part of Bill Lake’s pre-war sports car collection for 33 years, and only sold after he passed.
In recent years, KM3088 has been the recipient of a professional “preservation” restoration by marque specialists, meaning they only performed the work needed without completely remanufacturing the car to perfection—it has patina, as a Bentley should. It sold at Pebble Beach in 2012 for $6,050,000.
I contacted an old friend, in this case one who drove and reviewed the Birkin Bentley "monoposto" on the Isle of Man and later a Speed Six for me in the old days when we were roaming about sampling fine vintage cars and the best sports cars of the day. Last week he wrote the following in an email about driving a WO-era Bentley:
"Moving the steering wheel at idle is almost as difficult as lifting the car itself might be. Miraculously, at less than walking pace it sparks into life and is merely heavy. But it does come to life. Through the cord-wrapped rim proportioned to serve a Neanderthal man, every slight contour of the road is fed through the tires and up along the column. As speeds rise one's palms begin to tingle. Critically, at 60 to 70 mph on country roads the leviathan can be guided easily and accurately with one’s finger tips. It's truly uncanny that such mass can be directed with so little effort. WO Bentley’s cars have precision of controls that is quite remarkable."
“Alas the transmission remains awkward and was the Achilles heel of all WO-era Bentleys. True, it's precise, yet also heavy and recalcitrant. It can neither be bullied nor seduced. Timing is key. It cannot be rushed. If you've ever witnessed the Queen's Guard on parade, you will have noticed all their drill movements follow strict timing: ONE - pause, two, three, ONE. Well, that's what it takes to shift Bentley gearboxes.
“Shout exactly that at the top of your voice as you shift: 'ONE' (hit the clutch and knock the lever into neutral), 'pause, two, three' (wait until the gear speeds synchronize), and 'ONE' (nudge the lever into the next gear). On a good day it works like a Swiss watch.
“Even long-term owners admit that on some days there's nothing doing, and some how for some reason, the gears only grind. And when they do, you can feel the cogs grate and snatch—painfully—through the weighty lever at the heel of your palm (right-hand palm for all you Colonials because even though it's a right-hand drive car, the lever is situated outside the bodywork). It hurts. Unless you lay bricks for a living, your hand will turn purple.
"In all the many cars that I have piloted—you don't merely drive a vintage Bentley—nothing compares to the reward. Sitting high, as you would commanding a tank, you get a different perspective on the world, rather as you might wielding broadsword on a battlefield. Both are beautifully weighted and perfectly balanced. Forget your schiavonas and espadas—the Bentley is the perfect weapon for any gentleman."
RM Sotheby's offered this 1928 Bentley 4½-Liter At Amelia Island Auction 2017, Estimate $6.5 to $7.5 Million. What became of it? Please e-mail info@vintagebentleys.org