FROM THE PLAQUE
Petersen Speed Six Le Mans Rolls-Bentley Special

Chassis: GAU 45 Rolls 1932
Engine: Modified Rolls 427 WI
Gearbox: Modified Bentley MK VI
Overdrive: Petersen - Laycock
Wheels: 4.5" x 21"   70 spoke HO

Built in the style of the Bentley team cars of 1930 for G. Forty
Petersen Engineering, Beaworthy Mill, Beaworthy
Devon, England

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Sunday, January 13, 2008
Le Mans Rolls - Bentley Special

There is a joke about Vintages Bentleys where if you find a bolt that was from a pre 1931's Bentley in a barn, you can make a whole car from just that Bentley bolt and call it a Vintage Bentley.

I think someone found a Bentley bolt in a barn and made this. Petersen Engineering of Beaworthy Devon, England in fact. And they certainly did a good job of it.

There are issues that one faces after you find the bolt. Pretty much three things.

Namely the chassis, engine and body.

The body is dead easy - Le Mans style racer, just like everyone else.

Now how are you to hold a proud face driving a Le Mans style racer with a Detroit create motor? It is just not right. In a Bentley T with no knowledge of Bill Coburn of Tee One Topics is a different story however, but I digress.

What Petersen Engineering has done is quite clever. Drop in a Rolls Royce engine. That will do it. Shine it up a bit and change the name plate on the cover and voilà. Here it is.

Now to the hardest part. The chassis. You only found a Bentley bolt. It is not enough for a chassis. People will question. They can look it up!

The issue is that you can not just put two pieces of steel parallel and wield them together to make your own. If one goes down this path the car is called a replica and is worth a pittance. You need to find a manufactured chassis for a little street cred.

So what did Peteren Engineering do? Another great idea. A 1932 Rolls Royce chassis, number GAU 45. It is similar vintage, and a year after Rolls Royce bought Bentley so it is one seriously wise choice of chassis. I do not know about early Rolls Royce chassis numbers, could be Phantom II or a 20/25 or something else.

See the plaque above explaining the car. Nice choices from only starting with a Bentley bolt.
The dash board is just as impressive.

Now what is great about this car for Bentley Spotting is this video. Very well produced for a Youtube effort. Professional in fact. Sit back and enjoy.

The car is currently for sale by Le Riche of Jersey. (i.e. as of July 2008)

In summary this car can be correctly described as a Rolls Royce with a Bentley Le Mans racer style body. It is a little more work than swapping the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit grill for a Bentley Mulsanne grill. But essentially the same.