Seriously?

[ITSv40]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Is the 4.5L version the one that was supercharged to create the "bentley Blower" and caused W O Bentley to utter the immortal phrase "There's no replacement for displacement" due to the struggle he had getting the supercharged engine to run correctly?

Also thanks for the info on fuel consumption, it was me that suggested ~10mpg, based mainly on the fact modern RRs and Bentleys barely managed much more than that (by modern i mean 1970s-1990s) and they were allegedly more efficient with fuel injection, higher final drives etc.

Basically no, different era and company.

Walter Owen Bentley was an independent manufacturer in the 1920's, but as with many manufacturers of the time was virtually bankrupt by the start of the 1930's. Rolls-Royce bought the company in 1931 and started manufacturing Bentley badged cars to appeal to the sporting market instead of the rather formal coachbuilt R-R market. The Bentley was marketed as 'The Silent Sportscar'.

The first of the 'Derby' Bentleys was a 3.5lt straight six and to all intents and purposes a rebadged Rolls design, this then morphed into the 4.25lt before WW2. After the war Rolls decided to manufacture a complete car for the first time - up until then they had only ever built chassis for the traditional coachbuilders to complete the bodywork. This was the Bentley MKVI with standard steel coachwork by Pressed Steel. The MKVI chassis was still available to coachbuilders to mount bespoke coachwork. The postwar engines were based on the prewar design, but heavily modified - it still being an overhead inlet side exhaust arrangement. The first complete Rolls-Royce car didn't appear until the Silver Cloud in 1956.

With the introduction of the S type and Silver Cloud the Bentley and R-R versions were completely badged engineered, the only differences being the name decals, the radiator grille and bonnet that was slightly different to accommodate the different grille shape.

There are four main periods in Bentley manufacture:

Before 1931, W.O. Bentley, manufactured in Cricklewood.

1931 - 1939, Derby Bentley, manufactured by R-R at Derby.

1946 - 1998 Crewe Bentley, manufactured by R-R at Crewe.

1998 - present day, owned by Volkswagen and manufactured at Crewe.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by ITSv40

Basically no, different era and company.

Walter Owen Bentley was an independent manufacturer in the 1920's, but as with many manufacturers of the time was virtually bankrupt by the start of the 1930's. Rolls-Royce bought the company in 1931 and started manufacturing Bentley badged cars to appeal to the sporting market instead of the rather formal coachbuilt R-R market. The Bentley was marketed as 'The Silent Sportscar'.

The first of the 'Derby' Bentleys was a 3.5lt straight six and to all intents and purposes a rebadged Rolls design, this then morphed into the 4.25lt before WW2. After the war Rolls decided to manufacture a complete car for the first time - up until then they had only ever built chassis for the traditional coachbuilders to complete the bodywork. This was the Bentley MKVI with standard steel coachwork by Pressed Steel. The MKVI chassis was still available to coachbuilders to mount bespoke coachwork. The postwar engines were based on the prewar design, but heavily modified - it still being an overhead inlet side exhaust arrangement. The first complete Rolls-Royce car didn't appear until the Silver Cloud in 1956.

With the introduction of the S type and Silver Cloud the Bentley and R-R versions were completely badged engineered, the only differences being the name decals, the radiator grille and bonnet that was slightly different to accommodate the different grille shape.

There are four main periods in Bentley manufacture:

Before 1931, W.O. Bentley, manufactured in Cricklewood.

1931 - 1939, Derby Bentley, manufactured by R-R at Derby.

1946 - 1998 Crewe Bentley, manufactured by R-R at Crewe.

1998 - present day, owned by Volkswagen and manufactured at Crewe.

What a marvellous knowledge of RR and Bentley you have - it makes a fascinating read.

[ITSv40]

Originally Posted by Othen

What a marvellous knowledge of RR and Bentley you have - it makes a fascinating read.

Yes, a bit of an anorak

When I was around 7 or 8 I went to stay with one of my aunties for the summer holidays. She was a very elegant lady and lived in a very smart regency rectory - my uncle being an extensive farmer.

Each week she would drive into Northampton for the weekly shopping and I would go with her. She drove a Sunbeam Talbot 90 and always parked in Grose's garage - they being the Sunbeam agents along with RR and Bentley and other quality makes. On returning from shopping we would be greeted by a little man in a fawn warehouse coat with a clean rag in his hand - the car having been refuelled, checked over and declared fit for another week. As this was the early '60's there was always a Silver Cloud or S type Bentley in the workshops and I was completely smitten. I just thought it was a very elegant privileged lifestyle being surrounded by beautiful motorcars.

From that time onwards I wanted a Silver Cloud above all else. Bought the MKVI when I was 21 and then sold that and bought the Silver Cloud at 29. I never did fully fall in love with the Bentley as it wasn't what I really wanted. However, the Silver Cloud didn't disappoint and I kept it for 33 years.

I suppose I eventually became bored with it, coupled with spares and fuel costs and decided I wanted a convertible - yes, a real mid-life crisis! . hence buying the C70. Again. that hasn't disappointed and have totally fallen in love with it. I have been lucky in being able to enjoy over 40 years of R-R and Bentley ownership and have many happy memories of a social life that the cars opened up.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by ITSv40

Yes, a bit of an anorak

When I was around 7 or 8 I went to stay with one of my aunties for the summer holidays. She was a very elegant lady and lived in a very smart regency rectory - my uncle being an extensive farmer.

Each week she would drive into Northampton for the weekly shopping and I would go with her. She drove a Sunbeam Talbot 90 and always parked in Grose's garage - they being the Sunbeam agents along with RR and Bentley and other quality makes. On returning from shopping we would be greeted by a little man in a fawn warehouse coat with a clean rag in his hand - the car having been refuelled, checked over and declared fit for another week. As this was the early '60's there was always a Silver Cloud or S type Bentley in the workshops and I was completely smitten. I just thought it was a very elegant privileged lifestyle being surrounded by beautiful motorcars.

From that time onwards I wanted a Silver Cloud above all else. Bought the MKVI when I was 21 and then sold that and bought the Silver Cloud at 29. I never did fully fall in love with the Bentley as it wasn't what I really wanted. However, the Silver Cloud didn't disappoint and I kept it for 33 years.

I suppose I eventually became bored with it, coupled with spares and fuel costs and decided I wanted a convertible - yes, a real mid-life crisis! . hence buying the C70. Again. that hasn't disappointed and have totally fallen in love with it. I have been lucky in being able to enjoy over 40 years of R-R and Bentley ownership and have many happy memories of a social life that the cars opened up.

What a marvellous story.

[Steve 940]

Originally Posted by Othen

What a marvellous story.

Absolutely Alan, this is what makes old motors ‘interesting’

Also reminded me of a tale in the Classic and Sportscar magazine a few years ago, about an elderly lady AC Cobra owner who used it weekly trips into London and used it enthusiastically.

Original column by Simon Taylor in Nov 2020

After publication it triggered some wonderful recollections posted in a whole page of letters in Jan 2021 issue.

Hopefully the photos of the page come out, my favourite is titled Mystery Solved, the story of an elderly lady opposite locking an AC Cobra round the Hogarth roundabout.

Cheers
Steve

PS. I can’t seem to zoom in to read, so original column found on press reader.

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/class...82449941629049

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Steve 940

Absolutely Alan, this is what makes old motors ‘interesting’

Also reminded me of a tale in the Classic and Sportscar magazine a few years ago, about an elderly lady AC Cobra owner who used it weekly trips into London and used it enthusiastically.

Original column by Simon Taylor in Nov 2020

After publication it triggered some wonderful recollections posted in a whole page of letters in Jan 2021 issue.

Hopefully the photos of the page come out, my favourite is titled Mystery Solved, the story of an elderly lady opposite locking an AC Cobra round the Hogarth roundabout.

Cheers
Steve

PS. I can’t seem to zoom in to read, so original column found on press reader.

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/class...82449941629049

Good story Steve, but my 63 year old eyes couldn't resolve the little photos, I don't know whether this may help:





... let's see.



Addendum: not perfect, but a little easier on the eyes I think (and the right way up) .

[Steve 940]

Originally Posted by Othen

Good story Steve, but my 63 year old eyes couldn't resolve the little photos, I don't know whether this may help:





... let's see.



Addendum: not perfect, but a little easier on the eyes I think (and the right way up) .

Many thanks Alan, your 63yr old brain knows more about technology and getting photos correctly orientated 👍👍

Cheers
Steve

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Othen

I followed up on the white Bentley S1, the answer is the eBay auction only got to £11,100 before it ran out of puff, not meeting the seller's expectations. We may see it again on eBay - or perhaps that isn't a good place to sell a 1956 Bentley?

The auction was perhaps a good bell-weather for 1950s Bentley prices (notwithstanding the eBay issue), as public auctions generally are. Once I'm settled in 'Vegas I may cast around for a motor car like this one - with no intention of restoring it, or even making it 'nice', but rather run it as I do GAM.

Interesting

I’ve been keeping an eye on this Bentley S1 sale - so as to gauge prices for similar motor cars. The second auction got to £13,000 but still didn’t meet the seller’s expectations (and reserve).

Perhaps we will see it again on eBay? I can't help thinking it is a little bit disrespectful to a 70 year old Bentley to keep putting it through the eBay wringer, but there again I suspect the owner doesn’t want to pay the auction fees for a more traditional sale (and may not get any more money anyway).

Alan

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

I can't help thinking it is a little bit disrespectful to a 70 year old Bentley to keep putting it through the eBay wringer,

Alan

I totally agree Alan but they're car dealers so everything with wheels is up for sale and sell, it will!

At least that's the mentality car dealers seem to have.

[Steve 940]

Pity about the Bentley, but you could have a nice trundle up to Pickering on one of your bikes early next week to kick the tyres of this, perhaps guided on the low side.... who knows ???

https://www.mathewsons.co.uk/auction...pp=48&pn=2&g=1

MOT history is pretty amazing, since 2010 only one fail, and that was for horn not working.

Would perhaps fit in well, cruising the Skeggy Strip, with Bob riding shotgun

2 ways of looking at it, 1) Its a whole lot of motor for possibly not a whole heap of cash. Or 2) Its a whole lot of trouble, waiting to bite......

Cheers
Steve
Steve