No fewer than 12 fantastic Bentleys will be the crowd stoppers at Historics at Brooklands’ 26 May auction.
Looking set to be the bargain of the day will be a 1954 Bentley R-Type Coupé (in the main picture) by Abbott of Farnham that has been the subject of a seven-year, £150,000 restoration by Derby coachbuilder Wilkinsons.
Designed by Peter Woodgate, chassis ‘B329SP’ features a shallower radiator, lower steering column and higher-than-standard axle ratio – all designed to optimise the Abbott’s reduced weight and improved aerodynamics.
Finished in metallic grey and red leather, it is estimated to fetch £95-120,000.
A 1960s aluminium-bodied HJ Mulliner Bentley S2 Continental Flying Spur ‘six light’ has been valued at £63-73,000 after being recommissioned at a cost of £20,000.
Owned by Sir Maxwell Joseph, Chairman of the Grand Metropolitan portfolio of properties, the saloon spent much of its time on the continent and still bears a French identity plate and switchgear.
Featuring in Alec Harvey-Bailey's book The Derby Bentleys, is the car plated as 4-B-IV. An experimental chassis, it started life as a Park Ward open tourer with a 3.5-litre engine that was modified to accept larger inlet valves and a 6:9:1 compression ratio.
In 1936 the chassis was fitted with a 4.25-litre engine and a Van Vooren saloon body, before being updated to its present form as a Vanden Plas Open Tourer. Having been displayed at the Midland Motor Museum from 1988-’96 it is now being offered for £100-140,000.
As we previously mentioned an ex-Woolf Barnato 3.5-litre will also be up for sale.
