Produced by Bentley between 1965 & 1980, the T1 was the Bentley badged version of Rolls-Royce’s Silver Shadow.
Effectively, the Bentley & Rolls were the same car with the only difference being the Bentley spec radiator grill.
A completely new design from any predecessors, the T1 featured disc brakes all round, independent self-levelling suspension, electric seats and an upgraded automatic 4 speed gearbox.
The History
Well, the story starts with comedian Bernard Manning, ordering this car to his own personal specification.
This included amongst others a full-length sunroof, black leather to the dash & door tops and of course the vinyl roof, a must have in the early 70’s. First registered on the 14th of June 1971 with the number YKT 60J, it must’ve been the star of the show parked outside his Embassy Club in Rochdale.
Subsequently put onto a private number plate, it lost its eligibility for the original number and when re-registered when the private plate was transferred, it was assigned ALG 146J which it wears today.
Passing through a number of enthusiasts hands over the last 50 years, and it is now for sale as a project which should appeal to any Bentley fan.
There is a current V5c with the car, various Mot certificates, tax discs, receipts for work and parts over the years.
There is a letter regarding the original registration number, an original handbook, a few photos where it appeared in classic car magazines, copies of old registration docs etc.
Quite a large file tracing it’s history back through the years and appearing to confirm its low mileage.
Finished in beige leather with black leather dash & beige roof lining, the interior has passed the test of time very well.
Yes, the leather on the seats is creased (not cracked )with age , but a little careful cleaning & treated to a bit of leather food would bring them up well.
There is a small rip in the rear bench seat which is shown in the photos.
The carpets in green to match the exterior are generally in very good condition, as too is the roof lining and walnut dash.
Bernhards choice of leather for the door tops has paid off well, as these are often in a poor state when spec’d in wood after 50 years in the sunshine.
Overall, a good interior which with bit of care would no doubt last another 50.
Finished in green with a beige vinyl roof, this Bentley no doubt carried its head high when first off the production line.
Whilst appearing to be sound, the body is appearing to show its age.
The paintwork is peeling in places with a little rust showing through. Hopefully our photo’s show the extent of this around the bases of most of the windows, the bonnet edge, some on the front wings
all pointing towards the fact that this T1 could do with a bit of tidying. The peeling could be due to poor preparation for a previous re-spray, or it could just be that the time has come for some exterior love.
The vinyl roof is also just starting to peel away in places and the cloth sunroof is slightly torn.
Chromework is overall in good condition
All in all, tidy from a few feet away, but it’s time to address those paint work issues before they go too far.
That lovely V8 engine purrs when it bursts into life and appears to run sweetly. We drove a few miles to take photos and the gearbox appears to change up and down the box without any dramas.
No knocks or creaking could be heard from the suspension, & it appeared to glide over the local uneven roads. Bentleys & Rolls of this era all appear to be a little soft in comparison to today’s expectations of a more supportive ride.
This 70’s classic is ripe for restoration, it drives, most electrics appear to work, and its last Mot expired in August 2020 so that should be some assurance as to the car’s soundness.
With a little love & fettling, and of course a little paint, this Bentley T1 could very soon be back to its original 1970s splendour.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
Car & Classic's secure payment system protects buyers and sellers. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder transfers payment into a third-party escrow account. Once the transfer of the vehicle is complete, both parties confirm they are happy with the sale and the money is released to the seller.
More about buying with us
1971 Bentley T1
About Max Bids
The max bid process allows you to bid without any hassle.
Enter your maximum bid and we will then bid on your behalf to ensure you're the highest bidder - just enough to keep you in the lead and only up until your maximum.
Anti-sniping
Car & Classic prevent auction snipers from bidding in the last seconds to win an auction.
Auctions are extended by 3 minutes if anyone bids within the last 2 minutes to allow other bidders to react and counter-bid.
Auto-bidding increments
If your maximum bid is equal to or below the reserve price, your maximum bid will be applied in full if you are the highest bidder.
If you are the highest bidder and place a maximum bid above the reserve, we will automatically put in the reserve as your first bid.
Once the reserve has been met, Car & Classic will make sure you are the highest bidder using only the bidding increments stated below.
We will keep you in the lead up until your maximum bid OR the increment closest to your maximum bid, providing your maximum bid is enough to cover the increment value.
Bid Amount
Increment
£0 to £9,999
£100.00
£10,000 to £49,999
£250.00
£50,000 to £99,999
£500.00
£100,000 +
£1,000.00
Automatically outbid immediately
When you place a max bid and are outbid immediately that means that another bidder has placed a max bid limit which is higher than yours.
You can bid again and we will use our automatic bid system to try and get you as the highest bidder.
Matching max bids
When there are two max bids of the same value, the one placed first remains the lead bidder.
Pre-authorisation
We may hold a pre-authorisation charge on your card until the end of the auction when the hold will be cancelled. If you win, we'll take a security deposit which counts towards the payment for the vehicle and isn't any extra cost to you.
What are pre-bids?
A pre-bid means you're able to place a bid before the official start of the auction.
You will be notified whether or not you are the highest bidder when the auction starts.
Problem with your bid
Bids are contractually binding. To help protect you, we have some rules in place if we think it's been mistyped. Please check and amend what you have entered.
