Description
Very usable 1935 Derby Bentley 4¼ Litre MX
Offered for sale for the first time in approximately 27 years, this 1935 Derby Bentley 4¼ Litre MX is a well-sorted, practical car with a genuinely engaging history and a clear emphasis on use.
Rolling chassis B104EF left the Bentley factory in 1935, originally fitted with a Park Ward saloon body. By the late 1990s the car had fallen off the road and was partially dismantled, with the body in very poor condition. Rather than restore it back to a heavy saloon, the decision was taken to give the chassis a new, more sporting lease of life.
The car was sent to John Kenny to be fitted with a lightweight, purposeful body designed to be usable, with sensible luggage capacity for touring. In this configuration it initially competed in events in 3½-litre form. In due course, the desire for more performance led to an opportunity via Frank Dale & Stepsons, who were offering a rebodied 4¼-litre MX car fitted with a 1960s-style body, seating five and incorporating a large boot — charmingly described as looking like something a four- or five-year-old might draw in side profile.
That car was purchased and its MX engine and gearbox were transplanted into chassis B104EF, where they remain today. The result is a Bentley that combines Derby mechanical integrity with a lighter, more useable body and excellent drivetrain.
In recent years the car has been actively enjoyed, competing at Bentley Drivers’ Club events at Silverstone, taking part in hill climbs in its native Ireland, and covering touring mileage with ease.
Now surplus to family requirements, this Bentley is offered as an honest, usable example. The 4¼-litre six delivers that unmistakable under-exhaust note, while the MX gearbox provides well-judged ratios that suit fast road use perfectly. Chassis balance and mechanical refinement are exactly what you would hope for from a Derby Bentley of this calibre.
Equally at home on the road, on long tours, or in competition, this would make an excellent fast road Bentley, a capable event car, or a strong candidate for endurance rallies such as the Britannia or Flying Scotsman.
