Highlights

Beautiful Bentley Special with great proportions and built to a high standard
Inherited by the vendor recently and poses great opportunity for someone
As seen in the photos the car is in very good solid condition
Only 3 previous owners recorded from new

The Appeal

Bentley’s pre and post war history is the story of two quite different companies, one focussed on powerful, snorting racing beasts hairing down the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans, the other on very luxurious conveyances for the rich and famous.

This interesting Special has a foot in both camps, starting life as a post-war R-Type saloon but now clearly evoking the illustrious pre-war models.

Bespoke body style recalling the 4 1/2 litre ‘Justine’ Special and the Derby models, combining elements of each into its wide, low slung styling. In good, lightly patinated condition it is surely an interesting prospect for collectors of these one-off models.

The History and Paperwork

First registered in 1951
Chassis records indicate that this car was possibly built on a 1951 Bentley MkIV chassis
The DVLA records show the engine as 4,225cc number RF1428HS23
The vehicle has been inherited by the vendor
A variety of companies specialise in Bentley Special's such as Kult Kars:
- This Special has elements of the Kult Kars Bentley Special
- However it varies in other details and is not exactly the same

The Interior

Classic pre-war Bentley recreation with great styling cues like the double-cowl dashboard line
Bentley R-Type dials carefully set into a wood veneer dashboard
Moto Lita wood-rimmed steering wheel
Pleated leather bench seat with pleasing patination
Stylish aero screens
Details abound like the trumpet horn, spotlights and Bentley aluminium steps
Finished to a good standard with leather roll around seats and bespoke door cards
The interior indicates an older restoration with limited use and is in good, gently used condition

There can be few better places to start when recreating a vintage interior that the sporting pre-war Bentleys, in particular the ones that pummelled the opposition into submission at Le Mans. Bedecked with wonderful details these purposeful machines were a symphony of hand-crafted, functional equipment.

This recreation cleverly utilises than heritage to create a stylish interior that is a world away from the R-Type where this vehicle began. It has been done with a good depth of attention to detail such as the aluminium Bentley side steps, pleated leather bench seat and even the ‘trumpet’ style air horn. The dashboard is a big swathe of wood veneer into which are set the dials from the R-Type. There is also a Mota Lita wheel and the gear lever has been relocated to the side of the car, positioned as it would have been on pre-war cars.

It is all in good condition, with a gentle level of patination that seems to reflect an older restoration and limited subsequent use.

The Exterior

Restyled using a R-Type chassis as a pre-war recreation
Appears to be a bespoke evocation but with influences of pre-war 4 1/2 litre Bentleys
Possibly influenced by the Justine Special and Derby Boat Tail, albeit not in the rear end styling
The work appears to have been done to a high standard, showing high quality artisan bodyworking skills in various areas
Exhibits a slightly wider track than those pre-war models due to the wider R-Type chassis
Classically finished in dark green, a shade that is a little lighter than the iconic pre-war models
Lovely unpainted polished louvred bonnet
Wire wheels in reasonable condition exhibiting some marks and deterioration
Chassis appears to be in very good condition with light coating of underseal
Some surface rust visible on some chassis components but not of undue concern
Nicely detailed such as the leather bonnet straps and grilled headlamps
External rear fuel tank and exposed spare wheel

Some Bentley specials are designed to be faithful recreations of popular pre-war models, others are more esoteric models incorporating elements of those racers to create something unique and bespoke. This Special seems to fall into the latter category.

With little information available about this car’s history, we have researched Bentley Specials to understand the influences it displays. Unfortunately we were unable to find any close matches to the body style, leading us to assume it was the then-owner’s personal vision. However it is clearly influenced by pre-war Bentleys in the low stance and particularly the headlamp and grille arrangement. We see elements of the Justine Special and Derby Boat Tail but informed buyers may see other influences.

Whatever the origins of this car, it certainly looks the part, its low wide stance enhanced by the stylish lines and clever details. The polished bonnet and dark green paintwork are highly evocative of those 20s and 30s racers. Leather bonnet straps and the exposed spare suggest the constructor new his Bentleys.

The bodywork is in very good condition and exhibits a high standard of workmanship. The car appears to have been re-registered with the DVLA in 1985 and if that is an indication of the restoration date then it is in remarkable condition. There are some very minor signs of use and storage- for example the wire wheel chrome spinners are lightly tarnished - but these are not immediately visible. The chassis follows a similar theme being in good condition, with just a light amount of surface corrosion in some areas.

We understand that the Special has been little used in recent years and some light preventative maintenance work to the chassis and wheels would likely reap dividends aesthetically.

The Mechanics

DVLA states that this vehicle as a 4,225cc engine
Bentley did not produce an engine of that exact displacement
We suspect that this car is fitted with the 41/4 pre-war engine or the R-Type 4.5litre engine
We invite Bentley aficionados to help us crack the riddle of this beguiling machine
The engine is equipped with twin carburettors, although apparently not of the type fitted to R-Type engines
The car has a manual gearbox but we know no further details
We did not have sight of the service history at the time of writing
The vendor inherited the car and does not know about its history or specification

Summary

With pre-war Bentleys dominating race tracks in the hands of the ‘Bentley Boys’ and original models rare and expensive, it was inevitable that enthusiasts would turn to converting post-war models into pre-war Specials.

This is one of those, a very individual evocation that has clearly been professionally converted to a high standard and it remains in good condition. Some of the details are certainly elusive but that only makes this attractive Special even more beguiling.

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