Lot 653: 1953 BENTLEY R-TYPE STANDARD STEEL SALOON

Black with fawn cloth interior

Engine: six cylinder in line, single camshaft, 4,566cc; Gearbox: three speed automatic; Brakes: four wheel drums; Suspension: front, independent coil springs and wishbones, rear, live axle with half elliptic springs. Right hand drive.

The post-war Bentley Mk VI was the first to be produced in the Rolls-Royce factory with the availability of the firm's own coachwork. Car production had by now been transferred from Derby to Crewe and this future production became known as the Standard Steel type to differentiate it from the custom coachwork that was still ordered from outside specialists, albeit by a decreasing number of customers. In 1952 the R-Type appeared as a progression of the former theme. Whilst it looked similar, and again usually had Standard Steel coachwork, it actually had a longer chassis which allowed for more flowing lines and a larger boot. It owed its name to the fact that the Mk VI series had reached the chassis letter R. The model retained the large engine as used in the late Mk VI and the equivalent Rolls-Royce. It was a tractable and immensely refined car and became one of the most popular Bentleys built, being very much an owner/driver model which excelled in long distance motoring. Automatic transmission became a factory option in late 1952, being standardised from mid-1954.

The car on offer is a 1953 example, which would have been registered in Leeds originally.

B349 SP was originally supplied through Rippon Bros. Ltd of Viaduct St. Huddersfield to local business S. Wilkinson & Sons Ltd. Delivered on the 19th March 1953, it was finished in Midnight Blue livery with a maroon leather interior as confirmed by the factory records, and remained in this ownership until 7th July 1958 when it passed to W. Helliwell of The Premium Motor Co. Ltd. Prescot, Lancs. It later passed into the Sharpe collection.

Equipped with a sunroof and sporting an AA badge and central driving light, the condition is generally commensurate with that of a car that was used, but never received any major restoration work. It is noted that the radiator cap is missing.

The car comes with copies of the original build sheets as supplied by the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club.