Lot 638: 1936 BENTLEY 4¼ LITRE FOUR DOOR SPORTS SALOON

COACHWORK BY PARK WARD

Light green with green leather interior

Engine: six cylinder, overhead valve, 4,257cc, 125bhp at 4500rpm; Gearbox: four speed manual; Brakes: four wheel drum: Suspension: semi-elliptic leaf springs front and rear. Right hand drive.

The Bentley Company and all its assets were purchased by Rolls-Royce in 1931, but it was two years later that the first new Bentley 'Silent Sportscar' was introduced, this being the 3½ litre. The engine was a twin carburettor version of the Rolls-Royce 20/25 but used a different cylinder head, camshaft and higher compression ratio. These cars were built at the Derby works and thus became affectionately known as Derby Bentleys.

By 1936 a revised 4¼ litre was launched alongside the similar engined 25/30 Rolls-Royce, but the Bentley retained twin SU carburettors and a higher compression ratio. Like its Rolls-Royce counterpart, the Bentley attracted the best of the coachbuilders art - most designs crafted by Park Ward and Vanden Plas.

Records show that B48 GA was updated at the works to the newest, G series specifications, after which it was bodied with the Park Ward saloon coachwork it still wears to this day. It was sold new on 29th April 1936 coachwork and guaranteed by the Bentley Company on the 1st May 1936. It was originally supplied for demonstration to Agnew & Graham Ltd. of Belfast and it would appear that it was first purchased on 11th October 1937 by Leonard Tetley, who was most certainly not local, since by then and still under guarantee was with him at Bacombe Warren, Wendover, Bucks. No further ownership details are recorded on the factory records until the car surfaced in Bolney Sussex, with J.C.J. Clark in July 1951.

Today the Bentley is in generally poor order having been stored in less than ideal conditions for many years. The Park Ward bodywork offers commodious travel for four persons within a tightly styled design, using close coupled seating to maintain a low roof line its practicality is enhanced by a large boot. Still carrying period features of a sunroof and luggage rack as well as twin horns and a central driving light, it appears to be complete in most respects.

Offered with copies of the factory build sheets, but no other documentation, the car is in need of full restoration.