Beschreibung:

1935 BENTLEY 3½ LITRE DROPHEAD COUPÉ . COACHWORK BY PARK WARD Registration No. CGY 801 Chassis No. B100 FB Engine No. L 6 BU Bare metal bodywork with dark grey interior Engine: six cylinder in-line, pushrod overhead valves, twin SU carburettors, 3,669 cc; Gearbox: four speed manual; Suspension: semi-elliptic leaf spring front and rear; Brakes: four wheel servo-assisted mechanically operated drum. Right hand drive. Recently discovered by Christie's in south-west London, this Derby Bentley was originally supplied in the drophead coupé form that it is today. It was sold new to H.M. Bentley & Partners who subsequently retailed the car to Lt. Home Kidston of Aldford House, London, W1. Lt. Kidston took delivery on 21st November 1935, but kept the car for just one year, before it passed to Mr. A.M. Yule in northwest London, with whom it is still recorded with an address change to Bushey, Hertfordshire in 1949. The present owner is understood to have acquired the car in the 1960s. The notes from the coachbuilders, Park Ward, record that the car was originally finished in Royal Red livery including its wheels, the upholstery was in Dark Grey grained leather, the carpet in matching Dark Grey rubberised material, the hood and tonneau cover were in Fawn Duck fabric, and the wood trim was in walnut. To examine the car today it is clear that the car cannot have had too hard a life in its early days, because it retains most of the original trim, including some of the rather unusual carpeting. The present owner commissioned a restoration of the Bentley in the early 1970s, as evidenced by a set of invoices from specialists Mackenzie Guppy and from Jim Pearce. From inspection today, this appears to have amounted to removing the bodywork from the chassis and restoring the mechanical components since the engine bay, whilst having surface corrosion, is clearly in completely restored order. The chassis has been stripped and repainted in red oxide and the bodywork has had all of its paint removed. Some of the chrome such as the radiator and lights have been rechromed. For some reason though the project was never continued and the car remained under blankets for more than 20 years. When retrieved from its resting place the vast majority of the parts that belonged to the car were found and are offered with it. There does not appear to be any reason why any components should be missing, but owing to the conditions in which the car was stored it is possible that parts may have migrated during its hibernation. Importantly also found with the car were its numberplates, which tally with the original records for the car, and the car's original handbook too. The Derby Bentley continues to be coveted for the same qualities as it did when new, and perhaps more than any of its contemporaries is very straightforward to drive and enjoy. A rare and unusual find, this original drophead coupé represents an excellent and straightforward restoration project and will no doubt reward its purchaser with a very usable 1930s all weather car. Please note that at the time of cataloguing this car has no documents.