1936 Bentley 4¼ Liter Pillarless Sports Saloon

4,257cc 6-Cylinder Overhead Valve Engine
Twin SU Side-Draft Carburetors
100bhp (Approximate)
4-Speed Transmission
4-Wheel Servo Boosted Mechanical Brakes

*Handsome Pillarless body design
*Renowned chassis and running gear
*Copy of factory records on file

THE DERBY BENTLEY

By the end of the 1930s the Derby Bentley, introduced towards the beginning of that decade following the firm's takeover by Rolls-Royce, had undergone a number of significant developments. Thus, the new 4¼-Liter model offered more power than before while retaining the well-proven chassis with its faultless gear-change and servo-assisted brakes. It was the construction of modern highways in Continental Europe, where the car had been extensively tested by W.O. Bentley, that enabled him to suggest multiple improvements. This unlikely synergy gave birth to 'The Silent Sports Car', a car with unique qualities of precision construction and exceptional handling in a package which represented a true pinnacle of elegance.

Like any classic car chaser, Frank Spain would vociferously trawl magazines and newspapers for information of old cars for sale, and in this case it must have been an interesting surprise to find this pre-war Bentley at a liquidation sale near his Florida home, nestled among predominantly 1980s and 1990s European and American sedans! The Bentley was quickly secured, and with help of noted Sarasota dealer Martin Godbey, the car was retrieved.

How B189GP came to be for sale there is not charted in the car's history file, but we do know that at day one, it had been delivered new to the Honorable A. Gore on September 1, 1936 and that it had worn then the handsome pillarless Vanden Plas coachwork that it retains to this day. Details on the original factory order include note of the louvers stretched back through the scuttle. Interestingly, it would appear that the seating arrangement has been altered at some point in its career as there is no passenger seat in the front. From Schoelkopf information, the car is known to have lived with Emil J. Coppola of Deerfield Beach, Florida by 1983 and later Pembroke S. Huckins of Ponte Vedra Beach.

Clearly an older restoration, the car will certainly benefit from going through, but for those not familiar with these cars, the great news is that there is a whole support network of organizations such as the Rolls-Royce Owner's Club and restorers and parts suppliers to assist.