LOT 596

1937 Bentley 4¼-Litre Sports Saloon Project Coachwork by Park Ward Ltd Registration no. DLT 677 Chassis no. B80JD Engine no. C6BH

Sold for £21,850 inc. premium

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Lot 596

Formerly owned by the Rt Hon. Alan Clark, MP
1937 Bentley 4¼-Litre Sports Saloon Project

The Beaulieu Sale: Collectors' Motor Cars & Automobilia|2 September 2023, 14:30 BST|Beaulieu, National Motor Museum

1937 Bentley 4¼-Litre Sports Saloon Project
Coachwork by Park Ward Ltd
Registration no. DLT 677
Chassis no. B80JD
Engine no. C6BH

• First owned by Major The Hon. Oscar Montague Guest, MP
• Purchased by Alan Clark in 1989
• Offered for sale by the Clark family
• Requires restoration

By the end of the 1930s the 'Derby' Bentley, introduced towards the beginning of that decade following the firm's take-over by Rolls-Royce, had undergone a number of significant developments, not the least of which was an increase in bore size in 1936 that upped the capacity to 4,257cc, a move that coincided with the adoption of superior Hall's Metal bearings. This new engine was shared with the equivalent Rolls-Royce - the 25/30hp - and as had been the case with the preceding 3½-Litre model, enjoyed a superior specification in Bentley form, boasting twin SU carburettors, raised compression ratio and a more 'sporting' camshaft. Thus the new 4¼-Litre model offered more power than before while retaining the well-proven chassis with its faultless gear-change and servo-assisted brakes.
The Derby Bentley was, of course, an exclusively coachbuilt automobile. Of the 2,442 manufactured, almost 50 percent were bodied by Park Ward in a limited number of styles and this example is typical of the firm's popular sports saloon. 'DLT 677' was delivered new to its first owner Major The Hon. Oscar Montague Guest, MP, youngest son of the 1st Baron Wimborne, in February 1937. Many years later the Bentley belonged to another, somewhat better known parliamentarian, the motoring enthusiast and famed bon viveur, the Rt Hon. Alan Clark, MP, who purchased it in 1989. 'DLT 677' was collected from its owner in the Midlands and driven to Saltwood Castle, the Clark family's home in Kent. The car had been purchased with the intention of restoring it; sadly, ill health intervened and the project never got off the ground. The Bentley has remained at Saltwood Castle in the Clark family's possession ever since, complete but in need of restoration (the engine has not run for many years but is said to be 'free'). Offered with an old-style logbook and V5C document, this handsome Derby Bentley represents a potentially most rewarding project. Sold strictly as viewed.

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