1923 Bentley TT Replica Three Litre Tourer
This Bentley has an excellent appearance, proudly displaying the results of a recent restoration by Northumberland Engineering Inc. in New York. The car has been retrofitted with period front wheels, dual SU “sloper” carburetors, steering upgraded to 4 1/2-litre specifications and a removable steering damper. It has correct Three Litre Tourer sidelamps and tail-lamps, and later Lucas headlamps. The dashboard displays correct Three Litre Tourer instruments and the upholstery has been restored to a period pattern.

Following an accident in 1932, the chassis was repaired and the Vanden Plas body was replaced with a short-coupled Tourer by Carlton. At a later date, the original engine was replaced with the current correct 1923 TT engine

On a recent test drive by a Gooding & Company specialist, this lovely Bentley started quickly and ran very well. The engine pulls smoothly, the gearbox shifts quickly and quietly, the steering is light and accurate, the brakes stop evenly and well, and the body rides tightly over road irregularities. Contributing to its smooth ride are all-new Blockley tires on correct 21" wheels. Overall, the car impressed as a fine performing 4 1/2 litre that appears ready to tour with the reliability and satisfying performance for which vintage Bentleys are renowned.

Accessories include a period Shell gas can mounted on the runningboard, modern seat belts and a battery cut-off switch, the latter two items installed to fit vintage racing safety requirements should the new owner care to try his hand at a modern-day Tourist Trophy victory. Accompanying the sale of this car is a large file that includes a history about the car written by renowned vintage Bentley specialist Michael Hay. It is VSCCA and VSCC eligible, as well as being a highly capable road car and a prime example of W.O. Bentley’s very first production high-performance cars. As such, it is the precursor of all the great Bentley racing cars to follow.

Photographs were taken during 2004 Vintage Sports Car Club of America Berkshire Hills Tour.

Photographs were taken during 2003 Vintage Sports Car Club of America / Jaguar meet at Lime Rock Park.

Photographs were taken during 2003 Vintage Sports Car Club of America Berkshire Hills Tour.

Report on 3 Litre Bentley CO 5881, Chassis No. 263

I have been asked by Dr. Richard Lisman to look into the history of this car, specifically with respect to the entry in the Bentley Works Records for 27th June 1933: "Very bad accident. Car total wreck. Sold by Insurance Co. for breaking up purposes." I have not inspected the car personally.

Chassis 263 was sold to E. Burford Jnr. in London on 2nd June 1923 (the expiry date for the five year guarantee is given as 2nd June 1928). The chassis was the 1923 TT model. This chassis would have been fitted with the A type gearbox, and would not have had front wheel brakes. It would have been fitted with single Hartford shock absorbers front and back, solid pattern clutch shaft, and early pattern engine with the sump drain plug on the front of the sump casting. The carburettor was probably a Smiths five-jet 45VS.

The body as new was a sports two seater, shown at p.37 of the author's "Bentley - The Vintage Years". Although the body is credited to Vanden Plas, it has not been proven possible to identify it in the Vanden Plas records. In the tables of "Bentley - The Vintage Years" it is listed that the body might have been no. 1037. Since this book was written I have had access to the original Vanden Plas records, and find that it is not. The only explanation I can think of for this is that the body was built at the time that Vanden Plas (1919) Ltd was being wound up and Vanden Plas (1923) Ltd formed; and the record for this car lost somewhere in this process.

It is believed that the body was modified by Jarvis sometime between 1923 and April 1928, when chassis 262 was fitted with front wheel brakes. This involved fitting a hood, altering the windscreen, and fitting a horn ring to the steering wheel (see photograph bottom left p.37 of "Bentley - The Vintage Years"). Four wheel brakes were fitted by the Works in April 1928. As usual with Works conversions, 263 has been fitted with the four wheel brake pattern compensator, reversing brackets, front axle, complete, and later pattern brake pedal. The Perrot shafts, as far as I can tell from photographs, are the 1925 stage 11/2 pattern.

The Service Records list W.W. Briscos in 1925, J.T.B. Birch in 1932, and T.?. Welham in May 1933. Mr. Welham denies that any accident occurred during his ownership of the car; yet the Service Records list that it was an insurance write-off in June 1933, one month after he bought the car.

I have spoken to Mr. Welham, who tells me that he bought 263, with its present body, from Carlton in May 1933, part-exchanging an MG for it. He bought it from outside Carlton's showroom on the Edgware Road. Mr. Welham says that the body is by Carlton Carriage Co. It is certainly not by Vanden Plas. The Service Record lists brake linings sent to Carlton Forge & Engineering Co. on 3rd May 1933, before it was bought by Mr. Welham. There is a gap in the record between 1st December 1932 and this entry for 3rd May 1933.

On this basis, my belief is that the accident listed in the Service Record did occur. The car was sold as salvage to the Carlton Forge & Engineering Co., who repaired it and fitted the present body. This occurred some time between December 1932 and May 1933, when 263 was sold to Mr Welham in the form that it presents today. The details concerning the accident were not entered into the Service Records until they were forwarded to the Service Dept at Kingsbury in June 1933.

The A type gearbox, number 251 (not 257 as listed in the catalogue) is, I believe, original to the car. I understand that the engine was changed to No. 339 from chassis no. 335 by W.?.L. Ford. I understand that the old bonnet and the switchplate are numbered 263. The back axle banjo is from chassis 1198. I have checked the Service Records for this car, and although these do refer to a rear-end accident in January 1933 they do not list a change of Banjo. Hence we cannot be sure when this banjo was fitted. After W.?.L. Ford, 263 was owned J.C.E. Turner (1948/1950), by Peter Sherwood for many years (1954/1981) and then by Dr. Friedman in the States (1984).

In short this Bentley has known continuous history from new, with changes to the body and chassis fittings documented.

1924 Bentley 3-Litre 2-Seater by Vanden Plas.

Chassis no: 263
Registration No: CO 5881
Coachbuilder: Vanden Plas