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1925 Bentley 3 Litre |
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Original 1924 Numbers
Chassis No. 804
Engine No. 803
Registration No. DS 1453
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This car - updated
Chassis No. 804
Engine No. 803
Registration No. DS 1453
(Updated with information from Bonhams. - December 2010) |
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December
2010 |
Click
on thumbnail for larger view |
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Dec 6, 2010: Sold for £ 150,000
Bonhams information:
One family ownership since 1954
1924 Bentley 3-litre Speed Model Tourer
Registration no. DS 1453
Chassis no. 804
Engine no. 803
Estimate: £100,000 - 120,000
The weekend of 14/15th June 1924 saw
the second running of the Le Mans
24 Hour race, organised by the Automobile
Club de l'Ouest, a race which when
inaugurated just the previous year
W.O.Bentley had proclaimed mad and
yet he had supported Duff and Clement
that year the sole British
entry in their Bentley 3-litre, achieving
a creditable 4th place. For the 1924
race Duff and Clement campaigned a
3-litre Speed Model Bentley, roaring
to Bentley's first of many victories
in that race at an average speed of
53.78mph and stealing valuable newspaper
headlines for WO's infant company.
Little wonder that this success, following
on from successes in the Isle of Man
Tourist Trophy, Brooklands Double
Twelve Records and a worthy showing
in the Indianapolis 500 Race in 1922,
made the 3-litre Bentley the car to
have in 1924. The Speed Model of that
year featured a high compression engine,
four wheel brakes, twin S.U. 'Sloper'
carburettors and the A-type close
ratio gearbox, all assembled on a
chassis one foot shorter than the
Standard models.
The new model did not go un-noticed
by Major E.G.Thomson of Ainslie Place,
Edinburgh who ordered his new car
- Chassis no. 804 through long
established coachbuilders and motor
dealers, John Croall of Castle Terrace,
Edinburgh, the car being first registered
DS 1453 with Peebles County Council
registration authority on 2nd February
1925. Bentley records confirm that
the car was delivered to Croalls,
on 13th December 1924 and the five
year guarantee expiry date is recorded
as February 1930, suggesting the car
was delivered to the Major in February
1925. The coachbuilder of this car
is not noted in factory records
it would not be beyond reason to think
that the car may carry Croall's own
coachwork, although there are no plates
on the car confirming this suggestion.
Bentley records show the engine was
decarbonised, new piston rings fitted
along with new top bevels in January
1928, possibly by Wally Hassan, and
in 1930 recorded owners are shown
as H.Bower and later L.Geary of The
Drive, Wembley. Factory records show
only minor work carried out up to
1935. The earliest of three old style
buff log books with the car, dating
from 1937, shows a succession of six
owners in the period 1937 to 1947
and the car passed in 1948 into the
ownership of Bertram Mead Barker of
Warwickshire, by then being on the
radar of The Bentley Drivers' Club.
In November 1954, remarkably, 804
passed into the present family ownership,
being acquired by lifelong Bentley
enthusiast Bill Martin and crossing
the border back into Scotland where
it has since remained. Bill had bought
his first 3-litre Bentley for £30
in 1933, raced motorcycles with some
success in the 1920's and served as
Secretary to the Winfield Joint Committee
which ran motor racing events at Winfield
and Charterhall Circuits in the Scottish
Borders. 804 was a regular sight at
these events being Bill Martin's preferred
mode of transport. The car was actively
campaigned by Martin in BDC events
including the Whit Weekend Runs and
many other vintage events in the Scottish
Borders, before he passed the car
to his enthusiast son in 2001. As
an active nonagenarian then, Bill
Martin continued to take an active
interest in 804's well-being.
804 now comes on the open market for
the first time since 1954. It is one
of those rare cars that has a continuous
history, retains matching engine/chassis
numbers, and furthermore seems to
have been continuously used and maintained
in running order from new. A new owner
has the option to continue to use
804 'as is', run and improve or embark
on a nut-and-bolt restoration. Whatever
the choice the basic integrity of
804 is unquestioned and deserves careful
conservation. The car comes with a
Swansea registration document, three
old style buff log books, correspondence
from The W.O Bentley Memorial Foundation
confirming its history, a copy of
the factory records confirming service
history up to 1935, correct headlamp
internals, current MOT certificate
to May 2011 and road fund licence. |
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Source:
Bonhams
Posted: Dec 06, 2010 |
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2006 |
In
Scotland in 2006 / Owned by a BDC member |
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EARLIEST
RECORD OF HISTORICAL FACTS & INFORMATION |
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Chassis No. |
804 |
Engine No. |
803 |
Registration
No. |
DS 1453 |
Date of Delivery: |
Dec 1924 |
Type of Body: |
No info |
Coachbuilder: |
No info |
Type of Car: |
SP |
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First Owner: |
THOMSON Major E |
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More Info:
Michael Hay, in his book Bentley:
The Vintage Years, 1997, states:
"Vanden Plas style 4 seater."
The following historical info was found
on the Bonhams website on Dec 5, 2010:
"Major E.G.Thomson, the first owner
of this car, was a director of the family
shipping line, Ben Line Steamers, based
in Edinburgh. His family home was at
Callands in Peeblesshire. The Major
was a motor sports enthusiast who provided
substantial financial backing to Ecurie
Ecosse in the 1950s and owned the 1956
Le Mans winning Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar
D-type (XKD 501) following its retirement
from competition. His collection of
significant motor cars , including XKD
501, was dispersed at auction in 1970
at Gleneagles, proceeds being donated
to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
in line with the family's shipping interests."
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Posted: Mar 01, 2007 |
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Submit
more information on this car |
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BACK |
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Sep 30, 2020 - Info and photograph received from Simon Hunt for Chassis No. RL3439 |
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Sep 30, 2020 - Info and photographs received from Dick Clay for Chassis No. 147 |
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Sep 29, 2020 - Info and photographs received from Ernst Jan Krudop for his Chassis No. AX1651 |
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Sep 28, 2020 - Info and photographs received from Lars Hedborg
for his Chassis No. KL3590 |
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Sep 25, 2020 - Info and photograph added for Registration No. XV 3207 |
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Sep 24, 2020 - Info and photograph added for Registration No. YM 7165 |
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