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1930 Bentley 4½ Litre Supercharged |
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Original 1930 Numbers
Chassis No. SM3920
Engine No. SM3924
Registration No. GK 3841
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This car - updated
Chassis No. SM3920
Engine No. SM3924
Registration No. GK 3841
(Updated with information from Franco Weibel. - March 2019) |
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"Hi, I'm hoping you can help me! I'm trying to track down my grandfather Alan Elliott's old 4½ litre Bentley with registration GK 3841. I was just wondering if the car was still intact as I know how attached he was to it (and I was very attached to him), so any connection to him I can have, I would love. Currently I have some photos of him in the car and his Bentley cuff links, but just to know the car is doing okay would bring me such happiness!" |
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Source:
Fleur Elliott-Davies
Posted: Feb 09, 2019 |
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"Dear Fleur Elliott-Davies, As described below, my parents Maeggy and Werny Weibel purchased GK 3841 from the Greg Parker Collection through Coys of Kensington in 1982. When handing over the car, Mr. A. Elliot was personally present and even handed over to my parents the original luggage suit case of the car that he still had. Also, he told us more than a few unpublished and very amusing anecdotes about the car's life! The car stayed in our family until 2014. We loved the car like a family member, and improved her reliability and performance continously over the years -- without corrupting its unique originality! All major parts of the engine and aggregates, carburettors, instruments etc. are still the original ones! Driving this beauty of exuding power was just incredible, each time -- behind the wheel or as passenger! My wife Kathy and I had organised the first International Blower Rally (in Switzerland) in 2010. Fantastic memories! Over 1000 km rallying, and among 16 original Blowers attending, GK 3841 proved to be a very very quick and reliable Blower :-).
Regrettably, my parents sold GK 3841 in 2014. The new owner wants to be anonymous, which we fully respect. It seems that GK 3841, since then and regrettably, is used very seldomly in Rallies or other vintage car events. With our very best regards and memories to GK 3841. — Franco Weibel (Son of former owner), Mar 19, 2019 |
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"Hello there,
I am wondering if you have any information on the current whereabouts of 4.5L Supercharged Bentley GK 3841?
It used to be my partner's grandad's (Alan Elliott). She would love to be able to find it and get a photo with it." |
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Source:
Max Griggs
Posted: Feb 09, 2019 |
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1982 - 2014 |
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This car was owned by Franco Weibel from 1982 to 2014. |
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Source: Franco Weibel (Son of former owner)
Posted: Mar 19, 2019 |
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2013 |
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The Sir Henry
(Tim) Birkin Celebration Rally (in
Germany) 2013: A tribute to his
achievements 80 years after his passing
away
Bentley 4.5 litre supercharged; 1930;
chassis no. SM3920; Vanden Plas 4 seater
Sports Tourer; 4 cyl. The 20iest of
the 50 ever produced "Production
Blowers". Was Vanden Plas's show
car at the London Olympia Car Show
1930. Unrestored original car. For
33 years in the family
Participating Team: Werny,
Maeggie, Franco and Kathy Weibel;
Switzerland |
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Source:
LouisChevrolet.com
Posted: Jul 15, 2013 |
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April
2008 |
Click
on thumbnail for larger view |
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Bentley 4.5 Litre
Supercharged "Blower" (GK
3841), 1930.
All the above photographs were taken
in April 2008.
We have added here the updated and
verified information on GK 3841. From
our point of view it is the most complete
and verified information on this car.
The history of this 4.5 Litre, throughout
originally preserved, supercharged
Bentley (registration No. GK 3841,
chassis No. SM 3920) is in detail
documented e.g. in the books of Stanley
Sedgwick and Michael Hay and by numerous
original documents.
Concerning originality FIVA has classified
GK 3841 into category A/2 meaning
"As standard delivered by original
manufacturer, included accessories
/ as delivered but used and maintained"
(FIVA card No. 031816 DF11241).
Delivered in November 1930 GK 3841
was the 18th, so called "Blower"
Bentley built for road use from a
series of in total 50 cars that had
to be fabricated by Bentley Works
in order to get the homologation for
the 24-hours race at Le Mans in 1930
for their 4 team Blowers (only 3 started).
GK 3841 was the show car of the famous
coach builder Vanden Plas at the London
Olympia Car Show in 1930. Her first
owner was R. Kershaw.
From 1946 she was owned by Alan M.
Elliot, the well-known founder member
of the Bentley Drivers Club and personal
friend of Jan Flemming, author of
"007-James Bond". Flemming
knew GK 3841 well, even from behind
the steering wheel. Thus, no wonder
that James Bond's first "business
car" was a Blower Bentley!
In 1962 GK 3841 moved into the vintage
car collection of Reg and Joan Parker
(UK) who are internationally known
for their perfect and originality
preserving care to their classic cars.
In 1982 Maeggy and Werny Weibel-Widmer,
in personal presence of - at that
time - 78-years-old Alan Elliot, bought
GK 3841 in London. Since then she
has never changed the owner and is
driven regularly; also in long-distance
rallies such as the Mille Miglia.
Historic photographs of the London
Olympia Car Show in 1930 demonstrate
that GK 3841 still is and looks unaltered
since then. Chassis, engine (No. SM
3924), the wooden dashboard with original
instruments and last but not least
the gorgeous Vanden Plas "Special
two doors four seater Sport Touring
body" (No. 1703) fully in aluminium
are completely original. Notably special
are her so-called "Spanish Helmet
wings". Because these where very
difficult to handcraft they were rarely
built but "each a masterpiece
on its own". GK 3841 was never
rebuilt or restored. Even her deep
black, mirror-like reflecting paintwork
is still that first one of 1930.
From the still existing "Blowers"
GK3841 is the only surviving original
car of those few built with such a
laborious art of coachbuilding and
material choice (today most "Blowers"
are fitted with sporty but "simple"
Le-Mans type coaches). Extraordinary
is also the original fitting of "Anore-Hydro
Control" shock absorbers; they
allow the adjustment of hardiness
while driving. Some traces of worn
trough the decades the car wares with
pride, because such a high level of
originality is extremely rare among
the 43 still existing Blower Bentleys.
In the early 80s a soft and as original
as possible repair of the interior
leather was made. Few years later,
in order to be able to participate
to long-distance rallies like Mille
Miglia, the boot-box (holding also
the spare wheel) was removed to mount
a larger fuel tank, and holders for
spare wheels were fitted on both sides
of the car. The original parts presently
not fitted are carefully stored, also
the full aluminium cover of the supercharger.
Never alterations were carried out
on chassis, brakes, engine, supercharger,
carburettors (HVG-5) or on the coach
work.
Events and awards
Even over long distances GK 3841 is
always driven on its own axis to and
trough the events.
1951, 1953, 1955: Best Turned-out
4.5 L (S) at Kensington Gardens Rally
1991: 12th place at the Mille
Miglia
1993: 2nd place at the mountain
race "Klausenpass-Rennen"
in Switzerland
1997: Winner of the Rolls Royce
International Trophy in Switzerland
2000: Winner of the Register
Meeting (class vintage cars) of the
Swiss RREC
2002, 2004: Class Winner at
the Europ. Concours d'Elégance
at Schwetzingen and Düsseldorf,
Germany |
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Source:
Franco P. Weibel (Owner)
Posted: Apr 24, 2008 |
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2006 |
In
Switzerland in 2006 / Owned by a BDC member |
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Click
on thumbnail for larger view |
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Source:
Coys of Kensington International
Collectors and Investors Car Value Guide:
1989 European Edition, Coys of Kensington,
1989
Posted: May 24, 2007 |
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Click
on thumbnail for larger view |
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This photograph was
taken at the Swiss Transport Museum. |
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Source:
"Thoroughbred & Classic Cars"
magazine, July 1983
Posted: Oct 13, 2008 |
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This car has been
identified as Chassis no: SM3920 by
Olle Ljungström. Olle says, "4½
S/C. Swiss owner since 1982. Photo
shows car before being modified with
LeMans petrol tank and sidemounted
spare wheels." Oct 16,
2008 |
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1982 |
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In 1982 Maeggy and
Werny Weibel-Widmer, in personal presence
of at that time - 78-years-old
Alan Elliot, bought GK 3841 in London.
Since then she has never changed the
owner and is driven regularly; also
in long-distance rallies such as the
Mille Miglia. |
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Source:
Franco P. Weibel
Posted: Apr 24, 2008 |
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Click
on thumbnail for larger view |
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James Bond's first
Bentley was a 1930 4½ litre
with an Amherst Villiers supercharger.
It was a "Convertible coupé"
with large French Marchal headlamps.
Fleming introduces the car in his
first novel "Casino Royale",
published in 1953, stating "Bond's
car was his only personal hobby...
Bond drove it hard and well with an
almost sensual pleasure." (See
chapter 2, "Dossier for M")
Bond had bought this car in 1933,
keeping it safely in storage throughout
the Second World War. The Bentley
is wrecked when Bond crashes at high
speed whilst chasing the villainous
Le Chiffre in a front-wheel drive
Citroen 15 'Traction Avant', after
running into a "small carpet
of glinting steel spikes" that
have been strewn across the road ahead
of him. (See chapter 16, "The
Crawling of the Skin")
The car is presumably repaired, since
it reappears in the third Bond novel
"Moonraker", published in
1955. In the opening chapter "Secret
Paper-Work" Fleming writes: "He
had a small but comfortable flat off
the King's Road, an elderly Scottish
housekeeper - a treasure called May
- and a 1930 4½ litre battleship
grey Convertible coupé, supercharged,
which he kept expertly tuned so that
he could do a hundred when he wanted
to... On these things he spent all
his money and it was his ambition
to have as little as possible in his
banking account when he was killed..."
In Moonraker, the car is wrecked yet
again, chasing the wicked Sir Hugo
Drax. Bond, in his "battered
grey Bentley" is following Drax's
white Mercedes Type 300S convertible
at high speed in Kent; he crashes
into heavy rolls of newsprint that
fall out of a lorry into the path
of his speeding car, after Drax has
had the load sabotaged by his Peter
Lorre lookalike 'dogsbody', Willy
Krebs. (See chapter 20, "Drax's
Gambit") Once again, Bond miraculously
survives but this time the car does
not. |
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Source:
The Continental Register
Posted: Sep 21, 2007 |
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1962 |
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In 1962 GK 3841 moved
into the vintage car collection of
Reg and Joan Parker (UK) who are internationally
known for their perfect and originality
preserving care to their classic cars. |
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Source:
Franco P. Weibel
Posted: Apr 24, 2008 |
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Click
on thumbnail for larger view |
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Car was purchased
in 1962 from Alan M. Elliott, who
had owned it for 25 years. Its condition
is original throughout. |
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Source:
Private Motor Car Collections
of Great Britain, Peter Hugo, 1973
Posted: Oct 08, 2007 |
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1946 |
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Car was owned by
Alan M. Elliot, the well-known founder
member of the Bentley Drivers Club
and personal friend of Ian Flemming,
author of "007-James Bond". |
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Source:
Franco P. Weibel
Posted: Apr 24, 2008 |
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Click
on thumbnail for larger view |
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Source:
Terry McGrath
Posted: Sep 08, 2008
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The first 25 production Supercharged 4½
Litre cars where Chassis Nos. SM3901-SM3925, all with
"smooth-case" blowers. The next 25 were Chassis
Nos. MS3926-MS3950 and had "rib-case" blowers.
Production Blower Bentleys had handbrake handles made
from rectangular stainless steel, whereas the five 4½
litre race cars for Tim Birkin had the "H" section
handle, but were drilled for lightness. |
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Source: Robert McLellan
Posted: Feb 20, 2008 |
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EARLIEST
RECORD OF HISTORICAL FACTS & INFORMATION |
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Chassis No. |
SM3920 |
Engine No. |
SM3924 |
Registration
No. |
GK 3841 |
Date of Delivery: |
Nov 1930 |
Type of Body: |
4-seater |
Coachbuilder: |
Vanden Plas |
Type of Car: |
121 |
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First Owner: |
KERSHAW R |
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More Info:
According to original Vanden Plas Coachbuilder
records, this car was originally fitted
with Body No. 1703 with a supercharged;
Special 4-seater; 10/1930.
Michael Hay, in his book Bentley:
The Vintage Years, 1997, states:
"D/7226. Vanden Plas body no. 1703.
1930 Olympia show car, Ribbed s/c fitted." |
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Updated: Jul 06, 2007
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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