1923 Bentley 3 Litre
Concours Of Elegance - Hampton Court Palace 2017

At Hampton Court’s Concours d’Elegance Motor Show in London, September 2017

1923 3-Litre Vintage Bentley chassis no. 155 at BDC Silverstone 2016

Bentley At Tavistock steam fair, 2016

"I have a question. The Bentley with registration number K 19 had a supercharger in the 1967 Casino Royale movie (Blower Bentley). Except in the movie, I haven't seen any supercharger in the actual photographs of the K 19. What has happend with the supercharger of this Bentley?"

The following information was received from Mike Warner:

"Chassis no: 155
Engine no: 932
Registration no: *ME 5800
Do you own this car: Yes
Year of purchase: 2005

Clare Hay has discovered that it was a Bentley Motors demonstrator registered as ME 5800 in November 1922. She has assisted us in regaining the true original registration previously thought to be K 19. Will send you a decent photo of the car with ME 5800 plate when weather improves! We are keeping it much as shown on your site but do have many other pictures."

Newport, UK - May 2013

Windsor Castle Concours of Elegance, September 2012

The Bentley Drivers Club, Silverstone Race Meeting - Saturday 11th August 2012

Brooklands Double-Twelve, June 2012

Bentley Drivers Club Meeting at Silverstone - 13th August 2011

Oct 1, 2012: "I owned an RO Bentley conversion in the early seventies no. plate K19, I bought it in Ireland off Wing Commander Bill Thelen. I sold it a year later. I would love to know what happened to to it."

"What is a "RO Bentley conversion"? Any information and photos that you can add, we will put on the web site chassis page. Thanks." — Robert McLellan, VintageBentleys.org

Oct 2, 2012: "When my brother-in-law and I bought the Bentley number plate K19 in Ireland it had quite a story attached to it. It was the first James Bond Bentley when David Niven played the star role, It had a mock up at the front to make it look like a Le Mans Bentley. As for the R O Bentley conversion it was made from a four seater to two seater by the brother of Bentley. The car was made in 1923."

This car was purchased by Mike Warner in 2005.

Advertisement text by Stanley Mann:

"For all you James Bond fans this Vintage Bentley was chosen to star with David Niven in the film Casino Royale. This Bentley then a true starlet with looks and performance.

We sold this car some 12 years ago and the chap who we sold her to used to keep her in his front room and occasionally drive her (now there's a James Bond thing to do)."

This car was owned by Clyde Thorley in the early seventies. It was purchased from Wing Commander Bill Thelen.

Bentley 4½ Litre Blower Special in 'Casino Royale', Movie, 1967

"I have known of K19 since the 1950s when it was owned by Bill & Joyce Thallon who lived in Gerrards Cross, Bucks. They happened to be clients of my mother the local Veterinary Surgeon. Bill & Joyce had, at that time, a couple of German Shepherd dogs that rode in the back of K19 (complete with goggles I might add!). Bill & Joyce left to live in Skibbereen, Co. Cork Eire on Tuesday 15th October 1968.

The Coachbuilder was Automarine of Brighton (their plate was on the car)."

"This card (above) I got from Bill & Joyce Thallon when they left England for Ireland in 1968. This might interest the present owner as part of the history of the car."

"K19, a 1923 3 litre, owned by friends (Bill and Joyce Thallon) of my mother's who lived just up the road from us in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, was the start of my interest in vintage Bentleys. Bill and Joyce had a couple of German Shepherd dogs that would ride in the back of K19 -- kitted out with their own goggles I might add! One of the dogs that my mother treated (she was a veterinary surgeon), was coming around from an anaesthetic just as K19 passed the surgery. Clearly that unique throaty exhaust note aroused the semi-comatose animal which tried to get to its feet!

Owned by Bill and Joyce Thallon in the 1950s and 1960s.

"My brother-in-law and I bought K19 from Wing Comander Bill Thelen in Kinsail. Bill was a great character who had taken K19 with a trailer full of fox hounds to hunt in Southern Ireland. He had many stories to tell, one was he had been shot down over Germany and had spent the rest of the war in the wooden horse camp. Bill looked very like David Niven so he drove K19 in many shots in Casslna Royel.

I hope this helps build up the story Bentley Reg K19."

This photograph is from an advertisement by Dan Margulies in "Thoroughbred & Classic Cars" magazine, January 1977.

Text in ad says: 1923 Bentley 3 litre short chassis number 155; speed model engine; as used in James Bond film "Casino Royal".