"I have just acquired Chassis No. TN1551 via Vintage and Prestige. I am acquainted with the penultimate owner, Malcolm Hobbs (with whom I toured some years ago, him in this car, me in my Jarvis bodied 3-ltr) and the owner before Malcolm, Terry Lister.

As mentioned above I owned Chassis 1236, then a 4 1/2 MR3376 both original bodied cars."

Sold as of July 24, 2018

Found on Vintage & Prestige website on May 18, 2018

1927 Bentley 3.0 litre Speed mode by Vanden Plas

Chassis number: TN1551
Engine Number: TN1553
Registration number: KW 1500
Price: £460,000.00

A very original car mechanically with a long known, traceable history & period photographs. TN1551 was supplied new by Central Garage of Bradford with the request to "Match the 1926 Vanden Plas bodied show car". We have a picture of the car as it appeared when new & the car still wears that original body today.

The car is a red badged speed model with twin sloper carburettors fitted as per factory spec. The engine had a major rebuild in 1996 including forged connecting rods & half shell big end bearings & as a result runs beautifully to this day. A massive collection of bills comes with the car with assorted paperwork from all the usual Bentley specialists & suppliers one might expect. To wit: VBE Restorations, RR&B Garages, Donald Day, Goudhurst Service Station etc. The twin Magnetos were recently removed & refurbished.

The body has in recent years been recovered & the green interior leather replaced with newer leather to the original spec of the car as when new. The car has numerous period correct original details including makers brass plaques on both fuel tank & radiator & also an engraved Vanden Plas badge to the passenger door. The dash has a full set of period instrumentation with a delightful patina of wear to the dash board itself.

Mechanicaly this is one of the most original cars we have come across. It has been maintained without regard to cost whislt placing an emphasis on keeping the car as original & pure as possible. Pleasingly, the car comes with its original well thumbed manual.

"I purchased this very original 3 Litre from Malcolm Hobbs in May 2014. Malcolm had owned the car for some 14 years and looked after it beautifully. I agree with Malcolm's view that the car has probably never been fully taken apart and 'restored'."

This car was purchased by Kishan de Silva in May 2014.

Chepstow UK, May 2012

"I am still using it regularly on continental trips and will be taking it to France in June and Portugal in September." — Malcolm Hobbs (Owner), Feb 10, 2013

The original body 1335 is still fitted and in excellent condition. The car is used regularly on BDC events. In the original specification the car was fitted with a VDP luggage rack.

This car was purchased by Malcolm Hobbs, England in 2001.

"I enclose a photograph of me behind the wheel of the above car, which belonged to a good friend and colleague of mine, when we both were employed by a Ford Main Dealer in Woodford, called Frank G. Gates Ltd. I worked there from 1963 to 1969. He was called Mr John Weatheritt, (I hope that I have got the spelling of his name right, it was a while ago now).

The photograph was taken in 1966. I believe the vehicle was in very original condition then, when it was about 40 years old. It had originally belonged to a wealthy mill owner from Bradford in Yorkshire, when new.

I hope the photograph reproduces okay. The other photograph shows John in his car with the young woman who later became my wife."

"I recently discovered a long forgotten photograph, taken in 1966, of me driving Mr John Weatheritt's (a good friend at that time), 1927 Bentley 3 litre open VDP fabric bodied car.

This car was chassis number NT1551 (TN1551 - typo? - VintageBentleys.org), and carried its original U.K. registration number KW 1500. from Bradford in Yorkshire. I wrote to the BDC as I recalled John was a stalwart member at the time. It seems the car and John parted company in 1980 and they have no subsequent knowledge of it, or its whereabouts.

It was suggested by them that you may be able to tell me if the car still exists! I certainly hope it does, somewhere. I could send the photograph if you are interested.

Thank you for any light you may be able to cast on this car's current whereabouts."

Monza 1969