|
|
|
1925 Bentley 3 Litre |
Chassis No. 890
Engine No. 886
Registration No. OR 6157 / JD 9422 |
|
|
|
June
2012 |
Click
on thumbnail for larger view |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June
29, 2012: This car sold on Bonhams
for £119,100 inc. premium
Formerly the property of H.A. Stonor,
offered from the Sharpe Family Collection
1925 Bentley 3 Litre Tourer, Coachwork
by Gurney Nutting
History
This handsome Vintage Bentley is offered
for sale for the first time in more
than 40 years and is a well documented
example with a known history from
its earliest days. Much of the credit
for its extensive documentation rests
with former owner H.A. Stonor who
diligently researched the car's following
his acquisition in 1963 and when he
was able to correspond with and find
information first hand from former
owners.
Mr. Stonor traces its early days back
to an advertisement in Motor magazine
on 18th November 1924, where it was
listed for sale care of Stanford &
Gray Ltd. of London's Regent Street
as 'New Bentley long chassis, with
Gurney Nutting 5 seater touring body,
complete with 2 spare wheels, 4 wheel
brakes etc. most luxurious car'! This
actually contradicts the Works records
which note it as a Vanden Plas body,
but correlate with its coach builder
plates which it is believed to have
worn throughout its life, suggesting
that the works records are an anomaly
(it is also not listed in the published
VDP records).
On New Year's Day 1925 it was registered
with its first keeper, E. Grice of
Lee-on-Solent, Hants. The Bentley
was serviced by the Works for the
first two years of its life before
being sold to D.R. Padmore of Solihull
after which it was maintained by local
Birmingham Bentley Agents Henry Garner
until 1937. Its custodian through
the war years was J.H. Bennett also
of Solihull, who in 1944 gave the
car to Dr. Bernard Blaxhill, on the
understanding that he would revive
its then poor condition. Blaxhill
proceeded to spend the ensuing six
years refurbishing it. Rather sadly
shortly after its completion the Bentley
received some front end damage while
parked on the roadside. After all
his hard work Dr. Blaxhill couldn't
face redoing it again, so he in turn
gave the car to a fresh enthusiast
keen to return it to the road, that
being a James B. Harper of Henley-in-Arden.
The next rebuild necessitated the
fitting of a new front axle and a
steering box and column, which were
actually from a 4 1/2 Litre, at the
same time new Rudge Whitworth wheels
were constructed and further cosmetic
work was also undertaken.
The car would have just one further
owner before it was purchased by Stonor
in April 1963. By this point the car
was again quite mechanically worn
and so was entrusted to known Vintage
Bentley expert Tony Townshend, who
carried out considerable work including
the fitting of a 3:53 crown wheel
and pinion and sloper carburettors.
Later that year Stonor shipped the
3 Litre to his home in Malaya, where
he enthusiastically used and campaigned
the car for the next few years. It
was a regular sight at motor sport
events in the Far East including the
Gap Hill Climb where it won its class
in December 1963.
In 1968 it returned to the UK and
was acquired by the present owners,
the Sharpe Family who actively assembled
a collection that would number more
than 200 automobiles, before the collection's
dispersal in 2005. Retained at that
time, it was intended that the car
would be refurbished after its four
decades of slumber, and that with
theoretical more time would allow
this and the Rolls in this auction
to be regularly used. In reality this
work has taken longer than expected
and has been completed within the
last year, consequently the decision
has been made to pass the car on to
new ownership.
Smartly presented in Royal blue over
black and with new light grey upholstery,
the Bentley is accented with freshly
replated nickel trim. A full complement
of weather equipment in black double
duck allows for use in all seasons.
Mechanically, the engine has been
taken down and overhauled, but the
car should be considered as probably
requiring running in and debugging
owing to its long period without active
road use.
Overall, this is a good looking open
vintage touring Bentley with an interesting
pedigree and long current ownership.
Auction Notice:
- Please note the chassis and engine
number are transposed in the catalogue,
and should read: Chassis no. 890 Engine
no. 886
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source:
Bonhams
Posted: Jul 02, 2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1968 |
|
|
In 1968 the car returned
to the UK (from Malaya) and was acquired
by the Sharpe Family.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source:
Bonhams
Posted: Jul 02, 2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1963 |
|
|
This car was acquired
by H.A. Stonor in 1963.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source:
Bonhams
Posted: Jul 02, 2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
War
years - 1944 - 1963 |
|
|
Its custodian through
the war years was J.H. Bennett also
of Solihull, who in 1944 gave the
car to Dr. Bernard Blaxhill, on the
understanding that he would revive
its then poor condition. Blaxhill
proceeded to spend the ensuing six
years refurbishing it. Rather sadly
shortly after its completion the Bentley
received some front end damage while
parked on the roadside. After all
his hard work Dr. Blaxhill couldn't
face redoing it again, so he in turn
gave the car to a fresh enthusiast
keen to return it to the road, that
being a James B. Harper of Henley-in-Arden.
The next rebuild necessitated the
fitting of a new front axle and a
steering box and column, which were
actually from a 4 1/2 Litre, at the
same time new Rudge Whitworth wheels
were constructed and further cosmetic
work was also undertaken.
The car would have just one further
owner before it was purchased by Stonor
in April 1963. By this point the car
was again quite mechanically worn
and so was entrusted to known Vintage
Bentley expert Tony Townshend, who
carried out considerable work including
the fitting of a 3:53 crown wheel
and pinion and sloper carburettors.
Later that year Stonor shipped the
3 Litre to his home in Malaya, where
he enthusiastically used and campaigned
the car for the next few years. It
was a regular sight at motor sport
events in the Far East including the
Gap Hill Climb where it won its class
in December 1963.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source:
Bonhams
Posted: Jul 02, 2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1937 |
|
|
The Bentley was serviced
by the Works for the first two years
of its life before being sold to D.R.
Padmore of Solihull after which it
was maintained by local Birmingham
Bentley Agents Henry Garner until
1937.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source:
Bonhams
Posted: Jul 02, 2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January
1925 |
|
|
On New Year's Day
1925 it was registered with its first
keeper, E. Grice of Lee-on-Solent,
Hants.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source:
Bonhams
Posted: Jul 02, 2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
November
1924 |
|
|
An advertisement
in Motor magazine on 18th November
1924, listed Chassis 890 for sale,
care of Stanford & Gray Ltd. of
London's Regent Street.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source:
Bonhams
Posted: Jul 02, 2012 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EARLIEST
RECORD OF HISTORICAL FACTS & INFORMATION |
|
|
|
Chassis No. |
890 |
Engine No.
|
886 |
Registration
No. |
OR 6157 |
Date of Delivery: |
Jan 1925 |
Type of Body: |
4-seater |
Coachbuilder:
|
Vanden Plas |
Type of Car: |
ST |
|
|
First Owner: |
GRICE E |
|
|
|
|
|
|
More Info:
Michael Hay, in his book Bentley:
The Vintage Years, 1997, states:
"In Malaya for many years. S/col
and front axle changed after accident
with lorry 1951. Last heard of unsold
Sotheby's 15/5/69." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mar 01, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Submit
more information on this car |
|
|
|
BACK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sep 30, 2020 - Info and photograph received from Simon Hunt for Chassis No. RL3439 |
|
|
Sep 30, 2020 - Info and photographs received from Dick Clay for Chassis No. 147 |
|
|
Sep 29, 2020 - Info and photographs received from Ernst Jan Krudop for his Chassis No. AX1651 |
|
|
Sep 28, 2020 - Info and photographs received from Lars Hedborg
for his Chassis No. KL3590 |
|
|
Sep 25, 2020 - Info and photograph added for Registration No. XV 3207 |
|
|
Sep 24, 2020 - Info and photograph added for Registration No. YM 7165 |
|
[More] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CLUB TALK
Upcoming Vintage Bentley Events |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|