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Reg Number: PM
5987; Chassis Number: 660; Engine
Number: 670; MOT ExpiryDate: August
2011
According to an accompanying Bentley
Drivers Club information sheet, this
particular example - chassis number
660, engine number 670 - was supplied
new on 17th June 1924 by A. Carlish
of Euston Road, London NW1 to D.L.S
Shilcock Esq; the latter giving his
address as The Conservative Club,
St James St, London W1. Although the
maker and type of its original coachwork
are now a mystery, the car - a Standard
Model built on the 10ft 10in wheelbase
- is known to have passed through
the hands of John Barrett Esq of Manchester
St, London W1 (1925), K. Preston Esq
of Dagenham Drive, Barking (1926),
C.R. Cole Esq of Wallington, Surrey
(1933), D.K. Walker Esq of Blackheath
(1936) and G.B. Smith Esq of Isleworth
(1937).
There is no indication of how long
G.B. Smith Esq kept the Bentley but
by the 1950s it had migrated to the
nearby London Borough of Richmond
upon Thames. A letter on file from
J.H. Gregory Esq who was joint custodian
of chassis 660 with G.F. Wright Esq
between April 1958 and September 1979
contains the following excerpts: "The
previous owner was a Mr Roberts who
lived in Petersham . . . He was a
technical writer for Evershed &
Vignoles Ltd of Chiswick and at that
time had no less than seven Bentleys
including one of the original 8 Litres!
Even before I bought the car, it was
virtually standing derelict in an
enclosed garden in Petersham for years.
To the best of my knowledge the 26
gallon tank has always been on the
attached".
Despite being somewhat tired, the
3 Litre was bought by Peter Maddox
Esq for a rumoured £10,000 in
September 1979. Tasked with refurbishing
its differential the following year,
Hofmann & Mountfort Ltd fitted
a new crownwheel and pinion (surviving
invoices total over £2,000).
Chassis 660 was also worked on by
Mr Maddox himself before entering
the current ownership in September
1982. The subject of a thorough restoration
during 1983-1984, the Bentley emerged
in time to attend the Vintage Sports
Car Club's Silver Jubilee celebrations.
Well travelled over the next few decades,
the four-seater tourer participated
in numerous events such as the Claret
& Classics (France, 1992), Gordon
Bennett (Ireland, 1993), Galway Rally
(Ireland, 1993), FIVA World Rally
(Portugal, 1994), VSCC Diamond Jubilee
(UK, 1994), FIVA World Rally (France,
1998), Fougeres Rally (France, 1998),
VSCC 65th Anniversary (UK, 1999),
Fougeres Rally (France, 2009), VSCC
75th Anniversary (UK, 2009) and 30/98
Rally (France, 2009).
Regularly maintained over the last
twenty-eight years, the 3 Litre was
treated to an engine overhaul in 1985-1986
(circa 20,000 miles ago) which comprised
a rebore, new higher compression pistons,
replacement valve guides, fresh exhaust
valves / re-cut seats and new little
end bronze bushes etc, while the 1990s
saw attention paid to its starter,
wiper motor, dynamo, clutch, radiator,
water pump, wheels and brakes not
to mention the installation of an
electric cooling fan. More recent
entries in the vendor's handwritten
maintenance log include: "May
2009 - Remove sump and check bottom
end, everything OK, very little sludge.
Fit restored mag to nearside. Refill
with SAE 50 oil. Rejuvenate water
pump with double modern oil seals
and new ss shaft. Fit two new front
tyres. June 2009 - New jets, needles,
seals for both carbs. August 2009
- Poor starting removed starter motor.
It is OK. Fitted one set new plugs.
Problem solved".
Boasting a more complete ownership
chain than many of its peers, this
`matching' chassis and engine numbers
Bentley 3 Litre is offered for sale
with a continuation buff logbook (issued
25th May 1960), FIVA International
Identity Card (issued 29th December
1993), VSCC Eligibility Form (issued
10th June 1999), current V5C Registration
Document, numerous invoices / hand
written notes, various black and white
photos, assorted MOT certificates
dating back to 1989 and weather equipment
(hood, sidescreeens).
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