Rétromobile, February 2015

1929 Bentley 6 1/2-Litre Barker Torpedo. I.D. #FA2519

This flamboyant car was a feature display at the Olympia Motor Show. There is an interesting account of this car described on pages 102 and 104 of the book, Bentley Past and Present. The author was to deliver the car, when new, to someone in Kensington. He recalls the "Malcolm Campbell" type fenders done in royal blue and the polished aluminum rear deck and the thrill of driving this impressive car, enhanced by his lovely girl friend picked up along the way! The car is also shown in other publications as noted on page 420 in the book, Bentley: The Vintage Years. The mainstay of a few notable collections in the U.S. for many years, it is one of the most important Bentleys currently available throughout the world.

A 1929 Bentley 6½ Litre Barker Torpedo, from the Blackhawk Museum in Danville. This very rare car is one of the most important Bentley automobiles with Barker coachwork in the world.

The show-stopper at Olympia that year, however, was a Sports Torpedo model shown a short distance from the Bentley stand by Barker & Company Coach-builders. Distinguished by its long hood, lowered radiator, and pod-shaped running boards, the stunning Speed-Six sported the latest and most stylish color scheme - Olympia yellow set against dark blue fenders with matching Barker wheel disks and blue leather upholstery. Its pontoon fenders were patterned after the design of Captain Malcolm Campbell's famous Bluebird racer, which had clocked 214.797 MPH during a run at Daytona Beach, Florida, in February 1928. The top of the hood and the boattail deck of the Barker Speed-Six were burnished aluminum. The convertible top neatly disappeared into a compartment. A cover concealed the two-passenger rumble seat. The spare tire was hidden in the boattail. Velvet-lined tool trays were built into the cowl beneath the hood. The running board pods contained storage compartments. The fully functional and gracefully proportioned body was mounted on Bentley's longest wheelbase, measuring 12 feet, 8 1/2 inches.

Together with the Hispano-Suiza H6C and Model J Duesenberg, the Speed-Six was to become the most memorable sporting machine of the 1920s.

The Olympia Speed-Six by Barker, which is now in the Behring Collection, was sold in November 1928 to A. F. Adams, according to Bentley factory records. Part of the history accompanying the car is the claim that it was used as a fast refueling vehicle for the Royal Air Force during World War II. The chassis bears a peculiar gouge believed to have been caused by flying shrapnel.

6½ litre Bentley. 1960s barn find.

"Apart from the sidelights this car looks identical to Chassis no FA2519. Both have Barker dipping headlights. Same windscreen, bonnet etc. Even the same badge bent over and you can see inside the front mudguard-same shape." — VintageBentleys.org reader, Aug 31, 2010