Information on all Vintage Bentley cars ever produced  
HISTORY BY CHASSIS REFERENCE MATERIALS RESTORATION INFO UNIDENTIFIED BENTLEYS
Home Articles Bentley Clinic Galleries Newsletter Subscribe to Newsletter Advertisements Links  Submit Info Contact
 
1928 Bentley 3 Litre    
Original 1927 Numbers
Chassis No. ML1501
Engine No. AX1675
Registration No. YF 2503

  This car - updated
Chassis No. -
Engine No. -
Registration No. YF 2503

(Current owner / former owners, please come forward with further updates. - March 2018)
 
August 2019
Click on thumbnail for larger view
   
 
 

The 69th annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, August 2019.

 
     
     
  Source: Sports Car Digest
Posted: Oct 17, 2019
 
     
July 2019
Click on thumbnail for larger view
 
 

Photographs were taken at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, July 2019

 
     
     
  Source: Jeremy Rippon
Posted: Aug 23, 2019
 
     
June 2019
Click on thumbnail for larger view
 
 

"Bentley Motors Parade Lap before the race at Le Mans 2019"

 
     
     
  Source: Adrian Stevens
Posted: Jun 25, 2019
 
     
2008
Click on thumbnail for larger view
 
 
 

Text in article / advertisment reads:

"We at RC Moss are currently working on the "Bitch", the last works 3 Litre Team Car built for the 1927 Le Mans Race. Chassis number ML 1501 was driven by George Duller and Baron d'Erlanger. It spectacularly crashed at the White House corner in the early stages of the race and proved too badly damaged to continue.

Returning to England YF 2503 was rapidly repaired at the factory and made an apperance in a victory ascent at the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb driven by Sammy Davis. It was then sold to "Bummer" Scott who raced the car at Brooklands in 1928.

Subsequent owners included RO Williams, Sub Lt H Kidston and 0 Ormrod who continued racing at Brooklands during the 1930s with some success.

With such a fascinating and important history RC Moss are preserving the many parts, that make up the only survivor of the 1927 Le Mans Race, from the original dashboard and racing instruments through to the magnificent, wonderfully battered and scarred, 25 gallon fuel tank. The original timber frame body is largely complete apart from the upper rear section which was modified in 1945 with further work by Tony Townsend in 1949.

The wooden frame has been stripped down, treated and rebuilt with some new wood where appropriate while retaining the original wood bolted to the chassis at the rear. The upper rear section has been rebuilt to the original specification to accommodate the Le Mans fuel tank.

The preservation of this important Bentley has progressed slowly with constant reference to hundreds of enlarged, period photographs showing extraordinary detail. This, when matched to the chassis, bodywork and dashboard enables us to check every stage and preserve all the original build details of this unique Team Car.

We have researched the full background and original specifications throughout this project and this illustrates that there is a way to rebuild your authentic car without losing any of the visible provenance or history. It can actually be enhanced and preserved for many years to come."

 
     
     
  Source: "BDC Advertiser", March 2008
Posted: Sep 29, 2008
 
     
November 2006
Click on thumbnail for larger view
 
 
 

ML1501 undergoing restoration to its frame at Graham Moss - 26 November 2006

 
     
     
  Source: Russell Browne
Posted: Sep 26, 2013
 
     
2006
In England in 2006 / Owned by a BDC member
June 12, 1999
Click on thumbnail for larger view
   
 
 

VSCC Hawthorne Trophy Meeting at Silverstone - 12th June 1999

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Roy Cousins'
Posted: Aug 14, 2015
 
     
July 1984
Click on thumbnail for larger view
   
 
 

"These photographs were taken at Bentley Drivers Club Concours at Kensington Gardens in England in July 1984. Owned at the time by A. Norris Kennard. Car is said to be the most original Bentley in existence (i.e. original paint, interior, etc.)"

 
     
     
  Source: Robert McLellan
Posted: Aug 11, 2006
 
     
Click on thumbnail for larger view
   
 
 

Woman shown in photograph is Mrs. Helen Lee Kennard who owned the car at that time. For additional information see her book Of Cars & Ships & Poetry & Cats & Other Things, 1987. The Bentley was owned by her husband, A. Norris Kennard, prior to their marriage in 1940 and we have been able to document that it was in their ownership as late as 1994.

 
     
     
  Source: Of Cars & Ships & Poetry & Cats & Other Things & Robert McLellan
Posted: Jan 25, 2007
 
     
1945
Click on thumbnail for larger view
   
 
 

Modified as a "Sporty" two seater in early 1945.

 
     
     
  Source: "BDC Advertiser", March 2008
Posted: Sep 29, 2008
 
     
1940s
Click on thumbnail for larger view
   
 
 

 

 
     
     
  Source: eBay
Posted: Mar 14, 2018
 
     
1927
Click on thumbnail for larger view

1

2

3

4
   
 
 

Accompanying text for Photo 1: Number 2 leading Number 3 during the first ten laps of the race

Accompanying text for Photo 2: The morning after the White House crash — a sleeping mechanic guards the cars to discourage looting

Accompanying text for Photo 4: In 1927 the Bentley Team almost wiped itself out at the famous White House crash, when all three cars smashed into each other in the dark. The least damaged, No.3 (Old No.7) struggled through to win... Scooping all headlines around the world, this spectacular victory for WO Bentley probably gave him more publicity than any other Le Mans win.

 
     
     
  Source: "BDC Advertiser", March 2008
Posted: Sep 29, 2008
 
     
EARLIEST RECORD OF HISTORICAL FACTS & INFORMATION
 
Chassis No. ML1501
Engine No. AX1675
Registration No. YF 2503
Date of Delivery: Aug 1927
Type of Body: 4-seater
Coachbuilder: Vanden Plas
Type of Car: SP
   
First Owner: SCOTT W B
 
     
  More Info: According to original Vanden Plas Coachbuilder records, this car was originally fitted with Body No. 1378 with a Sports body - replica of previous year's Le Mans car; Weymann fabric sprayed green/green; £150 10s.; 5/1927.

Team car driven by Scott.

Michael Hay, in his book Bentley: The Vintage Years, 1997, states: "Vanden Plas body no. 1378. "1927 Le Mans type Speed." Rebuilt on new frame 8/28. Engine now HP 379 ex ch. HP 400. Body modified. post war - since restored."
 
     
     
  Updated: Jul 05, 2007
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]

October 2019 issue
Subscribe :: Archives
CLUB TALK
Upcoming Vintage Bentley Events
FOR SALE/WANTED
C A R S
For Sale    Wanted
P A R T S
For Sale    Wanted
L I T E R A T U R E
For Sale    Wanted
 
 
 
 
 
 

About | Privacy Policy | Copyright & Disclaimer | Sitemap | Contact

Founder: Robert McLellan ~ Editor: Mona Nath

 
 
VintageBentleys.org :: info@vintagebentleys.org

Copyright © 2006-2020