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1926 Bentley 3 Litre    
Original 1926 Numbers
Chassis No. AH1479
Engine No. HP400
Registration No. YF 2642

  This car - updated
Chassis No. AH1479
Engine No. HP400
Registration No. YF 2642

(Updated with information from Malcolm Tearle. - June 2016)
 
October 2018
Click on thumbnail for larger view
 
 

Found on Vintage & Prestige website on October 4, 2018

1926 Bentley 3/4½ Litre Le Mans Tourer

Chassis number: AH1479
Engine number: HP400
Registration Number: YF 2642
Price: £540,000.00

Le Mans Tourer. Totally restored, even the chassis has been re-riveted, and now in Concours condition. This car is simply the best that can be produced & further benefits from being a matching numbers example. It has won many awards & prizes & no doubt will continue to do so.

4-cylinder 4.5 litre engine and gearbox fully restored to Le Mans race specifications. This vehicle, except for the body, is all matching numbers including bulkhead and bonnet. 3 Litre Bentley number AH1479 was delivered new to Henley's dealer in London and then sold and shipped to Ireland in late 1926 as shop soiled?

Returned to the UK in the late 1990's and full restoration commissioned by Bentley Restorer Clive Oliver at which time it carried a 4 door saloon by Harrison. However, its modern history is far more interesting. The car was original but in dilapidated condition, in the late 1990's as a restoration project. At that time it was still running, body was in poor condition and the chassis and engine described as "worn and in need of restoration". With this in mind the decision to convert it to Le Mans specification made complete common sense.

The car was completely dismantled and the original long chassis rebuilt to the 9 foot 91/2 inch Le Mans specification by Julian Ghosh. The brakes were totally rebuilt with finned Allifin brake drums and brake servo installed, steering box converted to 4.5 specification, correct 21 inch wire wheels by MWS with 5.25 x 600 x 21 inch Blockley tyres were fitted.

The engine was rebuilt using a Blockley crankshaft, and new block, con rods, high compression pistons, needle roller rockers and boxes and high speed performance oil pump were fitted. A lightweight flywheel and clutch by Abbott, gearbox rebuilt to "C" type specification [New old stock original gears]. New Laycock overdrive was fitted for long high speed touring, the prop shaft is new and fully balance 3.31 differential is fitted with a new 4-star crown wheel and pinion and new "Le Mans" fuel tank fitted, the original 3-Litre parts come crated with the car.

The replica Vanden Plas Le Mans coachwork features a frame by marque expert H and H Coachworks, Goring on Thames, with aluminum paneling and then covered to original specification using rexine. All trim details are correct to period, including Vanden Plas sill plates, and "Team Car" seats in leather by coach trimmer Alan Geiter also from Goring on Thames. Full and half-length style tonneau covers and hood are to original pattern.

The windscreen, aero screens all the minor trim details are produced by James Pearce i.e. fold flat screen and aeros fit to the side when screen and hood is up. These include all correct original instrumentation headlight stone guards, prewar Marechal headlights and Marechal Spotlight, full instrumentation, right angle drive Klaxon and one Klaxonette fitted to the running board.

This car was purchased in September 2007 and further modifications and refinement of this car have taken place now in "Pebble Beach concours condition", please see following list of components replaced etc during restoration:

New parts fitted during restoration: • 4.5 Blockley cylinder block • Blockley side and end cover plates • BDC spares scheme internal water rail • Blockley crankshaft • Arrow con rods • New cross shaft gears • BDC spares scheme rocker boxes and straps • Brineton oil pump drive gears [high speed] •

New water pump modified by William Medcalf • Located gears [top end] original new carrier and sleeve • Original 4.5 camshaft [mint condition] • Blockley tappet screws and lock nuts • BDC spares scheme rev counter drive assembly • Oil filter mod by William Medcalf •

Mags rebuilt by Gorvin • Phoenix roller rockers • BDC spares scheme pistons • Fabrication of aluminum cooling fan assembly • Lightweight flywheel by Abbott • 6.5 clutch shaft • 10"Borg and Beck clutch assembly •

All new engine bearings • Radiator new core and stone guards fitted • Valves, guides, and springs and caps, collets • Alternator fitted for long distance driving [off propshaft] • Lincoln battery •

Restored all instruments • BDC spares scheme front and rear hubs and spinners • Allifin rear and front brake drums • Shackle pins and bushes
• Chassis tie bars by Julian Ghosh • 4.5 type cross tubes • 5 new 21" wheels by MWS • 5 Blockley 5.25 x 600 x 21 tyres • 1310 propshafts • King pins and bushes •

Steering arms by Peter Butler • Brake linings by Vintage Friction Services • Diff cage, new side plates, and new sun and planet gears • Crown wheel and pinion assembly 3:33:1 new bearings • Gearbox bearings and original set of unused original "C" type gears •

Steering box modified to use 4.5 steering gears • Brake shaft bushes • Perrot shaft bushes ends modified to stage 2 • Overdrive J type by Laycock • Chassis shortened to 9 x 91/2 by Julian Ghosh • 4.5 Le Mans fuel tank assembly •

Body built by Tim Hastings [H and H Coachworks] • Total re trim by Alan Geater • Painted by Neil Hayworth • Screen by David Pearce • Tool boxes and battery boxes by Roger Wing • Nickel plating by London Chroming Company January 2010

Further work performed: • New BDC 8 litre half shafts fitted • New top and bottom bevel gears [Guest Gears] • New camshaft and bearings [Elmdown] • Replacement hood and tonneau and hood bag replaced due to material defect

Simply the best there is & ready for immediate extended use.

This car is for sale as of October 4, 2018

 
     
     
  Source: Vintage & Prestige
Posted: Oct 04, 2018
 
     
August 2018
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Bentley Drivers Club Silverstone, August 2018

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Roy Cousins'
Posted: Dec 05, 2018
 
     
May 2018
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Chiltern Hills Vintage Rally 2018.

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Norfolkboy1'
Posted: Jun 01, 2018
 
     
September 2017
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Found on STANLEY MANN RACING website on September 9, 2017

1926 3/4.5 LITRE. JUST ARRIVED
A matching numbered vintage Bentley in concours condition, in fact a concours winner, with every last nut, bolt, rivet and screw detailed to the most exacting standard. A devotion to the Bentley marque and with full appreciation of the engineering skills of W.O. Bentley which must be seen to be believed. In mechanically excellent condition and ready to jump in and go. Full details are here and make eye watering reading.. Just go and get it dirty and have fun.

Without question the finest 3/4.5 litre on offer anywhere. Yes it is dealer speak and yes you have read it all before and and Stanley would have simply said in his old advertisements it's the dog's b******ks.

Well known to us for many years, as the owner is a proper Bentley chap for whom second best is not an option.

So Stanley it may not be poetry but, there's something we can take from those old advertisements for which you were so well known - "The dogs b******ks" it most certainly is.

 
     
     
  Source: Stanley Mann Racing
Posted: Sep 09, 2017
 
     
April 22, 2017
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VSCC Silverstone, April 2017

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Roy Cousins'
Posted: May 12, 2017
 
     
August 2016
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1926 3-Litre Vintage Bentley chassis no. AH1479 at BDC Silverstone 2016

 
     
     
  Source: Robert McLellan
Posted: Jan 14, 2020
 
     
August 2016
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Bentley Drivers Club Silverstone, August 2016

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Roy Cousins'
Posted: Aug 30, 2016
 
     
August 2016
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"BDC Silverstone event 2016 August parked in the Pit."

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle (Owner)
Posted: Aug 07, 2016
 
     
2016
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"Bentley Drivers Club Winner of the President's Trophy, 2016"

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle (Owner)
Posted: Jun 21, 2016
 
     
August 1, 2015
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Bentley Drivers Club at Silverstone - Saturday 1st August 2015

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Roy Cousins'
Posted: Aug 22, 2015
 
     
2015
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Prescott Hill Climb 2015


BDC Silverstone 2015


BDC Silverstone 2015

 
 

 

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle (Owner)
Posted: Aug 05, 2015
 
     
July 2015
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Rear Axle Casing

Bonnett


Steering Box


Dashboard Switch Panel


Gear Box


Chassis Cross Member


Front Axle Beam


Engine Number


Chassis Front Dum Iron

 
 

"Chassis no: AH1479
Engine no: HP400
Registration no: YF2642

Pictures of all the matching numbers of my car as originally produced by WO Bentley in 1926. Also please note this vehicle also has its original registration number YF 2642 issued in London in 1926 and registered by Henley’s of London."

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle (Owner)
Posted: Jul 21, 2015
 
     
April 18, 2015
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VSCC "Spring Start" at Silverstone - Saturday 18th April 2015

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Roy Cousins'
Posted: Jul 02, 2015
 
     
August 2, 2014
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Bentley Drivers Club at Silverstone - Saturday 2nd August 2014

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Roy Cousins'
Posted: Jul 07, 2015
 
     
2014
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BDC Silverstone 2014
in the pit area

Pit garage keeping out of
the rain BDC Silverstone 2014

Winner of the master class BDC Concours 2014 The Daks Throphy
 
 

 

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle (Owner)
Posted: Aug 23, 2014
 
     
September 2013
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Kop Hill Climb, September 2013

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Cobra Stallone De $ouza'
Posted: Oct 17, 2014
 
     
August 10, 2013
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Bentley Drivers Club at Silverstone - Saturday 10th August 2013

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Roy Cousins'
Posted: Jul 27, 2015
 
     
August 2013
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AH1479 at Silverstone 10 August 2013

 
     
     
  Source: Russell Browne
Posted: Sep 26, 2013
 
     
May 26, 2013
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Enfield Pageant of Motoring, May 2013

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'peezedgee'
Posted: Dec 22, 2014
 
     
April 20, 2013
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VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone, April 2013

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Robert Knight'
Posted: Apr 24, 2015
 
     
August 11, 2012
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The Bentley Drivers Club, Silverstone Race Meeting - Saturday 11th August 2012

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, posted by user 'Paul Holtom'
Posted: Apr 16, 2015
 
     
2008-2012
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BDC Concours, 2008

BDC Concours, 2010

Malcolm Tearle's AH1479 at
Classics on the Green, Harpenden 2011

BDC Summer Concours,
Boughton House Kettering, June 2012
 
 

 

 
     
     
  Source: Russell Browne
Posted: May 06, 2013
 
     
June 2012
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Photos of the BDC Concours at Boughton House, Saturday, 30 June 2012.

Winner of the BDC Concours 2012

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle (Owner)
Updated: Jan 28, 2013
Updated: Oct 13, 2012
Posted: Jul 02, 2012
 
     
August 2011
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BDC Silverstone Race Meeting, awaiting track parade.

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle
Posted: Aug 18, 2011
 
     
September 25, 2010
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Kop Hill Climb, Sept 25, 2010

 
     
     
  Source: Flickr, users 'Frankgw' & 'Red Snapper'
Posted: Nov 16, 2010
 
     
June 2010
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BDC 2010 Concours. Master Class winner of DAKS Simpson Trophy at Club headquarters, June 26th, 2010.

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle (Owner)
Updated: Jul 16, 2010
Posted: Jul 09, 2010
 
     
January 2010
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BDC VSCC event on New Year's Day 2010 at Elstree.

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle (Owner)
Posted: Jan 11, 2010
 
     
March 2009
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Pictures taken at BDC Technical Day at Endfield Garages - March 8, 2009.

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle (Owner)
Posted: Mar 10, 2009
 
     
February 2009
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Kop Hill Climb, 2009

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle (Owner)
Posted: Jan 11, 2010
 
     
2007
 

This car was purchased by Malcolm Tearle in 2007.

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle (Owner)
Posted: Sep 29, 2007
 
     
Click on thumbnail for larger view
   
 
 

 

 
     
     
  Source: BDC Media Release
Posted: Jan 29, 2009
 
     
1926
 

The car was shipped to Ireland in 1926 and stayed there until about 2004.

 
     
     
  Source: Malcolm Tearle
Posted: Jul 16, 2010
 
     
EARLIEST RECORD OF HISTORICAL FACTS & INFORMATION
 
Chassis No. AH1479
Engine No. HP400
Registration No. YF 2642
Date of Delivery: Mar 1926
Type of Body: Saloon
Coachbuilder: Harrison
Type of Car: ST
   
First Owner: WOOD J H
 
     
  More Info: Michael Hay, in his book Bentley: The Vintage Years, 1997, states: "'Resold to Henly's as shop-soiled.' In Ireland."  
     
     
  Posted: Mar 01, 2007  
     
 
 
 
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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
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