Maybe it's the word 'boys' that makes the phrase ring. We know they were men, but somehow it's the image of 'schoolboy' larks which cements the legend of the Bentley Boys. It's rooted in the time, too: the 1920s, when men with inherited wealth didn't have to work, paid racing drivers were rare and the amateur ideal was still admired.

Who were these grown-up boys? There was no strict qualification: if you were asked to drive for the works you were part-way there, but it was as much an informal social club as a team. We know them now as party-goers; yet they were regular winners. How did these contrasting elements co-exist?

Dear Robert, Hope you are well and doing fine!

First of all many thanks that you had integrated our event into the calendar of VintageBentleys.org which is — of course! — my favourite home page! Congratulations for this really very useful, well organised and — this is the most important — well-maintained web page!

By now, the Tim Birkin Celebration Rally is history. All in all, the Rally — according to numerous feedbacks and our own feeling — was a good success. Though, the weather could have been a bit nicer with us; but the participants were all experienced and keen drivers and didn’t blame for some rain, not even for the snow on the Grimsel Pass in the Central Alps of Switzerland! We were a great field of birkinesque vintage cars already from the beginning at Blakeney UK where Birkin lived and is buried, and tough enthusiasts of the same spirit! There will be a report with some photographs in the Nov. or Dec. issue of the BDC Review.

Kathy, I and my father Werny will now make a loooonger break organising a thematic vintage car rally (in 2010 we have already organised the first Blower Rally)...

As true admirers of you and your web page, we still hope that some day we can meet you at some occasion!

With kindest regards from Switzerland!
Franco and Kathy

Article from 1938
Is this the fastest Sports Car?
Published in "The Motor", November 8, 1938 issue

The query as to which is the fastest sports car in the world, using as a definition a model which can be run in. say, the T.T. or the Le Mans races, and yet prove tractable in daily use, opens up an interesting topic for debate. There are many Continental cars which could lay claim to the honour, and at least one of them, shown at Earls Court, was reputed to have a maximum speed of 140 m.p.h… We have, of course, no British car in production which will approach this speed but, on the basis of a measured performance both at Brooklands and in numerous speed trials, we have one vehicle which seems capable of worthily upholding our honour. It is something of a solemn thought to realise that it is an eight-year-old design. We refer, of course, to Mr. Forrest Lycett's famous 8-litre sports Bentley.

On Sep 4, 2013 James Spillings had asked
"Is there any written history of Bentleys that were 'modified' by W.O.'s brother H.M. Bentley who ran the service department of Bentley Motors? The Bentleys in question, and I believe that only 16 or 18 were produced, were referred to as HM Bentleys."

On Oct 11, 2013 Wayne Kennerley responded
Regarding James Spilling's request re HM Bentley rebuilds, I am not aware of an actual history on the subject but there are various articles in the BDC Review covering specific cars - If James wants to email me I can arrange to scan relevant bits for him.

Please write to Robert to take this forward.