1929 Bentley 4.5 Litre Tourer

W O Bentley’s success on the race track at Le Mans, Brooklands, and other events are legendary. Bentley was one of the manufacturers that dominated racing in the 1920’s. Starting in 1919 with the 3 Litre, followed by the 6.5 Litre, the 4.5 Litre and finally the 8 Litre, Bentley designed and manufactured race bred reliable machines that were the equivalent of the today's supercars. Many feel the 4.5 Litre is the most usable of all the models. It uses the same chassis as the 3 Litre,  but has notably more power and is shorter and easier to handle that 6.5 and 8 Litre cars.
Early success in the 1922 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, when Bentleys finished 2nd, 4th and 5th to take the Team Prize, led to the introduction of the TT Replica (later known as the Speed Model). However, by the middle of the decade the 3-Litre's competitiveness was on the wane and this, together with the fact that too many customers had been tempted to fit unsuitably heavy coachwork to the excellent 3-Litre chassis rather than accept the expense and complexity of Bentley's 6½-Litre 'Silent Six', led to the introduction of the '4½’. 

According to the typically thorough report prepared by renowned marque specialist Clare Hay (perusal recommended), chassis number 'DS3551' was built as a 1929 Model 4½-Litre on the 10' 10" wheelbase chassis with the light crankshaft engine and 15/53 (3.53:1) ratio rear axle. The Service Record, reproduced in the Report, does not note any deviation from the standard specification. The current chassis is to the correct specification but no markings can be seen to the front cross-member or nearside front dumb iron knuckles, so it is likely that it is the brand new and unnumbered frame fitted by Bentley Motors during accident repair work in December 1931. The front axle is marked 'FT 3203' and probably was fitted by Bentley Motors during the aforementioned accident repair work (however, there is no mention of a change of front axle in the Service Record for 'FT 3203'). The change of bonnet to 'FB3305' might also be a legacy of that accident, although there is no mention of any repair work in the Service Record for that chassis. Suspension originally was by leaf springs with light pattern Bentley & Draper friction shock absorbers all round. 'DS3551' is currently fitted with Hartford friction shock absorbers all round. 

Bentley engines would be taken from the Engine Shop and assigned to chassis at random, which makes this car, with its identical chassis and engine numbers, somewhat unusual. 'DS3551' is a 1929 specification engine with aluminium castings throughout, Smiths starter motor, twin SU HVG5 carburettors, and twin ML ER4 magnetos. It is fitted with the correct “upright’ SU carburettors, and twin Bosch magnetos.

The 'C' type gearbox originally fitted to 'DS3551' is recorded as '6652'. The current gearbox, numbered '6003', is a standard 'C' type but of earlier date. Records for gearbox numbers are incomplete, but this 'box is probably from a 1927 3-Litre Speed Model chassis. Bentleys designed the 'C' type gearbox as a universal unit suitable for all chassis, fitting it to late 3-Litre Speed Model; early 1928, 1929 and later model 4½-Litre chassis; and to the vast majority of 6½-Litre chassis.

'DS3551' was originally bodied by Gurney Nutting as a Weymann-type sportsman's coupé. The agent was Howell's Garage Ltd of Cardiff, so the order was placed specially for the first owner rather than this being a body made for a dealer for stock. That first owner was Mr Ralph Pomeroy of Lisvane House, Lisvane, Glamorgan, who owned a Bentley 3-Litre at the same time (see photograph in Report). The registration number allocated was 'TX 8038', from a Glamorgan series issued between January 1926 and July 1930. 

'DS3551' has Lucas P100 headlamps and Lucas snail pattern sidelights; these were often fitted in the 1930s as the standard Smiths headlamps are poor. Of the instruments, only the Smiths 0-60lbs oil pressure gauge looks to be original. The fuel tank is the standard 16-gallon, with fuel supply by a Zenith filter and Autovac; this is all still in place, augmented by electric pumps to the offside of the engine compartment.

The last Service Record entry for work carried out by Howell's Garage is dated September 1933, with a gap until April 1937 when 'DS3551' was worked on by Grosvenor Motor Co of Chester. It is likely that the car had changed hands by this date even though no new name is recorded in the Service Record. Further entries dated July 1937 and April 1938 are for parts sent to Dex garages in Newcastle, so it is possible that the Bentley had changed hands again. The records all end in 1939/1940 when Rolls-Royce shut down the old Kingsbury Service Department and moved it to new premises in Hythe Road, selling the stock of old spares to McKenzie Motors.

As usual, the war years are a blank as cars were laid up for the duration. In the case of 'DS3551' there is an unusually long gap in the records until 1963, when it was owned by Syd Lawrence. Mr Lawrence ran a business, ML Motors, that specialised in Bentleys, so it is likely that he rebuilt 'DS3551' in its present form and had the Vanden Plas-style four-seater open body made. 
On file is a purchase invoice from Frank Dale for £4,600 dated 16th May 1969. There are also various items of BDC correspondence.The Bentley was subsequently displayed in the Strathallan Aircraft Museum in Perthshire for many years. 

Although it has had a chequered career with the early accident repaired by the factory, and subsequent periods when it was laid up for several years, the basic restoration by Syd Lawrence was to a very high standard. It has probably not covered many miles since then and drives beautifully. Additionally the car comes with a Hay report. It is available at a very competitive price would make a really good rugged rally/touring car.