Three girls in a 3 litre Bentley for free. (update: now ARL1924)

Three girls and their 'chauffeur' driving by waving merrily. In the background a 'Bar Downstairs' and a garage entry marked left and right with 'Dry Rot'. Is it a photo of a student party? A film shoot? And what happened with EAB647?
Fransico Carrion found the vintage car photo in the lower tray of an antiques shop in the Candem Market of London. "The shop´s owner was an old man, and when I asked him: "How much for the old car photo?" he just said to me: "Nothing, for you, is a gift, BYE!" so I didn't pay nothing for this (I think) nice photo. The car is an early Bentley, seems to be a 3 litre model re-bodied in the 30s. The photo appears to have been taken in the 40s, and in the back of the photo is written "Cambridge Daily News" (perhaps the new name of the curent Cambridge News)."
Francisco hopes to find today's whereabouts of EAB647. All we found on the web is that this is 1924 chassis/engine 440/RT1527 and a reference to an auction by Brooks (now Bonhams) in 1995. Can you help?

Gepubliceerd:

donderdag december 6th, 2012

Onbekend

09 December 2012, 17:28

I would just like to congratulate Bernd on returning this car to its original two- seater configuration. At long, long last the tide has finally turned for vintage Bentleys and the true value of original style coachwork- which was very rarely those wretched fabric Vanden Plas le Mans tourers- is being recognized.

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Onbekend

08 December 2012, 08:49

This is what is SO woderful about this website.
That from a simple photogrape, such interesting information appears, and to find the actual current owner, and get the latest information, is really exciting.
Long may it continue !
Stuart

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Onbekend

07 December 2012, 16:59

I am the owner of this Bentley, she is called Matilda since at least 1950. I bought the car in 2000 from Stanly Mann. The car is now in Germany. She underwent a fully rebuild during the last 5 years. The body on the picture was fitted in 1943 by Ian Medcalf Garage. At this point also the engine (now RT1526 not RT1527) was replaced. The engine, bonnet and coachwork were sourced from the 3 litre Bentley chassis no. RT1527. (RT1527 was rebuilt as race car with a 6.5 litre engine at this point.) In the 1960 the Body wars rebuild to a fabric type body (horrible work). My Bentley was now rebuilt to the original 2 seater body as fitted 1924 when new. I am very interested in this picture, as it is a part of the history of my car. I would love to get in contact with Fransico.

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Onbekend

07 December 2012, 16:04

"Dry Rot" was a farce that ran on the London stage at the Whitehall theatre from 1956 until 1958. It was made into a movie in 1958, so could well have appeared in a Cambridge cinema in 1958 or 1959.

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David Barker

07 December 2012, 13:30

I think Andrew is correct, the Victoria Cinema was there in the '50s when I was at school in Cambridge. The manager sometimes parked his low-chassis Invicta outside,I used to have a photograph of it, but it has long gone. I think that car really started me on my passion for Vintage cars!

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Onbekend

07 December 2012, 08:49

The Car does still exist, and is currently in Germany and is owned by a BDC (Bentley Drivers Club) member Bernd Loehle and as you say it is a 3 litre model, but has been re-registerd as ARL 1924. According to 'The Technical Fact's of the Vintage Bentley'. The car is a Speed model and was originally delivered to a F.Gregory in January 1924.

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Onbekend

07 December 2012, 07:35

I am guessing that this was part of the student Rag Week parade. Looks to me to have been taken in front of the Victoria cinema (now Marks & Spencer) opposite the Market Square in the centre of Cambridge.

http://cambridgestuff.webplex.co.uk/cinemas/cc_photos/victoria.jpg

The Cambridge News is still our local paper. They have very good records. If there is a reference number on the back of the photo they may be able to tell you more. The photo may even be linked with an article which they may have in their archive.

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Onbekend

07 December 2012, 05:46

Records show that the chassis was manufactured in 1924 but the car was registered in 1943 which would account for the 3 letter 3 number registration number.It was last on the road in GB in 2001.
Graham.

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Three girls in a 3 litre Bentley for free. (update: now ARL1924)

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