Lot details Registration No: DOP 833 Chassis No: B145KU Mot Expiry: Exempt
It is a sobering thought - had Rolls-Royce not purchased its financially troubled competitor Bentley in 1931, the world would have been denied many fine motorcars, not least the coachbuilt Derby models manufactured between 1933 and 1939. Chassis B-145-KU, complete with Thrupp & Maberly Sports Saloon coachwork, was supplied new in 1938 by George Heath Ltd of Birmingham to G.N. Lunt Esq of Edgbaston. The engine was replaced some 40 years ago, and the Bentley has been treated to a gearbox overhaul and new clutch by Jack Barclay, while in 1981 the cylinder head and crank damper were overhauled by A&S Engineering. In the current ownership the car has been thoroughly overhauled mechanically under the guidance of the highly respected Rob Dyer who advised on as many original replacement parts as possible. Since completion the car has been used regularly and covered some 268 miles displaying excellent oil pressure.
The motorcar's coachwork is to Design No.B1122/O, which was arguably Thrupp & Maberly's most successful. Sadly over half of the 56 cars constructed with it no longer remain, making 'DOP 33' all the rarer. The vendor currently views its body as "extremely smart with good door gaps and doors that close with a satisfying clunk", the Dark Blue paintwork as "good" (also the wheels that have been recently repainted), the Black leather interior trim as "very original", and the gearbox as "good". A charming example of the breed.
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