1924 Bentley 3/4.5 Supercharged 'Le Mans' Reproduction

Lot details
Registration No: NY 4588
Chassis No: Unknown
Mot Expiry: Sept 2004

In calling his first major model, the 3-litre, the soon to be world famous Walter Owen Bentley was the first motor manufacturer to describe his 1919 announced new car in terms of engine size rather than horsepower. The stroke of the 2922cc engine was unusually long, there was a single overhead camshaft and, like all the Cricklewood factory-made Bentleys, the cylinder head was non-detachable and 4-valves per cylinder were employed. Even though the rolling chassis was priced at £2050, making the 3-litre the most expensive motor car on the UK market, annual sales had risen to 402 by 1924, when the chassis offered here left the factory.
The standard coachwork chosen by Bentley's customers was 4-seater open tourer bodywork from coachbuilders Vanden Plas, although other bodies, ranging from minimalist 2-seaters to landaulets as well as sports-saloons were produced on a bespoke basis by many other coachbuilders. Such was their popularity that, by 1929, a total of 1622 3-litre Bentleys had been made and sold.
Between 1924 and 1930, the marque clocked up five victories at Le Mans with their 3-litre Speed Models. Royals, like Prince George drove one, as did major celebs of the day, like Gertrude Lawrence. 'The Bentley Boys', led by the very high profile millionaire sportsman Woolf Barnato, dominated not only the sports pages, but the high society columns of the newspapers.
The really significant year for Bentley watchers, however, was 1927, where keen consumers eyes could not have missed Callingham and Clement in the all-new 4 1/2-litre Bentley, which clocked up the fastest lap of 73.41mph...before famously retiring through involvement in the White House crash.
The 4 1/2 had certainly made its mark, however, and victories for the model were to follow at Montlehery and in the 1928 Le Mans, as well as a scoring second place, again at Le Mans, in 1929. Such was its reputation and image among the movers and shakers of the day that 667 4 1/2-litre cars were sold, with an additional 50 supercharged 4 1/2s being snapped up.
Even in standard form, a 4 1/2, which had the same cylinder dimensions as the 6 1/2, could exceed 90mph, and the semi-elliptic leaf spring suspension and 4-wheel fully-compensated drum brakes were well received. Later cars also gained from a change to sump pan and crankcase made out of Elektron.
On offer here is what is generally reckoned to be the prewar Bentley to have, a 4 1/2-litre Blower Le Mans Rep, which has been well rebuilt to a most exacting and fully detailed Team car specification on a 1924-made 3-litre chassis. The original registration, chassis/frame and engine numbers are all confirmed on the old buff logbook which is in the history file. We understand that only nominal mileage has been added to the car since that total restoration.
The 3-litre chassis condition is described as being as new, having been restored during the refurbishment, and the same goes for the green-painted Le Mans Rep bodywork by A&H and green leather trimmed interior. Following their rebuild, both 4.5-litre 4-cylinder engine and D Type 4-speed gearbox are reportedly like new too. In terms of participating in historic events today, this is the Bentley to have. Both marque and model have become linked forever to those racing greats, such as Barnato, Kidston, Davis and Birkin. With this gilt-edged investment in your portfolio, you could be following in the wheeltracks of the illustrious 'Bentley Boys' (and girls, of course!).
PLEASE NOTE: This vehicle should strictly be referred to as a Le Mans Replica and not as a Van Den Plas Replica.
PLEASE NOTE: We are aware that the original engine was transferred to another chassis as stated in 'Bentley - The Vintage Years' by Michael Hay and therefore we are selling this vehicle as engine number unknown.
PLEASE NOTE: It is always difficult with a car, of which there was very little in existence when the restoration started, to really know how to describe it. We though believe that this car, and indeed any car with that pedigree, has a very substantial place in history and we are only sorry that FIVA do not have a separate section for cars without an 'historical pedigree'. We believe that these cars should be referred to as REPRODUCTION cars.
We cannot guarantee that this is the original car as per the chassis number allocated and therefore sell this car as a reproduction.