18th Mar, 2020 13:00

Imperial War Museum Duxford

 
  Lot 42
 

1926 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Model Tourer
Formerly the property of Le Mans winner Johnny Hindmarsh

Sold for £174,375

(including buyers premium)


Lot details

Registration No: RK 8140
Chassis No: LT1596
MOT: Exempt

  • One of just 513 Speed Models made
  • Formerly the property of Le Mans 24-hours winner Johnny Hindmarsh
  • Discovered as a 'barn find' in 1983 and restored by the vendor from the chassis up during 2001-2006 with help from marque specialist William Medcalf
  • Matching chassis, engine, front axle and magneto tower numbers (all stamped LT1596)
  • Accident damaged in June 1933 and repaired by the Carlton Forge & Engineering Co of North London who fitted the rear axle from chassis 1071 before registering 'RK 8410' in their name and retailing it
  • Continuous history with copy buff logbooks from 1926-1947 on file along with a copy of the car's factory maintenance record
  • Wonderful patina. Car presents as one might have found it in the paddock at Silverstone or Prescott during the 1950s!
  • Used and enjoyed by the vendor including for his 100-mile commute on numerous occasions

A short (9ft 9.5in) wheelbase Speed Model originally clothed with Four-Seater Tourer coachwork by Vanden Plas, chassis LT1596 was supplied new to the prominent London surgeon William John Hunt Montgomery Beattie Esq on 8th November 1925. Fitted with engine number LT1596 and road registered as 'RK 8410', it was used to commute between his Croydon home and St Bartholomew's hospital. Like many W.O. Bentleys, the 3 Litre enjoyed a number of notable owners pre- and post-World War Two such as film maker Bernard 'Beakus' Penrose, Le Mans 24-hours winner and Hawker Hurricane test pilot Johnny Hindmarsh, sculptor John Skeaping, motorcycle racer Bert Fruin and powerboat racer Capt. M.L. Morgan-Giles MBE.

Badly accident damaged in June 1933, chassis LT1596 was repaired by the Carlton Forge & Engineering Co Ltd of Cricklewood seemingly using the back axle assembly from chassis 1071 (a standard 10ft 10in wheelbase car). As well changing the colour from Black to Green, Carlton Forge registered 'RK 8410' in their own name before selling it to Mrs Winifred Phillips who had the chassis frame tested and axle centres checked. Belonging to the Napolitano family, proprietors of the Zenith Motor & Engineering Works Ltd, from 1934-1945, the 3 Litre was allocated fuel rations during wartime and subsequently passed through the hands of various military men including Lt Col V.E.O. Stevenson-Hamilton who took it to his Greshornish home on the Isle of Skye.

Modified for competition during the 1950s, chassis LT1596 had its bulkhead shortened but retained its original bonnet; a picture of the car being driven in anger with then owner P.L. Cyster Esq. behind the wheel appears on p.76 of the June 1959 BDC Review. Acquired by Anthony Samuelson of the Samuelson Film Service hire company thereafter alongside a Hawker Hurricance, Tiger Moth, helicopter and five Spitfires (which constituted the world's seventy-eighth largest airforce at the time), he apparently put the Bentley up for sale in 1974. The subject of an abortive purchase due to a bouncing cheque, 'RK 8410' was left to languish in a shed until being discovered by Mr Samuelson's son some nine years later. Although the family commissioned some minor refurbishment works, the 3 Litre was still very much a project when the vendor acquired it from them via Bonhams September 2001 Beaulieu auction. Stripped down to a bare chassis, one rail of which was found to show signs of the 1933 accident before being properly repaired and crack tested, the Bentley was painstakingly renovated over the next five years.

Still sporting what are believed to be its original Sloper SU carburettors, engine LT1596 was carefully overhauled with new pistons, rings, conrods and thrust pads but keeping the original crankshaft (the unit carries identifying stampings to its crankcase and magneto tower). Other work encompassed: vacuum sealing the sump, new oil pump, new springs and hangers, reconditioning the clutch and cardon shaft, renovating the gearbox including bearings, rejuvenating the rear differential including bearings, reconditioning and replacing springs etc for the brakes, renovating, sealing and replacing the fuel system where appropriate back to stock (it was electric pumps for racing), installing electric wiring and instrumentation as necessary, rewelding the bulkhead and chassis (checked by NDT) as required, rejuvenating steering and bearings as needed, complete overhaul of the Sloper carburetors and bearings, new cross shaft gears set up by marque specialist William Medcalf, checking and reconditioning as appropriate the magnetos, renovating the cooling system and pump, exhaust replaced as necessary and installed, renovating the charging system and repairing the dynamo.

With the fabric-covered Four-Seater Tourer bodywork suitably restored, the British Racing Green paintwork was matched to a sample found under one of the bolts on the chassis and believed to have been applied by Carlton Forge in 1933. Retrimmed with Dark Green leather upholstery and Pale Green carpets, the Bentley also gained new wheels, tyres and brake shoe linings and miscellaneous other equipment etc. Summing-up the refurbishment as follows: 'basically the car was taken down to the last nut and bolt then overhauled using as many of the original components as possible', the vendor tells us that 'RK 8410' has since benefited from the installation of: a William Medcalf through flow oil filter, William Medcalf alternator charging system (the original design did not supply the needed power), speedometer mechanical adjuster, satellite speedo unit, Tracker and William Medcalf ceramic bearings for the coolant system (the original design was not good enough).

The Speed Model is accompanied by a substantial history file containing copies of its factory service record and buff logbooks giving ownership details from November 1926 - August 1947 inclusive not to mention photographs of the Bentley as found in 1983 and during its 'chassis up' renovation. A keen motorist, the seller recalls: 'I used the car after restoration to commute to work around 100 miles per day (when it wasn't raining) ditto after changing jobs it did the same about 50 miles per day. Now she only goes to the golf course most weeks. This is a usable vehicle not a concours one and has been obviously well used but is almost 100 years old so some care required!'

Starting readily during our recent photography visit, the 3 Litre was observed to carry 'LT1596' stampings to its front axle, front dumb iron (inner face), bonnet side panels and engine. Given the chassis rails show no sign of having been cut down from a 10ft 10in wheelbase to a 9ft 9.5in one, we are of the opinion that sub-assemblies from chassis 1071 were used to make chassis LT1596 roadworthy again and not vice versa (the back axle currently fitted to 'RK 8410' is stamped '1071' and the steering box has been overstamped with '1069' or similar visible underneath). We also think it likely that the 3 Litre would have been repaired by the factory rather than Carlton Forge had the heavy accident occurred in 1928 rather than 1933.

Model Background:

A railway engineering apprentice turned aero engine designer, Walter Owen Bentley previewed his first creation, the immortal 3-Litre, at the October 1919 London Motor Show (though, he would not deem it production ready for another two years). Inspired by a 1914 Humber T.T. racer, the newcomer's ladder-frame chassis was equipped with all-round semi-elliptic leaf-sprung suspension and rear-wheel drum brakes (four-wheel brakes becoming the norm from 1924 onwards). The car's heart and most advanced feature was its 2996cc engine. A long-stroke four-cylinder (80mm x 149mm) that prioritized torque over top-end power, it boasted a five-bearing crankshaft, shaft-driven overhead camshaft, monobloc construction, twin ignition, four valves per cylinder and aluminium pistons. Developing between 65bhp and 88bhp, the unit was allied to a separate four-speed gate-change gearbox. Supplied in bare chassis guise only, albeit with a choice of wheelbase lengths and engine tune, the 3-Litre remained in production until 1929 by which time some 1,636 are thought to have been made.

Mindful that his initial offering was among the most expensive cars on the market, W.O. wasted little time in proving its competitive worth. Victorious in the Whitsun Brooklands meeting on May 16th 1921, the design also distinguished itself the following year at the Indianapolis 500 and Tourist Trophy with Bentley netting the Team Prize on the latter event. Justifiably proud of its achievements on the Isle of Man, Bentley not only published a celebratory booklet entitled `The Blue Riband' but also launched a commemorative `T.T. Replica'. Based on the short standard 9ft 9.5in wheelbase chassis, the newcomer boasted a high compression engine, close-ratio gearbox and 90mph top speed. Responsible for giving Bentley its first taste of success at Le Mans when Captain John Duff and Frank Clement drove one to fourth place overall during the inaugural 24-hour race on May 26th-27th 1923, the 'T.T. Replica' evolved into the 'Speed Model' that same year. Achieving two outright Le Mans 24-hour victories and some 513 sales, the latter has long been among the most sought after 3 Litre variants.

 

Auction: Imperial War Museum Duxford, 18th Mar, 2020

AUCTION VENUE
Imperial War Museum
Duxford
Cambridgeshire
CB22 4QR 

AUCTION VIEWING
Tuesday 17th March 2020 from 12pm to 6pm
Wednesday 18th March 2020 - Due to the closure of Imperial War Museum, we are unable to offer viewing of the vehicles today. All documents and paperwork are available to view at The Red Lion Hotel, Whittlesford CB22 4NL.

BUYERS PREMIUM
12.5% (plus VAT @ 20%)

View all lots in this sale

All successful bids must be paid in full by midday the day after the auction at the latest.

You can collect your new pride and joy from our venue until 1pm the day following the sale or our partners are on hand to help arrange safe transportation:

               

Do you have an item to sell?

If so, contact one of our friendly specialists for your free valuation by completing the form below and someone will get back to you as quickly as possible.

If you prefer to speak to humans, don't hesitate to call our office on +44 (0)1925 210035

Contact Us Today!

 

Images

Drag and drop .jpg images here to upload, or click here to select images.


Over 90 eye-catching lots head to auction in H&H’s ‘Season Opener’
New venue among H&H Classics’ 2025 auction dates
Over 1,100 classics worth more than £14 million sold by H&H Classics in 2024
H&H Classics rounds off 2024 with strong performance
Relive blockbuster TV show Rivals by owning a ‘racy’ classic
Buxton auction has single ownership, rare and desirable classics going under the hammer
Quality and quantity represented at mammoth classic motorcycle auction
Quadrophenia album scooter with links to Pete Townsend and Liam Gallagher up for auction
H&H Classics last Cambridgeshire auction in 2024 sees ‘star’ results
Ducati delight as six superb examples from one collection go under the hammer
German engineering and style showcased at classic car auction
Norton’s first F1R ever produced up for auction
Best of British heads impressive collection of 160 classics for auction
Exciting new premises are close to hand for H&H Classics
X-press yourself…Jaguar purchased by Madonna could be yours to cherish
Oldest known surviving Ford Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) car heads to auction
James Bond’s Vanquish available to ‘Drive Another Day’
Chalky’s actual Lambretta which featured in Quadrophenia heads for auction
Automobilia auction raises more than £194,000 with all 329 lots sold
Entire catalogue offered without reserve in one-off automobilia auction
Impressive results at latest H&H Classics auction
Dozens of ‘no-reserve’ classics head to auction
Recently restored Audi Quattro press car heads to auction
Classic motorcycle auction highlights buoyant market
Rare barn find stars in classic motorcycle auction
Highly original Jaguar SS100 flies away at Duxford sale
Modified classics add a twist to H&H’s next motorcycle sale
Century of motoring history represented at H&H auction
World’s biggest production pick-up truck roars to auction
Mercedes-Benz 500SL delivered new to Sir Stirling Moss heads to auction
Cars from the 1910s to the 2010s head to auction for Buxton sale
H&H’s motorcycle sales off to a flying start in 2024 with market-leading 88 percent sales rate
Goon, Goon, Gone: Unique Peter Sellers 1960 Bentley heads to auction
Eclectic 150-plus classic car auction helps round out H&H’s milestone 30th year celebrations
One of the UK’s best driving Aston Martin DB5s heads to auction
Mid-century sports car icons race to Buxton auction
Former front cover ‘star’ heads to auction
Classic British motorcycles shine as 230 lots head to the National Motorcycle Museum auction
Racing legend Patsy Burt's Jaguar XK120 speeds to Buxton auction
22-strong single owner classic motorcycle collection heads to auction
Norton's racing heritage set to ignite the auction stage
Rare Frazer-Nash BMW with rich racing history to be auctioned
“The Rolls-Royce” of the motorcycle world, heads to      auction
Martini inspired Porsche 911 ‘RSR’ Tribute to head under the hammer
Rare ‘Car on Two Wheels’ heads to auction for the first time in 30 years
More than 100 classics sold in H&H’s 30th anniversary sale
Stunning classics worth more than £9 million offered in 30th anniversary auction
Rare Aston Martin DB1 heads to anniversary auction from long-term ownership