Lot details Registration No: Un-Reg Chassis No: B136TN Mot Expiry: Exempt
One of just 34 Bentley R-Types to be bodied as a Lightweight Sports Saloon by H.J. Mulliner, chassis B136TN was exhibited on the famous coachbuilder's stand at the 1953 Earls Court Motor Show. Copy factory and H.J. Mulliner build records on file show that it was configured to accept either a manual or automatic gearbox (Crewe were experiencing teething troubles with GM's Hydramatic transmission at the time and the completion deadline was obviously too important to miss). Among the special instructions for Body No. 5583 were that it carry `auxiliary interior lighting during the Show' and be finished in Nabha Green. Interestingly, Nabha was the codename given by H.J. Mulliner to the Rolls-Royce Phantom IV that it bodied as a private commission for the Duke of Edinburgh during 1950. Later adopted by the Queen's household and re-painted Claret over Black, the `Nabha' Phantom was originally Dark Green and can be credited with helping secure Rolls-Royce's Royal Warrant. Following the Show, chassis B136TN was supplied via The Car Mart to S. Bobroff Esq. of Wavex Engineering Ltd. Known to have belonged to Jack Barclay Ltd, John Silver Ltd and John Vaughan Esq. of Cheam thereafter, the four-seater was last issued with a MOT certificate on January 5th 1983 at an indicated 92,211 miles (its odometer currently shows 93,138 miles). Exported to Ventimiglia, Italy a month later, the R-Type spent most of the next thirty years in dry storage. Said to `run and drive nicely' with a `quiet engine' and `well-behaved automatic transmission', chassis B136TN would nonetheless benefit from further recommissioning. Sympathetically rejuvenated, the interior pleasingly retains its original upholstery, carpets and woodwork. Much of the original chromework and paintwork has survived too (the Silver being a pre-storage addition). Formerly UK registered as `OLB 4', this historic Bentley is offered for sale with copy V5 registration document, K.J. Rossfeldt correspondence and recent invoices (circa 7,000 Euros).
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