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<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
In the 1930 period, when there was
a much larger number of big cars on the market, chassis
were built, as a matter of course, to be fitted with
standard bodywork by the manufacturers, or with coachwork
produced by specialized firms. Within the performance
requirement of the average buyer, this system of chassis-plus-bodywork
was perfectly satisfactory, but when one came to a luxury
car such as the Bentley, the situation was markedly
different; to produce the best results, the tout
ensemble in excellence had to be matched to a much
closer degree, especially with closed bodywork. Continued...</s> | 2,259 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
It was produced for my inspection in
Lincoln's Inn. It looked beautiful and the magic and
sheer power of its engine evoked excitement and nostalgic
memories of the past; but looks and sounds are not everything.
The defendants maintain that it is not worth to bear
the name Old Number One.</s> | 2,260 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
As early as 1925 it became apparent
to the designer of the, by then, world-famous 3-litre,
that an entirely different type of car was required,
to meet the needs of a different class of motorist.
Such a car should have the attributes of a highspeed
touring chassis, should be capable of carrying the enclosed
coachwork of the time, and should handle like a dignified
town-carriage. The development of such a car was no
mean task and "W.O", ably assisted by the
redoubtable "K.M.", set about designing a
prototype based on their experience with the 3-litre.
The six-cylinder evolved closely followed the well-tried
layout of the 3-litre, but incorporated several new
features. Continued...</s> | 2,261 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
I conclude that
the chassis that had been obtained in a badly corroded
and incomplete state by Mr Mann in 1976 was reconstituted
in 1977 so that, like King Lear's kingdom, it was
divided into three sections. The part of the front
section that had not been replaced had come from
the original chassis from which the other two sections
had been lost or removed due to their previously
damaged and corroded state. The middle section was
made up of new metal to the appropriate Speed Six
specification. The rear section had originated from
a Standard Bentley or similar chassis and had been
added to this chassis in 1977. The chassis had been
shortened in length but, in its reconstituted state,
it satisfied neither the 1930 Speed Six specification
nor the shorter Speed Six Le Mans racing length.</s> | 2,262 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
~~</s> | 2,263 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
Julian Ghosh - Feb 11,
2014
Dear Robert, I know we are united by a common
language but notwithstanding that, it is
easy to make assumptions.
Placing a modern filter in to the main oil
gallery will result in a considerable pressure
drop due to the ensuing restriction. No
modern car system does this but instead
filters the relief flow from the pump. Clearly
the flow rate of modern pumps is higher
than those of 90 years ago but engines nowadays
require more flow to cool the oil because
one can run at
continuous high speed more readily. We have
an arrangement whereby the oil to the overhead
gear on a Bentley engine only is filtered,which
appears sufficient, since the oil is circulated
so many times.
Apropos filters on carburettors; please
bear in mind that there is a secondary function,
which is to silence the intake roar. Hardly
significant on a Bentley but good reason
to fit such things on modern cars. I guess
you will not have any evidence to support
undue engine wear after 90 years on a Bentley
engine due to lack of an air filter but
needless to say fitting such a device will
alter the mixture strength</s> | 2,264 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
Misleading
nature of the advertising material. The
misleading nature of this advertising material can
be summarised under four main headings:
(1) The statement that the engine was a Speed
Six engine. This statement was conveyed by the
provision of both the chassis number with the engine
number as if they were the originally paired Speed
Six numbers ([B]). However,
the engine number was not the original Speed Six
engine number that had been paired with the original
Speed Six chassis number, it was the number of a
Standard 6�-litre engine that had been added to
the car at a later date.
(2) The statement that the engine satisfied the
Speed Six engine specification and performed as
a Speed Six racing engine. This statement was
conveyed by the three statements that referred to
the engine's 45 psi oil pressure, to its being a
fully remetalled engine and to its running at 3100
all day at a cruising speed of 100mph ([I],
[J] and [K]). These statements also
conveyed to the informed reader the fact that the
engine was a Speed Six engine. However, the engine
was not a Speed Six engine, it did not satisfy a
Speed Six engine specification and it had never
been proved to satisfy the performance requirements
of any such specification.
(3) The statement that the car was a Speed Six
car that contained an original 1930 Speed Six engine.
This statement was conveyed by the statement that
the car was the car for you "if you want W.O.'s
finest" ([F]). This was a particularly
significant statement because W.O. was particularly
known as the designer and manufacturer of Speed
Six engines, all of which had been produced by W.O.
and his racing team under W.O.'s personal supervision
in the Cricklewood works between 1929 and 1930.
It followed that the statement that the car that
was one of W.O.'s finest amounted to a statement
that the engine in the car was an original 1930
Speed Six engine. Similarly, the statement that
the car was one recommended by Mr Mann since "I
want to do rallies and continental touring and that
Speed Six ticks all my boxes" ([E]).
In context, this was a statement that the car had
a 1930 Speed Six engine and chassis. However, the
engine was a 1927 Standard 6�-litre engine reconstructed
by Mr Mann in the period 1978 � 1980 with a chassis
that had started life as a 1930 Speed Six chassis
but which had been reconstructed so as to consist
predominantly of other parts and which no longer
conformed to the Speed Six chassis specification.
(4) The statement that the 1930 Speed Six car
had been restored ([A]
and [C]) or rebuilt
([D], [G] and
[H]). In context, these statements were
to the effect that the car remained a 1930 Speed
Six car despite the work that had been done to it.
This was because of the accepted terminology of
vintage Bentley enthusiasts, who used the words
"restored" and "rebuilt" to mean that the original
engine and chassis remained in the car even though
the car had been extensively worked on over the
years. In other words, the original engine and chassis
remained in the car despite the work that had since
been done on the car to date. However, the work
that had been done to the engine and chassis was
far more than restoration or rebuilding work. The
car had been reconstructed with a different engine
and a completely transformed chassis and it could
no longer be described without qualification as
a "1930 Speed Six".</s> | 2,265 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
~~</s> | 2,266 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
On leaving school,
Mr Mann worked in, and later ran, his father's butcher's
shop. He needed further outlets and he then trained
as a photographer and also bought his first vintage
Bentley. He soon realised the potential for acquiring
vintage Bentleys and restoring, rebuilding or reconstructing
them in Le Mans style and then selling them to vintage
Bentley enthusiasts. He had acquired the necessary
mechanical skills working in the workshop premises
that he had set up at the back of his father's butcher's
shop in Edgware, Middlesex. Mr Mann, additionally,
became involved in racing vintage Bentleys and he
prepared cars for this purpose for himself and for
other enthusiasts.</s> | 2,267 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
The blown 4 1/2-litre Bentley is so
strongly associated in most peoples' minds with the
racing team backed by the Hon. Dorothy Paget and led
by Sir Henry Birkin that one is apt to forget the fact
that it was a standard production model...
Continued...</s> | 2,268 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
The final preparations for the 500
miles race at Brooklands included a cowl which was added
to the scuttle in place of the aero-screen. There are
many pictures of the car during the race and of the
terrible crash. History records that the car went over
the top of a bank at an estimated speed in excess of
120 mph causing Dunfee to lose control. He was thrown
out of the car and received fatal injuries. The car
appeared to break up and turn over, and there are several
pictures of its sorry state when it came to rest. Not
unnaturally, Barnato was very upset at the death of
his friend. The car was recovered but it never raced
again.</s> | 2,269 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Day 6
50% of the entry fees go to charity complimented by
sponsors and auctions. The contribution this year amount
to $230.000. The quality of the cars was exceptional.
On departure day, after covering some 1100 miles in
four driving days, the cars were displayed in Lionshead
village in a nonconcourse event; respecting the founder
Donald Sutherland wish not to clean the cars during
the rally. We had the opportunity to chat to many visiting
enthusiasts about the fantastic Grand experience.
The organization of the event was exceptional with the
Board members making an effort to talk to all participants.
The half dozen mechanics were always ready to help.
The luggage was put into a van every morning, so the
time consuming packing of the Bentley we experienced
on previous tours was a non issue. The administrative
staff kept us well informed of what was going on and
when. The tour book is a piece of art with maps, directions
and detailed descriptions of points of interest. The
state troopers kept us safe and out of trouble. The
professional photographers came from as far away as
Japan. We were on adrenalin most of the time with little
sleep, now requiring a couple of days of rest.
We made it back safely to Conifer starting to write
down our once in a life time experience... hope you
enjoy reading the Colorado Grand experience. Kurt &
Derek</s> | 2,270 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Additional engine work including valves; pistons; rings;
camshaft drive gear; bearings and camshaft; crankshaft;
vibration damper; con rods and water pump was completed.
The suspension components were attended to as they were
off the chassis. New half-shafts with bearings were
installed. The prop shaft and the diff. were rebuilt.
The body was re-mounted and the work was completed in
1986.</s> | 2,271 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
Thus, the description,
in context, was intended to mean, and did mean,
"a 1930 Speed Six Bentley Motor Car incorporating
a 1930 Speed Six engine".</s> | 2,272 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Contractual
Description. The question that arises
is whether there was a contractual description of
the car in each of these contracts. The answer is
as follows.</s> | 2,273 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
When the three-litre Bentley was first
put on the British market, some three years ago, its
sponsors stated that the car had been designed as a
sports model, capable of good performances on the road.
In its layout were incorporated several features that
were the.outcome of experience gained in building high-efficiency
aeroplane engines, and the way in which this car has
gained considerable popularity among motorists of all
classes has given the lie direct to those who considered
that an engine incorporating such features as four valves
per cylinder, dual magneto ignition, and other features
usually connected with racing types pur et simple,
would not be successful. Continued...</s> | 2,274 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Answer to
Mr Mann's case. The BDC's limited
definition of a Speed Six, or of any other vintage
Bentley type, that was championed by Mr Fenn does
not include any reference to the car's continuous
history. However, the BDC's limited definition without
reference to continuous history clearly provides
a satisfactory method of classifying a car as being
a particular vintage Bentley type for BDC's purposes.
These purposes are to define who may be a member
of the BDC and which car may enter any particular
race, competition or rally that it sponsors. The
method of classification used by the BDC was not
formally established in evidence but I am satisfied
that the broad and somewhat rudimentary system of
classification used by Mr Fenn with its reference
to chassis number without any reference to continuous
documentary history is used within the BDC and is
workable for its limited purposes of defining who
may be a member of the BDC and what car may enter
one of its sponsored races or competitions.</s> | 2,275 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
The word "unique" is sadly
overworked; so much so that people have fallen into
the error of coupling it with qualifications such as
"very" or "almost." The dictionary
definition is as follows: "single in its kind of
excellence." In this sense and without qualification
the new 8-litre Bentley is a unique car… The top-gear
speed range of which this car is capable with closed
coachwork is in itself very unusual, the figures being
a minimum of 6 m.p.h. and a maximum of 104 m.p.h. Additionally,
the car runs very quietly, is docile and flexible in
traffic, holds the road admirably and Is possessed of
exceedingly good brakes. Continued...</s> | 2,276 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
Now these cars were light, probably
weighing under on ton; they had no front wheel brakes
and the bodies were somewhat exiguous. Thus one very
important way to increase performance is to add lightness.
(W.O. must have been sadly disappointed when vast saloon
coachwork was fitted to some of his chassis). All that
the company did in the early days to prepare the cars
for racing, was to remove those parts allowed by the
regulations, carefully assemble the engine, so that
it operated as designed and was free running, and to
ensure that what brakes there were, operated efficiently,
and that the chassis was free rolling. Although the
car designers seemed to pay scant attention to the principles
of Ackerman steering geometry, they would have ensured
that each steering arm had the same offset and that
when the car was pointing in a straight line, the drag
link steering ball pin was on the centre line of the
front axle. They did at this time, of course, experiment
with lightened hourglass pistons and 4 bolt rods. In
fact there is a rod at Club office which is more air
than rod — a very delicate object!
Before one goes racing remember, that however one thrashes
the car on the road, it is at naught as to what happens
on the racing circuit and the adrenalin consigns the
wallet to the back pocket! Thus, if a car is raced for
10 laps of, say, Silverstone, that is equivalent to
at least 500 miles of normal road use. So be prepared
for some more than usual expenditure. I well remember
a friend modifying a Bentley for racing, (Speed six
rear axle, 'D' gearbox, uprated 4½ litre engine
etc.), and he said that when he saw the shards of rubber
being torn off the front racing covers at the first
corner, he slowed down and had a mental consultation
with his bank manager!</s> | 2,277 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
Having examined the car closely at
the premises at Dutton U.K. Limited, and having satisfied
himself that the numbers identifying the components
correspond with the documentation relating to the car,
he is satisfied that the chassis is stamped LB2332 and
the engine is marked YH5127. As a result, he is in no
doubt that the car in Mr. Hubbard's possession is the
car which has historically been known as Old Number
One. As he put it, "I base this identification upon
this chassis which is rather unusual in that when it
was rebuilt by Walter Hassan in 1931 he replaced the
Speed 6 side rails with new 4 litre Bentley type side
rails while retaining Old Number One's D Type gear box
and related chassis cross members. I don't know of another
Bentley with this configuration."</s> | 2,278 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
Spent the free day walking around lake
Louise (5km). Hand fed the Clark's Nutcracker birds
as Bruce, our neighbor, suggested. These are medium
size birds that have no fear of people. Drove to Banff
on the parkway, saw some deer and elk far away and a
group of mountain goats on the roadside close up —
no bears yet. The Canadian Rockies are very beautiful
here, wide valleys with snow caped mountains on either
side. Down the middle of the valley runs the river and
the Canadian RR track. The trains pull approximately
125 wagons with four locomotives, two in front, one
in the middle and one in the back. Weather stayed perfect,
but the forecast calls for a big change tonight. We
are putting our shorts away and are getting the heavy
jackets out just in case...</s> | 2,279 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
A couple of cars that I can remember
doing were one for Len Wilton — "Old Number
Seven", Registration No. MK 5206, which is still
running today and doing very well for itself and, I
think, still has all my components on it. Another for
Roger Collings with his 4½ Litre, Registration
No. RT 4700. There are of course, many more, but these
are a couple of cars that I know are still chasing around
and still looking very good for their age.
The trimming side was quite different for me. I took
trim apart from old cars, examined it, and found out
how to do it, but of course it still needed the practical
side. I bought myself a heavy duty sewing machine and
various bits of equipment that you need and went to
Connally's where I made friends and was given every
bit of help that they could give me — which was
a great encouragement for our business.
I also met a trimmer of the old school who started me
on trimming the bodies. I began doing interiors without
the seats which is a little more complicated. Then he
taught me the seating arrangements and we went on to
the hoods. I received expert tuition and, with a bit
of flair and willingness to learn and learn quickly,
I soon picked it up. I was able to turn out a car complete
in the end but, until his death, always had my friend
with me at hand should I get into any problem.
Chris was a help to me in my trimming. She would come
with me to the garage and sit and sew the body fabrics
together for me with her nimble hands — do anything
she could do to see that the car went out to the standard
that was expected.</s> | 2,280 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
The cape was first discovered in 1420
by Bartholomew Diaz, the Portuguese spice trader. Vasco
da Gama came 20 years later and developed the first
map of Africa. As the cape was half way between India
and Europe the East India Company developed a trading
post here. The Dutch eventually colonized the cape and
in 1820 the British took over... In 1954 South Africa
became an independent State. The white only vote and
white only having access to good education and skilled
jobs ended in 1994 when Nelson Mandela was released
from prison. Today the private and public schools are
mixed, the best players make the cricket team and there
is equal opportunity to go to university. When filling
jobs 7 colored and three white people have to be interviewed,
a kind of a quota system to bring the non-whites into
the middle class. The bigger issue now is the gap between
rich and poor and the ghettos in the big cities where
drug gangs rule.
Last Sunday we toured the cape in the back of the Boogers
4.5 Litre, visited a colony of penguins (1600 km to
the Antarctica) as the waters are a cool 15 degrees.
We were introduced by our host (who lives here) to their
neighbours, a Swiss couple who live in the fashionable
Camps Bay with its palm lined beach and lively atmosphere.
The twelve apostles (stone formations in the sea) and
table mountain/Tafelberg ravines and buttresses form
an impressive backdrop. The Swiss couple invited us
to their house for a cappuccino and espresso. For the
farewell dinner we ordered an iron and pressed trousers
and shirts to look halfway respectable, as we did not
have jackets as requested! After 10 minutes most of
the guys took off their jackets anyway and we were good
company again.
The highlights of the tour were:
:: The Shamwari lodge game reserve with the super
lodge and wildlife - the friendly people in Swaziland
with the very alpine scenery
:: Capetown with the Tafelberg/Table mountain
and its beaches</s> | 2,281 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Sammy Davis is something of a legend
these days, 86 now, (this article was published in
1974!) and twinkling back through a career in and
around racing cars that goes back as far as racing itself...
He remembers his first Grand Prix experience in 1924
at Lyons... Two years later he was with the Bentley
team at Le Mans and set for second place with 20 minutes
to go when he ran out of brakes and plunged into the
sand at Mulsanne with the 3-litre Bentley carrying the
number seven. It was this same brake problem that sent
Dr Benjafield into a tree in a later race after he had
bought it from the factory for his personal use... Continued...</s> | 2,282 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
Bentley Blower No. 1 (Chassis No. HB3402)
is a racing car developed from the Bentley 4½
Litre by Sir Henry "Tim" Birkin to win the
Le Mans twenty four hour race. The car came second in
the 1930 French Grand Prix, and held the Brooklands
circuit speed record at 137.96 miles per hour (222.03
km/h), from 1931 to 1934.
Background
In 1921 Sir Henry "Tim" Birkin turned to motor
racing, competing a few races at Brooklands. Business
and family pressure then forced him to retire from the
tracks until 1927 when he entered a three litre Bentley
for a six hour race. For 1928 he acquired a 4½
litre car and after some good results decided to return
to motor racing, very much against his family's wishes.
Soon Birkin was one of the Bentley Boys, described as
"the greatest Briton of his time" by W.O.
Bentley. In 1928 Birkin entered the Le Mans race again,
leading the first twenty laps until a jammed wheel forced
him to drop back, finishing fifth. He won the race in
1929, racing the "Speed Six" as co-driver
to Woolf Barnato.
Base car
If W.O. Bentley wanted a more powerful car he developed
a bigger model, and the Speed Six was a huge car. Ettore
Bugatti once referred to the Bentley as "the world's
fastest lorry" ("Le camion plus vite du monde").
In 1928, Birkin had come to the conclusion that the
future lay in getting more power from a lighter model
by fitting a supercharger to the 4½ litre Bentley,
refusing to adhere strictly to "W.O."'s assertion
that increasing displacement is always preferable to
forced induction. "W.O." believed that: "To
supercharge a Bentley engine was to pervert its design
and corrupt its performance."
When Bentley Motors refused to create the supercharged
model, Birkin determined to develop it himself.
Development
Birkin set-up his own engineering works for the purpose
of developing the car at Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.
With financial backing from Dorothy Paget, a wealthy
horse racing enthusiast financing the project after
his own money had run out, and technical help from Clive
Gallop, Birkin engaged supercharger specialist Amherst
Villiers. Mercedes-Benz had been using compressors for
a few years.
To be power developed, the 4½ Litre Bentley engine
had a distinct advantage. A single overhead camshaft
actuated four valves per cylinder, inclined at 30 degrees,
a technically advanced design at a time where most cars
used only two valves per cylinder. Secondly the cars
tanks - radiator, oil and petrol - had filler caps that
did not unscrew but were easily removed with one stroke
of a lever. This saved time during stops.
"W.O." refused to allow the engine to be modified
to incorporate the compressor. The huge Roots-type supercharger
("blower") was hence added in front of the
radiator, driven straight from the crankshaft. This
gave the Blower Bentley a unique and easily recognisable
profile, and exacerbating its understeer. A guard protected
the two carburetters located at the compressor intake.
Similar protection was used (both in the 4½ Litre
and the Blower) for the fuel tank at the rear, because
a flying stone punctured the 3 Litre of Frank Clement
and John Duff during the first 24 Hours of Le Mans,
possibly depriving them of victory. The crankshaft,
pistons and lubrication system were special to the Blower
engine.</s> | 2,283 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Here is what J.G. Fry says about the
3-4 1/2 litre hybrid: "Recipe: take a good 3-litre
Red Label Bentley chassis, mix in a good 4 1/2 litre
engine gear box, and transmission and add a light two-seater
body with accessories to taste. The result is a motorcar,
which while still retaining a good vintage flavour,
possesses a performance equalled by few other machines
even of the most modern and expensive type..."
Continued...</s> | 2,284 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
Mr Mann welcomed the decision
claiming that the previous judgement would have
had “immense” consequences for the “entire
antiques market”.
Speaking outside the Royal Courts of Justice on
Wednesday, he said: “The problem with 80-year-old
cars like these is that at some stage everything
has to be replaced. If you replace the leg on
a Sheraton table, it is still a Sheraton table...
This is a good day for the historic car business
and indeed, had the flawed (earlier) judgment
been allowed to stand, the implications for the
entire antiques market would have been immense.”
The lengthy battle over the Bentley began when
Mrs Brewer, of Oakham, Rutland, bought the car
from Mr Mann, of Radlett, Hertfordshire, nearly
five years ago.
Launched in the late 1920s, the legendary Speed
Six was built during the company's heyday and
is regarded as the finest vintage models Bentley
has ever produced.
With a six-and-a-half litre engine providing 180
horsepower, the classic British sports car proved
to be Bentley's most successful racer winner with
two victories at Le Mans in 1929 and 1930.
But during a High Court hearing in October last
year, Mrs Brewer claimed that she had been shocked
to discover only part of her Bentley’s chassis
was original, and that the vehicle’s engine
was a “reconstructed” standard 6.5 litre
unit dating to 1927.
Ruling on the case then, Judge Anthony Thornton
QC said the car had been so heavily worked on
it “was no longer capable of being accurately
described as a “1930 Bentley Speed Six Car”.”
But the appeal judges criticised his findings
saying he had “misunderstood or misinterpreted
the evidence of the experts and that he created
issues where there were none.”
They added: “We express our regret at this
unhappy outcome, but in circumstances where the
trial as a whole was undermined by the judge's
apparent loss of the necessary objectivity, no
other solution has been possible.”
Mr Mann, who has dealt in vintage Bentleys for
more than 40 years, has since bought back the
Bentley. After completing further restoration
work he sold it on again six months ago for £675,000.</s> | 2,285 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
Conclusion
� Fortis's counterclaim. Fortis has no entitlement
to counterclaim the arrears of hire outstanding
at the date it purported to terminate the agreement
nor to damages for future loss of hire recovery.
(3) Mrs Brewer's claim against Fortis</s> | 2,286 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
However, the 5000km around the South Island is not
for the faint-hearted. Mrs Ford said many of the drivers
were in their 70s and were "true adventurers".
Driving the "very physical cars" through extremes
of cold and heat took strength, she said. "You
can feel it in your shoulders at the end of the day."
Together, the 30 cars are estimated to be worth $25
million but the organisers were reluctant to divulge
the cost of the tour.
"You can't put a price on a good time," Mr
Cook said.</s> | 2,287 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
Christopher Jonas -
Feb 11, 2014
Dear Robert. Thank you so much for the brilliant
Newsletter. I read every word with interest!
The most fantastic engineer is Steve Wynne,
so anything he says or writes is golden
info. Many thanks again.</s> | 2,288 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
This year (2013) was the 90th
anniversary of the very first 24 Hours of Le Mans. At
4 PM on May 26, 1923, shortly after the onset of a rain
shower, the starter's flag fell. And as the assembled
cars — of which only one, a Bentley 3.0 Sport like
the one photographed here, wasn't built in France —
scrabbled away on the roughly surfaced road, the rain
turned to hail.</s> | 2,289 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Mr Fenn, therefore,
has and demonstrated an expert and possibly unrivalled
knowledge of the history of Bentley vintage cars
and of how they have been raced, looked after and
described by the BDC and as to how they have been
repaired, maintained, rebuilt and reconstructed
over time.</s> | 2,290 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
Of the three experimental cars built,
only EXP2 remains and it has been rebodied more than
once. Of the first five customer cars built, only #3
and #5 exist, and only #3 retains its 1921 specification.
The years-long restoration of Chassis
#3 was made more challenging by the fact that in
1921, Bentley was just beginning customer production
and hadn't yet standardized his parts suppliers.
"Essentially this was the fourth car built,"
said Hagenan. "On a car this early – the first
car Bentley ever got paid for – he was working
with different suppliers of parts like gauges and carburetors,
so early cars have components that are unique to that
chassis only, or 3-Litres only.
Twigg-Smith spent years scouring catalogs and employing
the resources of the Bentley Driver's Club to figure
out what was correct on the pieced car he bought, and
determining the exact specification of Chassis #3 in
1921.</s> | 2,291 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
ANOTHER year has come to an end, another
succession of epic battles has been fought out on road
and track, and once more we may look back on the year
that has passed and see how we stand for the future.
There is no doubt that the 1929 season was eminently
successful; we must see to it that the future is equally
well filled with scope for the racing enthusiast. Continued...</s> | 2,292 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
As each year's racing season draws
to a close, it is as well to give a critical glance
at its results and notice the features which mark its
story, and in. this way it is perhaps opportune to attempt
to investigate what 1927 has brought forth. The past
year cannot be said to have been brilliantly successful
from the motor racing point of view, though it was perhaps
better than 1926, but nevertheless it presents certain
characteristics which are worth noting. Continued...</s> | 2,293 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
Within a fortnight it had been modified
and prepared for the Irish Grand Prix at Phoenix Park.
The back axle internals had been removed; the fishtail
had been refitted to the exhaust; the windscreen removed
and aero-screens fitted direct to the body. In this
form it took second place.</s> | 2,294 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Most of us give up any hope of owning
our dream car, but spiralling values of vintage Bentleys
in the early '80s didn't deter a teenage Michael Hay:
"It was a book in our school library called Cars,
Cars, Cars that really switched me on. On the back
cover was an overhead shot of a 1926 3-litre Speed Model."
Although Michael was only 14, that image triggered a
craving to own one.
"In 1981, I was unlucky enough to be involved in
a bicycle accident which landed me in hospital for three
months, followed by another six struggling around on
crutches. However, with the £3000 insurance money
I started seriously looking for a Bentley. By then I
was 17 and had already met several owners including
Tim Houlding. He had a built, 4½ litre from scratch
between '77 and '81 and his was the first Bentley I
rode in. That exhilarating late-night ride will never
be forgotten."
Hay hit gold when he spotted an advert in November 1982:
"I caught a train up to see the owner, Douglas
Miller. What remained was a chassis frame, front and
rear axles, a radiator and a steering column, which
was better than it sounds. It took all my insurance
money. The removal company that transported the parts
down to St Albans joked about my delivery of scrap when
it finally arrived."
This discovery had started life as a 3-litre model with
saloon coachwork by Harrison. It had been broken up
in 1960: "The chassis had been really butchered.
To shorten it from 10ft 10in to 9ft 9½in they
had cut it and crudely arc-welded 1/4in plate on each
side. The car had also been involved in an accident
as the front dumb irons were twisted. The track rods
were missing, the radiator shell was cracked and the
front axle had no brake linkages or backplates."</s> | 2,295 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
During all this period, as you can
see, I built up a clientele of very generous and nice
people within the club and around, rebuilt many cars,
and was fully involved in every type of work encompassing
coachwork, including electrical work and in some cases
a little mechanical engineering. I didn't get too involved
in the engines except, of course, on my own cars which
I would take apart and service regularly and overhaul
when necessary.
Decision Time
Fortunately I had complete support of my wife Chris,
who loved the cars and enjoyed riding with me and going
to events and, with the children, it made a proper family.
The driving was a lot easier than it is today. It started
me well into a career which I've enjoyed well up into
this present day.
After some time I found that my spare time was pretty
well taken up with Bentleys. I had to make a decision
whether to cut down on the amount of Bentley work or
give up my full-time work for I was unable to do both
satisfactorily. I must say my full-time work did not
suffer as far as I know, but I did feel that I would
have to cut down on some Bentley work. But, in fact,
it was growing and I found it difficult to say no. It
had to be sorted.</s> | 2,296 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
Bentleys were first
manufactured in 1919 when Walter Owen Bentley, or
W.O. as he is usually known as ("W.O."), founded
his own motor car company, Bentley Motors. W.O.
was then thirty one years old and he had acquired
a passion for speed and had developed his remarkable
abilities as a motor engineer early in life. He
left school at sixteen in 1905 and in the years
up to 1912 worked as an apprentice railway engineer
and as an engineer in charge of a railway engine
cab maintenance workshop. He then joined his elder
brother to form a company trading in French cars
carrying the DFP engine. In that period, he designed
new aluminium alloy pistons and a tuned camshaft
for the DFP engine, thereby enabling the DFP to
take several records at Brooklands in 1913 and 1914.
On the outbreak of the Great War, he joined the
Royal Naval Air Service as an engineer and played
a major role in improving the design of the Clerget
engines for the Sopwith Camel and Sopwith Snipe
aircraft, thereby earning himself an MBE and a sizable
financial reward from the Commission for Awards
to Inventors. Whilst serving during the war, he
met two other motor engineers of note, F. T. Burgess
and Harry Varley. After the war, he established
Bentley Motors in Cricklewood and, in the twelve
years that he ran Bentley Motors, he persuaded Burgess
and Varley to join him as engineers and motor designers
and an old school friend, Richard Witchell, to become
the Bentley racing manager. Another great engineer,
Harry Weslake joined them later. W.O. also recruited
during his tenure two remarkable mechanics, Wally
Hassan and Nobby Clarke. W.O's intention was to
create a new range of high-performance cars which
would be used by the rich and famous whilst simultaneously
being raced as world-beating racing cars.</s> | 2,297 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
Mr Brewer's
meeting with Mr Mann. Soon after
the initial telephone conversation, Mr Brewer went
to see the car on a Sunday morning, which is a time
when Mr Mann opens his premises for viewing cars
being offered for sale. Mr Brewer said in evidence
that he asked Mr Mann whether the engine was a Speed
Six engine and that Mr Mann told him that it was.
Mr Brewer then explained that his wife would be
buying the car so that she would have to come and
see it. Mr Mann denied that he had stated that the
engine was a Speed Six engine. He recalled that
they agreed a price of �430,000, subject to a �5,000
discount and that Mr Brewer wanted to borrow the
money so that he put Mr Brewer in touch with Mr
Hardiman who was a representative that he knew at
Stoke Park Finance Ltd who had arranged finance
for previous buyers of his vintage cars. Mr Brewer's
evidence, which I accept, was that the part of the
discussion about financing the deal occurred at
the meeting on 20 May 2007.</s> | 2,298 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
The intended purpose
of all these changes was to enable the engine to
resemble the 1930 Speed Six engine physically and
to increase its power and reliability and the speed
of the car so that it performed as a 1930 Speed
Six engine and could survive the additional stresses
of high speed long-distance racing and satisfy the
1930 Speed Six engine specification.</s> | 2,299 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
The Easter Meeting of the B.A.R.C.
The Car Racing Season Opens with an Exciting Meeting.
Published in "Motor
Sport", May 1926
EXCELLENT racing was witnessed at Brooklands
by a crowd estimated at between 20,000 and 25,000 people
on Easter Monday, when the track season commenced with
a very successful meeting.
No one could possibly complain about the lack of thrills,
for J. D. Barclay almost went over the top and regained
control after one of the most remarkable skids ever
witnessed on the track, whilst the crowd were also delighted
by the wonderful performance of the supercharged Saltnson,
which driven by Mons. A. Goutte, sprung several surprises
by putting up some most astounding lap speeds.
As usual, the paddock presented a lively scene long
before the racing actually started, and the enclosures
were thronged by picnic parties in gay attire, evidently
combining a Bank Holiday party in the open air, with
the enjoyment of a good afternoon's sport.
In the paddock there was the usual bustle of final preparations,
for somehow it seems impossible for all the competitors
to get ready in time to start without much titivating
of the machinery, but this, though perhaps rather irritating
for the drivers, adds a further flavour of excitement
to the proceedings and keeps the public on tenterhooks
as to how their money should be invested, where the
mild flutters are concerned.
The Easter Private Competitors' Handicap.
Seven starters lined up for the first race, which
was over a distance of 51 miles, starting and finishing
on the Railway Straight. The latter arrangement is certainly
one of the bad points of the racing from the spectators'
point of view ; but perhaps some day or other the committee
will see fit to provide stands so that the starts and
finishes can be seen at close quarters instead of by
the aid of field glasses, as is necessary at present.
R. G. Moore on his Gwynne Special got away well with
a start of i min. 7 secs. and for some distance held
the lead from E. F. Walter on a Salmson. Then J. S.
Spencer was seen to be making good headway on his 2-litre
Sunbeam and was only a short distance behind Moore as
the Fork was passed for the second time. On arriving
at the Members' Bridge, Spencer had a useful lead and
eventually won rather easily from C. S. Staniland, whose
2-litre Bugatti proved too fast for the Gwynne Special.
Spencer's car was one of the Strasbourg Grand Prix Sunbeams,
and his average worked out at 91.88 m.p.h.
The Thirty-seventh 75 m.p.h. Short Handicap.
This race attracted no fewer than fifteen starters,
of whom R. T. T. Spencer on a green Austin Seven was
sent off with 59 seconds start. Samuelson on another
little Austin petered out on the first lap, but the
firstnamed made very good use of his start and managed
to hold it until the end, though he was seriously challenged
by Vernon Balls' Amilcar, Gillow (Riley) and Oates (0.M.)
following closely in their wake. Among the back markers
Frazer Nash appeared to be very fast, but Felix Scriven's
"No, No, Nanette" was certainly in a truculent
mood, only consenting to come in a rather bad last.
Since pensioning off his Austin Twenty Mr. Scriven has
not had very good luck at Brooklands, but perhaps later
in the season he may return to winning form. The two
Salmsons driven respectively by George Newman and Captain
Hazlehurst travelled well but could not get on terms
with the leaders, the order of finishing being R. T.
T. Spencer (Austin Seven), Vernon Balls (Atnilcar),
Gillow (Riley) and Eyston (Aston-Martin). The winner's
speed was 731 miles per hour.
The Forty-seventh 100 m.p.h. Short Handicap.
This race was noteworthy as providing the only false
start on record at Brooklands, for by some misunderstanding
Sir R. Gunter started off before the proper signal was
given, and had to return to the post. The next man away
was Mons. A. Goutte on the supercharged.Salmson, who
passed Gunter before reaching the end of the Railway
Straight, literally flashing past him at a terrific
speed and putting up a lead which left the others no
shadow of a chance, though Barclay (r.T. Vauxhall),
Meeson (Vauxhall), J. R. Cobb (Nat) and Capt. Miller
(Sunbeam) were all travelling very fast.
In this race, J. G. P. Thomas slowed up towards the
end, his engine apparently suffering from bearing trouble,
for it did not appear again during the afternoon, much
to the disappointment of the crowd. Gunter's Vauxhall
was also in trouble after finishing and the contest
was remarkable for the unexpected speed of the Salmson,
which won at 101.07 m.p.h., a new record for a I,100
C.C. car for the distance, the previous record being
87.12 m.p.h. Before breaking down, Gunter managed to
run into the second place, and Barclay's Vauxhall was
third.
Inquiries in the paddock after the race proved that
Gunter's Vauxhall had suffered a mishap to the universal
joint on the cardan shaft.
The Twenty-second 90 m.p.h. Short Handicap.
The general aspects of the fourth race were altered
owing to the re-handicapping of M. Goutte and J. S.
Spencer, the former losing 25 seconds and the latter
5 seconds, owing to their previous wins. Hazlehurst,
the limit man, with 37 secs. start, and Capt. Waite,
who started 10 seconds later, got going at a very good
speed, but Turner, on the Austro-Daimler, rapidly made
headway, with George Duller coming along in good style
at the rear. He was driving Capt. Woolf Barnato's Bugatti,
and went to the front after passing the fork for the
second time. Until a few yards from the finishing post,
it looked as though Hazlehurst's Austin would be second,
but during the last few seconds, Turner flashed past,
beating him practically on the post, making one of the
closest finishes of the afternoon. Duller, who drove
with his characteristic skill and dash, won this race
at an average speed of 97 m.p.h., and some of the bookmakers
seemed loth to pay up, owing to the unannounced change
in drivers.
The Brooklands Founders' Gold Cup Race.
The star turn of the afternoon was robbed of much of
its interest by the absence of J. G. P. Thomas, whose
Leyland-Thomas had packed up in the third race. Kaye
Don (Wolseley Viper) was first away, but was quickly
overhauled by Barclay on the Vauxhall, with Cobb and
Howey following.
On the second time round, Howey's Ballot was gathering
speed and travelling high up on the banking, passed
the rest of the field with comparative ease. The Viper
was suffering from a fit of misfiring and finished last,
the race being won by R. B. Howey at r061 in.p.h., with
Barclay (Vauxhall) second and J. R. Cobb, on R. Warde's
Fiat, third.
The Twenty-second 90 m.p.h. Long Handicap.
George Newman (Salmson), with I min. 3 secs. start,
held the lead from a field of ten, but his position
was seriously menaced by a quickly moving little bunch
of cars, comprising Waite's Austin, Eyston's Aston-Martin,
and Barnato's Bentley. The above order of running remained
unaltered until Frazer Nash ran into the third place.
Whilst the leaders were fighting out a battle royal,
things were happening in the rear, for Goutte was forging
ahead with the speedy Salmson, and by the time the fork
was reached on the final lap, he had overtaken all except
Barnato's Bentley. A bad skid under the Members' Bridge
had the effect of steadying Goutte down considerably,
and this allowed Barnato to keep the lead he seemed
in danger of losing to the Frenchman, and though the
latter quickly made up the lost ground, he was unable
to beat the Bentley for the first place. Barnato's speed
was 108 m.p.h., the second and third places being gained
by Goutte and Newman (Salmson) respectively.
The Forty-sixth 100 m.p.h. Long Handicap.
This race provided one of the most miraculous escapes
that has ever been seen at Brooklands and left even
the most hardened of racing men gasping with astonishment.
H. W. Purdy was allowed 37 seconds start with his new
Bugatti, and held quite a nice lead for the first lap,
but obviously could not hold it for long from either
Turner's Austro-Daimler or Woolf Barnato's Bentley.
Turner was leading on the second lap, with Meeson (Vauxhall),
Barnato (Bentley) and J. G. P. Thomas (Lanchester) following
in the order named. At the Members' Bridge, Thomas performed
one of his terrific swoops down from the banking, and
thus gained a good lead. Then towards the end of the
Railway Straight, Barclay attempted to pass another
competitor, with the result that one wheel went over
the top of the banking, shot up a cloud of dust, and
shot backwards down the track, regaining control of
his car after circling round at an appalling speed.
Whilst all this was going on, Thomas and Barnato, who
were just clear of Barclay, went ahead, the order of
finishing being : J. G. P. Thomas (Lanchester), Capt.
W. Barnato (Bentley), and E. L. Meeson (Vauxhall). The
winner's speed was 100.26 m.p.h.
The Thirty-seventh 75 m.p.h. Long Handicap.
The appearance of the Donnet-Zedel, driven by Capt.
Miller, was not regarded as anything very exciting 'by
the handicappers, for it started early among the Austins
and other small fry, even then failing to show any turn
of speed. R. F. Oats, driving an 0.M., led at the end
of the first lap, whilst Gillow's Riley was travelling
very well. During the second lap a thrilling little
scrap was seen to be in progress between two Sahnsons,
driven by G. Newman and Capt. Hazlehurst, until the
latter gradually drew ahead and began to get on terms
with Oats, who was then leading. Just at the last, Hazlehurst
put on a spurt and overtook the 0.M., and just managed
to finish a few yards in front with an average speed
of 87.10 m.p.h. Oats was second and G. Newman third.
The Thirty-second Lightning Long Handicap.
Only four starters lined up for the concluding event
of the meeting, and Barclay received a great ovation
for his pluck in turning out again after his experience
in the Ex) m.p.h. Handicap.
R. B. Howey, in the absence of J. G. P. Thomas, was
the limit man, J. R. Cobb (Fiat) starting 2 seconds
later. Eleven seconds later the flag fell for Barclay.
E. L. Meeson was the first to start, with an allowance
of 50 secs., followed by Barclay 19 secs. later. Then
after a lapse of 12 seconds, the flag fell for J. R.
Cobb (Fiat), and finally R. B. Howey was despatched
as scratch man, in the absence of J. G. P. Thomas. Meeson
led for nearly two laps, when Barclay passed him at
a very high speed. Howey then came to the front, but
did not prove fast enough to hold the lead from Cobb,
who beat him for the second place, Barclay winning at
105.78 m.p.h.</s> | 2,300 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
Roberta
and Bryan Downes (owners of Chassis no. PB3537)
run vintage Bentley wine tours as a hobby for friends
and wine loving Vintage Bentley enthusiasts who enjoy
driving their cars.
This group of vintage Bentley lovers began the wine
tour on June 7, which went on until June 20, 2008. See
map on left for the route these vintage Bentleys took
through France.</s> | 2,301 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
So many readers are interested in the
Bentley marque, and as every owner of an old-school
Bentley we meet seems to enthusiastically read Motor
Sport we feel that some notes on improving the performance
of the old-model Bentleys may prove of interest. We
are indebted to Mr. L. G. McKenzie, the well known Rolls-Royce
and Bentley specialist, for the information that follows.
Continued...</s> | 2,302 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
The sporting car, as a class, has characteristically
more distinction than that possessed by touring types.
Being essentially out of the ordinary, and representing
the result of concentration upon a design intended to
emphasise particular motoring qualities, the sporting
car usually has quite an individuality of its own. Some
sporting cars, of course, are much more conventional
than others ; whilst there are those which seem to stand
quite apart from orthodox standards. Continued...</s> | 2,303 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
"At first there was no suggestion
of my building a special track car for Barnato.
I simply maintained his road cars whenever they
were based at Arden Run and concentrated on preparing
and developing his racing Bentley. The first car
was the old Speed 6 which had brought Barnato so
much success in the works team. He had all the successes
he had gained with it engraved on the radiator.
It had become his own property and in October 1931
he took it to Brooklands for the 500 mile race,
where Jack Dunfee and Cyril Paul were to drive it
."</s> | 2,304 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Should the oil filter and circulation
system on an early 3 Litre (or any other Vintage Bentley)
be maintained as original or can it, or should it be
improved or replaced? There have been several attempts
in the past and apparently with good results. One disadvantage
is that originality is altered. In some cases, drastically.
There have been several replacement filter systems suggested
in the past. Going a step further are the modifications
that were done to The Great American Racer, an early
3 Litre owned by Dick Burdick that has made several
rally runs across the United States. The objective was
to limit engine wear and increase reliability with a
modern oil pump/filter system on chassis 392.
View photos of this system on his chassis
page. When the engine is started, the pressure is
instantly high and remains high at idle and under acceleration
and deceleration. It is not just a modern oil filter.
His mechanic said a modern oil filter alone would not
work because it would restrict flow efficiency. A modern
oil filter needs a pressurized system.
Vintage Bentley owner and
restorer Alan Smith made these comments, which readers
will find of interest:
"A few
years ago some American Bentley owners such as Bill
Porter fitted pre pressure oil systems to their engines.
These systems used an external oil pressure source that
would pressurize the oil system prior to starting up
the engine, the theory being that this would minimize
engine wear as the engine normally rotates several times
before the oil pressure pump is able to bring the system
up to pressure.
Looking at the photos of Dick Burdick's car I can see
that the oil filter system is the same as on my engine
in that he has fitted a full flow oil filter but there
is something else that I can't identify but I suspect
that it is an external pressure device.
The modern full flow oil filter that I fitted to my
car is the same system as on a modern car but on a modern
car the filter is fitted to the side of the crankcase
to an internal oilway.
I don't know anyone that has fitted this external oil
pressure system, the only way to know if this system
does work is to do comparison tests on an engine that
is fitted with the system and on an engine that is not
fitted with this system. I suppose it's just too much
work so we will never know!
Perhaps you can ask the mechanic if such tests were
carried out but I bet that they weren't, so this theory
is really unproven.
The filter system that you have (on your car) at the
moment is fine, is full flow but liable to failure if
water is in the oil. The solution is to fit a full flow
external oil filter which has a bypass fitted such as
the one on my car, making sure that the filter is mounted
in the correct direction relative to the oil flow (direction
arrows on the filter nozzles will show this).
As regards wear on start up, a good synthetic multi
grade oil will help but as nowadays the cars are just
languishing in the garages and never taken out —
this problem with wear is really just academic."
My response was that my discussion with Dick Burdick's
mechanic/restorer was about 20 years ago and the Burdick
museum was closed and the cars sold. I would think the
subject of filters and oil pumps is worthy of discussion.
After all, we do not want our engines to wear out and
technology has changed. Is there a better way or was
W.O. Bentley's way adequate? What are your solutions?
Do you have a revised system? Is there one being produced
to our cars?</s> | 2,305 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
Completing the specifications for this
Bentley 4½ Litre Blower (Chassis
No. SM3917) review was the simplest of tasks. I
simply referred to a framed line drawing I have had
on my wall since I was 10 years old.
WO Bentley might not have agreed with supercharging
his 4½-litre model, but the result is surely
the quintessence of Bentley lore that every schoolboy
should know. Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin and his
Blower Bentley are one of the most gallant man and machine
partnerships, up there with Horatio Nelson and the Victory,
Guy Gibson and his Dambusters Lancaster and Andy Green
and Thrust SSC.
In the 1930 Le Mans 24 Hours race, Birkin, dubbed “the
greatest Briton of his time” by none other than
WO himself, took on the mighty works Mercedes-Benz SSK
and its lead driver Rudolf Caracciola. How he overtook
the German ace at the end of the Mulsanne straight,
on the grass at 125mph, throwing a tyre tread, but contemptuously
keeping his foot in, is the stuff of legend. He didn’t
finish the race and it’s arguable whether he actually
made a difference (works Bentley Speed Sixes came first
and second), but this is a fable impervious to mere
details.</s> | 2,306 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
During all this period, as you can
see, I built up a clientele of very generous and nice
people within the club and around, rebuilt many cars,
and was fully involved in every type of work encompassing
coachwork, including electrical work and in some cases
a little mechanical engineering. I didn't get too involved
in the engines except, of course, on my own cars which
I would take apart and service regularly and overhaul
when necessary.
Decision Time
Fortunately I had complete support of my wife Chris,
who loved the cars and enjoyed riding with me and going
to events and, with the children, it made a proper family.
The driving was a lot easier than it is today. It started
me well into a career which I've enjoyed well up into
this present day.
After some time I found that my spare time was pretty
well taken up with Bentleys. I had to make a decision
whether to cut down on the amount of Bentley work or
give up my full-time work for I was unable to do both
satisfactorily. I must say my full-time work did not
suffer as far as I know, but I did feel that I would
have to cut down on some Bentley work. But, in fact,
it was growing and I found it difficult to say no. It
had to be sorted.</s> | 2,307 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
More than 60 old Bentleys from all
over the world toured around South Africa in March 1990.
These were brought to South Africa from all around the
world to take part in the Total Vintage Bentley Tour.
Continued...</s> | 2,308 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
Mr Brant contended
that this provision had the effect that the contractual
description of the car as a "1930 Bentley Speed
Six Car" was a "condition, warranty, stipulation
or representation whatsoever of any kind" that had
been given by the Owner, its servants or agents
in relation to the goods. Thus, Fortis had not given
that condition, warranty, stipulation or representation
and could not be liable for the misdescription it
contained.</s> | 2,309 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
The car, which was later to be known
as Old Number One, started life when it was selected
at random from the Standard Six production line in preparation
as the Bentley team entry for the 1929 Le Mans race.
At that stage it was technically known as a rolling
chassis, consisting of a chassis or chassis frame, an
engine, steering column, suspension and wheels. It bore
the chassis number LB2332 and the engine number LB2336.
It was taken to the racing shop where it was stripped
down and rebuilt to a higher specification by Wally
Hassan, the master mechanic, and others.</s> | 2,310 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
~~</s> | 2,311 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
"He would have been
a clever man who could have indicated what
constituted the basis of the Rudge-Whitworth
Cup. A minimum distance had to be covered
in the two rounds of the clock, this distance
being in proportion to the size of the engine
and rising from 503 miles for the 1100cc
Amilcar to 968 miles for the big French
Excelsiors. All those covering this distance
would qualify for the following year's race.
Such a basis, however, left the race without
a winner, and was as unsatisfactory for
the drivers as for the public."</s> | 2,312 |
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For Bentley enthusiast R.G. Baillie,
the acquisition of a 3-litre became a dream of his from
the moment when he first saw the Bentley at the 1921
Motor Show, but it was many years before that dream
was realised. As a matter of interest, the Bentley was
originally shown at Olympia, in 1919, the first Motor
Show after the 1918 Armistice. It appeared then as a
chassis only, but in 1920 a complete car was on view,
in the White City section of the Show, with an all-weather
body, forming the only exhibit on the stand.
Continued...</s> | 2,313 |
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Day 19. Roger and I took off with the
Smart car ahead of the other tour participants, our
assignment: supervise the loading of the cars in Nugget
City for transportation to Vancouver. Stopped at Carcross
Desert, known as the smallest desert in the world. It
was created by a retreated glacial lake leaving behind
nothing but sand. The winds from Bennet Lake have prevented
vegetation from taking hold. Stopped in Teslin for lunch
at Dawson's Peak resort on the lake and had a coffee
and cigar outside on the balcony, i.e. 15 ft from the
building, respecting the new smoking law. Saw a Grizzly
bear on the side of the road munching away. Arrived
back in Nugget City, population less than 50, where
the three Bentleys were stranded. They were well taken
care of by Linda and Scott, the owners of the Hotel
here. They moved here 15 years ago and started the place
from scratch — today it's a million $ business.
Doug and Penny from B.C. who take care of the RV park
for the season are here in the their 38 ft Holiday Rambler
right next to the three sad Bentleys and kept an extra
eye on them. They invited us in for a nice chat and
showed us the inside of the motor home which sports
a 350 hp Caterpillar engine right under the master bed.</s> | 2,314 |
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In 1964, Tony White bought the car,
sight unseen, from Tony Whale-Smith. It was not running
and had to be put on an open rail car for transport
to South Africa. After Tony White restored the car (c.
1976) he found the car's performance not to his liking.
He found the performance of a 4½ more suitable.
TB2542 as it appeared following the White restoration:</s> | 2,315 |
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~~</s> | 2,316 |
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There are four tubular front and four rear bumpers
with cast aluminum tips. All of the exterior bright
work is nickel silver. At the center of the rear bumper
is a Saoutchik coach builder’s badge. There are
also badges on the valence panel and the door sills.
The original color scheme, accented with polished aluminum
swaging lines and nickel silver trim with the light
canvas top, must have been striking indeed.</s> | 2,317 |
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Perhaps the best way of summing up
the performance of the three-litre Bentley is to say
that it gives one the impression of being two cars in
one. Fully to appreciate its capabilities one ought
first to be a passenger in it when being handled by
a stolid, "family" type of driver, and afterwards
by one of those bright-eyed, alert, snatch-change Italians
who normally despise anything but a real racing car…
For the three-litre Bentley is truly a vehicle that
gives one seriously to think. Continued...</s> | 2,318 |
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The car eventually sold via Stanley Mann Racing in February 2016 who chose to list it as Chassis 708, (view Stanley Mann Racing page) while introducing it as "...a vintage Bentley that is neither a concours contender nor a matching numbers example". But there was neither any mention of the '102/5ML' chassis nor any pictures of number-stamping on the chassis.</s> | 2,319 |
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~~</s> | 2,320 |
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The above history is an example of
an ongoing process in unraveling the mysteries of a
car's origin. You will enjoy reading the entire history
of Chassis
No. 564 as we know it. And perhaps you know something
about the car before it passed into Roy's hands in 1966.
If so, please submit information here.</s> | 2,321 |
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One day, after completing a car with
a light blue carpet, I left it running for a period
to warm up before taking it out. I went out to move
the car I was horrified to find oil pumped all over
the front carpets — everywhere. I switched off
and removed the carpets and tried to clean them, but
was finding it very difficult. So I bought some petrol
and, using a very big pan, washed the carpets fully
in petrol to remove the oil. I then shampooed them,
hung them on the line, and dried them out. It went very
well indeed, without a sign of oil, but when I fitted
them back in the car they were a slightly different
color than the carpets in the back — which showed
— so I had a problem.
I didn't know quite what to do, because there was no
more material available and time was a factor. So I
carefully removed all the carpets, removed a gallon
of oil from the sump and washed all the carpets in oil.
I then put them through the petrol wash . . . then shampooed
them . . . then put them back in the car clean and sprightly
looking. They looked perfect when they were finished
— a slightly different tone of blue, which didn't
matter as long as they were the same.
When we arrived in Sussex we purchased a house in the
country which had double garages, but did not have sufficient
room to work. I had to look for somewhere to rent to
carry on the business. The first 3-litre that I completed
was done in my double garages at home and I managed
quite well. I then rented a part of a garage locally.
During that time I completed a couple of cars for an
Irish Lord who is a very friendly and generous man.
Those were the first two cars that I completed under
my own business. One of them was a Rolls-Royce. Whilst
I was at that garage I found an employee and between
us we found a garage at Wisborough Green.
We were most fortunate to find an old coachworks which
had been there since the turn of the century and the
owner had retired. He was very helpful to me and, having
rented part of his garages, gradually we were allowed
to take over a little more... and a little mor... Eventually
he died and left note in his will that we should be
allowed to continue there as long as possible.</s> | 2,322 |
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This 4½ litre vintage Bentley (Reg UP 2100) was taken apart and kept in boxes for more than 50 years. It has been reassembled to its former state and could now be worth £800,000. The dismantled 1928 4.5-litre Drop Head registration UP 2100 was found at a three-storey house after its owner Stuart Wallace died last year aged 75.
Former English teacher Mr Wallace bought the car for £280 in 1962 but could not afford to run it because he was a student at the time. And with nowhere to store it, he took apart the components and kept them at his townhouse where they remained for 58 years. He even kept a log of every part with photographs — and some were stored in jars of oil in the hope that one day it would be restored.
But Mr Wallace's wish only came true after his death when his daughter Bea Wallace-Hartstone called in a specialist Bentley dealership. A team of 12 specialists from the Medcalf Collection then spent ten months putting the pieces together to make it fully driveable again.
Only eight of this rare vehicle were made.</s> | 2,323 |
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Do you have a favourite motoring
image (photograph or painting)? If so, what is it?
A superb shot. Picture this: Jack Dunfee in 1930, high
on the Brooklands banking in Old Number 1
What is your favourite/most memorable drive?
Crashing a go-kart through a fence in 1968, only to
look back and see the perfect cut-out of mine and the
kart's shape in the fence
Why Bentley?
Why not? There's no argument: they are the best
Which is better: blown or unblown?
Depends on what company you're in
What prompted you to kickstart the Benjafield Racing
Club?
To gets lots of vintage Bentleys on track with camaraderie
and fun as it used to be
Which is your favourite Bentley of all?
Mother Gun single-seater outer circuit Brooklands car
What is your greatest experience in a Bentley?
Not breaking my neck at 152mph in a vintage Bentley
at Millbrook in 1997!
What did you think of the VM-backed Hunadieres?
It's history repeating itself. Now we know how WO felt
Do you approve of Bentley being owned by a German
company?
Gesundheit!
What are your favourite classic car events?
The Eifel Classic and the Mille Miglia
Who's the most famous person you've had in your
showroom?
My mother
What have been the highs and lows of your career?
Highs: racing vintage Bentleys. Lows: paying the inevitable
costs
What would your epitaph say?
I told you I wasn't feeling well</s> | 2,324 |
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A further reason
why Mr Mann is personally liable to Mrs Brewer is
that SMRL did not buy the car from Mr James until
after SMRL had sold it to Fortis and, until that
sale, the car was in Mr Mann's possession since
it had been bailed to him and not to SMRL. Mr James
had contracted with Mr Mann personally to procure
a sub-sale of the car and in those circumstances
any warranty that Mr Mann gave Mrs Brewer had been
given by him to a prospective buyer of the car at
a time when it was in his possession and he was
personally seeking to arrange for its sub-sale.
For this additional reason, Mr Mann must have given
Mrs Brewer the warranty in his personal capacity.</s> | 2,325 |
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The short-chassis Bentley is very original,
still keeping the factory body and Smith five-jet carburetor.
Many cars have been coverted to Le Mans-bodied replicas
and most owners also change over to Sloper carbs, but
not this example.
Anthony purchased it 2004 from Beaulieu Garage in Hampshire
and it was a runner, but a bit of a project.
"Mechanically it sounded dreadful with knocks bangs
and splutters, but above all this, it had that charisma
that you only get from driving a vintage Bentley. I
just had to buy it – warts and all," Anthony
recalls.</s> | 2,326 |
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Contractual
description. The classic test for
determining whether a description of goods being
sold is a contractual description creating an obligation
on the seller to ensure that the goods comply with
that description is set out in the speech of Lord
Wright in Grant v Australian Knitting Mills Ltd
[13]:
"It may also be pointed out that there is a sale
by description even though the buyer is buying something
displayed before him on the counter; a thing is
sold by description, though it is specific, so long
as it is sold not merely as the specific thing but
as a thing corresponding to a description, e.g.,
woollen under-garments, a hot water bottle, a secondhand
reaping machine, to select a few obvious illustrations."
The car was undoubtedly sold as a "thing corresponding
to a description" whose meaning was "1930 Speed
Six Bentley with a 1930 Speed Six engine". The sale
and hire contracts were, therefore, respectively,
sales and a bailment by description.</s> | 2,327 |
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The mechanicals of the car are the
same as they were after the 1928 mods. The only other
change was the fitting of a 3.84 diff. replacing the
4.16 "stump puller" (changed as part of the
1976 restoration in South Africa) as originally provided
by the factory. The carburetor is the original Smiths
5-jet which, although certainly not economical (10 US
mpg) with the 3.84 diff., certainly gives fine touring
performance. It retains its "C" box and twin
magneto ignition system utilizing contra-rotating ML-GR
6's. There are two side-mounted spares as when new and
a trunk rack at the rear, a corner of which appears
in the original photograph.
The owner history of the car is: 18 Sep. 1926 - Mrs.
Cholmeley; Apr. 1927 - H.R.G. Colclough, Virginia Water;
Mar. 1931 - O.J. Battine, London; Aug. 1935 - R.C. Brooks,
Ashley Vale, Bristol; 1937 - Desmond Baumann Capetown,
South Africa; 1938 - J.H. Mitchell, Capetown, South
Africa; 1938 Tony Whale-Smith, Rhodesia; Mike Simpkins,
Rusape, Rhodesia; Feb. 64 - K. Anthony White, Capetown
South Africa; Jul. 1977 - Col. R. MacDonald-Hall, Essex;
1983 - Ron Player, Dover, Kent; May 1988 - Helmut Peitz,
Lisbon, Portugal; 2001 - Peter Hageman, Seattle, Washington,
USA; Mar. 2002 - Matthew Sysak, Washington Crossing,
Pennsylvania, USA.
The car, in the ownership of its English owners, had
accumulated approximately 80,000 miles on the clock
when it was exported to South Africa. After going through
owners in South Africa, the car was campaigned including
hill climbs. Eventually, TB2542 was abandoned in a field
on a farm near Rusape, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). The
appearance of the car at that time was rough to say
the least as can be seen in the following photo. Notice
how the wings had been modified by the time this photo
was taken. They were changed back to the much more attractive
original shape by Tony White during his 1976 restoration.</s> | 2,328 |
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Contrast in size of car can certainly
be claimed for this week's subject, an 8-litre Bentley,
when it is recalled that last week an Austin Seven "special"
held the T.O.S.C. stage. The Bentley has a roof, it
will be observed, but I feel that there will be few
if any dissentients on this score as regards its sports
car status. Continued...</s> | 2,329 |
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Shortly afterwards it was noted that
there was a change to the windscreen and a standard
exhaust system with silencer had been added.</s> | 2,330 |
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Six-cylinder Bentley cars, in the form
of the 147hp 61/2 Litre and 180hp Speed Six, were introduced
in 1926, and these cars would win Le Mans again in 1929
and 1930. The four-cylinder 3 Litre was revised into
the 4 1/2 Litre, the car that would spawn what is arguably
the most famous of all W.O. cars, despite it being one
that he himself didn’t approve of: the 50 supercharged,
175hp “Blower Bentleys” built in 1929 at the
request of one of his prominent patrons for racing homologation
purposes.
Being a development of the 3 Litre models, the black
label badged 1927-1931 4 1/2 Litre Bentley was also
available in long standard (10 feet, 10 inches) and
short standard (9 feet, 9 1/2 inches) chassis lengths,
although just 10 short chassis were built. Its twin
SU-fed 4,398cc fourcylinder engine used a 100 x 140mm
bore and stroke and a 5.1 to 5.3:1 compression ratio
to make 100hp at 3,500 RPM. This change raised the car’s
average maximum speed from 80 to more than 90 MPH; light,
open cars like the famous cyclefendered, Vanden Plas-bodied
Le Mans replicas could now better 100 MPH off of the
showroom floor, a boon in the competition in which these
cars were often engaged. Some late 4 1/2 Litre cars
were fitted with the heavy-duty crankshaft of the supercharged
model, improving their legendary durability yet further.
Sadly, Bentley Motors Ltd. was nearing the end of its
days as an independent company; Rolls-Royce purchased
the firm in 1931.
The issue of placing a standardized value on a vintage
four-cylinder Bentley can be a thorny one, explains
Robert McLellan, Bentley historian and the host of the
www.vintagebentleys.org website. “The most fundamental
aspect is learning about the cars before buying one,”
he explains. “The biggest problem is that most
buyers think they are getting an original car when they
are not; they then realize they paid too much. Our website
tells the history, so buyers and sellers will actually
know what they are looking at. Most ‘experts’
cannot tell the cars apart—two cars can look identical,
and one is only worth half of what the other is worth.”
David Brownell, former editor of Hemmings Motor News
and Special Interest Autos magazine, Automobilia Auctions
founder and the 25-year owner of a 1924 Bentley 3 Litre
touring car, adds, “In terms of values, the car
that’s never been mucked with is worth more than
a comparable car that is running its second body, but
the fact that a body’s been changed doesn’t
eliminate it from Bentley Club activities. Some people
will try to bring a chassis or car back to its exact
correct original configuration, but the penalty of doing
that with a closed car—a sedan or limousine—
is that the market demand and value aren’t there
for all of that work, and it usually costs more money
to build a closed car body than it does to build a roadster
or phaeton.
“Gooding just sold a 1927 long-wheelbase 3 Litre
tourer at Pebble Beach; this was a matching numbers
car with a one-off body by Harrington, and it was very
well restored and presented. That car, with the buyer’s
premium, brought $308,000. The sellers of a 1924 3 Litre
Speed that was featured at the Bonhams Brookline [Massachusetts]
auction turned down a bid of $230,000, and that car
needed a lot of loving; I think if that car had cracked
$250,000, they probably would have let it go. That’s
a strong price to pay for a car that essentially was
all right, but cosmetically was in need.”
David continues, “They’re great fun, a good
value. Dare I say, [vintage Bentleys] are a good investment,
because there’s an international demand for them.
People want them here, they want them in England and
in Europe. These cars work on a number of levels in
terms of use: They’re Full Classics, they’re
a vintage sports car that you can race, they’re
eligible for AACA activities, they can go to concours,
they have a lot going for them in terms of acceptability.
They have quite a heritage, and that’s part of
what you’re buying when you buy a Bentley. It’s
that great racing heritage, the great engineering, the
toughness. Everything’s very overbuilt—there’s
nothing delicate about a vintage Bentley,” he says.
“I couldn’t afford to buy mine today—they’re
not cheap. They’re going to cost you a lot of money.”
Body/Frame
A huge variety of coachwork was fitted to the three
chassis lengths that 3 and 4 1/2 Litre cars were built
on, and the frames themselves were overbuilt with truss
braces and five crossmembers; an even sturdier frame
was employed under the 4 1/2 Litres built after the
spring of 1929. Original frames are available from specialist
sources today for those who want to body a vintage Bentley
in their chosen style and trim.
As we’ve noted, many 3 and 4 1/2 Litres look different
today than they did new, but this is not necessarily
detrimental, as sporting open bodies are more highly
sought than formal closed ones. Because they were coachbuilt
cars with bodies and fenders crafted in aluminum or
aluminum, wood and fabric, skilled restorers can bring
even the worst basket cases back to life, given suitable
time and money.
Engines
The 2,996 and 4,398cc 16-valve four-cylinder engines
have been lauded for decades for their durability, but
cars that have been driven with vigor may experience
broken cross-shaft gears. “These are the gears
that go across the tower that goes up to the camshaft,
and their teeth engage the gears that run the magnetos.
The reason they break is not because they’re weak
or badly designed, but because on start-up, they’re
the last part of the engine to get lubrication,”
David explains. “The man who previously owned my
car was a professional restorer, and this happened to
him on a tour in California. He stopped into a place
that did machine work for the aircraft industry, and
had new gears made out of Delrin, a space-age plastic.
This Delrin doesn’t need lubrication, so my cross-shaft
gear worries are over.” Another engine mod that
helps longterm durability is the addition of a modern
oil filtration system to improve upon the primitive
original.
“If you have a really worn engine, the center main
bearing is liable to let go, as that’s the one
that takes a lot of crankshaft whip from the unbalanced
crankshaft. This happened to my car when it had already
done about 200,000 miles, and at that time, we measured
the taper in the cylinders: It was zero. We didn’t
have to replace the pistons or rings, and that’s
a hell of a tribute to the metallurgy in that car. They’re
very, very hard to hurt.” Because the head and
block are cast as one, the engine must be removed to
do this work.
There are a number of vintage Bentley specialists in
the United Kingdom and the U.S., so any engine part
that may be required can either be sourced new or refurbished.
Transmission/Diff erential
W.O. Bentley specified a number of different transmissions
in his four-cylinder cars for the different bodies and
uses that they would encounter, and they differed in
gearing. All were four-speed manuals, and among the
variants were the closeratio A and D type units, the
wide ratio B type and the wide/close ratio C type unit.
An inverted cone clutch with Ferodo lining was used
until a plate clutch replaced it in 1929, and like the
gearbox, this often requires a bit of effort to engage.
Because many vintage Bentleys remain in serious use
today, the swapping of interchangeable gearboxes to
achieve better performance is considered quite acceptable,
as is the adoption of a modified Laycock overdrive unit,
a similar type as used in Austin-Healey sports cars.
The semi-floating rear axle with spiral bevel gears
is another notably sturdy component, and substituting
different gearing can improve the performance of a car
with little hassle.
Suspension/Brakes
Three Litre models built through the fall of 1923 had
mechanical drum brakes on the rear wheels only, but
after that, front drums were added, and the handbrake
acts on separate shoes on the rear wheels. “For
their time, they have excellent brakes,” David
says. “That doesn’t mean that they’ll
stop like Brembo discs today, but in the context of
their time, they have really good brakes.”
All 3 and 4 1/2 Litre cars use semi-elliptic leaf springs,
those in the rear underslung, as well as adjustable
duplex Hartford shock absorbers at all four wheels,
offering a firm ride with little body lean. Rudge Whitworth
wire wheels in 21- inch diameters were standard on early
cars, and later ones used 19-inch wheels. As would be
expected, steering effort is high, although it is laudably
accurate.
The addition of a power steering kit—seemingly
inconceivable in such an old car—is also an accepted
modification, as David explains; “This kit fits
in so neatly that you literally don’t know it’s
there.”
Interior/Trim
If your 1921-1931 Bentley is missing its dashboard clock
or fender lamps, you won’t be able to ring up your
local auto parts store to find replacements. It is therefore
lucky that vintage Bentley specialists and enthusiasts
within the Bentley Owners Club are a tight-knit bunch
who are willing to help each other with spares, and
if necessary, patterns to remanufacture needed part.
Specialists
Dennison-Jayne Motors
610-436-8668
www.dennisonjaynemotors.com
Tim Houlding International Vintage
Bentley Cars
011 44 1905 352 419
www.vintagebentley.co.uk/index.htm
Stanley Mann Racing
011 44 1923 852 505
www.stanleymann.com
The Vintage Garage
802-253-9256
http://vintagegaragevt.com
Vintage Bentley Parts Ltd.
011 44 1926 496 739
www.vintagebentleyparts.co.uk
Parts Prices
Brake shoe, front or rear - £300 ($483)
Bulkhead, 4½ Litre, original - £580 ($935)
Complete 9-foot 9½-inch chassis, 3 Litre - £6,936
($11,176)
Engine block, 3 Litre original - £1,000 ($1,611)
Engine, 3 Litre original - £12,500 ($20,141)
Gas tank, 4½ Litre restored - £700 ($1,128)
Grease gun, Tecalemit original - £75 ($121)
King pin - £155 ($250)
Mirror, original - £225 ($363)
Pedal shaft, cone clutch - £1,656 ($2,668)
Wrench set, original - £100 ($161)
Club Scene
The Bentley Drivers Club Ltd.
W.O. Bentley Memorial Building
Ironstone Lane
Wroxton, Banbury, Oxfordshire
OX15 6ED England
011 44 1295 738 886
www.bdcl.org
Dues: £50.00 ($81); Membership: 3,600</s> | 2,331 |
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“Master switch on, three fuel
pump switches out, both mag switches out, ignition key
on. Come on, Peter, do keep up...”
Max Girardo, RM Auctions’ European managing director,
flaps a giant diagram of the Bentley’s dashboard
in the general direction of his general manager, who
is swarming all over the car flicking, clicking, switching
and pumping.
“Now, ignition panel switch to position one, hand
throttle closed, ignition master to bottom position,
pump the Ki-Gass three times...”
This is getting ridiculous. How long can it take to
start an engine? And what kind of car actually needs
three fuel pumps and a Spitfire Ki-gass thingy that
whooshes neat petrol into the inlet manifold with all
the subtlety of a garden sprayer?
This one does and I can’t quite get the slightly
horrified expression off my face as I watch the two
men go through the five-minute starting procedure. Australian
Jumbo Goddard’s 1924 three-litre Bentley with twin-turbocharged
eight-litre engine was once the world’s fastest
Bentley, and you’ve really got to want to start
it up. It isn’t something that happens by accident,
or on a whim. You don’t nudge a key and hey presto.
You need to consult a manual and a diagram and follow
a series of complicated instructions
“And press THE STARTER!” Max skips in glee
as Peter thumbs the Bakelite button and with an audible
ring, the solenoid fires the open pinion into the open
ring gear.
Funga, funga, funga! BOP, Bop! The old Bentley starts.
Like, er, wow. We all stand around looking slightly
embarrassed. Then they turn and look at me.
“Weed,” I squeak. I start again, several octaves
lower. “We’d better do a full run-through
so I know what I should be doing before I, er, drive
it.”
Peter and Max look at each other.
“You have driven it, haven’t you?” I
ask. I look from one to the other. The concrete trembles
slightly as the old Bentley does its pawing-the-ground
thing.
Both shake their heads.
Oh no…
Let’s get one or two facts up front here. First,
at least 550bhp. Second, £680,000. Third, 170mph.
Fourth, a centre throttle. And fifth, £680,000.
This big beast is one of the stars of RM Auctions’
Battersea sale next Wednesday (October 29) and I think
they want it back in one piece, preferably without a
Ford Escort jammed between the front dumb-irons.
“It’s a phenomenal piece of kit and unbelievably
fast, but at really high speeds the front sort of takes
off,” Bentley dealer and expert Stanley Mann had
warned me. “It’s going to kill someone one
day. Even when Jumbo Goddard had it, his wife told him,
‘If you drive that thing again, I’m going
to divorce you.’”
Mann looked after the Australian’s car for a short
while and prepared it for sale to Wednesday’s vendor,
an Austrian who, reputedly, hasn’t driven it very
much. I sympathise.
“The engineering is immaculate,” said Mann.
“It’s got all the right bits, dials, switches
and everything.”
One of the first-ever turbocharged petrol cars, Goddard’s
beast is fitted with two enormous Garrett blowers mounted
below the twin three-branch cast manifolds. Bentley’s
eight-litre six-cylinder engine is a rare thing. Just
100 were built before Rolls-Royce acquired the company
in 1931 and, although it is notoriously inefficient,
its design and refinement were sufficient to tempt an
envious Rolls-Royce to bury the project.
Goddard found his example just after the Second World
War in a scrapped ambulance; it cost him £100.
He already owned an earlier and much lighter 1924 Bentley
three-litre from almost new. He had run through a tuning
manual’s worth of performance options, including
more carburettors and a supercharger, but then decided
to fit the eight-litre powerplant. The work was entrusted
to Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialist LG McKenzie, who
rebuilt the engine and fitted it to the three-litre’s
frame, which had been boxed in with another three-litre
chassis to increase its stiffness. The car’s specification
also included eight-litre axles, with telescopic dampers
and hydraulic brakes. Panelcraft created sporting two-seater
coachwork, with British Racing Green leather bucket
seats to match the body and wheels. Goddard speed-tested
the car at Antwerp in 1962, setting a flying kilometre
speed of 222kph (138mph).
This was clearly not enough, and Goddard befriended
Wilton Parker, then vice-president of the Garrett Corporation,
maker of diesel engine turbochargers. Petrol turbocharging
was in its infancy, with the first production example,
the Oldsmobile Jetfire, launched in 1962. Goddard’s
Bentley provided a stiff technological challenge for
Garrett and for Don McKenzie, LG’s son, who had
taken over the project.
The result produced 550bhp at 4,000rpm and, with the
boost pressure preset at 12 psi, 200bhp (at the wheels)
at just 2,000rpm. Before he died, Walter Owen Bentley,
the marque’s founder, saw the car in its turbocharged
state and is reported to have said to Goddard: “You
know, this is just the course of development that would
have taken place if only we had stayed in business.”
Goddard returned to Belgium in 1972 and, after overcoming
difficulties with transmission lubricants, set a fastest
time of 158.2mph. Most people who know the car reckon
it is good for 170mph, although whether that would be
on the ground or in the air no one really knows. Goddard
enjoyed his monstrous machine well into his old age,
doing sprints and the Brighton Speed Trials. He died
in 1983 and the car remained with his widow until the
late 1990s, whereupon it passed through several hands,
including a spell at the Donington Park museum.
Now, as the seconds creep by, the temperatures are slowly
climbing on the clocks. How difficult to drive can it
be?
Very difficult indeed, it turns out, after I confidently
vault into the driver’s seat and look down at the
dashboard. There are no fewer than 13 separate dials,
mostly on the dash but with some out of sight, and 18
or so visible switches. Where to begin?
“Ho! Good luck then!” says Max, scampering
off to the safety of his office with indecent haste
as I manoeuvre what must surely be a couple of tons
of motor car around a car park the size of a guinea-pig
hutch.
Graunch, rattle, grate, crash… the gearbox takes
some learning and it’s easy to forget to replace
the reverse detent, with potentially crippling results
on the move. The clutch, though, proves light and, once
rolling, so does the steering. That centre throttle
is a nightmare, but the action is beautifully engineered,
with 13 bell cranks and a similar number of tiny cross
shafts taking the movement from the pedal and distributing
it evenly between the individual two-inch SU carburettors
mounted at either end of the engine.
GRAUF! Grauf. The old Bentley makes me look almost competent
as it rumbles out of the car park and into Southend’s
busy traffic. With my legs straight out ahead and the
steering wheel in my chest, it’s an acquired style
of driving and not totally unpleasant, though my heart
leaps when I hand-signal left and the open tyre grabs
my coat sleeve like an angry crocodile and tries to
drag me out of the seat and into the wire spokes. Meanwhile,
engine heat pours back though the firewall and the big
steering wheel twitches and twists with each tiny surface
change.
“Right brake, right brake,” I mutter under
my breath. Even so I almost collect a couple of tiny
hatchbacks, the first when it completely disappears
behind the Bentley’s imposing radiator grille,
the other when I leap on to the throttle instead of
the brake. With this much power, you don’t make
that mistake twice.
In fact the beast is surprising docile at low speeds;
the ride is good, the steering light and direct, the
visibility is superb. I have no idea what most of the
dashboard is telling me, but when I smell a hot engine
I pull a button marked “Fans” and see the
ammeter register a slight drain, so that’s OK.
Finally the road clears, I open the throttle and the
Bentley gathers speed like an approaching storm. You
can’t really compare this acceleration with mere
cars. There’s a latent energy that just doesn’t
exist elsewhere in the automotive world, but no sense
of stress, just a deepening exhaust note as the driveline
takes the strain like a tug-of-war team pressing their
hobnailed boots into the turf. Then at 2,000rpm in second
gear the rear tyre swishes into wheelspin with a ring
of smoke standing just off the tread an inch from my
elbow. Gadzooks! The rest of the car appears to be driving
just as normal. Weird. Try it again and whizzzzzz, the
same thing happens: the tyre just spins up.
In third gear the L-section Dunlop racing rubber slips
and then grips and the Bentley pours on speed like some
meteoric mastodon. It feels bigger and heavier the faster
you go, and I have to admit to being slightly horrified
at the power and speed and feeling as though I were
only partly in control of this gargantuan machine. On
tiny Essex roads the Bentley needs very careful handling
and huge concentration, but it’s also quite the
funniest thing to drive…
Who will buy it?
While Jumbo’s Bentley is a unique testament to
one man’s fascination with the marque, it remains
something of a charging elephant to drive and a white
elephant to own. It’s a great Bentley Drivers’
Club car, but with those turbos it’s not particularly
welcome to compete against other Bentleys. The engineering
is wonderful, but it needs a skilled engineer to keep
it fighting fit and that’s not cheap. RM Auctions
staff whisper names such as Jay Leno, the American talk-show
host, who already owns a tank-engined special and a
naturally aspirated Bentley 3/8.
You’d certainly need Leno’s appreciation of
engineering to enjoy this car fully and Leno’s
deep pockets to afford the bounteous fuel consumption.
Either way, it’s Lot 253 in the sale on Wednesday,
and with the estimate almost three times the value of
my house, Mrs English has taken my chequebook away.
If you can afford it, and if you can start it, you’ll
probably want to own it.</s> | 2,332 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Forget the sat-nav and all those high-tech,
brightly lit instruments. If you're looking for a car
with true dashboard derring-do, then this specially
modified 1924
Bentley 3/8 litre sports roadster is the vehicle
for you.</s> | 2,333 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
I derive some assistance from some
of the contemporaneous reports and documents from outside
sources. In a letter dated 17th September 1931 Mr. Nobby
Clark, who was in charge of racing shop, wrote to a
gentleman in New Zealand about other</s> | 2,334 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Take the bizarre case of The Birmingham
log-book. A particularly exciting 1940s-built special
came on the market with a 4½-litre heavy-crank
engine, genuine 3-litre Speed Model chassis, and D-type
racing gearbox. In 1946 the special builder had come
by an old-style buff log book for a totally unrelated
Bentley and used the details to give his delectable
concoction a vintage identity. He then sold the car.</s> | 2,335 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
The contract
of sale between SMRL and Fortis. This described
the car as "One 1930 Bentley Speed Six Car". This
description was provided by Mr Mann and the parties
clearly intended this description to have the same
meaning as the description in the related contract
entered into by SMRL with Mrs Brewer given their
close connection.</s> | 2,336 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
However, there
is another crucial reason why I do not accept Mr
Mann's account of this meeting. As both Mr and Mrs
Brewer confirmed, they were well steeped in vintage
Bentley history. They knew about the unique and
historically significant features of Speed Six engines,
being engines designed and produced by the remarkable
team assembled under W.O. and which had been world-beaters
at Le Mans and elsewhere in the golden years between
1929 and 1932. The Brewers were a couple who "wanted
W.O.'s finest" as the car was recommended as being
in Mr Mann's website advertisement, a phrase which,
in context, referred particularly to the car's engine
and chassis. The Brewers particularly wanted to
buy one of the very few surviving Speed Six engines.
Mrs Brewer was therefore bound to question the provenance
of the engine and would not have been content to
be told that the engine was a Standard 6�-litre
engine which had been adapted to look like, and
which allegedly performed like, a Speed Six engine.</s> | 2,337 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
The lighthearted approach of the club was summed up in the awards presentations for the winners, where one took home a copy of the Yorkshire Post as their prize.</s> | 2,338 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
The defendants did not call any expert
evidence at all. No attempt was made to adduce as evidence
(under the Civil Evidence Act) the views of any other
experts, either dead or living. There was a hint when
the case was well into its stride that the defendants
might seek to call Mr. Keith Shellenburg. In the event,
no expert's report was disclosed from him nor anybody
else, nor was any application made. Even so, I must
take account of other sources of information to which
both sides referred.</s> | 2,339 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Bad Säckingen, 26th - 30th of
June
Every generation has its own racing heroes and being
traditionally motorsports addicted, Great Britain has
one every decade. Whereas today the youth might cheer
for Lewis Hamilton, it was Nigel Mansell in the late
1980s, Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart in the late 1960s
and 1970s, or Sir Stirling Moss and Nike Hawthorn in
the 1950s, who are well known today for their racing
abilities.
That was the case even more so before the war, when
the cars were still painted in the national colour scheme
rather than team colours or sponsor liveries. National
pride was very important in racing. Apart from the ideology
of the late 1930s when Dick Seaman was driving the Mercedes-Benz
Silver Arrows, victories of local drivers on domestic
cars were front page news in the papers. In the mid-late
1920s one company in particular won laurels on the international
long distance races: Bentley. Without the sponsorship
of today´s racing the works-prepared entries were
often financed by wealthy gentlemen drivers racing for
fame and sportsmanship rather than fortune. Best known
among them were without doubt the Bentley Boys. Led
by Woolf Barnato, who was also chairman of Bentley Motors
at that time, the gang including Dr. Benjafield, Glen
Kidston and Bernard Rubin, lived a celebrity live in
Central London and on the international race tracks.
Although Woolf Barnato might have been the most successful
of them with three successive Le Mans victories, unquestionable
the most talented was Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin.</s> | 2,340 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
The first intimation of the existence
of CK
8172 was when my friend and colleague, John Hay,
returned from a deviously-routed official journey with
the news that a quaint Bentley, believed to be a 3-litre,
was residing in a breaker's yard at Bradford. A journey
was obviously imperative, so we went to hold an inquest
on the remains, and found the engine and gearbox complete
and apparently undamaged... Continued...</s> | 2,341 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
The immediate subject is 3-litre Bentley,
and it is introduced on this occasion by A. F. Rivers
Fletcher, who at one time was with the original Bentley
Company. He writes of a late example of 3-litre belonging
to a disabled enthusiast, Brian Ashworth...
Continued...</s> | 2,342 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
EXCELLENT weather conditions helped
to make the Essex Six-Hours Race the success it undoubtedly
was, and a considerable crowd enjoyed a fine day's sport.
The entry of forty-six provided a very representative
field, with an international flavour, as Italian drivers
were competing on Alfa Romeo cars, Campbell and Lord
Curzon were on Bugattis, an AustroDaimler team was entered,
and a German entry was present in the big 36/220 Mercedes.
There were few non-starters, notably Miller's second
entry-the Delage to be driven by Clowes, the fourth
Alfa Romeo, Leitch's four-seater Lea-Francis, and Major
Harvey on his Alvis. Continued...</s> | 2,343 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
Overheating had been an issue for a long time so a
set of Kenlowe electric fans were fitted in 1988. The
overheating continued to be an issue such that the radiator
was removed and again sent to the UK for service in
November 1996. In September 1997 the shutter system
and pipes were rebuilt when the radiator was re-installed
along with the addition of electric fan cowls.
In December of 1997, white metal bits were found in
the oil during an oil change resulting in the return
to the engineer that performed the 1982-1986 mechanical
work. This time the engine rebuild took until 1999 to
complete.
In 2000, an electronic ignition was fitted. In 2001,
a big end failed and the engineer yet again disassembled
the engine and repaired the problem. In 2003, the no.
2 piston crown was holed out. Unfortunately, again the
previous unsatisfactory work was re-done.
Yet, Mr. Greene persevered with YX5113. He continued
with his devotion of time, effort and money in an attempt
to finally correct all mechanical issues so as to have
the reliable motorcar he wanted.
By this time, George was totally frustrated by the ongoing
engine problems and the inability of the engineer to
get it right. He finally switched to another engineer
who was able to sort out the engine by April of 2004.
Since then, YX5113 has performed without issue.
In the midst of the aggravation from the reoccurring
mechanical issues, a rare stroke of good luck occurred
in 2002. A letter was received by Mr. Greene, via Simon
Towle at Club office, from an individual in the UK.
He advised that he found and purchased the original
handbook, no. 47 for chassis YX5113 and did the Club
know if YX5113 was still extant. If so, did the Club
know the identity of the owner?
Mr. Towle immediately forwarded the letter to George
with the seller’s inquiry if he would be interested
in acquiring it for £500? It goes without saying
that the handbook was purchased.
Interestingly, there are handwritten notes penciled
in on the inside back cover that shows the last oil
change and lubrication at 23,139 miles. This was just
before the original owner, John Player sold the car.
It now is with the tools that came with the car. As
a footnote, some of the tools still have their original
canvas pouches.
The original bronze wheel hammer that came with the
car in 1931 is still with the car. It has the engine
number stamped onto it and is the only originally supplied
hammer like that I have ever seen. It is a very rare
item, indeed.</s> | 2,344 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
The term 'barn
find' is regularly used to describe the discoveries
that are revealed in the pages of Lost & found,
but it is not often these days that you come across
a genuine example.
I recently had a real surprise when a good friend took
me to a remote farm in die USA and introduced me to
the hard-working farmer. We went over to an old barn
that was built on a mound with a large ditch around
it, rather like a dry moat. The wooden bridge to the
barn door had long gone, effectively isolating its contents.
When the door was opened there appeared the familiar
radiator of a vintage 3 Litre Bentley, nestling behind
a couple of packing cases and an upturned table, all
laced with a deep layer of dust and a covering of pigeon
droppings.
Once inside, it became clear that the car was not carrying
an original body but it is not known when it was rebodied,
or by whom. The farmer purchased the 3 Litre from the
widow of the previous owner in Scotland during the '50s.
Little paperwork came with the car, though it is thought
that the body might have originally been by HM Bentley,
brother of the great WO. The brothers were in partnership
for several years before HM resigned to concentrate
on his car sales business and later moved into coachbuilding.
The 3 Litre is a long-chassis version that has been
shortened. There is a one-piece bonnet from the radiator
to the windscreen and a four-seater tourer body with
the spare wheel mounted at the rear. The dashboard and
instruments are not original and the front axle comes
from a different model of Bentley. Underneath this body,
which doesn't look up to HM Bentley standard, is an
original car with the right engine, with twin Sloper
carbs, plus correct radiator and front wings. It is
thought to be a 1925 model and to have originally had
a Weymann-type saloon body. It is the farmer's intention
to fit a reproduction of the Vanden Plas open tourer
body. I wonder if he will get round to it - it has been
in the barn for 30 years already!</s> | 2,345 |
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Bill Ruger, Jr. had the vision and passion to purchase
YM5044 at the Christies auction. He became the cars
fourth owner in its then seventy-two year history. YM5044
was subsequently put into a container and transported
to the United States. A comprehensive restoration by
one of the foremost restorers in the USA followed, being
completed in early 2007.
During the restoration, Bill made several changes to
the car. He did, however, leave the triple S. U. Carb
set-up intact as installed by Mr. Roberts.
He added a full-flow oil filter and removed the second
windscreen and cowl. The clumsy looking hood canvas
attachment point was moved from the front of the hood
compartment lid to the rear of the body work. The hood
frame itself was not modified. This is not only a more
practical application but makes for a much more attractive
appearance. More than one observer has noted that the
car actually looks better now with the hood up, rather
than down.
The twin side-mounted spares were removed in favor of
a single rear-mounted unit. This was another esthetic
improvement which filled in the clumsy open space between
the main body tub and the petrol tank. This change now
makes YM5044 appear even longer and more graceful. Wheel
discs to all road wheels were also fitted for a nicely
finished and clean appearance.
Inasmuch as the rear storage area was almost useless
as it was so small. The bodywork was closed up as access
to the storage compartment was now eliminated by the
placement of the new spare mount and tire.
The changes to the body make for a much more harmonious
appearance. A most satisfactory result finished off
in with black paint with light tan hides and canvas.
Following YM5044’s comprehensive restoration, Bill
entered his car in the March 2007 Amelia Island Concours
in Florida. It was awarded the Most Elegant Bentley
trophy. Well deserved recognition for another extremely
handsome and important vintage Bentley.
This is not, however, a “trailer queen” for
showing only. Bill drives it often and was an enthusiastic
participant in the May 2007 North American Vintage Bentley
Meet in New York. There was rain, mud and dirt and Bill
drove is car “con gusto.” It is truly a feast
for both eyes and ears!
What a fitting condition for YM5044
after the travails it has suffered over the years. Another
important car, nearly lost, is now restored to stunningly
beautiful condition.</s> | 2,346 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
Even the defendants have not suggested
the car was merely a "reconstruction" after the 1930,
1931 or 1932 rebuilds or in its present form. This expression
is meant to cover a car which stems from a single original
component, or a collection of components from a variety
of cars and where there is little left of the original
racing car except its history and its character. The
defendants have not really attempted to stigmatize the
car in that matter.</s> | 2,347 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
However, the 5000km around the South Island is not
for the faint-hearted. Mrs Ford said many of the drivers
were in their 70s and were "true adventurers".
Driving the "very physical cars" through extremes
of cold and heat took strength, she said. "You
can feel it in your shoulders at the end of the day."
Together, the 30 cars are estimated to be worth $25
million but the organisers were reluctant to divulge
the cost of the tour.
"You can't put a price on a good time," Mr
Cook said.</s> | 2,348 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
Roley Fraser - Dec 28,
2013
Robert, the whole subject of mods comes
up every now and then. In my opinion, it
depends whether you want to keep originality
or to have a car which is easy to drive
and maintain.
When I owned YM
57 I had several mods: Hydraulic front
brakes, electric fuel pump, overdrive, coil
ignition a 16 gallon tank and an alternator.
These mods were made for a car that was
easy to drive for long journeys, and a great
deal less worry about things going wrong.
I never bothered too much about originality
as I never looked on the car as an investment
— but as something to enjoy. I believe
that since I sold her YM has been rebuilt
to be as near original as a 3/4.5 "bitsa"
car can be, so presumably is being treated
as an investment — more's the pity!
With all good wishes for 2014.</s> | 2,349 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
The Benjafield’s Yorkshire Buccaneer event was attended by 41 pre-war cars from around the world. And as you might expect from a club whose sole ethos is to emulate the spirit of the famous Bentley Boys, 25 of the 40 cars taking part were vintage Bentleys including Jonathan Turner’s own 1925 3-litre ‘Number 10’ factory team car, fresh from its recent return from racing at the 2016 Classic Le Mans event.</s> | 2,350 |
<s>[INST] What event is described in the following response? [/INST]
Bonhams will offer a significant vintage
Bentley automobile at its upcoming Quail Lodge sale
in Carmel, California on Friday August 16th, 2013. The
car, a 1931 Bentley 4½-Litre Supercharged Le
Mans Roadster, known by aficionados as a “Blower
Bentley,” is considered the holy grail of Bentleys
among well-heeled collectors. Just 50 production versions
of the seminal classic were built in order to meet criteria
required to race at the fabled circuit more than 80
years ago.
The supercharged Bentleys have a special appeal to automotive
enthusiasts, not only because of their rarity, but also
due to their sheer audacity and the connection to the
so-called Bentley Boys – race team drivers Sir
Henry “Tim” Birkin and Woolf Barnato. In order
to remain competitive at the time, W.O. Bentley was
convinced he needed to develop an all-new six-cylinder
engine. Birkin’s idea was to supercharge the existing
four. Since the money keeping Bentley Motors, Ltd. afloat
at the time belonged to Barnato, and since Birkin was
able to convince Barnato of the efficacy of his idea;
W.O. Bentley had little choice but to look the other
way, and make room on the factory assembly line for
the production of the special run of 50 cars. At $7,375.00,
a bit more than $2,000.00 over the cost of an “unblown”
Bentley, the price of entry kept production (and sales)
to a minimum. Today, the small number of cars adds substantially
to their value and cachet among collectors. And, thanks
to the magic of supercharging, horsepower rose from
110 to a then-staggering 182 while giving the cars genuine
100mph performance on the open road. Consider it the
1929-31 version of today’s most powerful and exotic
supercars.
But supercharging an engine not designed for the added
stress and power presented another set of problems.
The prototype proved blindingly fast, but unreliable.
So much so, that the Blower Bentley failed to make it
to Le Mans in 1929. At Le Mans in 1930, the car set
a new lap record, and then retired. The car did place
second in the 1930 French Grand Prix; however, by 1931,
the Blower Bentley became vastly more reliable and Birkin
was able to establish the fastest lap ever – 137.9
mph – on Brooklands’ Outer Circuit in the
spring of 1932. Regardless of its failures and successes,
the Blower Bentley became inextricably linked to Le
Mans.
Bearing Chassis Number MS3944, the Bentley to be offered
by Bonhams is one of only three production Supercharged
Bentleys with its original Le Mans-spec chassis. More
importantly, this Bentley has been owned by well-known
enthusiast and British ex-pat, Charles R. J. Noble and
his family for more than 55 years. Noble was so enamored
with the marque, he would eventually own a hat trick
of ex-Bentley Boy-owned cars as well as four of those
equipped with the vaunted supercharger.
Just five years after it was built, the Noble Bentley
emigrated to North America and has remained there ever
since. In 1938 it received its only restoration and
at the time, was updated with the Brooklands-style two-seater
racing body with external exhaust it wears today. When
Noble purchased the car, he regularly raced it, driving
it from New York City to Long Island’s Bridgehampton
Race Circuit and back home. His wins included the prestigious
1967 Vanderbilt Cup.
Authenticity, documentation, provenance, and long-term
known ownership history are key factors driving record
prices among the collector car community. Dr. Clare
Hay, the foremost expert on vintage Bentley production,
describes the car as a “rarity among rarities.”
When delivered new, it was sold to a gentleman named
Henry Leeson, a successful butcher who had shops in
a handful of towns on the southern coast of the UK.
The car offers evidence that Leeson must have done quite
well as he proved himself a loyal Bentley buyer who
seemingly always had the most sporting Bentley the company
offered in his garage. Fast forward more than 80 years
and the appeal and excitement generated by the Blower
Bentley has only intensified.
Bonhams sold the aforementioned Brooklands Outer Circuit
Lap record-breaking 1929-31 4 1/2-Litre Supercharged
Bentley single-seater driven by Birkin at its Goodwood
Festival of Speed Auction last July for $7.87 million.
There is no reason to expect less than enthusiastic
bidding when MS3944
crosses the auction block on August 16th. Stay tuned.
It’s certain to be one exciting and memorable ride.</s> | 2,351 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
Thus, a potential
buyer who was examining the car and talking about
it to Mr Mann would assume that they were talking
about a car containing an original Speed Six engine
since that was the type of car that Mr Mann was
objectively describing. In order to dispel the obvious
conclusion that the car's engine was a Speed Six
engine, Mr Mann would have had to have made it very
clear that the engine was not a Speed Six engine
but was instead a Standard 6�-litre reconstructed
engine, notwithstanding that the car was a Speed
Six car, and he would also have had to have explained
in some detail why that was so, what he meant by
the description "to Speed Six specification" and
why he was able to describe it in that way.</s> | 2,352 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
Behind the workshop are the stores
where Bentley treasures are piled on shelves, from sidelights
to wings and engines, surrounding a nicely restored
Model A Ford van which says "Bentley Service Dept"
on the door. "And," says Stanley with glee,
"the phone number is the number of the Cricklewood
factory!" It's just the sort of detail which delights
a man in love with the marque.</s> | 2,353 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
The year was 1929. The place, a pub
in Cricklewood, England. The big man took a long drag
on his cigarette as he sat back on the barstool and
considered the sketch on the envelope in front of him.
His friend ordered another round of single malt, and
looked at the drawing... The big man was Capt. Woolf
'Babe' Barnato, then-chairman of Bentley Motors Ltd.
and son of the wealthy diamond merchant, Barney Barnato.
Just three years earlier, 'Babe' had invested quite
a sum of capital into the company to keep it afloat,
being one of its most noteworthy patrons. Continued...</s> | 2,354 |
<s>[INST] What is the main topic of the following response? [/INST]
"To Speed
Six specification". Thus, I am satisfied
that the statement "to Speed Six specification"
was never used by Mr Mann in the context in which
he claims to have used it. There was no evidence
that this statement had ever been used by anyone
else about a Standard engine that had been converted
into or reconstructed as a Speed Six engine and
it has all the appearance of having been used by
Mr Mann as an afterthought.</s> | 2,355 |
<s>[INST] Who are the main participants in the following event? [/INST]
If the Vauxhall Prince Henry was the
first British sports car, the one which most readily
springs to mind at the words "vintage sports car"
is the Bentley, and particularly the 3-litre. Yet when
the Bentley was announced in May 1919, there was no
car in existence, nor would there be for several months.
Walter Owen Bentley, or W.O. as he was always known,
had come up with the design after working on locomotives
and aero engines, as well as selling French DFP cars.
As an illustration, he used a drawing by the Autocar
artist, F. Gordon Crosby He described to Crosby the
car he had in mind and then gave him a free hand. The
winged B emblem and famous pointed radiator were Crosby's,
the rad a modified form of the DFP's which became more
rounded in the Bentlevs. Continued...</s> | 2,356 |
<s>[INST] What details can you share about the following response? [/INST]
In Alaska, our furthest northern
destination will be Anchorage where we'll enjoy
a tour of the glaciers on Prince William Sound.</s> | 2,357 |
<s>[INST] Can you provide details about the activities mentioned in the response? [/INST]
The present Bentley description deals
with a 4 1/2-litre owned by J. Northway, at Bristol.
He still has the car, up on blocks for the rest of the
war. As usual, modifications have been made, the engine
having been expertly rebuilt not long before the war,
and fitted with special pistons, plus tuning. It seems
to have had as a result useful extra performance over
an ordinary 4 1/2. The production car, nicely run-in,
was good for about 92 m.p.h., but this example, the
owner tells us, could get within sight of the 100 on
a recalibrated speedometer. Again as usual, he would
like to know more than he does at present of its past
history. Continued...</s> | 2,358 |
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