Today we saw the incredible 1934 Bentley 3½ Litre Windovers Sedanca Coupe chassis B111FC which is one of the very best Derby Bentleys in the world at RM Auction’s Amelia Island sale in Florida.
Estimate is $300,000 – $400,000 without reserve.
Auction Specialist Alexander Weaver was kind enough to open B111FC up completely exposing an immaculate engine bay and tool tray in the trunk.
RM Auctions list the highlights as:
*Offered from the estate of Charles “Chuck” Swimmer
*One of the most beautiful Bentleys ever produced
*Lightweight one-off coachwork
*Ordered by its original owner for a Royal Automobile Club tour
*A 2003 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance award winner
*Featured in most of the important Bentley reference texts
Today our friend Hamish Crawford arrived with an image of his old Bentley 3½ Litre with Sports Saloon bodywork by Gurney Nutting H.J. Mulliner. The image is from 1964 in Blackfield, Scotland.
Being registered SY5582 and with the chassis number B64CR we hope to find this car. If you have any information, please let us know.
**Updated Feb 26th** We have additional images from the Hamish Crawford collection. Included is a picture of B64CR alongside a 1913 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost that was converted into a single-headlight garage truck! Chassis 1NA registered SW 275 has since been re bodied in the 1970s to an Open-Drive Limousine by Fox & Bodman.
**Updated Feb 27th** Respected author Neill Fraser of Bentley Beauty offers some insights on B64CR’s design:
“In Bentley Beauty I have photos of B142 DG, which is another HJM saloon, body no 4223, delivered in May 1935, as opposed to B64 CR which was body no 4156, delivered in June 1935. The two designs are subtly, but very significantly, different. B64 CR has a much more vintage feel to it, old fashioned probably in the eyes of buyers in 1935. The front wings are high at the front with a deep cut-in, the waist swage is more horizontal and does not appear to return down in front of the rear wings, or continue down the side of the boot to the rear bumper as it does in B142 DG. The door handles are below the swage on B64 CR, but are mounted on the swage on B142 DG. The boot is less integrated with the body than on B142 DG. Yet the window lines are very similar, with a high upright windscreen and quarter lights to the front doors.
Because of the what looks like a delay in sale of B64 CR, with a much earlier body number than B142 DG, I would suspect that B64 CR might have been a cancelled order which then HJM had difficulty shifting to a new buyer because tastes at the time had a preference for the more modern lines of eg B142 DG. I rather like the older design myself, though! But then it would appear that Scots are somewhat backward in these respects as B64 CR found a home in Scotland. This is probably due to the ownership of HJM by John Croall of Edinburgh.”
With many of the pieces now in primer, we are test fitting the major components with the new Hutson body tub. Hutson does not supply the firewall, so we had the peice carefully blasted and subsequently painted in white epoxy primer.
So far the fit looks spot on, but we have to assemble the radiator and hood to finalize the build.
Included is a shot of the chassis which reads TF5013. The car will be returned to its original color of Birch Grey with red interior.
We just started assisting a client with this gorgeous 1969 S2 FHC.
Having never been disassembled or crashed, this is an ideal candidate to restore. The entire car retains its original fit and finishes throughout except for some new seat covers.
This is the first year of the Series II E-type which adopted a completely different light scheme and the Federal Stromberg carburetors as well as detail differences throughout.
More to come!
Pieces of the Derby Tool kit in a replica Silver Ghost tool roll.
One of the more interesting topics concerning our new Bentley is what we are missing. By that I mean the exhaustive tool kit and supplies that were originally delivered with the car from new.
Fortunately our friend Nick Northeast came by and showed us his impressive collection that accompanies his own Derby Bentley. We wasted no time to document Nick’s entire kit which can number over 50 pieces depending on the car.
Nick tells us that the kit is similar to the standard Rolls-Royce output, but has Bentley specific pieces such as early F.B. spanners and the unobtainable Bentley Motors Ltd. feeler gauge.
The harder to find Bentley-specific parts of the kit.
4 Tommy Bars and their Double Ended Box Spanners
Unrestored Lucas Bulb Holder with correct holder and a Lucas Type 97 inspection lamp.
Tire related Tools: Dunlop Jack with handle. Ace Corncraft Wheel Disc Spanner, Rudge Whitworth Wheel Nut Spanner, Kinsman MKII Tyre Pump, Hammer, Starting Bar, Starting Handle.
Entire selection of the small tools in the replica Phantom II roll.
Bentley Specific List of Nick’s tools:
1931 Bentley Motors Ltd. Feeler Gauges
Double Ended Jaw Spanner 3BA w ¼BSF FB559
Double Ended Jaw Spanner 1BA w ¼BSF w FB560
Double Ended Jaw Spanner 5/16BSF w ⅜BSF FB561
Double Ended Jaw Spanner 7/16BSF w ½BSF FB562
Double Ended Jaw Spanner FB563
Single Ended Jaw Spanner 11/16BSF FB2190
Valve Tool Comprising Clamp with Adaptor EB809
Rocker Tappet Adjustment Spanner E79087
Nestel Oil Syringe FB82659
Air Silencer Spanner EB2126
Petrol Tank Drain Plug Key FB564
Double Ended Box Spanner 3BA w 2BA F9809
Double Ended Box Spanner 1BA w ¼BSF F9810
Double Ended Box Spanner 5/16BSF w 3/8BSF F9811
Double Ended Box Spanner 7/16BSF w ½BSF F9812
Double Ended Box Spanner ¾BSF w 13/16 F9814
Tommy Bar 3/16BSF E7342
Tommy Bar ¼BSF E7658
Tommy Bar 5/16 E9048
Tommy Bar 7/16 E12645
***Update**
Peter Charlton has found this exceptional Derby tool kit and has kindly let us feature it on this page.
It looks like the type tucks away in the trunk is sometimes integraded on a separate tray or on the inside of the trunk panel itself.
He says “Looks to be unused and totally original.
They used both FB and F series box spanners, I guess the coach builder used what he had available.
Pliers look to be nickel plated and no markings.
The open ended spanners have no markings as you would expect, but are modified RR tools then cadmium coated. Even the small contacts spanner has had it’s markings removed.
I did a bit of searching in the RROC archives. I found a 3 1/2 litre tool list. It clearly states that the open ended tools are to be made from modified RR tools.”
