1924 Bentley

This 1924 Bentley 3 Litre is one of approximately 1,622 examples of Bentley Motors Limited’s first production chassis manufactured between 1921 and 1929 and is among 765 built on the standard 10’10” wheelbase. Chassis 792 is said to have been delivered new in September 1924 with Freestone & Webb saloon coachwork before being fitted in the late 1940s with its current Park Ward aluminum touring body. The car remained under single ownership in the UK between 1958 and the late 1970s, a span during which it was reportedly refurbished by marque specialist Dick Moss. It was later relocated to the US, where it is said to have remained with a single family for over two decades before being purchased by its current owner in 2012. Finished in burgundy with black fenders, the car is powered by a 3.0-liter monobloc inline-four that features a single overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder, twin-spark ignition with dual magnetos, and twin SU sloper carburetors. Additional features include a four-speed manual transmission, mechanically actuated four-wheel brakes with finned drums, black-painted 21” drop-center wire wheels, an auxiliary electric fuel pump, an updated driveshaft with Spicer-type U-joints, black leather interior upholstery, a black convertible top, and a rear trunk mounted on a sliding rack. This Cricklewood Bentley is now offered on dealer consignment in Brunswick, Maine, with invoices from current and previous ownership, a set of four beaded-edge wheels, additional removed parts, and a New Hampshire title. Less than a year after being founded by brothers W.O. and H.M. Bentley, Bentley Motors debuted its first car at the 1919 Olympia Motor Show in London as a rolling chassis with a mock-up engine. Following two years of development, the 3 Litre model entered production in 1921 on a 9’9½”-wheelbase chassis, which was soon joined by a 10’10”-wheelbase variant that took over as the standard offering in 1924. Chassis were built at Bentley’s Cricklewood, London, plant before being dispatched to a variety of coachbuilders for completion with bodywork configured to a client’s desires. This example is said to have originally worn a fabric-covered saloon body that was removed in the 1940s before an aluminum Park Ward four-door touring body was sourced from another 3 Litre and fitted by a subsequent owner. The car is said to have been refurbished by Dick Moss several decades ago and is finished in burgundy with black fenders. Features include Lucas headlights in black-painted housings, a bright radiator shell hosting a “blue label” badge and a Wilmot-Breeden Calormeter, an LED rear stoplight, running boards with built-in toolboxes, and a black Haartz cloth convertible top, the latter of which was installed approximately eight years ago. A trunk wearing a Haartz cloth cover is mounted on a rear luggage rack that pulls out to allow access to the fuel filler. Black-painted drop-center wire wheels are secured by two-eared knock-offs and are wrapped in 5.25×21 Firestone tires showing 2008 and 2009 date codes. A beaded-rim wire wheel serves as a side-mount spare. The 3 Litre model’s mechanically actuated brakes were expanded to all four wheels in 1924, and this example has been fitted with 4½ Litre-style finned drums. A brake system freshening in 2013 included replacement of the drums and adjustment of the linkages. The right-hand-drive cabin was re-trimmed under current ownership by Classic Car Services in Oxford, Maine, and features black leather over the two-row bench seats and door panels. Features include beige rear carpeting, door pocket flaps with embossed “B” logos, Park Ward sill plates, front lap belts, and a right-hand shifter with a Bakelite knob. The four-spoke steering wheel hosts throttle- and spark-control levers on its hub and sits ahead of a wood dash panel housing a 100-mph speedometer, a clock, an oil pressure gauge, and an ammeter. The four-digit odometer shows 6,700 miles, and true mileage is unknown. The 2,996cc inline-four features an en-bloc cylinder and head casting, a two-piece crankcase, a five-main-bearing crankshaft, a gear-driven single overhead camshaft operating four valves per cylinder via rockers, and two spark plugs per cylinder fed by twin magnetos. Dual SU sloper carburetors were fitted under previous ownership and are fed by an Autovac system assisted by an electric fuel pump that operates on a momentary switch. Service in November 2022 is said to have included replacement of the magnetos with rebuilt Bosch units, an oil change, and adjustment of the carburetors and ignition timing. The water pump was replaced under previous ownership. The replacement magnetos are said to protrude farther outward than the original units, and spacers are in place on the hood panels to ensure clearance. Oil seepage is noted from the engine. Engine number 801 can be seen stamped on the crankcase, and additional markings shown in the photo gallery below include chassis number 792 stamped on one of the dumb irons and number 1407 stamped on the gearbox lid. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Type B four-speed manual gearbox, and the clutch release bearing and center spring were replaced in November 2022. The clutch is said to have been relined under previous ownership. An updated driveshaft with Spicer-type U-joints has been installed in place of the original pot-joint unit. Suspension incorporates solid axles, semi-elliptical leaf springs, and adjustable friction shock absorbers at front and rear. A set of four beaded-edge wire wheels is included in the sale and wear tires that are said to be over 20 years old. One of the tires is in need of a tube. Also included in the sale are the removed driveshaft and its pot joints, which are said to exhibit wear, as well as the removed ML magnetos. One of the magnetos has been converted to electronic ignition, and the other does not work. Documentation that can be viewed in the gallery below includes the car’s vintage Bentley registry entry, a copy of the factory service ledger, correspondence and invoices from the previous owner, and invoices from current ownership. The New Hampshire title lists an Antique Vehicle brand.