1939 Bentley 3.5 Litre & 4 1/4 Litre

This 1939 Bentley 4¼ Litre Park Ward coupe, chassis B-131-MX, was delivered new to a dealer in New York and was reportedly intended to be shown at the 1939 New York Auto Show, though it never made an appearance because of the onset of WWII. Finished in deep red over a tan leather interior, this late-production example utilizes an MX-series chassis with a traditional Derby Bentley right-hand drive and right-side shift. Power is provided by a 4,257cc OHV inline-six paired with a 4-speed overdrive gearbox. Ownership history has been traced back to new through the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club, and between 2007 and 2009 a reported $235k in restoration work was completed by Steve Litton’s Vintage & Auto Rebuilds in Chadron, Ohio. The car was displayed at Amelia Island later that same year, and it has won a number of show awards as outlined below. Approximately 100 miles have been added by selling dealer during his 18 months of ownership, and this Derby Bentley is now being offered in Santa Barbara with a clear California title. The Derby Bentley was exclusively a coachbuilt automobile and was almost always fitted with owner-driver coupe or saloon coachwork. Of the 2,442 examples produced, approximately 50% received bodies from Park Ward. The wood-framed aluminum coachwork of B-131-MX is of a fixed-head, 2-door pillarless design, with full-length running boards and a louvered bonnet. Records and receipts from the 2007-2009 restoration work performed by Vintage & Auto Rebuilds can be viewed here. Additional body features include a side-mounted spare, illuminated license plate enclosure, trafficators, Lucas headlights, and a central spot lamp. In addition to being shown at Amelia Island in 2007 and 2009, B-131-MX received a top award at the Mirror Lake Concours, a first place at the Birthplace of Speed show in Ormond Beach, Florida, as well a Palmetto award at this year’s Hilton Head Concours. Closeups of the brightwork, glass, and trim have been provided in the gallery below. Behind the body-colored spun-metal wheel covers are servo-assisted 4-wheel mechanical drum brakes. This late-production car also features a Marles steering box. The 4-seat cabin is trimmed in tan leather over a matching carpet, which is complemented by burled wood on the dash and door caps. A hand throttle is mounted on the steering hub, as are levers for the ignition advance/retard and fuel mixture. The tachometer resides on the right of the column, with the remaining gauges centrally mounted. 8,134 miles are shown on the odometer. The 4,257cc OHV inline-six was similar to the Rolls-Royce 25/30 powerplant, though it received twin SU carburetors, higher compression, and a “sporting” camshaft from the factory. A 4-speed manual gearbox is responsible for transmitting power to the rear axle, and the MX-series chassis also came equipped from the factory with a fourth gear overdrive. Quarter elliptical leaf springs are wrapped in leather gaiters at each corner. The aluminum under-trays remain installed, and a stainless exhaust has been added. Ownership history has been provided in the gallery below. https://vimeo.com/album/5489560