Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Calum · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Midgley, W Yorks

Hi all, my Grandad owned this Bentley, which is photographed here outside his garage in what I guess is the early/mid 60s.
Can anyone help me work out the coachbuilder? The front wings and body style look like Thrupp and Mayberly to me, but I get confused with all the different bodies used. Looks to be a 4 1/4 or 4 1/2 litre, or am I wrong?
Reg looks to be BLN 482 or 462, but I have tried all combinations and none seem to come up with anything unfortunately.

Cheers for any help!

mikeC · Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:31 pm Post subject:

Could be BLN 487?

Anyway, definitely NOT a 4 1/2 litre; it's a mid-thirties 3 1/2 or 4 1/4 litre. I will bow to others more knowledgeable than I on the coachbuilder, but agree there is a T&M look about it.

Calum · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Midgley, W Yorks

Mid 30s was the era I had thought of

Bengt Axel · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts: 267 Location: Cheshire

Hi, the car is BLN482, a 1934 three and a half litre Bentley. Chassis number B78CR, original engine S34BJ

It carries a Coupe body by Freestone & Webb and was delivered new in December 1934 to a Mr Charles Oppenheim.

I'll now try and find where it is, presuming that it has survived!

Beetlefan · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 59

Bengt Axel · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts: 267 Location: Cheshire

I'm drawing a blank on tracing it, so in all probability its gone abroad. Obviously either the Bentley Drivers Club or the RREC should know

Calum · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Midgley, W Yorks

Bengt Axel · Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts: 267 Location: Cheshire

The fact that the car has gained a registration plate with an S in it (i.e. ESV) would imply that sometime after your Grandfathers ownership it has spent some time abroad. When second hand cars are imported into the UK and an 'age related' plate is applied for the DVLC issue old deleted Scottish number series, all of which have an S in them

If the car is still in the UK (and probably even if it isn't) then I would be surprised if the owner wasn't a member of the Bentley Drivers Club (http://www.bdcl.org/) or the Rolls Royce Enthusiasts Club (http://www.rrec.org.uk/) who could be willing to help.

Since the 1995 auction in your link it has changed hands again at least once, as it was sold for £45,500 at Christies in June of the following year.

Calum · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 100 Location: Midgley, W Yorks

Aye, I found that Christie's auction also. Very small world, as FrazzleTC of this forum has since informed me, a family friend of his owns a grand piano that was owned by the same Charles Oppenheimer - an artist from Kirkcudbright!

JohnDale · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:46 am Post subject:

Hi, LN was London North West (greater London to '74) while SV was Kinross till'63 then from '64 to '74 as normal with suffix letter, ASV1 - YSV999 used as re-registration marks. SV has not been used since '74 'N' suffix. Cheers,JD.
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