1924 Bentley 3 Liter Speed Model Red Label Four Seater Tourer
Chassis no. 717
Engine no. 403
Former UK Registration no. XW 1678
2,996cc SOHC Inline 4-Cylinder Engine - 4 Overhead Valves Per Cylinder
2 SU 'Sloper' Carburetors, 80bhp at 3,500rpm
4-Speed Close-ratio Gearbox
Front and Rear Leaf Spring Suspension
Four-Wheel Drum Brakes with Perrot shaft actuation
Original bodied sporting Speed Model Vintage Bentley
Subject of a recent report by noted historian Dr. Clare Hay
Actively campaigned by its current owner at a multitude of road touring and show events including several Mille Miglias, the Colorado Grand, and those of the Bentley Drivers Club.
This attractive sporting Bentley 3 Liter Speed Model represents everything that the Cricklewood era of the company's production stood for, a racy open touring car in the true 'Bentley Boys' idiom, much along the lines of the cars campaigned at Le Mans. A particularly rare aspect of this car is that it has long been believed to have original coachwork, which is by no means the norm for these cars as many lost their bodies either through accidents incurred by over-zealous driving or secondary more commercial careers during the war.
In preparation for her latest book the third edition of "Bentley – The Vintage Years", renowned Vintage Bentley historian Dr. Clare Hay extended her previous researches made on the model and the individual histories of each car. In a truly forensic fashion, the factory records have been cross-referenced with period advertisements for Bentley cars to establish greater knowledge of their histories. In the case of chassis 717 this has revealed a particularly interesting set of findings and a new belief of the attribution of the builder of the car's coachwork as H.J. Mulliner.
