By the time Bentley introduced the T-series in 1965 for the 1966 model year, the company’s image of producing sporty cars had gone by the wayside. Luxury was foremost in the brand during that time and for many, many years following as the T-series continued in production through 1980
The T-series was the first Bentley to be produced with unibody construction. The new car was shorter than the S-series it replaced yet had increased room in both the passenger compartment and the truck. The T-series featured four-wheel independent suspension along with a self-leveling hydraulic ride system. Four-wheel disc brakes were standard on the car. Power initially came from a 6.2L Rolls Royce/Bentley V8 which was replaced by a 6.75L V8 from the same manufacturer in 1971. All T-series cars were equipped with an automatic transmission. While not a performance-oriented automobile, the T-series was capable of a very respectable top speed of just under 120 miles per hour.
With the exception of a traditional Bentley-style front grill, the T-series was an identical car to the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow that was produced by the company at the same time as the Bentley. The Bentley is a much more rare car than its Rolls Royce counterpart, with total T1 production just over 1,850 units with over 1,700 being the four-door saloon during the production cycle. By contrast, over 16,700 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow four door saloons were built over the same time period.
This car was purchased by Sturm, Ruger and Company, Inc. in October 1973 for use by the company’s president and founder William Ruger, Sr. At the time the car odometer showed just under 6,000 miles and was still under factory warranty. Mr. Ruger, Sr. used the vehicle until 1980, when his son William Ruger, Jr. began driving the car. The present owner purchased the car in 2012 and the vehicle has been driven occasionally during his ownership and housed in a humidity-controlled environment. The dash is autographed by Bill Ruger, Jr.
This left-hand drive car presents in dark green and tan livery, which appears to be in exceptional condition. The tan leather interior is also in excellent condition. The car appears to be very original and has all the comfort features one would expect from a luxury car of this vintage—power windows, power seats, air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, cruise control and full instrumentation. The car has a factory AM/FM radio and auxiliary 8-track tape player.
Evergreen Digital Showroom offers this rare example of British luxury with established provenance for 49,9000 USD. Pre-purchase inspection is welcomed and encouraged. We will gladly assist with transportation at buyer’s expense or work with the transportation company of the buyer’s choice. For additional questions or to make an offer call sales manager Steve Russell at 417-532-8000. To see a sample of other vehicles we have for sale visit our website, www.evergreendigitalshowroom.com.
NOTICE
Because of the number of vehicles we represent we cannot drive every vehicle for long distances. These vehicles have been part of static displays for long periods of time, in some cases for decades, and are subject to the flaws and imperfections consistent with that. While we do our best to disclose all issues we known about a vehicle in our advertising, these are old cars and something that has always worked in the past might not function properly today. Please check the requirements of your state regarding the licensing and registration of classic vehicles and make sure the vehicle you are looking at meets those if applicable. Unless otherwise noted, all vehicles represented by Evergreen Digital Showroom possess a clean (non-branded) title which will be provided the new buyer when purchase funds clear our financial institution. Virtually all our vehicles are sold as mileage exempt due to their age. We do not warranty any vehicle, nor any part of the vehicle including air conditioning systems, brake systems, electrical systems and gauges, fuel systems, accessories or powertrain components.
These are old vehicles and it is very common for them to require certain maintenance and upkeep for them to be operational. In many cases issues with leaks may develop when being driven after a long period of not being used. This is common, as classic cars at some point will leak fluids. For this reason, we do not encourage buyers to attempt driving their purchase home as we cannot guarantee functional reliability of these vehicles. We strongly encourage prospective buyers to be sure they are comfortable with these issues before purchasing a classic car.
Descriptions of vehicles represented by Evergreen Digital Showroom are intended to be informational in nature and do not in any way constitute any sort of warranty, expressed or implied. Again, these vehicles are presented “as-is, where-is” without guarantee or warranty. Vehicles manufactured prior to 1981 will likely not be included in the databases of companies such as CarFax and AutoCheck that provide vehicle history information to consumers. If you have specific questions regarding a vehicle we urge you to contact us at 417-532-8000.
