Vehicle Description
Following the 1931 takeover of Bentley Motors by archrival
Rolls-Royce, strong demand from loyal customers dictated the
development of a new Bentley model. Time was of the essence and
expectations were high, considering the new Bentley would be the
first designed and built under Rolls-Royce parentage at Derby.
Tailored for the growing ranks of well-heeled and enthusiastic
owner-drivers, the new Bentley 3 � Litre combined the chassis
developed under the 2 �-litre supercharged Rolls-Royce "Peregrine"
program and a tuned version of the 3,669 CC powerplant from the
Rolls-Royce 20/25, equipped with twin S.U. carburetors and an
improved crossflow cylinder head to develop approximately 110
horsepower. Power delivery was via a four-speed manual gearbox with
synchromesh on third and top gears, brakes were servo-assisted, and
underpinnings comprised parallel semi-elliptic leaf springs front
and rear, and hydraulic dampers, with driver-selectable
Ride-Control from 1934. Built upon a 126-inch wheelbase, the new
Bentley 3 � Litre chassis inspired a new crop of decidedly
sporting, yet elegant body designs, mainly from the Britain's top
custom coachbuilders. Park Ward constructed two prototypes - a
rakish saloon and a drophead coupe, which helped define the primary
design language for the 3 � Litre. Among the styling cues ushered
in by the prototypes were aerodynamic domed fenders that unlocked
several mph during testing and a small integral luggage boot. The
new Bentley was introduced at Ascot in August 1933 and received
positive reviews from the motoring press, along with endorsements
from top British racers and aviators of the 1930s. Priced from
£1,100 new for the bare chassis, the 3 � Litre included full
lighting and a comprehensive tool kit. Praised by driving
enthusiasts, the so-called "Silent Sports Car" was so successful
that demand quickly exceeded supply, driving up resale values.
Enhancing the cachet of the 3 � Litre were its many noted owners in
period, including the Duke of Kent, who surprised many onlookers by
emerging from the driver's seat of his car rather than arriving via
chauffeur. Other 3 � Litre advocates included former Bentley Motors
apprentice the Earl of March, racing driver Earl Howe, band leader
Bill Cotton, and three-time world land speed record holder George
Eyston. The 3 � Litre was an important and very successful Bentley
and according to marque experts, 1,177 chassis were produced from
1933 to 1937, with the sought-after model continuing to be produced
and available following the advent of the 4 � Litre in spring 1935.
Fitted with crisp and handsomely styled Park Ward Sports Saloon
coachwork by Park Ward, this 1934 Bentley 3 � Litre bears Chassis
Number B157AE and carries fascinating provenance, having been
ordered new by C.R. (Charles Richard) Fairey, the renowned British
engineer who founded Fairey Aviation in 1915. The holder of
numerous honors for his many contributions to aviation, Fairey
oversaw the development and production of a long line of aircraft,
rotorcraft, marine craft, and rockets, including the heroic and
deadly Swordfish torpedo bombers of WW II Battle of the Atlantic
fame. Awarded the MBE in 1920, Fairey served twice as president of
the Royal Aeronautical Society during the 1930s and was knighted in
June 1942 while serving as Director-General of the British Air
Commission in Washington D.C. According to copies of factory
chassis records supplied by the RROC (Rolls-Royce Owner's Club),
B157AE was ordered by C.R. Fairey on December 21, 1933, with notes
including a request for "special attention to performance" and a
longer-than-standard (by 2 � inches) steering column. Chassis
B157AE came "off test" on March 28, 1934, and was sent the next day
to Park Ward, where it was fitted with Saloon coachwork, finished
in Black over Brown leather upholstery. Accessories and equipment
included special front fenders, a strengthening bar around the
body, a Trico suction-type windshield wiper with vacuum tank, a
Lucas F157 fog lamp on a special bracket allowing it to swing down
as desired, and Rolls-Royce 40/50-type front seats. Registered AXY
746, the Bentley was delivered directly to Fairey on July 10, 1934.
According to copies of the chassis records, B157AE was traded back
to the factory and resold to its second owner, Fairey Aviation's
test pilot, Flight Lieutenant Staniland on December 27, 1934.
Staniland would also trade the car back to the factory, from which
it was sold to third owner Tim Rose-Richards, the noted British
racing driver who also partnered with John Cobb on the mighty
Napier-Railton, which famously set speed records at Brooklands and
the Bonneville Salt Flats. A photograph in marque expert Johnnie
Green's book, Bentley: Fifty Years of the Marque, captures
Rose-Richards at the wheel of B157AE at London's Hyde Park.
Rose-Richards followed his predecessors by trading B157AE back to
the factory, which sold the Bentley to its fourth owner J.W. Peck
on April 23, 1937. B157AE was eventually sold to the United States,
with its last recorded owner David J. Carey, of Saratoga,
California, who acquired the venerable Bentley on February 24,
1977, and it remained in the care of his family until 2022. As
offered, B157AE is a well-sorted, early-production Derby Bentley
retaining its original engine, numbered K 2 BP, and Park Ward
saloon coachwork. The subject of a well-preserved older
restoration, it is finished in an appealing livery of Gray and Navy
Blue over Gray leather upholstery. The finish quality is consistent
overall, with some blemishes noted on close inspection that enhance
the usable, inviting character. The brightwork is similarly well
preserved, with good plating and minor pitting noted on the
radiator shutters. The gray interior retains its original features,
along with a charming patina earned through years of enjoyment
under the prior long-term Californian ownership. B157AE retains
irreplaceable integrity, making it an ideal candidate for continued
enjoyment on a wide array of classic tours, long-distance rallies,
and club-related driving events. A wonderful example of the first
Bentley model produced under Rolls-Royce in Derby, B157AE carries
fascinating early provenance, and it will surely spark many great
conversations among Bentley, racing, and aviation enthusiasts
wherever it goes. Offers welcome and trades considered For
additional details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7321-1934-bentley-3-1-2-litre-park-ward-saloon/
