Vehicle Description
Bentley Motors achieved success with its first car, the single
overhead camshaft 4-valve per cylinder 3-Litre introduced in 1919.
Always intended as a sporting car the 3-Litre was, if anything,
overbuilt and its rugged reliability was successful in competition,
rallies and daily use on the rudimentary roads of the day.It proved
itself in the toughest test of the day, the 24 Hour of Le Mans,
winning outright in 1924 and 1927.Soon, however, owners began to
specify heavy, enclosed coachbuilt bodies that taxed the 3-Litre's
performance and its stiffly-sprung but flexible chassis frame.
Bentley expediently responded with a longer wheelbase chassis that,
if anything, further taxed the 3-Litre's roughly 80hp engine. More
was needed.For that Bentley designed a new engine with two more
cylinders and roughly 4 1/2 litres displacement. A chance encounter
with the prototype Rolls-Royce "New Phantom" on the way back from
Le Mans in 1924 turned into a speed contest which showed the
Bentley needed even more speed. The decision was taken to
drastically increase displacement to 6 1/2 litres (6,597cc) which
became the production 6 1/2 introduced in 1925 and first produced
in early 1926.The 6 1/2's design was faithful to the fully
developed 3-Litre with a single overhead camshaft, fixed cylinder
head, 4 valves per cylinder and an eight main bearing crankshaft.
The Speed Six followed in 1928 with twin SU carburetors and revised
intake system that brought it up to 160hp - circa 200hp in Team Car
specs. The Speed Six's 140mm stroke augmented its horsepower with
steam engine-like low rpm torque that made it easy to drive in all
situations.The Bentley Speed Six was consistently successful in
competition, winning Le Mans in 1929 and 1930 on the way to taking
five wins and four seconds in major races between 1929 and 1931, an
achievement that has made it a favorite for collectors and
competitors.Most 6 1/2 Litres were bodied with large, luxuriously
appointed, heavy multi-passenger coachwork on long wheelbase
chassis that ranged upward from 11 feet to an awesome 12 feet 7 1/4
inches (12 feet 8 1/2 inches in some chassis with repositioned
front axles). Contrasting, however, most survivors today wear
Vanden Plas style 4-seat Sports Tourer bodies.1930 Bentley 6 1/2
Litre s/n LR2779 is one of those fortunate survivors. Originally
bodied by Thrupp & Maberly with open-front semi-formal cabriolet de
ville coachwork, LR 2779 survived only until the late 40's or early
50's, when it disappeared into the mists of Bentley history. Parts
from LR2779 were resurrected in Australia and entrusted to Rod
Warriner to be built up as a Speed Six Vanden Plas Le Mans Replica
Sports Tourer. Its chassis number, recognized on its registration
documents, is attributed to its rear axle "banjo", the center
section housing the differential and the tubes housing the axle
shafts.The engine is largely new, with aluminum castings and a
non-standard but effective dual SU carburetor intake manifold on
the dual port fixed cylinder head. A Bentley "C" type gearbox is
fitted as was standard for this 6 1/2 Litre although this was
originally fitted to a 4 1/2 Litre s/n UK3288. Rod-operated 4-wheel
brakes are assisted by a Dewandre L2 vacuum brake servo.The
bodywork is a Vanden Plas-style Sports Tourer with two doors and
four seats finished in green with fabric-covered passenger tonneau.
The interior is in standard green leather with a full folding top
and rear seat cloth tonneau cover. Other details are patterned
after the famed Speed Six "Old No. 1", Le Mans winner in 1929 and
1930, including the Lucas P100 headlights and Hartford friction
shocks. The 4-spoke Bluemels steering wheel is appropriately reeded
for better grip. There is even a French-origin "Les Billards"
counter adapted to the cockpit surround for keeping track of laps,
just as the Bentley Team Cars did at Le Mans.The Le Mans Bentley
presentation is continued with dual Brooklands aeroscreens, a wire
mesh folding windshield, mesh shielded rear fuel tank and cycle
fenders.LR2779 is the subject of an exhaustive April 2019 analysis
by Bentley expert Clare Hay comprising 29 pages of narrative,
analysis and photographs. It is further supported by historical
documents and a copy of the Bentley Service Record.All of which is
just precis to appreciating what this Speed Six is, a fabulously
detailed, meticulously restored dynamic driving automobile from the
classic era that preserves and imparts the sensation of a 100 mph
plus car from the Bentley marque's glory days. It has been sampled
by our usually-jaded Hyman Ltd. techs and each of them has come
back from a romp smiling ear-to-ear. It has acquired in its most
recent prominent collection's ownership some of the "Old No. 1"
details that characterize it while being fastidiously maintained in
road and tour ready condition.It is what it purports to be, and
that is fast and evocative with six cylinders of nearly 1100cc per
hole that have an irreproducible sound and emotional effect.It is
emblematic of the best, the very best, of Bentley's Cricklewood
years. Offers welcome and trades considered For additional details
please view this listing directly on our website
