This 1955 Bentley R-Type Empress Sport Saloon by Hooper is a
beautiful award winner that has a two-tone black over Garnet
exterior and is in overall excellent condition! This Empress has an
interior that is finished in grey leather with a lovely walnut burl
dash with trimmings and is in great condition. This Bentley is a
right-hand-drive and has the 4.6L inline-six paired with a
four-speed automatic transmission. The Empress has benefited from
over $180,000 in mechanical and cosmetic improvements. This Bentley
is a proven award winner and tourer that will be a great motorcar
to add to an enthusiast's collection. The Bentley was one of 39
Empress Saloons coachbuilt by Hooper. Delivered new in 1955 to
Hardy & Co. (Furnishers) Limited, a City of London-registered
furnishing company incorporated in 1930 with high street locations
across southeast England. American ownership followed in 1969 with
Mr. Robert C. Hilpert of Huntington Bay, Long Island, New York, in
whose care the Bentley remained through 1981. By 1985, the Empress
had passed to Mr. Walter Binder of Oak Ridge Avenue, Summit, New
Jersey, where it remained through 2002. In December of that year
the Bentley entered the current owner's collection In New Jersey
then later in Southern California. The Empress earned recognition
at three RROC Annual Meets: a class Touring second place in 2003, a
class Concours third place in 2010, and in 2023 both a Special
Award and first place in the Mark VI/R-Type Class Concours. The
Bentley is a proven tourer that will be loved by the next owner The
Empress exterior is two-tone black over Garnet that is in overall
excellent condition. The Bentley was repainted in 2008 that
included an extensive strip, prime, and block sand preparation
spanning several months of documented labor. The body was
disassembled to the bare shell, all chrome removed and sent out for
replating, and all trim sorted, bead-blasted, primed, and painted
before reassembly. The Empress has headlights, sidelamps,
taillights and windshield wipers that are in working condition. The
tires are Coker white walls on 16in steel wheels with rear fender
skirts. This Empress is stunning in this color combination and
presents strongly as an award winner that is ready to be enjoyed!
The interior is trimmed in grey leather in great condition with
grey carpeting in excellent condition throughout. The wood dash,
door caps and rear picnic tables are in excellent condition. The
Smiths instrument panel includes a speedometer, ammeter, oil
pressure gauge, coolant temperature gauge, fuel gauge, radio and a
functioning clock. The original electromagnetic clock was converted
to a quartz movement in 2007. The Bentley has power windows that
are functioning. The Empress has the 4.6 liter inline-six with twin
SU carburetors, dual exhaust, and can accomplish speeds of over 100
mph and maintain speeds of 70-80 mph on the highway. The Bentley
has servo assisted power brakes. Mechanically this Bentley is in
wonderful driving condition. The four-speed automatic transmission
shifts smoothly and easily and starts right up. The documented
service history spans over two decades of specialist care totaling
over $180,000. In 2003 and 2004, British Motor Cars in New Jersey
performed a full brake servo rebuild and a complete automatic
transmission rebuild, addressing the housing, gaskets, driveshaft,
tailshaft support mounts, and rear engine mounts exceeding $30,000.
In 2008, the Bentley had a comprehensive body and chrome
restoration by Mr. Jim Fasinelli at Restorations Unlimited. It was
repainted in its original Masons Black and Garnet colors with work
totaling over $60,000. An Petronix ignition was installed in 2016.
In 2021, Palma Auto Repair completed the most recent major service
and concours preparation, replacing the engine drive belt, renewing
coolant and lower radiator hoses, correcting the ignition system to
proper specifications, repairing the wiper motor, and performing a
full engine compartment detail and chassis touch-up which totaling
over $59,000. This Bentley comes with a spare tire and jack tool
kit, complete tool set, owner's manual, historical records and
service records. For more information and details, please call or
text Kendi Brown at 1.623.404.9042 or email us at
[email protected] . This Bentley is available for
inspection at our showroom in Phoenix. We are pleased to offer
FaceTime or WhatsApp live video inspections, and we help coordinate
shipping worldwide. We also have financing partners if you are
interested in financing.
