1926 Bentley 3 Litre

1926 BENTLEY 3-Litre

Reg. No: PF1470; Chassis No: AH1482; Engine No: AH1476

Rare Blue Label short-chassis (9' 9. 5") Bentley (36th of only 40 Light Tourers made). Owned for 19 years by the current owner, and 61 years by the Lewis family of Penarth, Glamorgan. First registered on 28 April 1926. Remains entirely matching numbers. Chassis number AH1482 is on near-side front dumb iron, chassis cross-member behind radiator, inside protective cowl over dynamo drive, front axle, dashboard switchgear, steering column, gear-box, and banjo of the rear axle. Engine number AH 1476 is on sump casing by starter motor, and behind turret at front of the engine.

Bentley Motors maintenance record in possession of the BDC indicates running factory number of the chassis was 1322. This is consistent with other running numbers: 1313 stamped on upper and lower camshaft casings; 1282 on the upper crankcase casing, 1383 on the lower casing (= sump), 1344 on the block, 1355 on the gearbox, and 1310 on the back axle.

Like a number of short-chassis Light Tourers, it was fitted with a Speed model "A" gearbox and long steering column as original equipment. The Smith-Bentley carburettor was replaced by two matched SU slopers (5594 and 5596), probably in the 1930s. Speed model pistons were installed in one of the rebores. These increase the compression ratio to 5. 3, making the current power output the same as a Red label.

The body is original, built by May & Jacobs of Guildford. It is the only May & Jacobs body on a Bentley. The front top springs on both sides are stamped MAY and 626T, indicating they were stamped by Bentley Motors with the coachbuilder and the month, year and chassis type. They are also stamped CAM, suggesting spring camber was set, in accordance with Bentley practice, after the bodywork had been built and its weight on the chassis was its final form. The Bentley records show that the rear springs were always of long-chassis type.

The entire running chassis has been reconditioned during my 19-year ownership. The engine was rebuilt in 2012 with a new crankshaft made to original 1926 Bentley specs by Farndon Engineering Ltd of Coventry from a billet of EN40B. Nitriding allowed use of new Phoenix 45° conrods with BMW big-end bearing shells. The engine was newly bored to +. 080" oversize and fitted with BDC Speed model pistons (replacing earlier Speed model pistons). The rebore gives a calculated displacement of 3. 147 litres, and increased compression ratio over standard Speed model engine. New Brineton cross-gears were installed together with new valves, guides, and springs from the BDC. The main bearings were remetalled by Formhall's in the UK and line-bored by AutoRestorations of Christchurch, New Zealand. The car has covered about 6500 miles without problems since the rebuild.

The oil pressure is 43-45 psi while running, and 35 psi on idle after starting. The performance is exceptionally sprightly. Because of the excellent compression ratio, the car never overheats, despite having no fan.

Four ML magnetos come with the car, one of which is used currently as the circuit breaker for a Thorspark electronic ignition. Two magnetos were rebuilt by the late Adrian Gorvin about 15 years ago.

A new Gallay radiator was made by the Vintage Car Radiator Company in 2021 to Pebble Beach standards with the correct wineglass core. The starter motor has been rebuilt with new brushes. The original half-shafts have been fitted with new internal buttons and the Timken roller bearings adjusted accordingly. The original radiator will come with the car.

Six original beaded-edge wheels also come with the car, for five of which there are complete sets of ACE discs. Five new split-rim wheels were built in 2011 by Richards Bros. of Cardiff, and are shown in the photographs. These are of the style used by Bentley at Le Mans around 1925/ 1926. Tyres are Longstone 3-block style.

ALL new parts used in the engine rebuild are supported by original invoices.

History and assessment

The car was originally bought in 1926 by Mr C J Porter, of Compton, Surrey, about 5 miles SW of Guildford. May & Jacobs of Guildford were the local coachbuilders. Mr Porter sold the car within 9 months to Henry Gethin Lewis of Penarth, Glamorganshire, who had a London address at the time. The car was taken off the road during WWII, and from 1957 to 1972 due to an unrepaired water leak into the sump. The car passed to Mr Lewis' son and was reconditioned by TT Racing of Westbury in Wiltshire about 1975. The car was sold at auction by Phillips in 1988. It was sold again in the mid-1990s by Stanley Mann to Ed Rowan of New Jersey, USA. Mr Rowan sold the car to me through the agency of the late Don Meyer of New Jersey, a well-regarded dealer at the time. I have owned the car for 19 years, first in New Zealand and, since 2014, in France. I use it weekly.

A registration disk for the car exists for late 1927, where the car is described as grey. The car will also come with the original buff registration certificates and the original owners handbook, complete with Henry Lewis' notes and annotations.

The car remained an externally unaltered example of a Blue label at least until 1988. There is a photograph of the car in original condition in Nick Walker’s book « Coachwork on Vintage Bentleys », but there the car is described incorrectly as Red label.

The body of the car remains completely original and carries 4 original doorplates from May & Jacobs. The windscreen was professionally reduced in height by Auster of Birmingham sometime after 1988, and the original front mudguards replaced by Park Ward/ VandenPlas-style mudguards.

The car has always passed its roadworthiness tests in its relevant jurisdictions. It is recognised by the French authorities on its carte grise as a véhicule de collection that was first registered prior to 1960. It has required no inspection since French law changed in 2017. It has been insured without incident for the past 9 years in France, and is currently insured until September 2026. It is also registered with DVLA in the UK with the registration BF7710. The original registration PF1470 is currently on retention with DVLA until 2036, and the original cast aluminium plates come with the car.

Condition

The chassis and drive train are in excellent condition, reflecting 19 years of committed conservation to the highest standards. The replacement crankshaft was installed to forestall a major failure after the original of crankshaft and conrods were crack-tested and found to be unsafe. I deliberately chose a replica crankshaft to Bentley 3L-specs rather than the Phoenix alternative, in order to retain as much of the 'feel' of the 1926 engine as possible. As noted earlier, the engine has completed about 6500 miles since rebuild, and is fully bedded in. The back axle ratio is the original 1:4. 23. I find this remains appropriate. The new split-rim wheels plus their tyres have a larger diameter than the original beaded edge, partially offsetting the lower back axle ratio. The slightly lower ratio is better for hill starting as the car still carries its original cone clutch.

The body is now 100 years old. It still passes its safety tests, but it is tired. It represents a wonderful opportunity for a new owner to examine the current frame and repanel with a new scuttle and sides or to rebuild to an alternative tourer style. Personally, I greatly like the current high-sided bodywork. It is very characteristic of 1926, and the car looks as good with the hood up as down. The car would look spectacular if returned to its original colours.

Pricing the car has not been straightforward and I have set a new guide price. The cost of the mechanical work undertaken over the years, plus the new radiator, wheels, etc. would be £80, 000 - 100, 000 if undertaken today. I believe my guide price now compares exceptionally well with several unrebuilt 3L Bentleys, two 30-98s, and a Sunbeam 3 L that are currently on the market. The reason for sale is simple; I am approaching 82 and my children have other interests. I should love to see the car pass to a new owner who shares my enthusiasm.

In summary:

A wonderful opportunity to buy a carefully restored, matching numbers running chassis for a 3 litre Bentley, currently up to Red label spec, complete with new radiator and new 1926 style split-rim wheels and 3-block tyres.

Original bodywork that can be restored or replaced.