Classic Cars / Bentley / Car for sale

1953 Bentley R Type special ordered - Custom Built with documentation / records

Sale price: $36,500.00 make an offer

Seller's notes: "Older Restoration by Rolls-Royce/Beverly Hills. Recently recommissioned after 15 year hiatus (Great 'barn-find'story)"

Sale type: Fixed price listing

Technical specifications, photos and description:

Year:
1953
Mileage:
132,000
Engine:
4.5 Liter Bentley 'Continental R' High Compression
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1953 Bentley R Type special ordered - Custom Built with documentation / records for sale

Current customer rating: current rating for this car(2.15) based on 304 votes
 

1953 Bentley R Type.

chassis number B339T0

This car is unique as it may very well be the only post-war Bentley fitted with free-standing Lucas P100 headlamps. It was also specially ordered with the  Bentley Continental R high compression cylinder head and the high-speed rear end 12:41 ratio. a bench front seat and a specially constructed ‘apron' or cover for the large tools in the boot.

You can see complete photos of the car here –

http://s1143. photobucket. com/user/bentleyguy/library/B339TO

The original owner of the car – R. Clifford Turner was a solicitor involved in the aircraft manufacturing business and apparently liked fast Bentleys. hence the special performance features he wanted for this car.

I have copies of the original sales contract and correspondence between him and  Bentley covering his order and negotiations for the car which show the special equipment and that he traded in a very early ‘Big-Bore' 4. 5 Bentley Mark VI for this even faster R Type.

Copies of that correspondence can be seen here –

http://s1143. photobucket. com/user/bentleyguy/library/B339T0%20Documentation

The further history of this car is fascinating and was recently covered by the online publication Veloce Today when they wrote about it's discovery after 15 years of dormant storage near Atlanta. Georgia. To summarize – in 1980 the car was restored by Beverly Hills Rolls-Royce in California for a highly placed executive of Bank of America. All the work was overseen by the western regional service manager for Rolls-Royce in America.

The owner used the car sparingly and carefully for a number of years. Upon his retirement from the bank he took the car with him to Atlanta. One day in 1998 the drove it into the garage of his million dollar home. got out. walked away and never drove the car again.

For fifteen years the car was simply stored in the climate controlled garage due to the owner's advancing blindness. A chance conversation in an auto parts store last year in Pendleton. Oregon led a bystander to remark that his uncle had a classic Bentley but he didn't drive it anymore. Although I thought this was probably just another tall tale. along the lines of an urban myth. I asked the young man about it and ultimately bought it after I had the car inspected on site. proceeded to negotiate a sale and then had the car delivered to Portland where I began the process of re-commissioning it for the road again.

This work entailed cleaning and flushing of the fuel system. replacement of the SU fuel pumps. dismantling the carburetors. a complete overhaul the hydraulic brake system – the master cylinder and wheel cylinders were sent to a machine shop for re-sleeving in stainless steel. all rubber seals. cups and flexible lines were replaced with new. the system bled and adjusted. Fortunately the wear on the brake shoes was so negligible that they did not require relining as the original type material they are made of is superior to the modern replacement. The cooling system. was serviced. new battery etc. spark plugs. all oils and fluids changed.

Please note the incredibly well restored interior - the fabulous leather. Wilton carpet and the wood is perhaps the finest and best you will ever see.

The car now runs and drives well – all the electrical accessories function properly with the exception of an apparently sticking fuel gauge float unit (which I will attend to). the steering is tight and precise. the transmission shifts well and the clutch neither slips nor chatters. General prudence would dictate that the tires be replaced with new although they show virtually no wear as they are at last 15 years old. and perhaps more than 20! The mufflers also need attention as the exhaust is more noisy than it should be.

$36. 00

Please call me at 971-998-2703

if you have questions

I have clear title and registration in my name.

Also published at eBay.com

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