Vintage Bentley
Production NOS.
Where To Look For
Chassis & Engine NOS.
Bentley Specials & Special Bentleys
Unidentified
Bentleys
Articles
09 March 2016
Incredibly rare 1928 Bentley car re-discovered after over 50 years
This 4½ litre vintage Bentley (Reg UP 2100) was taken apart and kept in boxes for more than 50 years. It has been reassembled to its former state and could now be worth £800,000. The dismantled 1928 4.5-litre Drop Head registration UP 2100 was found at a three-storey house after its owner Stuart Wallace died last year aged 75.
September 3, 2015
This 4½ litre vintage Bentley (Reg UP 2100) was taken apart and kept in boxes for more than 50 years. It has been reassembled to its former state and could now be worth £800,000. The dismantled 1928 4.5-litre Drop Head registration UP 2100 was found at a three-storey house after its owner Stuart Wallace died last year aged 75.
Former English teacher Mr Wallace bought the car for £280 in 1962 but could not afford to run it because he was a student at the time. And with nowhere to store it, he took apart the components and kept them at his townhouse where they remained for 58 years. He even kept a log of every part with photographs — and some were stored in jars of oil in the hope that one day it would be restored.
But Mr Wallace's wish only came true after his death when his daughter Bea Wallace-Hartstone called in a specialist Bentley dealership. A team of 12 specialists from the Medcalf Collection then spent ten months putting the pieces together to make it fully driveable again.
Only eight of this rare vehicle were made.
 The car that been taken apart by its owner Stuart Wallace, and kept in boxes for more than 50 years |
 The dismantled 1928 4.5-litre Drop Head UP 2100 was found in a three-storey house after its owner Stuart Wallace died last year |
 Only eight of these rare Bentley vehicles were made, and now this model has been restored it is worth of £800,000 |
 The former English teacher bought the car for £280 in 1962 but could not afford to run it because he was a student at the time |
 With nowhere to store it, Mr Wallace took apart the components and kept them at his townhouse where they remained for 58 years |
 He kept a log of every part with photographs - and some were stored in jars of oil in the hope that one day it would be rebuilt and restored |
 The reassembly came after his death when his daughter Bea Wallace-Hartstone called in a specialist Bentley dealership |
 Effort: A team of 12 specialists from the Medcalf Collection spent ten months putting the pieces together to make it fully driveable again |
 Experts were left stunned after entering the house to find car parts along the stairs, hidden under the bed and inside cupboards |
 William Medcalf, head of the Medcalf Collection, said a 'very nice lady' told him her late father had an old Bentley in his house |
 The vehicle cost Mr Wallace 'less than half the price of a Mini but he hadn't banked on the cost of running the car' |
 Photo of paperwork: There were only eight models built in the specification and this Bentley is said to be the only known survivor |
 The Bentley experts said there were 'literally bits everywhere and throughout the three-storey house' |
 Mr Medcalf said the team 'found headlights under a bed and a dashboard and radiator hidden away in a spare room' |
 During its reassembly, the team added several new sections of wood to ensure the car was solid |
 Dashboard: The team found enough parts to complete a rolling chassis - but believed at first that the bodywork had been lost over time |
 There was a large metal chest underneath a tarpaulin which contained more missing pieces |
 A lot TLC is required... |
 The car is a two-seater model and has only 39,000 miles on the clock, so is in 'great condition', according to the experts |
 This Bentley is now on display in the showroom of the dealership, which is selling it on the family's behalf |
 Unknown value: The experts said that 'as with all classic and vintage cars, its the price the prospective buyer puts on their passion' |
 The car would have cost about £370 when new. Mr Wallace bought it for approximately £280 in 1962 |
 The experts said that 'incredibly, not a single nut and bolt anywhere on the car has been replaced' |
 The Bentley still has its original lead seals in place and its original wire wheels and tires |
 The experts at the Medcalf Collection said their plan was 'to keep it as preserved as possible' |
 Mr Wallace's daughter said he was 'always messing around with cars and storing old parts and spares everywhere' |
 Anyone interested in buying the classic car should visit the website of the Sussex-based Medcalf Collection |
 |
 Mr Medcalf has been restoring vintage Bentleys for more than 18 years and racing 'since he could reach the controls' |
 The Medcalf Collection say that they have a 'desire to preserve as much engineering history as possible' in their vehicles |
 The vehicle was discovered in a house in the middle of London after 58 years of 'storage' |
 The vintage Bentley has been mechanically overhauled by the Medcalf Collection, so it is drivable |
 Original image: An archive photograph of the Bentley car with Stuart Wallace (who died last year aged 75) behind the wheel |
 The car as pictured today (after reassembly) |
 The car in its heyday |
 An unidentified woman is pictured in the vintage Bentley car in this undated black and white photograph |
 The owner did not want to sell the classic car but had nowhere to store it so he took it apart |
Posted here on Mar 9, 2016