Vintage Bentley
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Bentleys
1922 Bentley 3 Litre IND 2-seater
Chassis No. 94
Engine No. 53
Registration No. ME 4976
March 31, 2011
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This is the first Bentley to be entered into the indianapolis 500.W.O. Bentley's products had only available only to the general public for a little over three years when English sportsman W.D. Hawkes decided to enter this one in the 1922 Indianapolis 500. Up against a field comprised almost entirely of 100-percent-racing cars, Hawkes finished 13th-place, completing the full 500 miles just one and a half hours after the winner, in a time of six hours and 40 minutes, averaging 74.95 mph.
Source: Robert McLellan - VintageBentleys.org
Posted: May 6, 2011
2006
Posted: Jan 1, 0001
1960
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(Reg ME 4976 is the car on extreme left in each photo.)
Source: Paul Tebbett
Posted: Mar 3, 2011
1950
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Source: Motor Sport magazine, 1950
Posted: Feb 21, 2018
1923
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Source: Austin Harris
Posted: Aug 21, 2009
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Source: The Great Cars by Ralph Stein, 1967
Posted: May 8, 2007
Certainly, Chassis 94 was rebuilt in the 1960s by Cranfield. It was well documented in Veteran and Vintage magazine etc. Subsequently it is believed to have gone to the Indy Museum, in the USA, where as far as we know, it still is.
However, one look at the original picture of Chassis 94, [as per P' Tebbett] and comparing this with the one in the Indy museum, it appears that the Cranfield rebuild used a standard 3 litre Bentley bulkhead and not the 'special' lower one as used originally for the TT cars and the Indy car. Hence the car in the museum is probably around 3 or 4 inches higher at the bulkhead and also the radiator. More later...
Source: Stuart Forsey
Posted: Mar 30, 2011
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"As already announced in The Autocar of April 22nd, a three-litre Bentley car is to compete in the 500 Miles Race at Indianapolis on May 30th."
Source: From article "The Bentley for Indianapolis" published in "The Autocar", May 6, 1922 issue
Posted: Feb 23, 2008
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Source: "Queste" magazine, Bentley Special Issue, 1984
Posted: Feb 2, 2007
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Source: "Car Classics" magazine, June 1976 issue
Posted: Dec 20, 2006
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Source: A Pictorial History of the Automobile by Peter Roberts, 1977
Posted: May 24, 2007
Earliest Record Of Historical Facts & Information
| Chassis No. | 94 |
|---|---|
| Engine No. | 53 |
| Registration No. | ME 4976 |
| Date of Delivery: | 1922 |
| Type of Body: | 2-seater |
| Coachbuilder: | Ewart |
| Type of Car: | IND |
| First Owner: | (HEATON T) |
| More Info: | Indy car. Became No. 1 TT (ME 1884) Michael Hay, in his book Bentley: The Vintage Years, 1997, states: "See 42. This ch. renumbered as ch. 42, eng 61, reg ME 1884. Raced by Clement as 2 seater then single seater. Engine 61 (ie 53 renumbered as 61) blown up then re-built on crankcase 163 as EXP 2. Sold to Whitwell of Darlington with new Ewart body Oct 1932." |
Sep 20, 2006