1953 Bentley 4½ Litre 'Blower' Short Chassis Special
Registration Number: GVH 359, Chassis Number: B195TO

The 'Blower' Bentley was the idea of Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin who was perhaps the most accomplished of the legendary 'Bentley Boys'. Birkin was a dashing, romantic figure who established his reputation in a very short time; he did not start to race seriously until 1927 but by 1930 he had his own stable of Bentleys which were financed by the Hon. Dorothy Paget, a great sportswoman who was even better known in horse racing circles. Birkin employed Amherst Villiers to supercharge a 4½ litre car although apparently W.O. Bentley was not wholly enthusiastic. Further, Birkin persuaded Woolf Barnato, who held the purse strings at Bentley, to build fifty examples so they could be homologated for Le Mans.

Before the race Birkin and Barnato agreed that they should join forces and run as a single team, with Birkin acting as the hare to try and force the opposition into running at such a pace that it would be destroyed. The main threat came from a seven litre Mercedes-Benz SSK driven by Rudolf Caracciola/Christian~Lerner; Birkin and Caracciola engaged in an epic duel, passing and re-passing each other through the afternoon and into the night, until both cars broke which let Barnato's Bentley Speed Six through to take his third victory at Le Mans and Bentley's fifth. It was a typical display of Birkin's sportsmanship and skill as a driver that he should take on the role of hare for the greater good of the team, as well as being a demonstration of the car's outstanding performance. It was no mean feat to battle wheel to wheel with Caracciola, one of the greatest drivers in history, while giving away two and a half litres; the car handled superbly and supercharging the single overhead camshaft, four valve, six cylinder engine did not embarrass the chassis in the least.

Later in the year Birkin gave an even more impressive demonstration of the car's abilities when he entered the French Grand Prix. Many chuckled when he arrived - he intended to race against Grand Prix cars in a four seater tourer - but they stayed to cheer when he brought his car home in second place. It remains one of the most remarkable feats in motor racing history. It was performances like this which fed the legend of the 'Blower' Bentley although examples raced at international level for only a comparatively short time. By 1930 Bentley was in even worse financial straits than usual and before long it was to become one of the many victims of the Depression; it was acquired by Rolls-Royce, whose priorities did not include motor racing. Blower Bentleys in private hands remained competitive for many years in British racing at Brooklands, becoming almost synonymous with the track. With their distinctive engine note, they epitomise a golden era and perhaps no other Bentley has as much glamour as a Blower.

Built on a 1953 modified Bentley Mk VI chassis, and using all Bentley and Petersen parts, the example on offer is a one of kind creation. The body was custom fabricated by Carrosserie and the engine, transmission and brakes have all been built specially to complement the car's touring capabilities; photographs and video footage have documented this impressive transformation. Since the completion of the vehicle in 2005 it has covered only 12,000 miles. Equally suited for use in grand touring events or concourse competition, this fine example comes with a current MoT test certificate and comprehensive documentation recording the zealous craftsmanship that has gone into this special Bentley. Its current owner has relished the comfort, reliability and iconic styling offered by this 4½ Litre Bentley, and at a fraction of the cost of an original Blower.

Estimate: £65,000-£85,000