This car was purchased by Keith Duly in 2017.

Murray Brothers Garage, July 2017

Introduction:
The Bentley 4½-Litre requires no introduction!

The Motor Car Offered:
Copy factory records on file show that the 1929 Bentley 4½-Litre Tourer offered for sale here, chassis no. FB 3220 was sold new via H.M. Bentley to Carol Vaughan Miller of Southampton. It was fitted with engine no. FB 3222, a C-type Gearbox (no. 6447) and registered OU 1179 on the 21st March 1929. The original coachwork was by Harrison and was a fabric-covered two-door drophead coupé with dickey. Gratifyingly the original and continuation buff logbooks still exist and are offered as part of the car’s history file.

The factory works records show the first change of ownership taking place in 1931, although the buff logbook shows that the car was registered with two companies before changing ownership. The second owner was a Walter Nightingall of Epsom. Various servicing works were carried out during Mr. Nightingall’s ownership before FB 3220 passed, via W.T. Blackshaw & Co. Ltd. to a Mr. James Ian Robertson.

A photograph supplied to the W.O. Bentley Memorial Foundation by Mr. Robertson shows him sitting on the running board of ‘OU 1179’ in Germany and is dated 1936 (copy on file.) This is the earliest known photograph of the car and shows that the Harrison drop-head coupé coachwork was still fitted then. In 1937 ‘OU 1179’ was involved in an accident and an interesting letter, on file, from Mr. Robertson to the current owner describes the accident and how he insisted that the car be returned to Bentley motors for the repairs. The chassis records concur and denote that amongst other repairs that the chassis frame was “reset.”

In his letter Mr. Robertson goes on to describe how he used the remainder of the insurance money to have a new body built. In his opinion the Harrison body was “a rather ugly high waisted” design. Mr. Robertson recalls that the body was built by Carbodies (a well known company) although some records show it as being built by Carvill or even Corsica. The design was a more up-to-date style of two-door roadster and, although very much in the style of some Corsica bodies was more likely to have been built by Carbodies. Once the car was back on the road Mr. Robertson recalled how he took the car to Monte Carlo for a holiday and another photograph of ‘OU 1179’ appears to show it there.

During The Second World War, ‘OU 1179’ was “taken out of service” by Mr. Robertson while he served in the army and was “brought back into service” shortly after the hostilities ended. He recalls selling the car in around 1947, which matches up with the continuation logbook that shows ownership of the car passing to a Gladys Woodall in March 1947. ‘OU 1179’ then passed through just two further owners during the 1940s, 50s and 60s before being purchased by the current, long-term, owner in 1969.

At this stage ‘OU 1179’ was still fitted with the 1930s body. Having promptly joined the Bentley Drivers’ Club the vendor got the car back on the road but then took it off the road again in order to carry out a comprehensive restoration. Invoices on file from 1970, show that Hofmann & Burton and Basset Down Farms carried out the lion share of the mechanical restoration at this stage with the vendor himself spending many hours in the garage after the work on his farm was finished for the day. The 1930s body was in poor condition and regardless the vendor wanted a vintage looking Bentley not a car that resembled post vintage thoroughbred. To this end, once the mechanical work had been largely completed, the vendor commissioned Tony Townsend of Elmdown Engineering, to fit a Replica of the famed Vanden Plas four seat touring body and a photograph on file shows the car in running chassis form with the 1930s body removed, ready to be fitted with Vanden Plas style coachwork. This body was completed and fitted in 1971 (a letter on file from Tony Townsend confirms this) and ‘OU 1179’ was returned to active service.

Active service it indeed was, as the current owner competed at numerous Bentley Drivers’ Club and Vintage Sports Car Club events with the car. As well as these events the car was used for numerous tours and family outings and thus features regularly in the Bentley Drivers’ Club Reviews from the 1970s onwards.

Advancing years and infrequent use has prompted the vendor’s decision to pass ‘OU 1179’ to a new custodian such that they may be able to enjoy it as he has during no fewer than 46 years ownership. Although ‘OU 1179’ has seen far less use in recent years, it has still received regular care and attention including the fitment of a new radiator and core. Nearly all of the major mechanical components of the car are original including the chassis, engine, C-type gearbox, back axle banjo and steering box. The differential nosepiece is from a 61/2-Litre Bentley with a 15/45 ratio.

Offered for sale for the first time since 1969 and complete with a history file showing the car in its various forms since initial construction in 1929, this fine Bentley 4½ – Litre Tourer is sure to provide its new owner with many more years of enjoyment. With its long legged credentials we would recommend continued use within the Bentley Driver’s Club and Vintage Sports Car Club as well as long distance rallies such as the Flying Scotsman and 1000 mile trials."

"Photo of chassis FB3320 at BDC Silverstone Race Meeting, 10th August 2013."

In England in 2006 / Owned by a BDC member