William Medcalf, Liss, West Sussex

This car is for sale at Historic Classics in East Sussex as of March 15, 2009.

The description presented by Historic Classics is the same as the one you see below in the Classic Driver block dated Dec 13, 2008. The focus points are: Full matching numbers; Unquestioned provenance; Fabulous Le Mans style conversion; Detailed continuous history; Dry stored from 1947 to 1988; Extremely low overall mileage; 15,776 miles since the conversion; Price £425,000.

Historic Classics are informs potential customers that they "also have on site landing facilities for helicopters and full co-ordinates can be supplied on request."

Brooklands 2007.

1929 Bentley 4½ Litre VDP Le Mans
Reg No. UC 4429 :: Chassis No. HF 3179 :: Engine No. HF3 183 :: Price. £POA

Brooklands Museum Bentley Gathering, March 2006

Photograph shows car competing in Bentley Drivers Club Driving Tests at Brooklands in 2006.

In England in 2006 / Owned by a BDC member

Bentley 4 1/2 Litre LeMans
Chassis HF 3179 was completed on 22nd December 1927, with the guarantee expiring on 11th February 1933.

It was registered UC 4429, fitted with engine HF 3183 and gearbox BS 5013 and originally fitted with Park Ward Coupe body. The original service records show initial delivery to H G Sicklemore of Chislehurst, Kent. The factory continued to maintain the car for the next 7 years, with further details and mileages recorded each year. These confirm the mileages as 8,260 by 1929, 12,580 in 1931, and 16,943 in 1933.

In 1933, it is recorded that the car was offered for sale and changed hands for the first time - to J R Combe of Curzon Street, London W1 at a mileage of 31,668. By 1934 this had risen to 36,438 and the final factory entry was April 1935, when a clutch thrust sleeve was supplied. The next chapter in this car’s history was that it was taken off the road in March 1941, the last dated entry for relevant petrol ration, which was recorded in its old brown log book.

The club records stated the car was last known when a two seater body was fitted in 1947. It appears this project was never completed and the car remained laid up totally complete in a barn.

Fast forwards to Friday 18th November 1988 and a telephone call that is unlikely to happen today. The discovery of a lost 4 ½ litre Bentley, recorded as last heard of in 1946 – totally intact, unmolested and original. It seemed too good to be true to Richard Sanders, who none the less called his bank manager – just in case – and suffered a sleepless weekend ahead of the first opportunity to view the following Monday.

The visit confirmed the near impossible – a totally complete and untouched time warp Bentley. The engine numbers on the crankcase and cross shaft turret were correct, the bonnet had the original chassis number still clearly stamped, as did the switch plate, the gearbox retained the original number recorded as fitted from new, the numbers on the sloper carbs still matched the manifold... it just went on.

The only item that appeared incorrect was one magneto – until a look at the factory service records showed this one was fitted on the 4th October 1928. Needless to say, the bank earned their loan interest!

Once home, it was clear that everything was actually in remarkably good condition – clearly the overall mileage was still extremely low for a then 60 year old car. Some sensible recommissioning followed and it was running and passed the MOT with flying colours. So it was off to the Pomeroy Trophy at Silverstone to show the world this fantastic discovery.

The story is fully detailed in a magazine feature within the history file and there are also great pictures of the car at Silverstone that day.The two seater body was already pretty rusty, so the decision was made to fit a VDP body and rebuild the car to full Le Mans style specification.

The body now fitted certainly has the look that it could very well be an original, according to several experts that have seen the car since, and it makes a refreshing change to see a painted metal, rather than fabric covered.

There is a detailed service history since this time, with work by Richard Moss and Elmdown and just over 15,576 miles recorded on the replacement Le Mans style speedo. The pictures of the car today show that this particular car literally ticks all the boxes for what many consider to be the best all round Vintage Bentley of them all.

- Full matching numbers
- Unquestioned provenance
- Fabulous Le Mans style conversion
- Detailed continuous history
- Dry stored from 1947 to 1988
- Extremely low overall mileage
- 15,776 miles since the conversion