Mille Miglia, May 2015

Read article 'British Speed in Italy: Bentley marks anniversary with Mille Miglia Run'.

Mille Miglia, May 2014

Mille Miglia, May 2013

Mille Miglia 2008

1927 6½ litre Bentley TW2703 with fitted Speed Six engine LR2798 S and Le Mans sports body; full restoration by the late Tony Townsend for Laurie O’ Neil circa 1972
Chassis No.: TW2703; Engine No.: LR2798; Reg. No.: YE 3752
Expires 21/01/2007

The history of the original Bentley Company, founded in 1919 by W.O. Bentley until its demise in 1931 when it was taken over by Rolls-Royce under somewhat covert circumstances, has been the subject of many books and documentaries. The reputation and sporting successes gained, particularly in long distance racing was an extraordinary achievement for a marque in existence for a mere 12 years. The introduction of the 6� Litre in 1925 was W.O's entry as a competitor in the lucrative town carriage market and was seen as a direct threat to Rolls-Royce and the Phantom I. The later introduction of a sporting version must have been on W.O's mind and along came the Speed Six, the most successful sporting car made by the company and W.O's personal favourite of all his cars.

In 1929 the 24-hour race at Le Mans was a Bentley walk-over, the cars finishing in the first four places, the winning Speed Six known as 'Old No. 1' covering no less than 1,767 miles in 24 hours, an extraordinary performance over the appalling road surfaces at Le Mans at that time. Back in England only two weeks later, the same car came first in the six-hour race at Brooklands. After more successes 'Old No.1', which must be the most famous of the original factory cars, was fitted with a single-seater body and an 8-litre engine. It was entered for the Brookland 500 miles race in September 1932 by the brothers Jack & Clive Dunfee. It had been lapping at 127 m.p.h and when Clive Dunfee took over he went too high on the bank trying to pass another competitor, got into difficulties, hit a tree and shot over the embarkment. Sadly Clive Dunfee was thrown out and died instantly. Bentley cars of the vintage period competed with great success all over the world and continue to do so today. The Bentley Drivers Club has branches world-wide and regularly organises competitive events of all kinds.

This superb Bentley was purchased un-restored but complete with it's factory Speed Six engine from the late Tony Townsend of Elmdown Engineering fame by the renowned Sydney motoring enthusiast, Mr Laurie O'Neil in 1971. Townsend was then commissioned to provide a complete ground up restoration and fitment of a Le Mans body accurately copied from the original Speed Six team car, 'Old No 1', referred to above. Illustrating Townsend's devotion to accuracy Mr O'Neil, at one stage commented that he didn't like the shape of the front mudguards to which Townsend responded that they were an exact copy of the team car and should remain. In 1971 many of the original technicians who worked on the original cars were still active. The mechanical restoration of this car was carried out at the end of an era when work such as the white-metalling of bearings was conducted by the old hands. Many of these skills have subsequently became something of a 'lost trade.' Mr O'Neil, in a recent interview with Bonhams & Goodman, has provided some fascinating insights from this period of conversations and correspondence with Townsend. When Mr O'Neill acquired the car Townsend told him 'the 6� Litre engine in my car blew up in about 1929. As it was still under warranty the car was sent back to Bentley who for reasons unbeknown replaced the engine with the genuine factory speed Six engine currently in the car'. Although there is no further evidence for or against this claim, there is a record that when the owner of TW2703 applied for membership of the Bentley Driver's Club in England in 1946 this car was fitted with it's current Speed Six engine.

[Information received after the catalogue went to the printer confirms that this engine number LR2798 also includes the letter, 'S'. Records show that the inclusion of the letter 'S' suggests that this Speed Six engine was fitted by the works at Cricklewood. Also recently discovered, the records show that the 1946 application for Bentley Driver's Club membership by the then owner referred to above included engine number LR2798 S].

Mr. O'Neill also said, 'Townsend told me, that W.O. Bentley visited him (Townsend) on several occasion and even provided him with copies of the blueprints for the 8-litre model'. We can speculate that Townsend may have received information about this car from W.O. himself. Mr O'Neil now in his eighties claims that this Bentley was his finest car. Apparently over forty years ago he was on a rally in New Zealand driving his 4� Litre Bentley when an Englishman flew past in a Speed Six. The rally was over five days duration and each evening the competitors would meet at their hotel and he got to know the owner of the Speed Six and was taken for a drive in it. 'I was sold immediately' he said, 'I had to have one'. O'Neill was then recommended to Tony Townsend in England and the result is this magnificent car seen today. TW2703 is documented in 'Bentley the Vintage Years' by Michael Hay and in records at the Bentley Driver's Club, UK. The Speed Six is considered by sporting and competition car enthusiasts to be one of the greatest cars ever made particularly during the 'golden era' of motor racing, the roaring twenties. Cars with Speed Six specifications never appear at auction in Australia and rarely anywhere internationally. This exceptional car is in superb restored condition and is ready to drive providing a truly extraordinary motoring experience.

In Australia in 2006 / Owned by a BDC member