In England in 2006 / Owned by a BDC member

 

1933 4-Litre Bentley Drophead Coupe. Coachwork by Freestone and Webb. Chassis No. VA 4100. Engine No. 4028. UK Reg. No. ALC 250

"The last model to be built by the old company was the 4-litre..." — John Adams & Ray Roberts, A Pride of Bentleys', New English Library, London, 1978.

This very car was the last 4-litre Bentley to be built and was probably, therefore, the very last car to be manufactured by the old Cricklewood company. It was apparently one of the chassis bought originally by Jack Barclay Ltd after production had ceased, and they had it bodied in drophead Coupe style bt Freestone & Webb Ltd. of nearby Willesdon in North London. The car's first private owner was a Mr. H. Wincott.

The 4-litre Bentley was the last model to be produced by the original Bentley company at Cricklewood but it had been intended as a salvation model aimed directly at the rival 20/25 Rolls-Royce at a time when Bentley Motors' fortunes were in serious decline and its future in jeopardy. The Bentley board had insisted that W.O. Bentley himself should make this move, but he was not happy with it.

However, the 3,915 c.c. 6-cylinder engine was a Ricardo design with pushrod operation of overhead inlet valves but side exhaust valves. The crankcase and sump were cast in elektron light alloy while the cylinder block and head were both in cast iron. The crankshaft was notably rigid, running in seven main bearings while ignition was by coil only. Engine mounting was on longitudinal tubes attached to the chassis via rubber buffers. The chassis frame employed a double-drop design. It had no less than seven cross-members and this structure, together with the modified F-Type gearbox, was very similar to that of the parallel Bentley 8-litre model although a spiral-bevel Back axle was used similar to that of the 6 1/2 litre.

These photographs are from an advertisement by Buckley Bros. in "Thoroughbred & Classic Cars" magazine, October 1977.

Text in ad says: The Last Cricklewood Bentley. 1931 4-litre Bentley. Freestone & Webb D/H Coupe. First Reg. 1933. BRG with Black Hood. Chassis No. VA 4100. Reg. No. ALC 250. Present owner 8 years. In excellent condition. £21,500

1931 Bentley 8 litre strip of 10 Mint Auto Stamps.