1931 Bentley 8-Litre Tourer YR5086
The car presented here, an 8-Litre Bentley, chassis number YR5086 was delivered new to Mr. A.V. Bustard of Antrim, Northern Ireland on 1 April, 1931. It was built on the 13-foot wheelbase chassis, with engine number YR5086 and an ‘F’-type gearbox, numbered 8083. The chassis left the Cricklewood works on 7 January, 1931 to be bodied by Thrupp and Maberly, also of Cricklewood, with an enclosed limousine body.

Little is known of YR 5086’s subsequent history, but it is known to have been owned by one Mr. Dale in the late 1950s. During Mr. Dale’s ownership, the engine was rebuilt, and it is then believed to have had a succession of UK-based owners, until it was re-bodied in the mid-1960s with a Vanden Plas-style, dual-cowl touring body by Wallis. The car is pictured in Johnnie Green’s book, Bentley: Fifty Years of the Marque, on pages 111 and 113. Here, it states that the car is owned by Scott Appleby, Esq. The book was first published in 1969, so it can be assumed that it was Mr. Appleby who commissioned the new coachwork. YR 5086 has been in the United States since 1966, and it was last recorded with the Bentley Driver’s Club in 1976, until registered with them by the previous owner in 2008.

Sold for €422,489 on October 27th 2010, Battersea, London.

1931 Bentley 8 Litre Tourer
On January 7, 1931, a 156” wheelbase fitted with an F-type gearbox and identified as chassis no. YR5086, left Bentley’s Cricklewood production facility destined for coachbuilders Thrupp and Maberly, who adorned the prodigious 8 Litre chassis with a typically elegant and stately enclosed limousine body. On April 1, the completed car was delivered to its first owner, Mr. A.V. Bustard of Antrim, Northern Ireland. Original service records indicate that Mr. Bustard retained ownership of his august 8 Litre through 1933.

The known history of YR5086 resumes in the late 1950s, when ownership can be traced to a Mr. Dale in the UK. Mr. Dale commissioned a complete rebuild of the car’s stout engine and was the first in a succession of British owners that, in the mid-1960s, had this Bentley fitted with a Vanden Plas-style dual cowl touring body courtesy of coachbuilder Wallis. Some experts speculate that Scott Appleby, Esq. was responsible for commissioning the new coachwork, as he is credited as the owner in the photograph of the re-bodied 8 Litre found in Johnnie Green’s seminal 1969 book, Bentley: Fifty Years of the Marque. With the addition of this open body, YR5086 not only assumed a sportier exterior visage more becoming of the 8 Litre’s race bred engineering, but it also joined the small minority of cars that were originally draped with unclosed coachwork, widely thought to number approximately 25 examples.

It is believed that this magnificent 8 Litre has been in the US since 1966. The car was entered in the Bentley Driver’s Club registry as late as 1976 before disappearing from record until 2008, when its current owner resumed such recordkeeping. The current owner of this rare 8 Litre has embarked on a thorough mechanical restoration to bring the car to its superior pre-war standards. Renowned specialist Brian Joseph of Classic and Exotic Service in Troy, Michigan, was retained to perform the work.

Finished in 2008, Mr. Joseph’s work is said to have included a complete engine rebuild and proper servicing of other drivetrain components, including the clutch, brakes and rear axle. In addition, Mr. Joseph thoroughly evaluated and refreshed all aspects of the electrical system, resulting in a Bentley that operates as smoothly one would expect of the marque’s high standards.

The Bentley 8 Litre occupies an elite status among Europe’s finest pre-war automobiles. Its combination of performance-oriented engineering, luxurious style and powerful output endows it with a reputation equivalent to the finest Rolls-Royce, Hispano-Suizas and possibly even a Bugatti Royale of that period. Of the cars tested by The Autocar during the period from1930 to1939, only Alfa Romeo’s 8C 2300 posted a higher top speed than the 8 Litre Bentley. Until the arrival of the R-Type Continental in 1953, the 8 Litre remained Bentley’s fastest production car for over 20 years. It was the ultimate expression of Bentley company values, the last model to be produced before the company’s acquisition by Rolls-Royce. Appropriately, the historical significance of the 8 Litre was recognized last year by Bentley Motors during its 100th anniversary celebration. At a commemorative presentation on the awards platform of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the manufacturer presented an 8 Litre once owned by W.O Bentley himself.

Chassis YR5086 is entrenched in the proud Bentley heritage, showing a wonderful patina due to many years of enjoyment and sporting strong and reliable mechanicals. As pleasurable to drive as it is to admire, this exceptional 8 Litre Tourer will be an unparalleled acquisition for any collector, especially a discriminating Bentley enthusiast, and is a massive example of W.O. Bentley’s genius and serves as a testament to Bentley’s reputation for creating motorcars that represented the finest cross-section of daring motorsports triumph and aristocratic elegance.

(This car is for sale at Gooding Company as of Mar 08, 2010)

 

1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting sport tourer
Meadow Brook Concours, 2008

The car presented here, an 8-Litre Bentley, chassis number YR5086 was delivered new to Mr A.V. Bustard of Antrim, Northern Ireland on April 1st, 1931. It was built on the 13-foot wheelbase chassis and had engine number YR5086 and an 'F' type gearbox, number 8083. The chassis left the Cricklewood works on January 7th, 1931 to be bodied by Thrupp and Maberly, also of Cricklewood, with an enclosed limousine body. Cost new, was £3,055. It is known that Mr Bustard kept the car until at least 1933 when the service records finish. Interestingly his brother, R.L. Bustard bought an 8-Litre Bentley at the same time. Chassis YR5025 was bodied by Freestone and Webb and was destroyed by fire in 1932 after being hit by an Austin Seven.

The next time that YR5086 is known, is when it was owned by a Mr Dale in the late 1950s. During Mr Dale's ownership of the car it had its engine rebuilt and is then believed to have had a succession of UK owners until it was rebodied in the mid-1960s with a Vanden Plas-style dual cowl tourer body by Wallis. The car is pictured in Johnnie Green's book, 'Bentley Fifty Years of the Marque', page 111 (and 113). Here it states that the car is owned by Scott Appleby, Esq. The book was first published in 1969 so it could be assumed that it was he that commissioned the new coachwork.

YR5086 has been in the United States since 1966 and was last recorded with the Bentley Driver's Club in 1976 until registered with them by the current owner in 2008.

YR5086 is truly an impressive car. It received a major mechanical rebuild by well-known specialist Brian Joseph of Classic and Exotic Service in Michigan. The car is described as being thoroughly reliable, on the button and an absolute pleasure to drive.

Only one hundred 8-Litre Bentleys were built which is why the model is so coveted. These race-bred, high-speed and highly evocative motorcars are very rare to the market place. This car YR5086 is ready to be entered into the very best historic events around the world - or just driven - for the fun of it.

Click here to view video of this 1931 Bentley 8-Litre Tourer

 

In USA in 2006 / Owned by an RROC member

"Father's last 8-litre Bentley MMG329, which he owned between 1958 and 1962."

Chassis no: YR5086
Coachbuilder: Thrupp & Maberly

Mark Hyman says that these cars had been "neglected for more than 30 years. Each one had been a beautifully restored car that, after its last drive, was just parked and forgotten."