Bentley 4 ½ liter “Le Mans” Vanden Plas Tourer 1936 Chassis : RC42

One of the last vintage Bentleys!

This Bentley is one of the six 4 ½ litres built in 1936 using original parts produced prior to the closure of the Bentley Cricklewood factory after the take-over by Rolls Royce in 1931 and recognised as an original vintage Bentley.

The new RR-Bentley concern inherited a large cache of new old stock and reconditioned parts. Nobby Clarke (former Bentley Racing Team Manager) and Hubert Pike (ex-Bentley Director) came up with the idea of building ten R.C. (Reconditioned Chassis) Series cars - six 4 ½ Litres and four 3 Litres.

Allocated the chassis numbers RC41 - RC46, the six 4½ Litre cars were built to a highly desirable specification incorporating a 10ft 10in wheelbase chassis, standard crank 4½ Litre engine, D Type gearbox, 3.53 Speed Six-type rear axle, servo type self-wrapping front brakes with heavy type front axle and 4 Litre steering gear.

Apart from these new old stock parts RC42, this 4 ½ Bentley, inherited a reconditioned 1929 DS3570 chassis and was clothed by Vanden Plas with handsome aluminium two-door, four-seater Tourer body (Nr. 3471 - According to original Vanden Plas Coachbuilder records).

Registered: DMX 417 (original British registration still available with the car).

Between 1992 and 1994 this Bentley was completely rebuilt by Mark Huckle (Lincolnshire – GB) to a Le Mans body.

An apparently much appreciated restoration since the car was the Vintage Champion at the BDC 1994 Blenheim Palace Concours.

This Bentley is well documented and registered by the BDC. All successive owners are known between 1936-1948 and 1974-till today.

Between 1975 and 1992 DMX417 was part of the well-known Fuad Majzub collection.

Our customer acquired this Bentley in 2001 and became an active member of the BDC participating at international rallies:
- 2002 West Coast USA & Canada
- 2003 Jordan
- 2005 New Zealand
- 2006 South Africa
- Etc…

In 2010 full engine rebuild by John Ambler (West Yorkshire – GB) including fitting of modern clutch at a total cost of approx. £ 40,000 GBP, after which only 9,000 miles were driven.

This Bentley was always very well cared for by the actual owner/engineer which improved the facility of using the car by installing a RH throttle pedal, Halda tripmaster, extra spotlights, twice new Blockley tyres, the rebuilt of both magnetos, rebuild of starter engine, overhaul of SU carburettors, SS exhaust system with authentic Fish-tail, electrical cooling fan, and very regular maintenance works on brakes, steering and suspension.

Cosmetically this vintage Bentley appears very solid and has acquired over the years, as a result of long distance rallying and careful maintenance, a very nice and delicious patina. Absolutely not scruffy (no fake artificial). Just very charming!
This Bentley represents a unique opportunity for someone who would like to acquire a genuine, “not messed around” vintage Bentley.

A prospective new owner will immediately be able to enjoy his vintage Bentley because the car has always been very well maintained and is just “ready to go”!

This Bentley comes with Dutch and British registration documents and a FIVA ID card.

Still matching numbers for all mechanical components exactly as the car left the RR & Bentley factory in 1936.

For clarification:
There were only six (6) RC-Series 4.5 Litres made by Bentley's Service Department (of which during our long classic car career we happened to know several) and they are as follows:

RC41 - completely original and matching numbers. In original condition.
RC42 - rebodied as Le Mans-style Tourer.
RC43 – It has the non-original chassis number UK3286
RC44 - rebodied as Le Mans-style Tourer.
RC45 - rebodied as Le Mans-style Tourer.
RC46 - rebodied as Le Mans-style Tourer.

Bentley victories at Le Mans :
- 1924 Duff & Clement Bentley 3 Litre
- 1927 Davis & Benjafield Bentley 3 Litre
- 1928 Barnato & Rubin Bentley 4 ½ Litre
- 1929 Birkin & Barnato Bentley Speed Six. Bentley cars in the first four places!
- 1930 Barnato & Kidston Bentley Speed Six. Also 2-nd place for Clement & Watney Bentley Speed Six.