16th Mar, 2022 13:00

Imperial War Museum, Duxford

 
Lot 84
 

1929 Bentley Speed Six 'Le Mans'-style Tourer

Sold for £438,750

(including buyers premium)


Lot details

Registration No: UU 5911
Chassis No: BA2587
MOT: Exempt

  • One of just 182 6.5 Litre cars completed to Speed Six specification
  • Supplied new to Ernest Taylor Esq and first issued with the London registration number 'UU 5911' in June 1929
  • Entrusted to renowned marque specialist R.C. Moss for maintenance and improvement work during the current nineteen-year ownership
  • Much enjoyed on the 2005 Rallye des Alpes, 2006 Bentley Tour of Aquitaine and Bordeaux, 2007 The Jewel that is Jordan III, 2008 Eighth Autumn Ramble, 2009 Ninth Autumn Ramble and 2010 Summer Saunter to Ireland etc
  • Beginning life as a HJ Mulliner bodied Close Coupled Saloon on the 11ft 6in wheelbase, chassis BA2587 was extensively restored during the 1990s / early 2000s
  • The front axle is from a Bentley 4.5 Litre 'Blower' model

‘Verily, the car was alive, time after time it seemed to laugh, gather itself together and jump from the banking at a pace that really thrilled, as wild a ride as ever Valkyrie dreamed’ (S.C.H. ‘Sammy’ Davis recounting his drive to second overall at the 1929 Brooklands 500-mile race aboard a Bentley Speed Six).

Introduced in October 1928 as a high-performance variant of the existing 6½ Litre model, the Speed Six twice won the Le Mans 24 hours as well as distinguishing itself at various Brooklands meetings. Although the factory racing cars sat on an 11ft wheelbase, their production siblings could be had with 11ft 6in, 11ft 8.5in and 12ft 8.5in wheelbases. Hailed as marque founder W.O. Bentley’s favourite creation, the Speed Six was powered by a 6597cc straight-six engine that developed 160bhp (later 180bhp) and well over 400lbft of torque thanks to a ‘hotter’ camshaft, higher compression ratio and twin SU carburettors. Capable of over 100mph (depending upon gearing) and with nearly twice as much power on tap as a Rolls-Royce Phantom I, the Bentley has some claim to being Britain’s first supercar.

Thanks to the efforts of the Bentley Drivers’ Club and numerous marque specialists, the Speed Six has long been valued as an events car proving its mettle on long distance endurance rallies such as the Peking to Paris, Colorado Grand and 1000 Millas Sport not to mention at race meetings including the Le Mans Classic, Goodwood Revival and Monterey Historic. Only in production for two seasons, just 182 Bentley 6½ Litre cars were completed to Speed Six specification with values of the factory team cars running into eight figures!

According to Dr Clare Hay’s definitive work, ‘Bentley – The Vintage Years’, chassis BA2587 was built on the shortest production Speed Six wheelbase (11ft 6in) and fitted with Close Coupled Saloon coachwork by H.J. Mulliner. Granted the London registration number ‘UU 5911’ and delivered in June 1929, the car’s first owner is recorded as Ernest Taylor Esq. of Heath Lodge, The Bishop’s Avenue, Finchley; an address on what is today known as ‘Billionaire’s Row’. The ‘Mr Taylor’ in question is thought to have been none other than Vice Admiral Sir Ernest Augustus Taylor KCMG, CVO who served as a MP after retiring from the Royal Navy. Well known in society circles, he was photographed with the likes of Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin.

The Bentley’s second keeper, Peregrine Philip Saillard Pratt Esq., gave his address as the Naval & Military Club of Piccadilly, W1; an august institution whose past members have included HRH Prince Philip, T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), Ian Fleming, David Niven and Rudyard Kipling. A wealthy gentleman with a passion for speed, Mr Pratt also owned a De Havilland Gipsy Moth biplane which he kept hangered at Brooklands Aviation. The car’s accompanying copy service record contains entries up until August 1939 and reveals that a new front axle bed and nearside stub axle were fitted three years earlier at an indicated 76,010 miles.

The Speed Six’s post-World War Two history in unclear albeit a letter on file from Brian Fenn, then chairman of the Bentley Drivers’ Club’s Eligibility Committee, to the DVLA dated 24th May 2004 states:

‘So far as we can ascertain, about twenty-five years ago the car was in a collision which damaged the chassis and was immediately garaged and not used or repaired. It has now been completely renovated using the existing components’.

Among a barrage of W.O. Bentleys amassed by the Kamper family in Cambridgeshire, the Speed Six passed to renowned marque enthusiast William Sykes during 1995 at which time it was assessed to comprise the following usable Cricklewood components: engine bearer crossmember (BA2587), steering box (BA2587), Type ‘C’ gearbox (6015), rear axle (MD2561), rear axle nosepiece (BA4003) and front axle (SM3923). Interestingly, the latter is understood to have been first fitted to a 4½ Litre ‘Blower’ Bentley.

Mr Sykes had the chassis refurbished using new side rails and sourced a ‘Le Mans Replica’ body from H&H Coachworks of Henley, Oxon. The engine was assembled using a new crankcase allied to an original block, cambox, throat and three-throw gear with the former being stamped up as ‘BA2589S’ so as to give the appearance of a factory service replacement unit (the car’s original engine – BA2589 – was apparently transplanted into chassis BR2359 but subsequently failed). Still a work in progress when the vendor acquired it in 2003, he lost little time in entrusting chassis BA2587 to renowned marque specialist R.C. Moss of Bedfordshire; the same company that restored the ex-Works Bentley Speed Six ‘Old Number 3’ to Pebble Beach concours winning standards.

Tasked with preparing the Speed Six for long distance rallies and tours, Graham Moss of R.C. Moss removed the ‘Le Mans Replica’ body and went right through the chassis fettling the steering, suspension and brakes. He also fabricated a dashboard to the seller’s requirements, installed a new high ratio 3:1 crown wheel and pinion, had the Carl Zeiss headlamps renovated, overhauled the three throw mechanism, rewired the car and had it painted and trimmed etc. The associated bills total some £75,800 and start with a labour rate of £28 per hour.

Reunited with its original London-issued registration number – ‘UU 5911’ - by the DVLA on 3rd June 2004, the Bentley has since been enjoyed by the vendor on the 2005 Rallye des Alpes, 2006 Bentley Tour of Aquitaine and Bordeaux, 2007 The Jewel that is Jordan III, 2008 Eighth Autumn Ramble, 2009 Ninth Autumn Ramble and 2010 Summer Saunter to Ireland etc. Returning to Graham Moss in between times for maintenance and improvement, he last serviced the Speed Six during August 2021 at a cost of £5,568.40 and has described it to us as ‘a fantastic driving car’. The vendor echoes this opinion and is only offering the car for sale due to his advancing years.

Starting readily upon inspection and sounding wonderful, ‘UU 5911’ rewards detailed inspection. Sat on an 11ft 6in wheelbase, much of the detailing mimics that of the factory team cars which twice won the Le Mans 24 hours including the placement of the side-mounted spare wheel, various quick-release filler caps, skimpy three-door fabric covered body and shovel-backed lightweight front seats etc.

Currently valued for insurance purposes at £1,200,000 and eligible for a host of prestigious and exciting events, this splendid Speed Six is seemingly ready for yet more adventure! Offered for sale with the V5C registration document, copy of factory service records, numerous R.C. Moss Ltd invoices, assorted photographs and entry packs for various past events.

For more information, please contact:
Mike Davis
mike.davis@handh.co.uk
07718 584217

 

Auction: Imperial War Museum, Duxford, 16th Mar, 2022

Click To View E-Catalogue

AUCTION VENUE
Imperial War Museum
Duxford
Cambridgeshire
CB22 4QR

About Imperial War Museum  

AUCTION VIEWING

Tuesday 15th March 2022 from 12pm to 6pm
Wednesday 16th March 2022 from 9am

BUYERS PREMIUM
12.5% (plus VAT @ 20%)

Register To Bid

View all lots in this sale

All successful bids must be paid in full by midday the day after the auction at the latest.

You can collect your new pride and joy from our venue until 1pm the day following the sale or our partners are on hand to help arrange safe transportation:

               

Do you have an item to sell?

If so, contact one of our friendly specialists for your free valuation by completing the form below and someone will get back to you as quickly as possible.

If you prefer to speak to humans, don't hesitate to call our office on +44 (0)1925 210035

Contact Us Today!

 

Images

Drag and drop .jpg images here to upload, or click here to select images.


Quality and quantity represented at mammoth classic motorcycle auction
Quadrophenia album scooter with links to Pete Townsend and Liam Gallagher up for auction
H&H Classics last Cambridgeshire auction in 2024 sees ‘star’ results
Ducati delight as six superb examples from one collection go under the hammer
German engineering and style showcased at classic car auction
Norton’s first F1R ever produced up for auction
Best of British heads impressive collection of 160 classics for auction
Exciting new premises are close to hand for H&H Classics
X-press yourself…Jaguar purchased by Madonna could be yours to cherish
Oldest known surviving Ford Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) car heads to auction
James Bond’s Vanquish available to ‘Drive Another Day’
Chalky’s actual Lambretta which featured in Quadrophenia heads for auction
Automobilia auction raises more than £194,000 with all 329 lots sold
Entire catalogue offered without reserve in one-off automobilia auction
Impressive results at latest H&H Classics auction
Dozens of ‘no-reserve’ classics head to auction
Recently restored Audi Quattro press car heads to auction
Classic motorcycle auction highlights buoyant market
Rare barn find stars in classic motorcycle auction
Highly original Jaguar SS100 flies away at Duxford sale
Modified classics add a twist to H&H’s next motorcycle sale
Century of motoring history represented at H&H auction
World’s biggest production pick-up truck roars to auction
Mercedes-Benz 500SL delivered new to Sir Stirling Moss heads to auction
Cars from the 1910s to the 2010s head to auction for Buxton sale
H&H’s motorcycle sales off to a flying start in 2024 with market-leading 88 percent sales rate
Goon, Goon, Gone: Unique Peter Sellers 1960 Bentley heads to auction
Eclectic 150-plus classic car auction helps round out H&H’s milestone 30th year celebrations
One of the UK’s best driving Aston Martin DB5s heads to auction
Mid-century sports car icons race to Buxton auction
Former front cover ‘star’ heads to auction
Classic British motorcycles shine as 230 lots head to the National Motorcycle Museum auction
Racing legend Patsy Burt's Jaguar XK120 speeds to Buxton auction
22-strong single owner classic motorcycle collection heads to auction
Norton's racing heritage set to ignite the auction stage
Rare Frazer-Nash BMW with rich racing history to be auctioned
“The Rolls-Royce” of the motorcycle world, heads to      auction
Martini inspired Porsche 911 ‘RSR’ Tribute to head under the hammer
Rare ‘Car on Two Wheels’ heads to auction for the first time in 30 years
More than 100 classics sold in H&H’s 30th anniversary sale
Stunning classics worth more than £9 million offered in 30th anniversary auction
Rare Aston Martin DB1 heads to anniversary auction from long-term ownership
Rare Bentleys to star in 30th celebration auction
H&H Classics 30th Anniversary Auction
H&H unveils details of its 30th anniversary celebrations
Classic car owners handed ULEZ lifeline
H&H Classics auction Hurricane X-75 Prototype to National Motorcycle Museum
Vintage and modern classics lead the way at latest H&H sale