1957 Bentley

• The eighty-eighth of ninety-seven examples built to Design No 7400 by H.J.Mulliner in right hand drive
• Matching numbers
• Full ownership from new to present day known
• Extensively restored over a three-year period to concours standard
• Finished in its original colour combination
• Fitted with parcel shelf mounted period style air conditioning
• Complete with books and tools
• One of the very best examples still in existence

Chassis No BC92BG is the eighty-eighth of ninety-seven cars built-in right-hand drive to Design No 7400 by H.J.Mulliner. It was originally completed in July of 1957 finished in velvet green with a beige leather (VM3430) interior. It was supplied by Jack Barclay Ltd to its first owner Mr Peter Cadbury, who traded in his existing S1 Continental (Chassis No BC55AF) with a further £1,000 added to complete the purchase. Cadbury only kept the car for a few months, with Jack Barclay Ltd supplying it for a second time in October 1957, to Mr I.C. Sanderson of Mansfield Street in London W1. Interestingly, when sold to Mr Sanderson the invoice still listed the car as a “new” vehicle. It was sold for a third time in July 1959 to Colonel M.W. Batchelor of Sheffield and the fourth change of ownership took place in August if 1962 when it was sold to C. Derek Murray of Newcastle-on-Tyne, on both occasions the selling agent was once again Jack Barclay Ltd. The car remained with C. Derek Murray from 1962 until 1987 when it was purchased by Mr Michael Walker who sold it in 2000 to Mr Alan Millbank. Chassis No BC92BG was purchased in June of 2016 by Mr Bernard Edwards who decided to have the car extensively restored, with the process getting underway around four months later. The brief was simple, to do a complete body off, nut and bolt restoration to the very highest standards possible. Almost three years later this process was completed. During the process, the coachwork was removed from the chassis and extensively repaired to concours standard, with the body ultimately repainted in the cars original colour of velvet green. The rolling chassis was completely disassembled by noted Bentley specialists Padgett Engineering for a full mechanical rebuild of all the components which were then cosmetically restored to a concours finish. Once the coachwork and chassis were reunited the cabin was beautifully restored, retrimmed to its original specification of beige vaumol leather, with new carpets throughout and the restoration of the cabin woodwork. The completed car still presents some six years later in superb concours condition. During the restoration process no stone was left unturned and a few nice upgrades were added, including rear parcel shelf mounted period style air conditioning (which is very effective) with controls tastefully mounted under the dashboard, a hazard warning switch, an electric aerial that activates when the period working stereo is switched on, even the dashboard clock has been overhauled to keep perfect time. Being a late BG production car, it was also fitted with the superior original S1 Continental mechanical specification, with factory power steering, the larger of the two types of carburettors and the dual brake reservoir set up. To date, Chassis No BC92BG has travelled just over 1,000 miles since the completion of the restoration in 2019. The car comes complete with all its original tools (small and large) its handbook, a beautifully presented photographic album documenting the complete restoration process, copy chassis cards and a very large history file with further photos and all the copy invoices. The restoration process this beautiful car underwent was extensive to say the least, with total costs well in excess of £300,000. Quite simply, the next owner of Chassis No BC92BG will be in possession of one of the very best examples of Design No 7400 by H.J.Mulliner that still exists. 

The success of the R Type Continental between 1952 and 1955 lead to the creation of the S1 Continental chassis, which was released in April of 1955. For the first time Bentley enthusiasts had a greater choice of coachwork designs to choose from with H.J.Mulliner and Park Ward responsible for bodying the majority of the S1 Continental chassis produced. One of the most popular designs was the fastback coachwork by H.J.Mulliner, built to Design No 7400. It was modified to fit the 3-inch longer S1 Continental chassis and in styling terms was adapted further from the R Type Continental with a raised front wing line and less bulbous rear wings with a higher line which were finished with stylish new swage lines.