By late 1962 the success of the S Series Continental series Bentleys entered its third and final chapter, with the introduction of the S3 Continental. The major cosmetic change was the introduction of the twin headlight system, providing Bentley drivers with more illumination. Mechanically speaking the S3 Continental was very similar to the S2 Continental but benefited from having larger carburettors fitted and an upgraded power steering system. The success of the Vilhelm Koren designed Bentley S2 Continental had pleased the powers that be at Park Ward and his design was adapted for the S3 chassis, with the introduction of twin headlights. The coachwork did not lend itself happily to horizontal headlights, so they were instead positioned on a slight slant. Vilhelm Koren originally designed both a fixed head coupe and a drophead coupe on the S2 Continental chassis, but the fixed head coupe was never produced. However, on the S3 Continental chassis, both designs were available, with both fixed head (Design No 2035) and drophead (Design No 2006) being produced in very similar numbers. More importantly for the first time these designs were also offered in the form of a Rolls-Royce. The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III models were mechanically identical to the Bentley S3 Continentals, with only the radiator, instrumentation and badging being changed.
Chassis No SGT585C is the twenty second of just seventy cars built-in right-hand drive to Design No 2041by Mulliner/Park Ward on the Silver Cloud III chassis. It was originally completed in September of 1964, finished in regal red with beige leather and supplied to its first owner, Mr R Stacey Marks of Eastbourne who according to the factory records retained the car until 1971 when it was sold to Mr John de Grave of Woodford Green.
The car remained in the UK until 1983 when it was exported to Australia by Mr Keith Wherry who purchased it in London. It was shipped to his home in Potts Point, Sydney, New South Wales. Mr Wherry owned several Rolls-Royce motor cars and was the former president of the Rolls-Royce Owners Club of Australia and a founding member of the Twenty/Ghost Club of Australia. Mr Wherry sold the car a year later to Mr Keith Brennan of Queensland who the following year sold it to Mr Joe Quatrocchi who instructed a body off concours level restoration. It is understood that Chassis No SGT585C then went on to win multiple concours trophies. Following its success on the concours fields, the car was displayed at Rolls-Royce in Sydney where it was sold to Mr Fred Maybury. In 1998 the car was sold to Mr John G Wilson who owned the very successful Reece Plumbing company in Melbourne. During his ownership the car benefitted from an extensive restoration which was completed in around 2001, carried out to the highest standards on a no expense spared basis. The car still presents beautifully some twenty years later.
Chassis No SGT585C was repatriated to the UK in 2015 and supplied to the present owner in 2016. It was recently prepared in our workshops and comes fitted with air conditioning and complete tools. Chassis No SGT585C is a top-class example of this ever-popular model, which has had huge sums of money lavished upon it over the years which the next lucky owner will benefit from.
Very good throughout
Four speed automatic gearbox, power steering, 8 cylinder 90 degree V-configuration engine, 6.2 litres displacement, 6230cc capacity. Drum brakes servo-assisted