Bentley 3 1/2 Litre 3-Position Drophead, 1934
Bentley R Type
Bentley R Type•
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Chassis No.: B93AE
- Exterior: Maroon
- Body: 3-Position Drophead
- Previously owned by Frederick Charles Stewart
- Believed to be the 43rd chassis produced following Bentley’s acquisition by Rolls-Royce
- Park Ward Coachwork
- Right-hand drive
- 3.5L engine
- Burgundy with Black belt-line trim
- Burgundy leather upholstery
- Rear-mounted spare
- Lucas ‘King of the Road’ Headlamps
- Bright wheel discs
- Winged B mascot
When work on a great ocean liner came to a halt in Scotland in 1931, just as a once-proud car maker foundered in England, no one could have guessed the fates of these two companies would be entwined with the story of a 3½ Litre Bentley. In December 1933, a British government loan allowed construction of Hull No. 534 to resume at John Brown & Company, the same month the ship builder’s managing director, Frederick Charles Stewart, ordered this very Bentley. Hull No. 534 is better known as the Queen Mary, the luxury liner that held the Blue Riband with only a single break until 1952.
The Bentley 3½ Litre is better known as “the silent sports car,” the first Bentley produced after Rolls-Royce gained control of the failing company. Based on a Rolls-Royce 20/25 with a shortened chassis, the 3669cc 6-cylinder was also uprated with a higher compression ratio and twin SU carburetors to give around 110 HP, translating into 90 MPH. Rolls-Royce provided the lovely synchromesh gearbox and servo-assisted brakes. W. O.
Bentley once stated, “Taking all things into consideration, I would rather own this Bentley than any other car produced under that name.” The new Bentley was a hit with wealthy owners who preferred to drive rather than be chauffeured, and of the 1,177 produced, nearly half were bodied by Park Ward, as is this car, believed to be the 43rd of the new Royce Bentleys. F. C. Stewart’s elegant right-hand drive 1934 drophead coupe cost him £1,234.15, enough to buy 12 British Ford Model Y sedans.
The burgundy coachwork with black beltline is complemented by a burgundy leather interior, rear-mounted spare, Lucas “King of the Road” headlamps, bright wheel discs and the winged B mascot of a car that took flight—just as the Queen Mary—as a phoenix from the ashes of the Great Depression.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/361299/1934-bentley-3-1-2-litre-3-position-drophead/
