Bentley 3½-Litre Cabriolet Coachwork by Barker & Co. 1933, Inglaterra

Bentley 3½-Litre Cabriolet Coachwork by Barker & Co. 1933, Inglaterra
Fotografia

1933 Bentley 3½-Litre Cabriolet
Coachwork by Barker & Co
Registration no. AUU 17
Chassis no. B17AE

* Believed unique coachwork
* Known ownership history
* Present ownership since 1983
* An older restoration

The eighth production model completed, this superb 3½-litre Derby Bentley was signed off by the factory in August 1933 and completed with drophead coupé coachwork by Park Ward, on whose stand it was displayed at that year's Olympia Motor Show. The car was then supplied to the Pass & Joyce dealership in London, and in May 1934 was purchased by Mr A H Embiricos, brother of the famous Bentley racing driver, A M Embiricos (a copy of the sales invoice is on file). The Bentley was originally registered with the number 'AUU 17', which it retains.

The Bentley's next owner, from October 1934, was a Mr L F Stone, who lived in London. By 1947 the car was owned by Mr Hugh Curtis of Berkshire, who had the current Barker cabriolet body fitted. This body had been taken from 'B178DG', which had been owned originally by Lady Dorothy Roll, while its engine, 'S4BJ', started life in 'B78CR'. Mr Curtis owned the car until his death in 1978, at which time London-based dealer Dan Margulies sold it to a Mr Livingstone, another London resident. Hugh Curtis was a member of the Bentley Drivers' Club, which has records of him and his cars.
Following a partial restoration, Dan Margulies repurchased the car from Mr Livingstone, selling it to the most recent owner in 1983. The purchaser was the current owner's wife, who bought the car as a 25th wedding anniversary present for her husband. The Bentley is usually chauffeur driven and has been used sparingly, covering only some 500 miles over the course of the last 30-plus years as evidenced by the circa 28 MoTs on file. Marque specialist Ristes Motors of Nottingham have generally been responsible for the car's maintenance during the current owner's tenure.
This Derby Bentley has excellent provenance and is believed to be the only example with this style of Barker coachwork, making it particularly interesting to collectors of the marque. Accompanying documentation includes copy build sheets, an old-style logbook, a V5C Registration Certificate, MoT to 26th January 2020, and various invoices relating to a restoration undertaken in the 1960s.