Introduced in 1936, the 4¼-Litre Bentley chassis,
developed from the preceding 3½-Litre, was the finest that the wealthy sporting
motorist could aspire to. Although Rolls-Royce's acquisition of Bentley Motors
in 1931 had robbed the latter of its independence, it did at least ensure the
survival of the Bentley name. Launched in 1933, the first of what would become
known as the 'Derby' Bentleys continued the marque's sporting associations, but
in a manner even more refined than before. Even W O Bentley himself
acknowledged that the 3½-Litre model was the finest ever to bear his name.
Based on the contemporary Rolls-Royce 20/25, the 3½-Litre Bentley was slightly
shorter in the wheelbase at 10' 6" and employed a tuned (115bhp),
twin-SU-carburettor version of the former's 3,669cc overhead-valve six-cylinder
engine. Add to this already remarkable package a part-synchromesh four-speed
gearbox and servo assisted brakes, and the result was a vehicle offering the
driver effortless high performance in almost absolute silence. 'The Silent
Sports Car', as it was quickly dubbed, had few peers as a tireless
long-distance tourer, combining as it did traditional Rolls-Royce refinement
with Bentley performance and handling.
By the end of the 1930s the 'Derby' Bentley had undergone a number of
significant developments, not the least of which was an increase in bore size
in 1936 that upped the capacity to 4,257cc, a move that coincided with the
adoption of superior Hall's Metal bearings. This new engine was shared with the
equivalent Rolls-Royce - the 25/30hp - and as had been the case with the
preceding 3½-Litre model, enjoyed a superior specification in Bentley form,
boasting twin SU carburettors, raised compression ratio, and a more 'sporting'
camshaft. Thus the new 4¼-Litre model offered more power than before while
retaining the well-proven chassis with its faultless gear-change, and
servo-assisted braking. Land speed record holder Sir Malcolm Campbell
appreciated its formidable performance, praising the 'absolute perfection' of
the Bentley's engine, handling, and braking.
It was the construction of modern highways in Continental Europe, enabling cars
to travel at sustained high speeds, that had prompted the introduction of the
Hall's Metal bearings and would lead eventually to the adoption of on an
overdrive gearbox and improved lubrication system on Bentley's peerless Grande
Routière, improvements which coincided with the introduction of the 'M' series
cars in 1939. Refinement, reliability, and effortless long-distance cruising
(3,000 revs equates to 78mph) were hallmarks of the coveted overdrive-equipped
'M' series. Only some 200-or-so were produced during 1939 and all are most
highly regarded today.
With its 4¼-litre engine and overdrive gearbox, 'B-133-MX' represents the Derby
Bentley in its ultimate and most desirable incarnation. This car was originally
bodied by Park Ward as a four-door sportsman's saloon and delivered new to John
Mowlem & Co Ltd carrying the registration 'FYV 639'. A (copy) advertisement
on file dating from 1954 shows the car with its original body and states that
it had benefited from an extensive engine overhaul by Bentley Motors in 1949. A
radio and heater were listed as 'extras', and the asking price for the
one-owner car was £1,150.
Believed re-bodied in the 1970s (possibly by D Brockman of Reading), 'B-133-MX'
spent some time in the USA as part of the James C Leake Collection, during
whose custodianship the car was restored, before returning to the UK circa 1989.
The current vendors purchased the Bentley at a UK auction in September '89.
Driven regularly from then until 2018, attending many Bentley Drivers' Club
events, the car has spent the last couple of years dry garaged due to the
owner's ill health. It has been started and moved but has not been driven on
the road. Careful re-commissioning is advised before further use. Always well
maintained while in his enthusiast ownership, there are details of servicing
and other replacement items in the intensive history file. Offered with a V5C
document, this delightful Derby Bentley affords the prospect of Vintage-style
fresh-air motoring combined with the mechanical refinements of the late-1930s.
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