1953 Bentley R-Type Continental Mulliner Fastback

Member of the Pennsylvania family behind the G.C. Murphy retail chain; took delivery through New York distributor J.S. Inskip. Car was returned to the factory for complete rebuilding less than a year into his ownership, reportedly after a serious accident. Mack died shortly after the car returned to the US in summer 1954.

Car held by Mack's estate following his death, before being sold through Inskip.

Acquired from Inskip acting on behalf of the Mack estate; transaction date documented via a Schoellkopf card held by the Rolls-Royce Foundation.

Delaware-based owner; sold to him by Inskip, as recorded in a Schoellkopf card at the Rolls-Royce Foundation.

Commissioned a full body-off restoration in 1988 returning the car to Masons Black with Tan leather; earned multiple RROC Senior awards and an AACA National Senior First Prize during his tenure.

Owned the car for roughly a decade before the present sale; during this period the car received an aluminum radiator, the OPWAS cylinder-head upgrade, larger carburetors, and other engine improvements. Actively used the car in touring and concours events.

Award achieved by Alan W. Rothschild following the 1988 restoration.

Car completed the entire event without any mechanical failures; driven by the prior enthusiast owner.

Awards earned between 1988 and 1992 following the restoration completed under Alan W. Rothschild's ownership.

Following what is believed to have been a serious accident, the car was returned to the Crewe factory and entirely remanufactured: the chassis was rebuilt to the latest lightweight welded-frame design, a new 4.9-litre engine was fitted, and a complete new Mulliner body was constructed to the original design. The factory considered it 'as new' and issued a fresh three-year guarantee. Only select trim pieces from the original build were retained. The transmission is also believed to have been converted to the centre-shift configuration at this time.

Fully documented in original factory build paperwork and recorded in Christian Heubner's Bentley R-Type Continental Register.

Full body-off restoration carried out, refinishing the car in Masons Black with a Tan leather interior to its current appearance. Partial photographic documentation of the work is present with the car.

Restoration was undertaken during Alan W. Rothschild's ownership and preceded the car's concours campaign from 1988 to 1992.

An air conditioning system replicating the installation fitted to the 1953 New York show car — the sole R-Type Continental known to have received factory air conditioning — was added to the car.

Work carried out in keeping with the car's history of period-appropriate enhancements.

During the tenure of the previous decade-long owner, the engine was upgraded with a big-valve six-port cylinder head (as used on the Bentley S1), larger SU carburettors, a special distributor, and an enlarged tailpipe, raising output to approximately 178 bhp. A correct aluminium radiator sourced from the UK was also fitted. This package, known as the OPWAS modification, was originally offered by the factory as a retrofit from 1955 and is fully reversible, as the removed original components are included with the car.

Invoices from Vantage Motorworks and Paul Russell & Co. covering maintenance during this ownership period accompany the car.