1927 Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Sports Roadster
- Engine
- 3.0L inline-four, SOHC, four valves per cylinder, twin SU carburettors, ~80 bhp
A 1927 Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model on the short-wheelbase chassis, completed at the factory in January 1927 and originally clothed by Gurney Nutting as a Weymann-type saloon. The original body was removed in the post-war period and replaced with a lightweight aluminium two-seater, while the engine was subsequently exchanged for a 1923 unit following racing damage. The car passed through several documented owners before its current custodian acquired it in 1998; a comprehensive professional refurbishment of the body, chassis, and brightwork was completed in 2019.
Ownership
- 2020-07-25Auction saleSold £200,000 (≈ $250K)
- 1927 →Factory deliveryCaptain W G Hornepartial documentation
First registered owner; car carried registration YE 1140 and was bodied as a Weymann-type saloon by Gurney Nutting at time of delivery.
- → 1998-05-01InheritanceWidow of David Jenkinspartial documentation
Came into possession of the car following her husband's death; sold it through a broker to the current vendor.
- 1998-05-01 →Private saleCurrent vendorfull documentation
Purchased via a broker; commissioned extensive bodywork and chassis restoration by SJD Classic Restorations, completed circa 2019 at a cost of over £43,000, plus crankshaft bearing re-metalling by Arthur Archer.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownAssociate of the late Sir Henry Segrave's mechanical staffpartial documentation
Pre-war or wartime owner who reportedly intended to race the car and removed the original saloon body, which was not carried forward in the sale.
- Date unknownPrivate saleMr Lloydpartial documentation
Purchased the car from Roy's of Kenilworth after the war; ran a metalworking business in Leamington Spa and is understood to have built the current lightweight two-seat body during his ownership.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownTony Juddpartial documentation
Raced the car, suffering a connecting-rod failure that destroyed the original engine; the unit was subsequently replaced with a 1923-dated engine, number 343.
- Date unknownPrivate saleDavid Jenkinspartial documentation
Cardiff-area owner who acquired the car via Stanley Mann Racing; held it for roughly four years and drove it to Le Mans twice with his wife before losing his life in an aviation accident.
Competition
- 1922Isle of Man Tourist Trophy2nd, 4th, and 5th; Team Prize winners
General marque history referenced in the catalogue; this specific car is not identified as a participant — context establishes the Speed Model's racing lineage.
- —Le Mans 24 HoursDriver: Tony Judd
Prose states Tony Judd raced the car; no specific Le Mans entry is attributed to him — the Le Mans references elsewhere in the text relate to spectator trips rather than competition.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2019RestorationSJD Classic Restorations
Complete disassembly by SJD Classic Restorations: chassis and axle assemblies sand-blasted and refinished; aluminium body panels stripped, damaged sections replaced with new metal, timber frame repaired, and all panels primed and repainted; wings, bonnet, scuttle, and dickey-seat lids similarly rectified; wiring loom repaired; new shock absorbers and wheels fitted; nickel brightwork re-plated and repaired as needed.
Invoice dated October 2019 totalling £43,602 is held on file. Workshop operated by Steve Downs, based in Southminster, Essex.
- —Bodywork
Original Gurney Nutting Weymann saloon body removed by a pre-war owner; a lightweight aluminium two-seater body was subsequently constructed by Mr Lloyd in the immediate post-war period.
The replacement body was built by the then-owner himself; the original saloon body was not retained.
- —Engine rebuild
Original engine destroyed by a thrown connecting rod during racing use; replaced with a 1923-dated unit carrying number 343.
Replacement carried out during Tony Judd's ownership.
- —MechanicalArthur Archer
Crankshaft main bearings re-white-metalled to restore correct running clearances.
Arthur Archer of Great Dunmow described as a renowned engineer in the marque community.
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