Legacy Metrics

1926 Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model

AX1668roadUnited Kingdom
Engine
3.0L inline-four with C-type gearbox and SU sloper carburetors

Chassis AX1668 is a late-production Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model, one of two cars ordered simultaneously by Buenos Aires importers for Argentina and built to a specification matching that of a well-known Argentine racing driver. Equipped with the desirable C-type gearbox, SU sloper carburetors, and a Vanden Plas fabric four-seater body with distinctive curved windscreen irons, the car raced in Argentina in 1927 before passing through several owners over the following decades. A thorough restoration by specialist Jeff McDonald preserved virtually all original major components — chassis, engine, axles, gearbox, and steering box — and earned First in Class at Pebble Beach in 2001 and Best of Show Prewar at the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club National Meet in 2004.

Ownership

  1. Auction sale
  2. → 1963Acquisition unknown
    Successive Argentine owners
    none documentation

    Several consecutive Argentine custodians held the car before 1963; no individual names recorded.

  3. 1963 →Acquisition unknown
    E. Gomez Ortega
    partial documentation

    Had the vehicle returned to sound mechanical and presentable cosmetic condition during his stewardship.

  4. 2018 →Private sale
    Current consignor
    partial documentation

    Has driven the car regularly while maintaining the restoration; oversaw engine rebuild, full gearbox overhaul, and a high-quality interior retrim using Connolly leather and wool carpets.

  5. Date unknownFactory delivery
    José Shepherd and Bell
    partial documentation

    Buenos Aires importers who ordered the chassis alongside a second 3-Litre, specifying identical specification to a car campaigned by a noted local racing driver.

  6. Date unknownAcquisition unknown
    Paul Pinsent
    partial documentation

    A period photograph from his tenure shows the Marchal headlights in place; fuel tank enlargement and spare wheel repositioning are attributed to his ownership.

  7. Date unknownAcquisition unknown
    James McCloud
    partial documentation

    American automotive executive working in Argentina at the time; an enthusiast who transported the car to the United States.

  8. Date unknownAcquisition unknown
    Peter Hageman
    partial documentation

    Noted as his first acquisition of a W.O.-era Bentley.

  9. Date unknownAcquisition unknown
    Ted Reich
    full documentation

    Prominent Rolls-Royce and Bentley collector who commissioned a thorough restoration by specialist Jeff McDonald; marque historian Clare Hay's report confirming component originality is part of the documented file.

Competition

  1. 1927-08-01
    San Martín Autódromo event
    Driver: Gastón or León Gouriot

    One of two races held at the San Martín circuit; driver first name uncertain per the historian's account.

  2. 1927-09-01
    San Martín Autódromo event
    Driver: Gastón or León Gouriot

    Second of two events at the same venue that season; sourced from historian Guillermo Sánchez Bouchard.

  3. 2001
    2001 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
    1st in class

    Achieved the class top award following the comprehensive restoration completed by Jeff McDonald.

  4. 2004
    Rolls-Royce Owners' Club National Meet
    Best of Show Prewar

    Took the top prewar honor at the national gathering of the RROC.

  5. 2007
    Mille Miglia Retrospective
    Driver: Ted Reich

    Owner Ted Reich drove the car in the historic touring event, demonstrating its mechanical capability alongside its concours pedigree.

  6. 2021
    Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza

    The car received an invitation to compete but did not attend; it remained in the consignor's collection.

Maintenance & restoration

  1. 1963
    Mechanical

    Car was restored to serviceable running condition and presentable cosmetic state by owner E. Gomez Ortega.

  2. Restoration
    Jeff McDonald, Canby Oregon

    Full restoration carried out with close attention to originality; original chassis, engine, axles, gearbox, steering box, and most major mechanical components were retained. Body fabric was replaced over original framing, new upholstery fitted over original seat springs, and a replacement hood made while the original was kept. Modern finned cast-iron brake drums were the principal deviation from factory specification.

    Restoration completed prior to the 2001 Pebble Beach Concours. Condition subsequently verified by marque historian Clare Hay, whose written report is held in the car's file.

  3. Engine rebuild

    Engine overhauled with replacement pistons, valves, valve guides, water pump, clutch, and pressure plate fitted.

    Carried out during the current consignor's ownership, which began in 2018.

  4. Mechanical

    Gearbox fully stripped and rebuilt.

    Undertaken during the consignor's ownership alongside the engine rebuild.

  5. Bodywork

    Interior completely reupholstered using Connolly leather and wool carpeting; a new tonneau cover and hood boot were also fitted.

    Carried out during the consignor's ownership from 2018 onward.

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Each chassis record is compiled from public auction archives and links to its source material. Ownership, competition and maintenance entries are extracted from those catalogue listings by an LLM, which can make mistakes — please contact us with any corrections. The summary is Legacy Metrics’ own writing; we do not reproduce catalogue text.

“Full” and “partial” documentation labels indicate how well each entry is corroborated in the underlying sources, not an audit of the car’s physical paperwork. Names of recent or living owners are withheld for privacy.