1922 Bentley 3-Liter Short Chassis Tourer
- Engine
- 3.0L SOHC inline-four, twin SU carburetors, ~82 bhp (uprated to Speed model specification)
- Colour
- Deep burgundy with black fenders
Chassis 166 is a 1922 Bentley 3-Litre built on the short 9ft 9½in sporting chassis, delivered new in November 1922 to Alan B. Ritchie — believed to be the first Australian to take delivery of a Bentley — and fitted with Park Ward tourer coachwork. Retained in Australia for most of its life, the car was subsequently upgraded to Speed model specification with twin SU carburettors and higher compression, and underwent a full restoration during the early 1970s. It has been in the same ownership since 1979 and retains its original engine, gearbox, and rear axle.
Ownership
- 2023-09-29Auction saleSold US$235,000
- 1922-11-01 → 1927Factory deliveryAlan B. Ritchiefull documentation
Australian resident of London, likely the earliest Australian Bentley buyer; had Park Ward build a tourer body and returned to Australia with the car by early 1924, keeping it at his Penshurst property in Western Victoria.
- → 1927Acquisition unknownRitchie family member(s)partial documentation
The car remained within the Ritchie family after Alan Ritchie's direct ownership until 1927; no individual family member is named.
- 1954 →Private salePhillip Jack Cockspartial documentation
Based in Chewton, Victoria; held the car for roughly one year.
- → 1954Acquisition unknownLaurie Lynchpartial documentation
Melbourne-based owner who held the car from at least the early 1950s; the period between 1927 and this ownership is undocumented.
- 1955 → 1971Private saleHarvey Hodgsonpartial documentation
Sydney-based owner who kept the car for around sixteen years before selling late in 1971.
- 1971 → 1979Private saleBill Stevenspartial documentation
Relocated the car to Adelaide and undertook a full restoration, re-skinning bodywork where needed, fitting a later front-axle assembly with wheel brakes, and restoring the wings to a flowing full-coverage style.
- 1979 →Private saleCurrent ownerfull documentation
Has maintained the car carefully for over forty years; the car retains its original engine, gearbox, rear axle, and interior cluster under this ownership.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownStan Burnspartial documentation
Owned the car for approximately one year; added cycle-style fenders and made minor alterations to the tail during his tenure.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1923ServiceBentley Motors factory
Car returned to the Bentley factory for a light overhaul and fitment of upgraded shock absorbers ahead of shipment to Australia. The original five-year factory guarantee was re-issued at this time.
Documentation of this factory visit, including the reissued guarantee, is retained with the car.
- —Modification
Cycle-type mudguards fitted and the tail lightly altered during Stan Burns's brief ownership.
- —Modification
Engine upgraded from standard low-compression single-carburettor Blue Label specification to Speed model configuration, incorporating twin SU carburettors, higher compression ratio, and revised gear ratios. Carried out at an unspecified point in the ownership chain.
- —Restoration
Full restoration undertaken during Bill Stevens's ownership in Adelaide; all bodywork panels requiring attention were carefully re-skinned, a later front-wheel-braked axle (unit 733) was installed, and the wings were replaced with fully flowing VdP-style items.
Restoration is estimated to have occurred between 1971 and 1979 based on ownership dates.
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