176 Bentley 3.5 litre Sports Saloon (1934) SN 7100 by Robert Knight Via Flickr: Bentley 3.5 litre (1936-39) Engine 3587cc S6 OHV Production 1177 Chassis Number B-25-SC Engine Number 78BH Original Body Park Ward Limited Registration Number SN 7100 (Dunbartonshire) BENTLEY SET www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/albums/72157623759855498/ The Bentley 3½ Litre was a luxury car produced by Bentley from 1933 to 1939, and was the first new Bentley model following Rolls-Royce's acquisition of the Bentley brand in 1931. Bentleys of this era are known as Derby Bentleys because they were built in the Rolls-Royce factory located in Derby, England. Those of Bentley's previous independent era are Cricklewood Bentleys. It was unveiled in September 1933 and sold as a bare rolling chassis with engine and gearbox, scuttle and radiator, ready for coachbuilders to construct on it a body to the buyer's requirements. While many distributors ordered their preferred bodies as showroom stock to enable them to stock finished cars ready for immediate sale. From the outset, the car was intended to compete on quality and grace rather than sporting reputation which had been the cornerstone of the pre-1931 Bentley company. The cars retained the famous curved radiator shape based on earlier Bentley models, but in all meaningful respects they were clearly Rolls-Royces. The Rolls-Royce Engineer in charge of the development project, Ernest Hives (later Lord Hives), and although it disappointed some of Bentley's more traditional clientele others were drawn to the new model. Despite not being a car of remarkable outright performance, the car's unique blend of style and grace proved popular with the inter-war elite and it was advertised under the legend the silent sports car. The 3½ litre engine was developed from Rolls' straight-6 fitted to the Rolls-Royce 20/25.The Bentley variant had a higher compression ratio, sportier camshaft profile and two SU carburettors on a crossflow cylinder head, with a power output of around 110 hp and a top speed in the region pf 90mph. A 4-speed manual transmission with synchromesh on 3rd and 4th, 4-wheel leaf spring suspension, and 4-wheel servo-assisted mechanical brakes were all common with other Rolls-Royce models. The chassis was manufactured from nickel steel, with a double drop layout to gain vertical space for the axles and thus keep the profiles of the cars low. The strong chassis needed no diagonal cross-bracing, and was very light in comparison to the chassis built by its contemporary competitors, weighing in at 2,510 lb SN 7100 The Derby Bentley was, of course, an exclusively coachbuilt automobile and as befitted its sporting nature was almost always fitted with owner-driver saloon or drophead coupé coachwork, the ‘standard’ designs being the work of Park Ward. Of the 2,442 examples manufactured (including the subsequent 4¼-Litre model) almost 50% were bodied by Park Ward, that offered here being one of them. Founded in 1919, Park Ward had had forged its not inconsiderable reputation bodying Bentleys, Rolls-Royces and other quality makes, and in 1933 received the ultimate ‘vote of confidence’ when Rolls-Royce bought a minority stake in the Willesden-based coachbuilder, taking full control six years later. Diolch am 95,934,921 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr. Thanks for 95,934,921 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated. Shot 07.08.2022, at the VSCC Prescott Speed Hill Climb, Prescott, Gloucestershire REF 162-176