BENTLEY SPOTTING

It's the Rolls-Royce of Bentley websites.

Monday, September 30, 2013

It Shouldn't Happen To A...

This Robert Jankel Silver Spur Limousine has been refurbished at cost of over US $100,000...
 
 
Updates include a deep front spoiler, side skirts and boot spoiler.
 
And Brabus 20-inch alloy wheels....
 
 
The interior has also been completley redone with a 42-inch TV screen and ambient lighting...
 
[Better look away now if you're already feeling queasy!]
 
 
It shouldn't happen to a car like this...
 
I'll have one in original specification please.
 
(Posted by Andy)
 
 
 
 

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Die besten Autos der Welt

These photos were sent to Team Bentley Spotting by our friend Juergen in Germany.
 
They show an RREC Section meet, which judging by the print dates took place sometime around April 1990, and attracted an interesting cross-section of cars...
 
 
What do we have? From left to right, a Silver Shadow, Corniche, S2, S1, Silver Wraith, Wraith, Silver Shadow II and Camargue.
 
Let's take a closer look at some of them...
 
Firstly a Rolls-Royce Corniche Saloon:
 
 
The door mirror looks unusual, perphaps to help with driving a RHD car in a LHD market...
 
Next, a very nice S2 Continental...
 
 
And next, a very interesting Wraith...
 
Some research has established that this is chassis #WRB2, dating from 1938, and one of only two Sedanca Coupes by Gurney Nutting in this brougham style.
 
It was first owned by George Formby (1904-1961), a British singer-songwriter and comedy actor. Through the years, George and his wife Beryl bought no fewer than 26 Rolls-Royce and Bentleys...
 
 
And then a Camargue...
 
I beleive this car had a remote ignition system, enabling the owner to start and give a good fright to anyone stood nearby at the time!
 
 
These photos also come from the same batch: I'm guessing from later on in the meet...
 
A Silver Wraith...
 
 
A Silver Shadow...
 
 
And this looks like it is the Silver Shadow at the far left of the first group shot...
 
 
And the S2 Flying Spur again...
 
 
Juergen, many thanks for sharing the photos.
 
(Posted by Andy)

RRush

I saw the movie this evening. 


It is absolutely brilliant! Go see it.

But what (you ask) has it got to do with Rolls-Royces or Bentleys?


Well, Lord Hesketh's Silver Shadow is in it, of course..


I thought I had spotted an error in the placement of the cars.
I noticed the white U.K. reg'd Silver Shadow with the vented wheel covers supposedly in the year 1971.
Wrong?


Well, I assumed incorrectly. but if it was a U.S. car I would've in fact been correct....

Again to quote from Marinus' www.rrsilvershadow.com website which I checked the moment I got home:

"In the first years all cars had flat wheel covers. These were replaced by ventilated wheel covers in March 1971. In the US the flat covers wouldn't be delivered till 1974."

A flat wheel cover:


For two hours I dwelled on this. 
Well sort of. I got distracted.The movie is fantastic.
I was wrong to dwell. Shouldn't do that.

Now, as for Lord Hesketh's car:
He even shipped the car to the U.S. with the racing team cars.
With this movie going on, I do wonder just where the original Lord Hesketh Silver Shadow is today.

When you go see this movie, bite your lip at the end. You may feel like crying.

I bit my lip, Okay...

And I did actually manage to find a little photo of a Rolls-Royce at James and Suzy's wedding on 'Google Images':


(Posted by David Irvine)





From The Classifieds

This week From The Classifieds features another car about to be offered at auction.

 

This time it's a 1998 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur Park Ward Non-Division, one of just 20 examples, one of only 6 RHD cars, and one of 3 UK deliveries.

 

This car, chassis #WCH80720, is finished in pearlescent peacock blue and trimmed in magnolia pleated leather with blue-piping:

 

 

 

 

All of the Silver Spur Park Ward Non-Division feature a 14-inch stretch with typical specification including:

- Bespoke seats

- Center console between rear seats with second telephone, notebook.

- Bespoke starburst burl walnut to two rear cabinets

- Asprey clock facing rear seats

- Chromed wheels

- Custom fitted fire extinguisher mounted in luggage compartment

- 4x RR umbrellas fitted in the luggage compartment

 

 

 

 

Other bespoke options include:

- Veneered steering wheel

- Silk curtains

- Cocktail cabinet to front seat back

- Limousine style rear window

- Stainless steel sill mouldings

 

 

 

What makes chassis #WCH80720 especially interesting is that it is reputed to be the last of the Crewe built Rolls-Royce saloons.

 

Guide is GBP 58-65,000 and it is described as in "as new" condition with just 7,500 recorded miles.

 

Thanks to rrsilverspirit.com for production/specification details.

 

(Posted by Andy)

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Four Locks

No, not the horse hairstyle...
That's spelt 'Forelocks'.



Four door locks.


No, Christina. Enough, Okay?

On Ebay today a rare early Silver Shadow LWB:

"This is an amazingly rare Long Wheel Base ("LWB") Silver shadow, 1 of only 10 ever built.  Four such cars were built for the English Royal Family and another 6 special order built for VIPs and dignitaries"

A long wheelbase Silver Shadow with no Everflex roof nor the smaller rear window.

And four door locks...



Front and rear doors:



No idea why.



In case the power locks fail?

Princess Margaret had one too. LRH2452

"This just in.."



Here's the link to LRX2716:



(Posted by David Irvine - and thanks to Marinus Rijkers'  www.rrsilvershadow.com  - Oh, and Ad Peters Haircompany for the hair photo...)

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Never Leave Your Camera at Home

Our Ken finds them everywhere...

Here is a sample of his most recent shots.

A roadside display for a 'Wedding for Hire' car:


A GTC in Mickey D's drive thru:


And a lovely Silver Cloud III on the motorway:


Coachbuilder anyone? James Young?
Comments please.

And some Proper Motor Cars at the Kent Classic car Show:




Ooops, I almost mistook this Fiat 132 coupe for a Camargue...


Take it from me - always have a camera handy.
(Posted by David Irvine. Shots by Kenjonbro again. Thanks Ken)

Monday, September 23, 2013

1967 Toronto Car Show

A good friend of mine has just sent me these old shots he took way back in 1967. 
I was five years old and living in Belfast, Northern Ireland back then. Not at all interested in cars at that point - I don't think - too busy wetting the bed.


These cars back then were like seeing my (almost) forty year old 'Old Thing' today.


Very interesting. They weren't really that OLD...Were they?


But just who is this fine looking young Canadian gentleman? Probably just some upcoming super famous Canadian movie star/celebrity or internet billionaire.


Where are these cars today? Still around, I'm sure, but where...?


(Posted by David Irvine and thanks to Mike for digging these out)

Saturday, September 21, 2013

For FX Sake...

Just what the FX goin' on here?


An FX4 taxi with an identity crisis.
Good registration number though.
(Yes, a Kenjonbro shot, posted by David Irvine)


Oh, Oh! No Aston Martin

I was just looking through Kenjonbro's Rolls-Royce photo set and came across this Silver Spirit.


"So what?", you may say...


It must be Mr.Bond. Astonless.


An Oxford registration. O O as in Oh Oh (not zero zero) 7.
Perfect. But the wrong car, to be honest James.


(Posted by David Irvine and thanks to Ken for the great shots)

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