SAC#1060 :Bentley overdrive 1940 ( rebodied by S.Gilmore ?)

mymokke · December 22, 2015, 09:13:15 PM

Bentley Continental body by Facel?

SACO · December 23, 2015, 04:37:06 AM

Not by Facel !
The original car by Park Ward looks like this cars :

mekubb · December 23, 2015, 02:11:59 PM

Let's clear this one up a bit. We are talking about a former 1940 Park Ward Bentley, probably a 4.25 L model, that has been rebodied in the sixties by its owner ? So it's not rebodied by an established coach builder ?

nicanary · December 23, 2015, 04:43:13 PM

Quote from: mekubb on December 23, 2015, 02:11:59 PM
Let's clear this one up a bit. We are talking about a former 1940 Park Ward Bentley, probably a 4.25 L model, that has been rebodied in the sixties by its owner ? So it's not rebodied by an established coach builder ?

Thanks for this request - I was getting confused as well!

Carnut · April 12, 2016, 07:17:39 AM

Bump....

nicanary · April 12, 2016, 08:41:16 AM

Quote from: Carnut on April 12, 2016, 07:17:39 AM
Bump....

Good afternoon SACO. I see you still visit the site, but maybe you could consider moving some of your puzzles?

SACO · April 21, 2016, 01:39:28 AM

Yes ! a 1940 Park Ward Bentley modified in the 60's
I know the owner but I don't know if he was himself the coach builder !

mymokke · May 11, 2016, 12:06:25 AM

Is anybody SURE this vehicle started as a 1940 Bentley? The Windshield and cowl formation scream late 1950s early 60s Mulliner Park Ward Bentleys especially with what appear to be subdued peak finned rear fenders.

SACO · May 11, 2016, 02:26:31 PM

No! just a 40's chassis !

oko94 · May 24, 2017, 08:26:14 AM

Now that you're back Saco, may we have a hint to help solve this ?

tatraT600 · July 25, 2017, 10:54:54 AM

Lagonda ?

SACO · July 26, 2017, 04:44:33 PM

Not a Lagonda !

SACO · July 26, 2017, 04:49:27 PM

It's a Bentley n° B135MX modified in the 60's !

ropat53 · July 28, 2017, 06:53:45 AM

Leslie Arnott?

SACO · July 29, 2017, 02:04:49 AM

Not Leslie Arnott !

nicanary · October 24, 2019, 05:09:01 PM

I've found this car for sale in 1967 by well-known Rolls/Bentley specialists Frank Dale & Stepsons. The adverts in consecutive months do not mention the person or company responsible for the bodywork.

Is this the name you're looking for?

nicanary · October 27, 2019, 09:34:03 AM

Here is a copy of the advert which shows a side view of the car.

SACO · October 28, 2019, 09:30:02 AM

I think it's time to wrap up this old puzzle !
Perhaps Mr Gilmore of Belfast for the body ?
1 point for nicanary !

nicanary · October 28, 2019, 12:04:59 PM

Thank you for the point. I don't think I really solved the puzzle, and I wonder whether we will ever find the full story. It's certainly not a Belfast registration. The way I read the caption to the car, Mr Gilmore bought the car with the modern body in poor condition and intended to rebody it in the style of Eddie Hall's well-known road/race car. I don't think it confirms that he ordered the body as shown in the puzzle.

I e-mailed the Bentley Drivers Club for information, but have not received a reply. This is quite usual for many owners' clubs.

SACO · October 28, 2019, 12:20:10 PM

The registration FYH537 is the continuation of the number of the 2 Bentleys in color ( FYH535 and FYH536 )!

Carnut · October 28, 2019, 01:04:36 PM

They were issued in London in late 1939.

nicanary · October 28, 2019, 02:01:49 PM

Further information - my posted advert was from 1967, which doesn't seem very long ago to me, but it's over 50 years, so I suppose the car could have deteriorated over the years. It had just been refurbished in 1967 so I guess Mr Gilmore didn't buy it till some time later.

On the DVLA site, it's shown as a green Bentley with a 2940cc (!) engine. It was first registered in November 1993 so I assume that it was off the road for some time with the number plate on retention. It has been untaxed since August 2016.

nicanary · March 30, 2020, 10:50:44 AM

I contacted the Bentley Drivers Club and then the W O Bentley Memorial Foundation to see what they know. The answer is nothing. They confirmed that the original car was bodied by Park Ward and they knew that it had been rebodied, but have no record of the builder. They have no record either of Mr Gilmore of Belfast completing his intended Eddie Hall replica. I suspect the car is lounging in Mr Gilmore's garage slowly rotting into the floor.

I live in Belfast, curiously enough, but have never seen this car.

Allan L · March 31, 2020, 06:04:32 AM

For some reason I didn't notice that a name had been given in this thread. I knew one Sidney Gilmore of Belfast who used to race a Bentley 4¼ Special at BDC Silverstone. He also had a Lea-Francis which is how I came to know him. I'll PM such details as I have, nicanary.

shamrock · July 17, 2020, 02:33:48 PM

Sidney Gilmore did build the Hall Bentley replica , I am told it is not a faithful copy of the Hall car

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SAC#1060 :Bentley overdrive 1940 ( rebodied by S.Gilmore ?)