Derby Bentley chassis number ‘B17CW’ began life bodied as a four-door sports saloon by Arthur Mulliner and was sold new to Arthur Sainsbury (fourth son of the retailing dynasty’s founder) by dealer Jack Olding of North Audley Street, Mayfair and registered ‘BUL 16’.

The vehicle is believed to have remained with Arthur Sainsbury until circa August 1939 when it passed - via dealer Jack Barclay Ltd - into the ownership of gentleman farmer W B Wright Esq, of Whaplode, Lincolnshire who kept it throughout the war years.

In 1946 ‘B17CW’ was acquired by S W Garbutt, a Stourbridge-based brush manufacturer, whose family kept the car for the next decade.

Its succeeding owner was a Wolverhampton firm of insurance brokers, but subsequently the car vanished from view, eventually resurfacing in 1971 at Sherwood Restorations.

It would appear that the original body was removed at around this time, as in 1978 Sherwood’s proprietor Alan Wragg sold the freshly restored chassis and running gear to Derb...