Based on a 1953 Bentley R-Type chassis, this car is recorded in Ray Roberts’ book, Bentley Specials and Special Bentleys, as featuring ‘two-seater vintage style open bodywork following behind a vintage Bentley Speed Six type radiator.’ Even by Bentley standards, the 6½-Litre Speed Six was an exclusive car - only 182 were built between 1928 and 1931 - with ownership confined to a necessarily wealthy few, a situation that obtains to this day.

Small wonder then, that more than one enthusiast had been tempted to recreate what was one of the finest sports cars of the Vintage period using more readily available components.

With characteristic humility ‘W O’ was constantly amazed by later generations’ enthusiasm for the products of Bentley Motors Limited and it is testimony to the soundness of his engineering design skills that so many of his products have survived.

From the humblest of beginnings in a mews garage off Baker Street, London in 1919 the name of Bentley rapidly achieved fame a...