Few cars have the sheer presence of a big vintage Bentley, and this stunning two-seater Speed Six has that presence in spades.

It was created in 1936 by combining the chassis of a 1927 standard 12 ft.

wheelbase Weymann fabric saloon by Gurney Nutting, shortened to a very non-standard 10ft wheelbase, with the engine from a 1930 Speed Six saloon originally delivered to a Miss Unwin to create one man's dream of the ultimate high-speed tourer.

That individual was motor dealer Reg Mead, of Taplow, Buckinghamshire, who specialized in buying and selling high-quality second-hand sports cars - Alvis, Aston Martin, Bugatti, Frazer Nash, Invicta, Lagonda, MG and Rapier were his stock-in-trade apart from Bentley - and was thus well-qualified to create the ideal road car.

Apart from the shortened wheelbase and Speed Six engine, the changes to the Bentley included lowering the radiator and bonnet, 18 inch front wheels and a 3:1 final drive ratio.

When the work was completed the car was re-regis...