Much of Bentley Motors’ lasting cachet can be tied to its first dozen years, from its establishment in 1919 until its founder, W.O.

Bentley ceded control of the company to Rolls-Royce in 1931.

This was the age of the so-called “Bentley Boys,” whose high-speed antics on, and sometimes off, the racetrack earned headlines and drummed up sales.

W.O.-era Bentleys also earned a reputation for stout engineering and durable construction that did not come at the cost of sportiness.

These attributes are still appreciated by owners of vintage Bentleys today.

The 4½-Litre model made its debut in late 1927, following a prototype’s running at Le Mans that year.

Successor to the 3-Litre, it used the same bore and stroke as the six-cylinder 6½-Litre but retained the 3-Litre’s shaft-and-helical camshaft drive.

The engine quickly proved its mettle, with Bentley swiftly taking an outright win at Le Mans in 1928 and meeting much continued success afterward at Brooklands.

In racing trim, a properly...