1936 Bentley

A very stylish, well-constructed, accurate representation of the desirable and well-loved Vanden Plas design of the 1930s, but built just a few years ago. A fabulous, sought after design, accurately re-created and built to a very high standard, make this Derby Bentley something very special. In 2004/5 the whole car was stripped down to the chassis frame and built back up, renovating as necessary, prior to the new body being mounted, very nicely painted and trimmed, with new hood, side screens, tonneau cover, etc. Work included full re-wire, engine re-furbishment, re-cored radiator, etc, etc, as well as the fitting of an overdrive, giving relaxed cruising speeds. Since the restoration was completed, the car has covered just over 10,000 miles, including three or four trips to the south of France, and now a very desirable car, well 'sorted', driving very nicely, with lively, smooth performance, light steering, etc. A lovely car, accompanied by a large history file, which includes invoices, correspondence, and old green logbook and a very revealing photograph album of the restoration, showing very thorough and in depth attention.  MoT tested until August 2021.

Chassis No. B1GP                  Reg No.  DGT 446            

Snippets:  The Sailing Sicklemores

Delivered to a retired Lloyds underwriter – Hugh George Sicklemore - at his townhouse “Avonhurst” in Chislehurst, Kent.  This substantial house was designed by the architect Amos Faulkner for the builder William Willett (credited as the inventor of Daylight Saving Time as early as 1909); previous occupiers of Avonhurst included Alexander Balfour (son of Sir Robert Balfour of Balfour Guthrie & Co), Alexander’s younger brother Alan was killed during WWI; Bertram de Quincey Quincey whose father-in-law was Sir Corbert Woodall an engineer specialising in the gas industry; another resident with an unusual surname was Arthur Enticknap, inventor & engineer who in 1960 predicted that transport of the future would include 100ton road-trains with an overall length of 138ft & that drivers could earn up to £2,000 per annum! The Sicklemore’s main country residence was Rosilian in Flushing, Cornwall, both Mr & Mrs Sicklemore were keen yachtsmen & often competed against each other in the Sunbeam class in the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club.  These vessels were designed by Alfred Westmacott in 1923 can they can be sailed either singlehandedly or with a crew.  An amusing club rule is that all Solent Sunbeams must end with the letter Y, as the Sicklemores sailed with the Falmouth Club this did not apply & they named their Sunbeams “Caprice” & “Merrythought”.  When Merrythought was purchased by a later owner who sailed with the Solent Yacht Club the Sunbeam was renamed “Query”, thereby upholding the tradition.  The Sicklemores were keen early motorists who owned a 1928 Bentley 4½, several Rolls-Royce 20/25s and a PII – during WWII Hugh Sicklemore lent his Rolls-Royce to the Home Guard – hopefully it survived without too much damage.