Readers of Barn Finds all dream about finding that superb, one-of-a-kind car in a barn. I can only imagine how it must feel to find a car like that in your own barn! Reader Mike H sent us in this find, written up in the Daily Mail about a family in Surrey in the UK who recently decided to sell a 1929 4-1/2 liter Bentley. The car had been purchased by the grandfather of the current owner back in 1935. The Bentley was in at least occasional use until 1985, when it was parked in a barn on their property. When the family was ready to sell the old car, they contacted the auction house Bonhams, expecting to hear that the car was worth about 30,000 pounds (~$46,000). Imagine their surprise when they were told it may be worth 10 times that amount!
On the left is a picture of the car being used on a vacation; on the right is the car as found in the barn. I actually find it a shame that they aren’t keeping the car and all the memories tied up in 50 years of motoring, but I’m sure the financial windfall will be a very good thing for the family. I’m hoping someone sympathetically refurbishes only what is necessary for safety and picks up where 50 years of driving stopped!
Photos courtesy of dailymailonline.co.uk
Great photos on the Daily Mail of the Mulliner bodied Bentley’s interior on the Daily Mail link. Hopefully the new owner will preserve and restore as necessary rather than replacing the original saloon body with replica Le Mans coachwork.
Do hope it reaches £ 300,000. Great return on a tucked away family heirloom for the grandson & family. I think grandfather would be pleased to know of the continued preservation of the Bentley and of his family’s financial gain.
These are amazingly simple to work on, and as reliable as can be. Wouldn’t surprise me if a fluid change, carb clean-out and perhaps new ignition wires got it ready for a wash, new tires and a new life as an elegant, pleasant driver.
What I’d fear is that the next owner scraps the saloon coachwork and puts on a “Le Mans”-style body. It wouldn’t be the first, alas.
A vintage Bentley is one of my “dream” cars. I’ve driven them, worked on one a bit, and am thoroughly smitten by them.
The writer has a different idea of “Perfectly preserved” than I do. I would love to have found and been able to bring this one back to life however.