When my brother and I used to visit a salvage yard in Baltimore, we were effectively within spitting distance of the D.C. metro area. It was one of my favorite yards because they’d always have some unusual cars in a fenced-off lot – all clearly previously belonging to a foreign government, with various stickers and country codes still affixed. This 1967 Bentley T1 is such a vehicle, claimed to have belonged to the British embassy in Washington before ending up here on eBay in Pennsylvania.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader David F. for the find. After a point, it’s clear these cars have little use to the embassies, and the fact they stayed in operation for as long as they did indicates someone from the U.K. looked after this T1 years after its useful service was complete. Add to it that it still wears its correct European plates is a telltale sign it never transferred to U.S. ownership, and the details – like the chrome trim, bumpers and lenses – all look quite nice for a car that’s never been restored.
The seller is asking $7K or best offer for this Bentley, which runs and drives but has faulty brakes. The car’s location in Pennsylvania is fitting, per my experiences, as you would occasionally see true Euro-spec cars end up in places like Copart lots as far away as northern PA. This T1 does have tired leather but the dash looks serviceable and there’s no obvious signs of alteration from stock condition. Mileage is indicated to be under 45,000, but who knows if the odometer stopped turning.
The classic folding tables are still attached to the seat backs, likely having served more than one small meal or afternoon tea to a British diplomat being ferried to one meeting or the next (or just hanging out in a Brit-friendly pub in Foggy Bottom, but I digress…) The seller doesn’t provide much in the way of details, but if a lower offer was accepted, the history and overall condition of this Bentley makes it an interesting project and far more appealing than a run-of-the-mill Rolls-Royce from the same era.
Blimey !!
Interesting! I just checked the DVLA website and this car was last taxed in the UK in 1984, so it looks to have been imported after that point…
I wonder if you could follow-up and see when (or even if) it was ever taxed anyplace in the United States. Diplomatic cars don’t pay any taxes in the states.
Yeah….but gov Murphy of NJ would tax it
I really wonder if it wasn’t transferred to American ownership at some point since in the last photo you can see a United States license plate under the seat. I think it’s a DC plate but I’m not quite sure.
I will say that even though the body looks good from the outside the interior looks worse in the engine compartment looks even worse if you look at the photo of it on eBay. I never looked under the hood of a family before but it certainly looks like a confused mess and everything there looks very weathered.
Something that I care that the average person into restoration would take on but if cars of this type are your thing it could be a good project to take on especially based on the price.
The licence plate in the back seat is from PA.
So, shredded, split and rotted leather is now “tired”?
You’d be tired too if you were shredded, split and rotted!
Fixing the braking system on one of these can cost BIG BUCKS!
I am afraid so ol chap as it’s a euro trash thing in the rubbage yard needing remedy!
Tally Ho!
God speed with no brakes 😳
Your on the wrong side of the road !
A great mail man car with steering on right on this side of the pond 🙈
Dear Barnfinds, I hate to be critical but today’s writing is inexcusable, first the AC’s SU carbs referred to as Webers, now the UK registration plate identified as a Euro plate and references to this Brit market car as a Euro car – what’s happening?? I don’t want fake news regarding cars!!
In order for it to be “fake news” you’d have to not believe what’s written.,.as opposed to something being factually incorrect through either mistake or a lack of knowledge . Jess sayin
I have the feeling that this car was privately imported by an Embassy official, when he was transferred from England.
Car registered in UK 14 September 1967, UK tax expired 27 July 1984
Why would an Embassy car NOT be LHD in the States ?
I think the whole embassy story is BS. People make the most outlandish claims, and ambassador’s cars carry diplomatic plates – they can’t even be given parking tickets! I once advertised my 1938 Rolls-Royce as the most rare pre-war Rolls you’d ever see! And why was it so rare?? Why it is the only one you will ever see for which absolutely no claims of prior Royal use or ownership were ever made!!
agreed. I own the 65 Jaguar Mk10 Limousine that served the British Embassy in DC from 65-69. We have the log books, documentation (and a Pentagon bumper pass sticker) a well as a letter from the British Army driver for his 65-67 stent.
They didn’t have a Rolls or Bentley on staff. When a Royal visited, they either used the Jag or if it were a formal visit they brought a Rolls on the plane that landed before the Royal. Our Mk10 is LHD.
This Bentley is not a BE service car. Maybe it was brought over by someone (employee) from the Embassy, but it is not a service car. Other notable (missing) markings are flag / crest mounts on the hood and its not cranberry (ok – not quite cranberry – more of a maroonish cranberry) which is the Queens color for her personal transport.
JagManBill –
Is your car equipped with a division panel between front seats & rear seats? As someone who was very familiar with the cars at the various embassies in DC at the time [I lived & went to school in the area], I do remember a black jag saloon there, as well as the all black LHD Vanden Plas Princess limousine used for State situations, the Jag used for lesser functions.
When the Royals came over for private visits, they used a specific Vanden Plas Princess with LHD, I own that car today, with all the documentation. It wasn’t until the USA Bicentennial celebration that a special armored* Daimler DS420G was sent over for the Queen’s use, and after the celebration it became the official limo, and the old black Princess was sold off [I bought it too in 1988].
As far as I know, the Royal Daimler limo is still sitting in a downtown DC private parking garage in an office building complex, covered in a thick coating of dirt & exhaust dust. It’s been there ever since I sold it in 1990, not for sale.
*The armoring was done in the US by Hess & Eisehardt in Indiana, and consisted only of 1/2″ hard Kevlar sheets in the doors, side panels, and the floor panels, no glass was armored. At that time they were more concerned about roadway IED bombs, not gunshots. I still have one of the Kevlar pieces, we used it for some interesting target practice!
Bill (M)
no divider window. This was principally a staff car but per the logs there are entries on picking up Royals from airport/airbase on a couple of occasions. Its cool that you have / had the VPP’s from the same era. The car does have the Royal Army/HMS service tag under the hood and is classified as a “Grade B” limo. There were only two others built like her per Heritage documents. One went to Bond Germany and the other to Johannesburg South Africa – all three as Embassy staff cars.
All docs on the car indicate it was black from the factory which is only partially correct. When we repainted her several years ago we did a complete strip…down to the British army green she was originally painted. Only real difference (other than the crest mount on the hood) from a “stock” Mk10 is dual air and she has a 2.57 rear end from the factory – I assume for that smmoooth pull away from the curb. I have found no documentation the Jaguar ever used a 2.57 but thats whats on the tag.
I’m ok with it being an embacy car it would be an interesting project to take on I would like it better if the steering wheel was on the other side though. I guess it would be handy for a delivery car, getting out on the sidewalk side would be convenient.
The Ebacy is calling on line 1
$4000 minimum for brakes, and hard to source, but, $2000 for pads and rotors on my 2014 Audi with 50,000 miles, so maybe $4000 is not so bad. (Audi, to compensate for the 20″ low profile wheels/tires which weigh 75 pounds each (wheel and tire on my 2002 Audi weigh 33 pounds) made the rotors thin to “save weight” so they need to be replaced when pads wear out.) Pads on my 2005 Toyota 4Runner went 125,000 miles, and rotors are still good. So wearing out at 50,000 miles was not due to my driving habits! Expensive cars are expensive to maintain.
BS story…it would be LHD if it were assigned to the US and have a diplomatic plate. Not that my dad was a commander in the AF and my daughter is named for the wife of the air attache in the Moscow embassy in the ’80’s…good luck on those brakes, too. Hydraulic system from hell
As someone who has owned a couple of dozen Bentley and the Silver Shadow Rolls-Royce versions, plus as an owner of an independent Rolls-Royce & Bentley repair shop located just outside Washington DC, I feel some comments are in order:
1. Assume that a total hydraulic brake & suspension system overhaul is required. These early T1 and Shadow 1 cars had automatic leveling on all 4 wheels, and there are several important updates to be done including the front leveling system must be disconnected 100%. The “major” hydraulic overhaul can cost an owner upwards of $10,000.00, especially if done by the R-R or Bentley dealer. This is the number one factor in suppressing the values of these cars.
2. I grew up in DC, attending private schools not far from the Embassy. I rode the bus right by the embassy twice daily! No British cars in use by diplomats had right hand drive. Neither did their official state limousines. Most of the cars parked at the embassy were dark blue Buick sedans.
3. By international & US law, any vehicle belonging to a diplomat MUST be registered with Dept of State, with license plates issued by DoS, within 30 days of being purchased or imported by the diplomat.
4. Any foreign license plates must be removed before attaching the DoS diplomatic license plates.
I used to own the 1961 Vanden Plas Princess limo and the 1976 Daimler DS420G limousine that were the former Ambassadorial limousines, and I still own the 1961 Vanden Plas Princess limousine that was kept in the USA, for the exclusive use of the Royal Family. All of these were left hand drive.
I suspect I used to own this very car. This shade of Silver paint is not a standard factory color. My business partner imported the car in the mid 1980s, after buying it from a North London area classic car dealer. The one difference I can see with this car when compared to my old Bentley is the wing mirrors, but I can understand someone adding them because of the RHD situation, and I do remember the driver’s side mirror glass on the right door was not in good condition. Plus, the interior decorative wood trim on both cars is a special order light maple burl grain, not the standard walnut burl. Yeah, pretty sure these are one & the same car. See the attached photo of my car — that’s my ex-girlfriend “Bunny” posing on the bonnet. The “Fantasy” license plate? That was the name of my limousine service in Washington, DC.
Whoops – forgot to attach the photo!
Barn finds email, see car, look it’s on eBay, open up the link, no longer available. Typical bf email!
It sounds like you “blame” Barnfinds for the fact that somebody apparently found a buyer for their car and dropped the eBay listing – that’s sorta stupid isn’t it? For the seller, the whole idea is to sell the car, I assume as quickly as he can get the price he really wants!
Plus, it clearly mentions that it has been relisted. https://www.ebay.com/itm/263646672579?ViewItem=&vxp=mtr&item=263646672579
Plus, BF posted it on 4/28, your comment comes a full day later.
Plus, BF doesn’t charge for their service.
Maybe you need to start your own listing website since BF clearly doesn’t measure up.
Lots of strong reaction here regarding the sales pitch. Viewed as something of interest and being an enthusiast of RRs and Bentleys, especially the older ones, I know about the suspension issues and who knows what else it would need. If the purchase is made based on the firm fact that the car will be kept and driven, resurrection is probably North of $50,000.00. If you love these cars and have deep pockets, buy it.
Better advice – if you love this car, find a good one already de-bugged, driven and maintained. Keep some of that money you “saved” and have available so you can keep the maintenance up too! Or better idea, find a six-cylinder Cloud or earlier, they are “bullet-proof” cars and someone of only average talent can fix ’em!
for $7000 make a classy Rat Rod, cut & weld 2 imagination, I have a 440 & tranny in corner of garage. Get some weed, beer, friends over 4 a party & get some ideas
Better idea put the body on a 90’s Chevy Impala chassie complete with engine and trans. Than through all that original chassie and engine away.
So, why is this Bentley parked in the MUD, for crying out loud. Again, someone treating a car badly because they don’t know what they have. Yes, the leather is split. It hasn’t been maintained! This is part of the reason most cars end up on BF. If I had the money, place and time, I would invest in this and keep,in nice. Drive occaissionally to keep it right
Actually, probably parked in the mud because he knows what he has – just about the most worthless, least desirable, hardly any good even for parts Bentley built after WWII – I’d leave it rot in the mud myself rather than throw any money at it – and I’ve personally owned over 230 Bentley & Rolls-Royce automobiles from the 1930’s, 40’s, 50’s & 60’s!!
At this point .. it’s simply an overpriced used car. It hasn’t been maintained properly in years. No one wants them due to the mind-blowing, bank-busting expenses that go with them. They are very needy, even when they’ve been properly serviced. Brake service will run you into the thousands, and if that doesn’t bankrupt you, the electrical gremlins will.
The future isn’t a happy one for this grande dame.
“Excuse me sir, do you have any Grey Poupon?”
I had a 1968 Silver Shadow, appearing much like this featured Bentley. Yes, I had brake problems, and, no it did not cost a (small) fortune to repair. The load leveling suspension worked great. Wonderful car. What was not wonderful was that the ’68 model had parts specific to that model year. I sold the car at a loss, but it still lives happily an hour away from me.
A heartache looking for a place to happen. The market for Rollers/Bentleys such as this is EXTREMELY thin. They haven’t quite reached collector status, and are too pricey to rehab, especially after any length of laying idle.
Those in the market for RR/Bentley have ZERO interest in a used model of any vintage. It’s just not proper!
I just can’t get excited about driving a car from the passenger side.
Why on earth would you consider something so, frankly stupid, as to drive a car from the passenger side?? I’ve had a number of RHD Bentleys and never ever considered doing something so dangerous as to drive one from the passenger side! I always used the driver’s side, which of course is on the right. Front seat passengers sit on the left, hardly the place to drive a car with pedals and steering wheel on the right! Why would you even think of doing something like that??
@Ching. Such a wonderful answer. I love your humour.
The prospect of dropping my mother-in-law off in traffic sounds enticing.
Chinga-Trailer The reason we would drive from the left-hand side is because everyone else in the world drives on the left-hand side except the limeys to drive from the right-hand side would mean if you had two brains you’d be twice as dumb. The entire north American continent with the exception of the Bahamas and Jamaica, left-hand drive. the entire south American continent, left-hand drive. Europe the entire continent minus England, left-hand drive. Scandinavia, left hand drive. Middle East left hand drive. Russia, China, Japan, Korea, left-hand drive do you see a trend here with the exception of Britain and its former colonies the entire planet drives from left so don’t pretend you’re right, just because you would like to be.
Not that being right is so damn important (but I am in this case), the writer I’m responding to made the comment that he couldn’t get excited about driving the car from the passenger side. I merely pointed out that driving this, or any car from the passenger side is really pretty stupid. What’s also stupid is failing to note that the “passenger side” might very well be the left hand side!
Yes yours was a clever turn of phrase comment. Now everybody relax. Sheesh
Kawboy. How come American cars used to be right hand drive but are now LHD? I am led to believe that it is because Henry Ford had no room to fit the steering column on the RH side, because the carburettor was in the way, so he installed it on the LH side. If that is true, it looks to me like a bit of bad original design work went on.
When one looks at the truly great pre-war European classics, they were nearly always RHD no matter what country they were built in, or driven in. Every Bugatti was RHD (and there are those who argue whether they should be considered French, Italian or even German,) Talbot-Lago, Delahaye, Delage were nearly always RHD, even a number of early Ferrari’s were RHD as were the classic Maseratis, Alfa’s, etc. The Springfield, Massachusetts built early Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost models were RHD and Rolls-Royce had an interesting solution when they wanted to produce the very rare LHD PI & PII cars – they essentially “turned the engines around” to put the carburetors on the same side as the driver to simplify the all mechanical throttle linkages. On the post-war six cylinder Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars, the starter motors were mounted on opposite sides of the block depending on whether the car was RHD or LHD so as to have proper clearance for the steering box. As I write this I look out my window and see my unrestored RHD Cobra, a car which elicits questions as to “why did I have it converted” from the uninformed who do not realize that the Cobra and the AC ACE it is built upon are British cars.
Wrong – Japan left side.
Just US Beligerance :
“In the early years of English colonisation of North America, English driving customs were followed and the colonies drove on the left. After gaining independence from England, however, they were anxious to cast off all remaining links with their British colonial past and gradually changed to right-hand driving.”
China-A-trailer I do apologize I realize after re-reading your post you were not talking about anything other than the particular model of the car as being driven from the right I took your comment as sarcasm that the right side of the vehicle is where the drivers position should be, so for that I apologize but my point being 2/3 of the world drive on the right not the left As far is Jamaica and the Bahamas not being part of the American continent because they’re Islands does that also mean England is not part of the European continent because it’s an island and then Japan is not part of the Asian continent because it’s also an island why do we call them Asians also I was just in the Bahamas two weeks ago they use left hand drive vehicles not right hand drive but dangerously drive from the left-hand side of the road it is the same in Jamaica as I have been there also but thank you for the geographical lesson as I have also been to pikes Peak and the Grand Canyon and now that makes sense why it was not necessary for me to bring my visa on those trips As far as being correct historically I only commented that it is only the former British colonies that drive on the left I never claimed Japan was a former British colony but as far as history goes both Jamaica and the Bahamas which as you claim are not part of the North American continent but would be protected by the Monroe doctrine that is how President Kennedy was able to enact the blockade of Cuba although it’s an island from European influence and force the Soviet union to remove their Missiles without any congressional acts again I do apologize because I only thought you were being sarcastic about left-hand drive vehicles my bad
@kawboy. That has to be the longest sentence that I have ever had to decipher.