The R-Type replaced Bentley’s first post-World War II automobile, the Mark Vi. It was similar in appearance and technology (!) to its predecessors, but saloons (i.e., sedans) like the seller’s car had a bigger “boot” (trunk). One of just 2,353 built, the seller’s Bentley has been in storage for an unspecified amount of time and isn’t in running condition. Perhaps it will take a Bentley/Rolls-Royce aficionado to get the old girl back on the road. Located in Irvine, California, this stately near 70-year-old car is available here on craigslist for $25,000. Barn Finder T.J. is at it again with interesting tips!
For those who follow British-made luxury cars, they won’t see much difference between the R-Type and the Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn (grilles and carburetion). For whatever reason, the Bentley would be more popular with the “rich and famous” and the T-Type outsold the Dawn by a margin of 3 to 1. Naming the car wasn’t a terribly creative process, simply referring to it by the designation used for its chassis (RT).
Under the hood of the seller’s Bentley should be a non-running iron-block/aluminum-head straight-six engine that utilizes dual SU Type H6 carburetors. Engine displacement is 278 cubic inches, paired with a 4-speed manual transmission which would be the last of the Bentleys to be so equipped. Since the car has right-hand drive it was likely imported singularly, but we don’t know how long ago. It’s in no-op status in California with the DMV, which implies a long period of dormancy.
We’re told there is very little rust on this beast, so whipping it into shape cosmetically may not be a huge hurdle (what am I saying, restoring almost any British car this age has plenty of challenges). The seller hopes that this R-Type will go to a “caring home”, so it sounds like this Bentley has been a member of the family for several years.
In all likelihood this car is sitting on an English white oak chassis. Which is OK if you live in a humid climate like the UK. If you or it lives in a dry,say Arizona climate, the chassis will shrink and fall apart.
If the body is bent over a wood frame, the same issue occurs.
The other concern is wood rot either dry or wet rot and in some locales carpenter ant or termite infestation.
Otherwise this is a beautiful looking car that if running may get you as much as 7 miles/gal.
Al
Incorrect. All Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars had very heavy-duty steel chassis. This car is a factory steel body with steel infrastructure. There were some coach-built models where wood was used for door structure, etc., but still on the steel chassis.
It’s very much true about the “very heavy-duty steel chassis. My father imported one like this one from England back in 1968 (I think ours was a 1952, but it was essentially the same as this one except it was black). These had a lubricant reservoir mounted (if I recall this accurately) on the firewall that would supply lubricant to various parts of the car. When ours came off the ship this reservoir was refilled with a light weight oil instead of a lubricant of much heavier weight. One of the items this lubricated was the throughout bearing on the clutch. Because of this the lubricant was spinning off onto the clutch which quickly burned it out. The replacement clutch also burned out before we figured out what was going on. To replace the clutch on one of these you have to remove the front seats and then remove the floor from the interior of the car to then separate the transmission from the engine to install a new clutch. That ‘s how I know how sturdy the chassis was on this car. In the end we went through 3 clutches before this got straightened out (there were other issues that came up too with this job). And this was with a Service Manager for Rolls Royce helping us do the work! Good luck in getting parts for this vehicle, we had a hard time getting them in 1968! This is and was a beautiful vehicle however, we loved it when it ran properly!
Body is made of pressed steel (sheet metal) and rust is a major concern. There is no wood framing in a Bentley R Type – the body was referred to as the “Standard Steel Saloon” after all. 16 – 19 mpg at 65 – 70 mph is realistic.
I should be driving a Bentley, frankly.
Bob
You don’t drive a Bentley frankly, you drive it quickly!
Flat tires all round makes this a selling feature not to go unnoticed, folks.
Bob
But they are only flat on the bottom! Reminds me of my grandfather’s story about how the invention of the triangular wheel was such an achievement – it eliminated one bump per revolution . . .
Hi Fellas, Lets Rat Rod Her, the Patina wood lukk Fab, n with a Chopped Roof, some Hedders, n a Glass Muffler, with a Holley, maybes Her MPG will Improve. tut tut!!! Jokin Appart She’s a Grand Lukkin Owld Lady, n will Opefully be goin to a Very Good Ome, where She will be treated with respect! Ian.
Quite a few of these have been hot-rodded over the years . . . and I’ve always figured that anyone who put an big American V8 into one had never driven the car with the proper engine – a magical experience – from 10 mph to 110 mph without shifting gears once! Yes, you can idle down to walking speed in 4th and the tremendous silent torque will pull you away without needing the gearbox. Of course it’s faster if you shift through the gears, but the experience of the locomotive like torque is like no other car I’ve ever driven! And they do deliver decent mileage for their size, speed and power.
Seems like $25k is a bit much for one in this condition. Not running and needs new interior, new tires and who knows what else. Half that price would be more appropriate inmo.
Price is pure fantasy, hoping for some bumpkin with a spare $25K falls off the turnip truck, but that doesn’t happen too often as people with a spare $25,000 to spend on a car usually have it because they’re careful with their money and a thoughtful careful buyer will know that for whatever reason, the absolute best Bentley R Type is at most a $50,000 car today and this one needs way too much work. A proper engine rebuild will set you back $35,000. Proper paint at least another $25,000, chrome about another $10,000 or more, redoing the leather interior carpets and headliner will easily suck up at least $15,000 then there’s the cost of re-doing the wood. We don’t know about the clutch, but you’re going to replace it while you’re rebuilding the engine (and if you don’t know what else to do, you spend over $850 just for the throw-out bearing) but someone who knows how to actually rebuild the throw-out bearing won’t buy this financial heart attack anyway. The brakes will need a complete re-do (but not all that expensive if you approach it the right way), the aluminum fuel tank may be corroded beyond salvation, as is likely the radiator and heater cores. Basically, this car can become a $50,000 car after you’ve spent another $100,000 after the purchase price . . . I was not a math major but that simply doesn’t make sense but please don’t make a Chevy powered hot rod out of it! I know whereof I speak, I belive that between the mid 1980s and early 2000s I bought and sold more Bentley R Types, Rolls-Royce Silver Dawns and Bentley Mark VI cars than anyone else in North America.
Ref the “rich and famous” prefering the Bentley, the opposite is true. The MK6 and R type cars were entry points to the Rolls/Bentley ranges, the first of their cars to be designed for the owner-driver.
There was a R-R equivalent, as stated here, but the prime focus was to sell Bentleys in greater volume, keeping the prestige of Rolls-Royce for larger models. In a very class aware society like post war UK, the differentiation worked fine.
Bentley only recovered its prestige as an equivalent to Rolls-Royce after Volkswagen bought the brand late 20th century and invested heavily to build a new identity for the brand.
$25K for a 70 yr old non runner, in need of nearly everything. Get real!!! To rebuild a Bentley engine properly your every day mechanic is not the best choice. Takes a specialist to do the job properly, and they don’t come cheap. Same with interior, body and frame. Recommend hiring an expert before buying, can save you money and grief.
I ran a shop specializing in Rolls-Royce & Bentley cars, and I have owned a similar R Type Bentley [B216YD], but mine had the Hydramatic. The one possible saving grace for this car is it might be a rust free body, as these cars were notorious for vast amounts of tin worm damage. Correct patch panels are available, but for most of these cars, the rust repair is exTensive and exPensive. What concerns me is this car is RHD and manual gearbox, suggesting it spent a lot of time in it’s native [and moist] lands.
The owner is asking top dollar for an unrestored car that is in running and driving condition. Note the center driving light, these are getting hard to find and expensive, as they were often destroyed in even minor accidents, as they stuck way out front.
Should read ENGLISH ENDEAVOUR not the incorrect Americanized version in an article for an English car.
Everybody who loves to read about engines that were historical milestones, you need to get a copy of: “The engines were Rolls Royce”. It covers the Merlin and Griffon type V-12’s with everything from one speed to two speed to superchargers. Of specific interest is a portion of the book that makes note of a British gentleman who installs a Merlin in his Rolls Royce. Great book!
The Bentley R-Type was a special car, intended for the young gentleman of means. Unfortunately for Rolls, there wasn’t quite the market they envisioned. More here:
https://rememberroad.com/what/bentley/bentley-continental-r-type-the-rolls-royce-of-bentleys/
I had one of these long ago. It got good for the era gas mileage, was happy at freeway speeds or on curvy roads. It was also a rust bucket, repaint over patches; so I dumped it in favour of a nice Morgan. ( The English like to use a u after o in words like honor ( honour ) or endeavor ).
“To rebuild a Bentley engine properly . . . . takes a specialist to do the job properly”. Please! Give me a break. These engines were designed and built by ordinary human beings. A good machine shop can blueprint the block and crank, Plastigage can be bought anywhere, same story for torque wrenches. Back in the day, my competitors would show up with their racer having just been rebuilt, and showing 25 PSI oil pressure on a cold start. It is to laugh! Any thoughtful mechanically inclined person should be able to disassemble anything, analyze the worn bits, obtain replacements, and reassemble. I’m just an ordinary guy, but, with no experience in this particular matter, did the job on an AT, for which the only spare parts to be found were oil seals and a couple of clutches. A micrometer for used clutches, and knife and scissors for gaskets, saw the thing all back together, and performing like new. These ridiculous $5000 “timing belt changes”, performed by an “expert” are a joke”. Do it yourself.
I am curious: Mr McCoskey, did you have to live in England for a few years of training, before you started working on the exalted? I would bet not.
OldCarGuy,
I’ve actually spent quite a bit of time in the UK over the years buying & selling R-R and B cars and spare parts. Until the mid 1990s I was also a vendor at the big Beaulieu AutoJumble in Hampshire, England. Plus as a guest I’ve “audited” R-R service and technical courses here in the USA.
This all goes back to my working part time for a restoration shop while in high school. My boss was an experienced Rolls-Royce restorer, and went on to become the service manager at one of the biggest Rolls-Royce dealers in America. He would encourage me to sit in on some of the factory courses on older R-R cars*. As a Rolls-Royce Owner’s Club member, I was also able to partake in the club’s own service seminars, often presented by senior Rolls-Royce of North America’s technical people.
*The R-R factory requires that all their dealer service departments be available to repair every Rolls-Royce ever built. Service departments at the larger locations really don’t want to work on the older cars, and my service manager friend was actually happy to keep me up-to-date so I could work on the older cars, instead of those cars taking up valuable space as the cars sat waiting for spare parts to come from overseas. About 15 years ago, when the actual Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost came to the USA and was in storage at my friend’s R-R dealership parking garage, he called me and said “Get down here ASAP, and bring your camera”. He took me out back and took the cover off the Silver Ghost. We went for a ride it it, and then had me pose in the driver’s seat of what is widely considered to be the world’s most valuable car. That’s what car friends do.
While it IS technically possible for any machine shop and/or mechanic to service and repair these cars, there are many special aspects that are unlike 99% of cars, if not followed, can result in very expensive failures. For example:
We had 2 instances where 1. an owner, and 2. a regular car repair shop, tried to do repairs that required the removal of the cam cover on a Silver Shadow. Both were done without using the correct seals, and we had to do major repairs as a result.
On the Silver Shadow [and newer] cars, if you need to remove the camshaft cover on top of the block, you might notice the absence of a typical metal or composite gasket. Failure to use the correct seal will result in the destruction of the 2 hydraulic pumps for the brake & suspension system, but even worse it will also damage the cams on the engine camshaft, as it also drives the 2 pumps.
The last time I checked [20+ years ago], the camshaft, 16 lifters, the hydraulic pumps, and the various additional gaskets & seals needed to make those repairs was [for the parts only] over $6,000. Unless you are willing to buy used parts to make the repair, those parts come only from Rolls-Royce. And don’t forget a set of the Silver Shadow repair manuals is a bit expensive, but the info in the manual is absolutely required, of you WILL screw up the repair. Last time I checked, the complete set of books was around $800, a bit less for knock-off examples].
Care to tell me what kind of material is used to correctly seal the camshaft cover plate? Anyone else know?
Old Car Guy [and everyone else of course],
Finally found the photos of me in the actual Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. He’s one from the front, showing the British registration number AX201. If you check out the Matchbox toy version you will find that number plate on the car. I’m told this was the only Matchbox car that was produced with the original number plate.
What I didn’t tell you all was that after my friend took the photos of me in the driver’s seat, he said it was OK to drive the car, but only a couple of feet, so I could technically say I’ve driven the world’s most valuable car.
Back in the late 1980s, on one of my trips to England, I visited the Peterborough Steam Railway, where they had a full size mockup of Thomas the Tank Engine, and at that time Thomas wall all the rage in America. I had a friend take a photo of me standing next to the “real” Thomas the Tank Engine steam locomotive, and on my return to the US I presented the photo to my nephew who had recently turned 5, as he was a Thomas fanatic. He took the photo to school and let all the kids know his uncle knew Thomas personally!
So about 20 years later I gave him a copy of the photo shown here. He looks at me and says “Well that blows away Thomas the Tank Engine!”
To rebuild a Bentley R Type properly requires that the block be bored and full length cylinder sleeves inserted. It will take a special puller to remove the head as inevitably it will be corroded to the studs. The exhaust manifold studs are their own special problem and keep in mind you are working with specialty British thread sizes etc. Very few people have the correct taps and dies anymore. The crankshaft must be disassembled to clean out the sludge traps – virtually no other car has them, unknowing mechanics have neglected this step and ruined the bottom end bearings quickly. The crankshaft damper reline and rebuild is an art in itself, requiring not just special tools, but a thorough understanding of the issues. Apart from that, yes, anyone with mechanical skill can work on one. Once set up properly, all the regular maintenance, apart from exhaust valve adjustments is pretty straight forward. Exhaust valve adjustment – haha – as a guy who has done it right once if he ever wants to do it again – haha.
Chinga,
Once again you are “spot-on” in your message. While it is possible IN THEORY to arrange for any competent mechanic or machine shop to perform a rebuild of a Rolls-Royce motor, it’s those little “unknown differences” like the crankshaft cleaning, that make the final determination of a well-restored motor. And these differences are often known only by those who have decades of experience with these 2 marques. And with that experience comes a higher rate of pay.
Your example of the need to correctly disassemble & clean the crank is a situation where the car’s owner may not know for years if that specific work was done or done correctly. Knowing the man or shop performing the work has the experience required to correctly produce a motor that will last another 5 decades or a couple of hundred thousand miles, is certainly worth more compensation.
The final question should be: Does the high quality machinist or machine shop have the ability and desire to take the time to learn everything necessary for correctly rebuilding a Rolls-Royce motor?
fun to imagine this ‘driver’s car’ in the typical owner’s possession of the era. Driven by the chauffeur Monday – Friday in the RR, this might wait for a Sunday self-drive or an offspring’s after school tea w/mates.
Pretty unknown when 1st startin wrenchin a neighbor understood this kid’s interest in the the rare. He invited me to see his RR. Of course I asked for an open hood and his man complied. Seeing the ‘canned ham’ under there for PS I asked “Y would the most expensive do so.” and was told “Why attempt an improve on the best (of which every thing here is).”
Very interesting comments by a number of Bentley experts! I would not argue with Bill McCoskey! He writes well and I’ll bet with deep knowledge about these cars and this particular model. Thank you Bill
Bob,
While I certainly don’t know everything about these cars [no one does!] I have always tried to share what I know with others who share an interest. Thank you for the compliment!
I ran a Silver Shadow for two years, former wedding car, abused worn-out rust bucket. Lovely to ride in when it was running, like wafting around in a library, but it seemed that everything needing attention was hard to get at, and rusted.
Never had to get into the hydraulic pumps… was that cover sealed with a silk thread?
Never compare a simple, reliable and robust six cylinder Bentley/Rolls with a complex, poorly engineered and poorly built Silver Shadow. No connection or relationship at all!
Chinga,
Ever since I closed my shop and sold off all the Rolls-Royce & Bentley cars & spares, I’ve basically told everyone who will listen that basic message. With one slight change: Yes, in my opinion the V8 was poorly engineered in several respects, but I have to question it being poorly built. I’ve always felt the build quality was comparable to the older cars, however they were just too over-engineered and complicated beyond reason. If I ever decided to buy another Rolls-Royce or Bentley again, it would have a 6 cylinder under the bonnet.
V8roller,
Ding, Ding, you win the prize!
Yes it is a tiny silk thread, typically pink in color, and it’s real silk. It must be laid on a perfectly clean and flat area of the block, and the cover must be clean as well. The thread shall be overlapped in a specific manner at a specific point on the block. The thread is there to ensure that the mating surfaces of the 2 metals don’t allow “molecular level” amounts of oil to seep by, because no matter how well the 2 surfaces are machined/polished, it’s possible some amount of oil can get by. And if even a thin paper gasket is used, that is too thick and the hydraulic pump pistons will not mate correctly with the 2 pump cams on the camshaft. In removing and replacing the cover, great care must be used not to cause even the slightest damage to the sealing surface, as the cover [or block] cannot be re-machined.
I operated a Rolls-Royce & vintage British limousine service for about 10 years. We had 2 Silver Shadow LWB cars – both white, and a Bentley T-1 in silver, and it was only because I owned an antique car restoration shop specializing in these cars, that we could keep them safe, reliable, and looking nice.
I’m really glad I posed the question, but I must say that it takes a particularly evil and demonic mindset to go to those extraordinary lengths to design machinery that MUST be serviced by the licensed dealerships. And I thought North American manufacturers were nasty, decades ago, when they tried to with-hold servicing information from the aftermarket shops. When it comes to the mechanical end of things, and ignoring electronics, if I can’t fix it, I won’t own it.
Bill McCoskey, you are one interesting fellow, and I thank you for a very interesting story. I will continue to be an avid fan of your writings, and of the many knowledgable others on this site.
OldCarGuy,
Thanks for the compliment!
I’ve had a very interesting and fulfilling life so far. Vintage cars have opened doors for me all over the world, I have standing offers by other old car people all over Europe to come stay and visit whenever I can, and I try to reciprocate whenever possible. Cars have made it possible for me to become friends with many other interesting people, from guys who were literally living in their cars while in college, to actual members of royalty and a couple of heads-of-state too. I’ve been to 36 countries so far, and hope to hit a few more before I get too old to travel, as I’ve promised to take both of my girlfriends to England in the future.
That said, while life has been pretty good, when it’s been bad, it’s been real bad. I’ve lost a total of almost 2 dozen rare cars from not one, but two lightning-induced building fires 22 years apart! And in the 2nd one the insurance company was able to get out of paying me a penny because of a technicality.
Bill I was born in England & lived the first 10 years of my life there. I am pretty knowledgeable about British cars but not an expert. I was there this past Summer, as we have a son that lives in the London area. I love seeing so many older cars still running on the streets of many English cities. Your tales of what you have done traveling so much in Europe, must be worthy of you writing a book! Thanks for your many delightful responses.
Bob,
You might find this funny . . .
About 20 years ago, long-time friends of mine, who lived in Hampshire, England, and collected American cars, planned on visiting the USA for the big Carlisle flea market in PA. They were both regular visitors to the fall Carlisle event. At the same time, the British version, known as the Beaulieu Autojumble, was scheduled, and I was a long-time vendor at the Beaulieu event. I don’t remember why, but normally the Beaulieu event was a week before Carlisle, but this time they were on the same weekend.
My English friends had keys to my farm here in Maryland, and I had leys to their home in England. So they picked me up at Heathrow Airport, and 2 days later I took them to Heathrow for their flight to Baltimore BWI Airport! They had the use of my F-150 pickup, and I had the use of their Rover SD-1.
A neat story. I was fortunate as this past summer my son loaned me his BMW M1 and I was able to drive up to the Midlands and Derbyshire (where I once lived) in particular. Best wishes. Bob
Bill McCoskey, now you’re just trying to make us all jealous!
“I’ve promised to take both of my girlfriends to England in the future”? Not at the same time, I hope. Multiple girlfriends is almost a guarantee of not much future at all!
OldCarGuy,
Not trying to make you all jealous, but we are a “thruple”, and I AM a very lucky man. This situation was unplanned, and just sort of came together about 6 years ago. Both my girls are crazy about old cars, steam trains, and as I’m 70, I guess old farts too! [Nikki is 38, and Pepper just turned 33.] Just in case ya don’t believe me, that’s a photo of the 3 of us from about a year ago.
Geez, Bill, you look kinda tired.
I am LMAO! Seriously, I am having a laff riot here!
You are the man!
OldCarGuy,
I have been known to tell people we meet that the girls are 33 and 38, and I’m 45!
You may all have noticed that there is a nice maroon R Type on BaT [url=https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1955-bentley-r-type-4/]just now[/url]
Apologies if the url doesn’t load properly… two days to go.
Oh, for god’s sake! I was so busy, laughing about the comments on the Mustang Galaxie posting, and on this page, that I confused Mr Arruzza, the Mustang Galaxie seller, with Bill McCoskey. I was laughing so hard, that I mixed up a comment that contained info from both sites, so it’s totally confusing; so much so, that I’m not sure I can completely explain my faux pas.
Mr Arruzza is my hero, and so is Bill McCoskey.
I tender my most abject apologies to these two gentlemen, to Barn Finds, and to all Barn Finds readers, and do hope that no one is permanently confused. I promise to try to not post when I am overcome with laughter.
OldCarGuy,
While I may be permanently confused in many instances, and as I myself am prone to such gaffes from time to time, no apology is needed or requested!
his has been the most interesting Barn Find blog since I started reading it, perhaps 6 years ago! I love these exchanges as they come from learned automobile guys who are becoming a dying group. With EV models being introduced every few months, it won’t be long before the current generation will have no idea of what an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) is. Perhaps a necessary change in automobiles, but a sad one.
Canada recently announced that the sale of ICE vehicles will not be allowed after 2035. I wonder: what will the world do, when it is found that the infrastructure, needed for recharging all those vehicles, is inadequate? If one pays attention to the various reports over the last 15 or 20, or more, years, the monies needed to rebuild the infrastructure is just not there, never mind the physical capabilities. We are going to be hit with the equivalent of nuclear devastation: climate change will put a tremendous strain on the electrical grid for running cooling equipment, the sun belt will move north, leaving us with more desert land, water supply will disappear (it seems), and so on. I wonder: how much water is lost to evaporation? Some years ago, some clever person came up with the pretty clever preventative idea of filling the surfaces of all our water bodies with a sort-of equivalent of tennis balls. I often wondered why all the viaducts were left open to the sun.
As is usual with our mostly reactive governments, the cure will likely come too late.
OldCarGuy,
If my memory is correct, the restriction in selling ICE vehicles only refers to NEW vehicles. We old farts with pistons in our engines will still be able to sell and use our cars.
As for the charging infrastructure [or lack thereof]; Yeah, I see a looming shortage of charging spaces, especially along high traffic roads. I have a friend who owns a GM car dealership, and he tells me the infrastructure to add the GM required charging stations is costing him well over a million Dollars.
I’ve done a little bit of research into the requirements for building a multi-vehicle charging location, and from what I gather, the electrical supply has to be 3-phase 480 volt.
Another problem is can your EV charge at other brands of charging stations? I’m told that only Tesla cars can use a Tesla charging location. It’s like pulling into a service station with your diesel vehicle and the place only has gasoline.
As for the evaporation losses for large viaducts, yes covering them with a network of floating plastic balls is an excellent idea, I had read about a guy who came up with hexagonal versions instead of round balls. However the reason he was unable to get the water canal and viaduct owner/operators to buy the product, was because it was impossible to see who or what was in the water. Imagine trying to find a child or animal that fell into a canal covered in balls.
I see a huge problem with water rights from the Colorado River developing. As it is now, the USA is in violation of an agreement with Mexico, as we no longer provide ANY water south of the US/Mex border. The Colorado riverbed has dried up long before it hits Mexico. Plus, I read recently in the Smithsonian Magazine that by law the various Indian tribes in the southwest are entitled to a certain percentage [20%?] of the Colorado’s upper basin water flow, but they have never been able to get that allotment.
The article also suggested that California has been exceeding their water allotment for decades, and it’s likely in a year or 2 there are going to be several big federal lawsuits concerning Colorado River water rights.
And don’t even get me started about what’s going to happen when water levels as the dams get so low the power generation system comes to a stop, and locations like Las Vegas go dark. It’s predicted that as soon as 2030 we may see a mass migration away from the big cities in Arizona, Nevada, Utah and New Mexico, when the city water supplies are exhausted.
A wonderful example of thread drift when we move from old Bentleys to the way we are trashing our planet lol….
In England we don’t have too many water shortages, at least not that hurt people only nature due to river levels and most people don’t really care about that.
What we do have is untreated sewage going into rivers and seas because sewage plants have not kept up with housebuilding.
And yet there are calls for more and more houses, rather than addressing the real underlying cause of so many problems, that there are too many people.
Which of course is why the Colorado is depleted. But with Roe v Wade repealed and the Donald’s wall unfinished, that will only get worse.
Regards EVs, the problem is not just Tesla – most of the charging stations in the UK at least are privately provided and to use them one has to have the app (whatever that is) and an account with the provider concerned. Instead of having one unified system, we have a tower of Babel, much like the power network before WW2 where the power cos were private and didn’t even agree on the supply voltage.
And in any case, there isn’t the lithium available to build all the batteries that are needed not just for EVs but to store the unreliable ‘green’ energy the politicos are so fond of, so come 2035 the ban on new ICE will be quietly shelved.
Another example of regulations imposed with multiple unintended unpleasant consequences. California and New York State on same timetable. Soon to be time to put up some late model low mileage used cars on blocks and await the debacle.