Bentleys in India

[moralfibre]

Karl, are those mirrors on the fenders original?

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Karl, are those mirrors on the fenders original?

They appear to read "Desmo Eng Reg".



They were very popular with english cars of the 50s and 60s, though after the repaint the car has rounds ones fitted, perhaps those are more accurate.

[karlosdeville]

Another Mark VI cabrio, this one is often entered by Nitin Dossa.









Another regular at the rallies, this car used to be copper coloured if Im right. Entered by the Thackerseys.







This saloon and cabrio are part of the Bhogilal collection, I think the red and black saloon was ex TVS. Im sure Bhogilal has many more Bentleys, I remember one being a "blower", with later locally modified coachwork. Pics from another thread, I think by khanak.





Yohan Poonawalla's recently restored Mk VI







This lovely car belongs to the Goenkas. Is that dash completely authentic?

[karlosdeville]

Forgot an important car, the Holkar Gurney Nutting Bentley. Picture courtesy Kasli. Car rumoured to have been exported recently.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Forgot an important car, the Holkar Gurney Nutting Bentley. Picture courtesy Kasli. Car rumoured to have been exported recently.

Apparently the owner exchanged the car for a Landcruiser, totalled the cruiser and finally ended up with an Innova!!! Possibly the most expensive Innova

I think someone from a Middle eastern embassy managed to do this deal and eventually took it out. What a shame, this car was one of the most beautiful Bentleys in India.

[karlosdeville]

A couple more, courtesy xoticars.

Ajit, we are still waiting for you!

[sat]

julain,

Any idea where the Mayurbhanj Rolls-Bentley 1936 is? It was in Mayurbhanj house, Calcutta till 1984, identical to the Delhi 4 1/4 litre Derby but with saloon body, heard it was sold for 6L. :-( This bentley had a 'one of a kind' made to order Lalique peacock mascot, I am told is still with the with the family.

[awini]

Originally Posted by sat

julain,

Any idea where the Mayurbhanj Rolls-Bentley 1936 is? It was in Mayurbhanj house, Calcutta till 1984, identical to the Delhi 4 1/4 litre Derby but with saloon body, heard it was sold for 6L. :-( This bentley had a 'one of a kind' made to order Lalique peacock mascot, I am told is still with the with the family.

there is an ex mayurbhanj park ward saloon in Delhi, the specially commissioned pink glass mascot is still with the family, albeit damaged now, i believe

[sat]

the specially commissioned pink glass mascot is still with the family, albeit damaged now, i believe

Is this the peakcock lalique mascot you are referring too... was not damaged when I last handled it, do not recollect it being pink. Part of the mascot was frosted, had a small bulb at the base of the mascot which would light up at night.

I must get some car pic from the mayurbhanj family, I recollect seeing some nice pic of the family on holdiay on Europe in their Alvis.

Have also asked a friend, Robert Huber, a german photographer who know most of the old families in India, to photograph all the old car pic in the old family albums.

sat

[travancore]

Do give us larger size pictures. We need to see detail in such rare images!

Trying to get some largers picture of the Jaipur / Gayatri Devi Bentley with Maharaja Sawai Mansingh.
May lose some definition. Source may have been Sepiamutiny.com

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Julian UK

Wolf Barnato at Brooklands in a Bentley 6 ½ litre just before winning the 1930 Double Twelve race.

Julian

To me personally no other car captures the spirit of motorsports as effectively as these old racing Bentleys. The sound of their engines, the design, the motorcycle mudguards, this type of a Bentley remains my ultimate choice of a vintage car. So apart from a fondness for Packards (again owing to their obvious mechanical excellence and great presence) its these racing Bentleys that strike a deep chord within. Hopefully someday I'll get to treat my self to one!!!

For the time being just gazing at these pictures fills up my heart and thank you for sharing them here. These pictures are a real treasure.

[Julian UK]

DKG aren't they magnificent!


W.O. Bentley cars that were directly exported to India

Other W O Bentleys that are in India must have come indirectly later

Chassis Engine Year Body Coachbuilder First owner
Bentley 3 litre
269 272 1923 Aug Sir Victor Sassoon
402 409 1923 Dec 4 Seater sports Vanden Plas Sassoon Ltd E D
(Engine 409 now in Chassis DE 1208 VDP body no 1022)
427 429 1924 Feb Cadogan Sassoon Ltd E D
816 923 1924 Oct 4 Seater Barker Rajah Sir Hari Singh
827 834 1924 Oct Wagonette Barker Rajah Sir Hari Singh
932 935 1925 April 4 Seater Gurney Nutting Maj. Alexander
1166 1181 1925 Aug Park Ward Maharajah of Patiala
1221 1231 1925 Dec 4 Seater Park Ward Maharajah of Patiala
(Long frame to Speed model specification)
LT1585 LT1583 1927 Jan Coupe Connaught Maharajah of Rajpipla
ML1514 ML1516 1927 July 4 Seater Vanden Plas Maharajah of Wankaner
(Vanden Plas body no. 1333 sporting 4 Seater Scratched Aluminium/Blue)

Bentley 6 ½ litre
WB2563 WB2563 1926 Sept 2 Seater Thrupp and Maberly Nawab of Bhopal
FA2513 FA2515 1928 Sept 2 Seater Barker Maharajah of Bhavanagar
(New Barker tourer body fitted in 1938 Now in Australia)
KF2389 KF2397 1929 Feb 4 Seater H J Mulliner Maharajah of Junagadh
LR2778 NH2748 1930 Oct Coupe H J Mulliner Maharajah of Jaipur
(Re-imported to UK in 1937 and re-reg DUU 618)

Uncertain.
WK2673 WB2664 1927 Mar Saloon (W) Gurney Nutting Sir Victor Sassoon
(Originally registered in UK No. YE 7348. Not sure if it came to India)
KR2691 KR2689 1929 Oct Saloon(W) H J Mulliner Sir Victor Sassoon
(Originally registered in UK Reg UV 2952 not sure if it came to India. Engine now in chassis VF4006)

Bentley 4 ½ litre
NX3452 NX3454 1929 April 4 Seater Vanden Plas Maharajah of Bhavanagar
(Standard sporting 4 seater 6 inch longer bonnet Blue fabric/Blue/Black Re-imported to UK in 1970
Vanden Plas body no. 1555)

Bentley 4 ½ litre supercharged
MS3940 MS3943 1930 Nov 4 seater Gurney Nutting Maharajah Holkar of Indore
(Burnt out in the 30s engine at bottom of Bombay harbour in a speed boat)


No 8 litre or 4 litre cars are listed as having been directly exported to India

Records extracted from Bentley The Vintage years 1919 -1931

[karlosdeville]

Wow, Sassoon really liked his Bentleys. Are any of them presently accounted for?

[Julian UK]

Not sure, I found these:
Victor Sassoon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Legend of the Sassoons
I only ever saw one 3 litre in Indore. I don't have any details, it had an awful dynamo belt drive arrangement, a huge pulley driven off the back of the camshaft.
It would be interesting if those with access to the remaining W O Bentleys in India could come up with some numbers and details.
Can anyone help?

[DKG]

A 6 1/2 litre Bentley in very original condition has survived in India. It was with someone in Coonoor for many years until recently it was sold to someone in Delhi I think. This is a saloon, popularly referred to as a "Top Hat Saloon" (someone please correct me if I got that wrong)

I've seen pictures of the car with someone, very tall and striking car. Will try to get the pictures if possible.

An 8 litre has also survived and is with Mr. Bhogilal. However I've been told that this car went through a conversion from sedan to tourer. I really wonder how someone can do that to a car which happens to be one of only 100 made ever!!

Oh and now for a real treat. Just to give you guys an idea of what phenomenal machines the old racing Bentleys were check out this video YouTube - BENTLEY LE MANS SPECIAL LE RICHE JERSEY

It simply blew me away, hope you enjoy this as much as I did