[Prabal]

Originally Posted by harit

This is a nice Bentley, old picture, wonder what she looks like today.

Was with RM in Delhi, if I'm not mistaken (who visits the forum regularly, so am sure he's reading/will read this thread/post too, and chuckle!) and subsequently sent to Orissa - but can not recollect exactly now.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Prabal

subsequently sent to Orissa - but can not recollect exactly now.

The car is with Vikram Singh in Jaipur

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by DKG

The car is with Vikram Singh in Jaipur

Oh yes, Jaipur was also on my mind, and at that hour I wasn't sure of either!! I'd thought of confirming in the morning; thanks!

[harit]

Originally Posted by harit

........The caption did mention the Maharaja it was supposed to have belonged to, I think that the caption was wrong. So whose car was this? Cheers harit

This is indeed the Roni Khan 8 Litre, when she was lying in Pune. The was described as being owned by Maharaja of Pratapgarh!
I don't know any history of this car prior to Roni Khan ownership, other than she may have belonged to Scot. Can anyone add info? Faster?

Cheers harit

[Faster789]

Originally Posted by harit

This is indeed the Roni Khan 8 Litre, when she was lying in Pune. The was described as being owned by Maharaja of Pratapgarh!
I don't know any history of this car prior to Roni Khan ownership, other than she may have belonged to Scot. Can anyone add info? Faster?

Cheers harit

Pratabgarh owned and owns the Lanchester which I am sure has been discussed here. Hasn't the 8 litre history been discussed here too? I'm sure I've seen it somewhere and mentioned the Adenwalla connection myself. In any event, the known history of the car below. There is obviously history and detail post 1966, but that is really only known to the owner. I only know bits and pieces re. the restoration effort in the late 60s and early 70s and a little bit about what I was told about Vatcha.

[DKG]

Superb piece of information Faster789 !!

Thank you very much for sharing it here. Do any pictures survive anywhere of this car in it's heyday?

[Faster789]

I don't have any I am afraid DKG. Sadly, never thought to take any! I should mention the information above is via the current owner and with his permission. All things being equal, its best days will soon be before it. I have not seen the car in about 2-3 years, but I understand from DKG and others that it is pretty much ready.

Vatcha was, like Adenwalla and Roni Khan - a Parsi. I understand that he owned a 3 Litre WO that caught fire and was written off. Vatcha was a man of some means and wanted to replace the 3 Litre with the "ultimate", so an 8 Litre was only the start for him. He then had McKenzie modify the car which is what we have today.

[harit]

Originally Posted by Faster789

..........Vatcha was, like Adenwalla and Roni Khan - a Parsi. ........

Would he have had anything to do with that petrol pump? Because I have a photo of that Vacha with a Crossley.

Cheers harit

[Faster789]

Originally Posted by DKG

Superb piece of information Faster789 !!

Thank you very much for sharing it here. Do any pictures survive anywhere of this car in it's heyday?

Still no pictures of the India car, but I have come across a lovely article (with pictures, hence the post) about the Lycett Mckenzie modified 8 Litre which I thought some of the Bentley fanatics here might like to read and may give us some insight into the Khan car.

The description of the handling of the 8 Litre in glowing terms does make me smile. How times change, not to mention the conditions in which the car was driven. I've had the pleasure of being around in and have driven a few WOs. I wouldn't describe the handling at lower speeds as anything other than requiring superhuman strength, and the handling at higher speeds always tempered by your knowledge that the brakes are 80+ years old. A dinky little Italian sportscar it is a not, but perhaps my description is more of a symptom of my lack of driving talent, my contact with motorsport behind me. Anyone driven the Pranlal or Khan car recently? I understand both run.

Particularly interesting to me are the side by side photographs of the car, before and after McKenzie worked his magic.

[karlosdeville]

Some pictures were sent to me of this W O 4 1/2 litre, MF3168. It apparently came to India and then went to Afghanistan.

[TractionAvant]

I came across this in the October-1995 issue of 'The Automobile'. I hope They will not sue me :-)

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by TractionAvant

I came across this in the October-1995 issue of 'The Automobile'. I hope They will not sue me :-)

Thanks for sharing. If I remember right the car was subsequently reunited with its original very rakish sporty polished body with flared fenders and pontoon running boards. Over to the experts for more.

[travancore]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Thanks for sharing. If I remember right the car was subsequently reunited with its original very rakish sporty polished body with flared fenders and pontoon running boards. Over to the experts for more.

Karl is correct. The original body was reunited with the chassis (FA2513) by Peter Hageman.



We discussed this car once before:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/pre-wa...ml#post1298562

[kasli]

Originally Posted by travancore

Karl is correct. The original body was reunited with the chassis (FA2513) by Peter Hageman.

Attachment 1356755

We discussed this car once before:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/pre-wa...ml#post1298562

The Car today resides in a Hotel Lobby in Frankfurt along with some more cars across the various Hotel floors

Cheers

[TractionAvant]

Isn't it sad that when you type 'Bentley 3 Litre' in google the 22nd image is a NON Vanden Plas Le-mans replica tourer? So much history has been lost. After all, W O Bentley made the 6 1/2 because most 3 litres were overbodied saloons.

Kind regards

Aditya