[ClassicStanley]

Originally Posted by DKG

It's only the coupe which has the Mckenzie modded engine. The other car is a stock 8 litre. Both cars were closed cars originally but later had their roofs chopped off.

There still remains a little bit of mystery about why the coupe doesn't have the full Mckenzie mods but just the engine. This car's engine number does match the car in the US which has all the other mods. BTW the doors have now been restored to a proper design which is more acceptable than what you saw in the pictures. This is an incredible car and I hope she will surface soon fully restored.

Dear DKG, thank you for this.

You say "stock" like it's a normal car...LOL. The other car is unbelievable and super rare but a standard 8 Litre is still amongst the King of Kings!

Just a little confused though, which is the coupe? Unless I am completely mistaken, both cars appear to be open convertibles. Is there a third car you are referring to? What is the current state of restoration? Has it been done from the ground up? I hope the person restoring it has been careful before turning the engine if it has had many years of stationary sitting...

What a machine! Love to see some pictures if and when you have some. Are you working with this car yourself? Have you driven it?

[DKG]

Originally Posted by ClassicStanley

Dear DKG, thank you for this.

You say "stock" like it's a normal car...LOL. The other car is unbelievable and super rare but a standard 8 Litre is still amongst the King of Kings!

Just a little confused though, which is the coupe? Unless I am completely mistaken, both cars appear to be open convertibles. Is there a third car you are referring to? What is the current state of restoration? Has it been done from the ground up? I hope the person restoring it has been careful before turning the engine if it has had many years of stationary sitting...

What a machine! Love to see some pictures if and when you have some. Are you working with this car yourself? Have you driven it?

as I typed out the word "stock" I smiled wondering what I was referring to as stock !

You would have noticed that of the two 8 litres in India one is a 2 dr car and the other a 4 dr. Both are now open cars although they started off as closed cars. It's the 2 dr car which has the Mckenzie modded engine.

I was fortunate to see this car two years ago. The doors had been corrected and the restorer fired up the engine and what a delight it was to hear the beauty. It's a stunningly imposing machine and is without a doubt one of India's special cars. There was still some work pending so wasn't lucky to get a ride in it. I am hoping it will debut at the forthcoming Cartier show. I haven't seen the other 8 litre and would love to see it someday.

[ClassicStanley]

Originally Posted by DKG

as I typed out the word "stock" I smiled wondering what I was referring to as stock !
======
I haven't seen the other 8 litre and would love to see it someday.

Clearly a case of great minds thinking alike.

Interesting to hear they started out closed, but appear to have gone the same way as a large number of WOs have (i.e. the roof has been done away with). So many RRs and Bentleys are so changed from what they started out as - not a bad thing I would say as long as done in good taste.

Not unlike this car sold here: Stanley Mann Racing which also started as a closed saloon www.VintageBentleys.org :: [1931 Bentley] Registration No. PN 9513 :: Chassis No. YM5046 :: Engine No. YM5046

This is also a chop-top 4 door car. 4 doors don't really suit an open car, my choice would definitely be two doors to go with the sporty top down look.

Did you not take any pictures then? I'm sure the car must be ready now given it's been two years since you saw it. The Cartier show must be a decent event with some nice examples around and these Bentleys would would perhaps even be winners. I can't imagine what else could trump an 8 Litre in concours condition. Are they both in concours condition or aiming to be so?

Hope the owners are enthusiasts who run these cars despite the prohibitive cost of petrol. An 8 Litre I have associated with has a 250 litre tank... at £1.40 a litre that's a lot of dosh! Not to mention the £600,000 or $950,000 that this car was sold for according to the Vintage site - you'd have to fork out in the first place..LOL! Sad, putting cars like this forever out of my reach.

Are there any blower Bentleys around in your neck of the woods? Thanks for responding by the way, no-one except for one other polite gentleman has on other threads I have asked questions in.

[ClassicStanley]

Another very interesting McKenzie car here... what a MONSTER.

Big beast - Telegraph

[DKG]

I was so grateful and delighted the restorer let me see the car up close that I forgot to ask if I could photograph it, out if courtesy

At the time the car had been almost done with some minor work pending. I feel it could do with some more pampering when it came to detailing but it's just such an amazing car that in any condition it's jaw dropping awe inspiring. There is something about the 8 litre where the machinery hits you in the face and you really don't need the car to be a show queen to impress. The scale and size of the car and the engine is so enormous it simply stuns you.

I am a huge fan of this car and eagerly await it's showing on public roads. I hope the Cartier show will see it come out finally. I am just happy the owner's dad did India proud by saving the beast for generations like us to at least see it and enjoy.

[harit]

Originally Posted by ClassicStanley

.......Are there any blower Bentleys around in your neck of the woods?......

Not to my knowledge, no there are non.
Apparently very few WO Bentleys came to India, and then there are those taken out again, some are lost (Bhopal) and one engine was supposed to have been installed in a boat and is now lying at the bottom of Bombay Harbour. There are just a handful of WO's left in India, all have been pictured.

Cheers harit

[ClassicStanley]

Originally Posted by DKG

I was so grateful and delighted the restorer let me see the car up close that I forgot to ask if I could photograph it, out if courtesy
The scale and size of the car and the engine is so enormous it simply stuns you.

I am a huge fan of this car and eagerly await it's showing on public roads. I hope the Cartier show will see it come out finally. I am just happy the owner's dad did India proud by saving the beast for generations like us to at least see it and enjoy.

Sounds lovely and you sound like you really enjoyed seeing it - good for you! You're quite right about the scale of cars like an 8 Litre, modern cars really don't have that kind of presence any more. Do put some pictures of the car up if you get the chance if it shows up at your annual car show, I'd love to see it. What colour is it now? Still white?

[DKG]

Originally Posted by ClassicStanley

What colour is it now? Still white?

British Racing Green (i think) now with green leather.

[harit]

Originally Posted by ClassicStanley

Sounds lovely and you sound like you really enjoyed seeing it - good for you! You're quite right about the scale of cars like an 8 Litre, modern cars really don't have that kind of presence any more. Do put some pictures of the car up if you get the chance if it shows up at your annual car show, I'd love to see it. What colour is it now? Still white?

This is a nice Bentley, old picture, wonder what she looks like today.
A real pity that there are so few WO's around in India, wonder who were the selling agents here.
Maybe you can get that info from your dealer network in UK. Did Rolls and WO ever share a dealership anywhere in the world before the aquisition?
Did any "Indian origin" Bentleys ever go through your farm?
A number of Bentleys have visited in in the recent past on extensive tours, though the drive which they had in 2009 was a PR disaster.

Cheers harit

[Faster789]

Originally Posted by harit

Did Rolls and WO ever share a dealership anywhere in the world before the aquisition?

Rolls and Bentley did not share any dealerships before the takeover in 1931, not least off all because the WO and Baron Hines could not stand each other. The marques were as you will know, fierce competitors and RR might never have taken over Bentley, had Napier not been fooled by a fronted company. Then again, the company was with the receiver, so who knows.

ClassicStan, welcome to the forum. Thanks for bringing a couple of older threads to life.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by harit

wonder what she looks like today

Harit doesn't the car look like the Coonoor 6 1/2 litre?

[harit]

Originally Posted by DKG

Harit doesn't the car look like the Coonoor 6 1/2 litre?

Indeed it does, its an old picture.

Cheers harit

[harit]

It seems ClassicStanley did not like my Bentley picture. Maybe he will like this old picture better

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

[DKG]

Originally Posted by harit

So whose car was this?

Is this the Ronnie khan 8 litre?

[ClassicStanley]

Originally Posted by harit

It seems ClassicStanley did not like my Bentley picture. Maybe he will like this old picture better Cheers harit

Nothing wrong with your picture mate, it's just not a very pretty body, a bit hearse-like!

Your other picture is a big, fat 8 litre - that I like. Needs a lot of work though...