After many years of work to build a fully-operational heritage collection, Bentley has added one of the final pieces of the puzzle to its fleet in Crewe, a Bentley T-Series. No ordinary example, this car is actually the world’s oldest Bentley T-Series and the first to leave the production line.
Originally a test car within the company, T-Series chassis number SBH1001 also featured in the original press coverage following the model launch at the 1965 Paris Salon de l’Auto. It was rediscovered under a cover in storage a few years ago, and although the car had not run for decades and was missing several key areas – including its entire interior – it was decided that it would be a prime candidate for restoration due to its significance.
The work was started by a group of Bentley apprentices, after which the car was entrusted to the expert team at P&A Wood, specialists in the preservation and restoration of classic Bentleys and the company’s partner for Heritage Collection projects. Tasked with preserving as much of the original car as possible, the challenge has been to sensitively recommission the car, retaining as much of its original components and running gear.
Taking stock of the T-Series Bentley, key elements of the drivetrain proved to be in surprisingly good condition. The engine burst into life after a 15-year silence, needing only a thorough service, and the gearbox simply required minor adjustment. The rear axle too was in a good state and only needed new seals.
Major challenges for the team included a missing dashboard, no interior trim, a wiring loom in pieces without a detailed diagram, corrosion around the rear subframe and previous poor-quality crash repairs. With few replacement parts available off-the shelf, the team sourced a donor vehicle that was at the end of its life. As the specification of the T-Series evolved over the years, it was important that the donor should also be an early model. Every detail was discussed and pored over, right down to the correct Rolls-Royce logo on the seat belt buckles and the lack of wing mirrors.
Mike Sayer, Head of the Bentley Heritage Collection, explains: ‘The T-Series is one of the final two pieces of the puzzle to complete our rejuvenated Heritage Collection. Our Chief Communications Officer, Wayne Bruce and I quite literally found it under a tarpaulin in the back of a warehouse, and given it was the first-of-line chassis we knew we had to save it. Together with our T-Series Mulliner Coupe, this revitalised sedan completes the Bentley heritage story of the 1960s and 1970s, and is now an outstanding example of the model, which was the first Bentley to use a unitary monocoque construction.’
