1936 Bentley 4¼ Litre Thrupp & Maberly Sports Saloon
A particularly handsome car, very attractively finished in dark green with tan leather interior, and in lovely, smart and sharp condition. The paintwork is to a high standard, the leather is excellent, as is the headlining, and the interior wood veneers are particularly lovely, with a superb finish. Features include P100 ‘bullseye’ headlights (unusual for a Derby Bentley) and handsome ‘trouser crease’ wings. The car comes with a significant maintenance and repair history file, two large folders worth, going back to the 1980s, showing a great deal of expenditure, together with various literature, and an original handbook in lovely condition. There is also a selection of spare parts included. It is apparent just from looking at the car that it has been well cared-for. Running and driving very nicely, and fitted with overdrive, which really improves long-distance cruising, making the experience much more relaxing. Also fitted with three-point inertia reel seat belts, which is unusual for a coachbuilt car. MoT tested until January 2027, serviced, and ready to go!
Chassis No. B68GA.
Reg No. USK 740.
Price £57,500.
Snippets: Curtain Pole & Cylinder Liners
Sidney Charles Harrison was the founder of the business Harrison Drapes – manufactures of curtain poles and furniture. The company dates back to 1898 and by 1961 they had some 1,200 employees. Their adverts contained statements such as “Usually no more than a screwdriver is needed to fix” and “British throughout”. It was such a successful business that allowed Sidney to indulge in his hobbies of Motorcars & Motorcars!! He was a serial Rolls-Royce & Bentley owner with his first Rolls-Royce being a 1925 Phantom I saloon (he owned a total of 15 Rolls-Royce cars) and his first Bentley being a 1935 3 ½ Saloon (he owned a total of 4 Bentleys).
In 1905 he was summoned for obstructing the highway at Henley-in-Arden by leaving a car there for 14 hours and in 1910 he was fined for speeding. He did have a calmer hobby of fishing but even that was not straightforward as in 1932 he alongside Col G. B Heywood of Caradoc Court, Ross were summoned for non-payment of their fishing fines! Shortly before his death (1944) B68GA was acquired by Harold Andrews, an engineer who formed HAGCO renowned for their cylinder-lining progress (not to be confused with Westwood Cylinders which was created by another Andrews family)!
The companies that Harold & William Andrews were involved with included: British Petroleum Lt (William managed their road transport dept of 1,200 vehicles & when it joined ShellMex this became 2,200 vehicles). William & Harold were jointly involved with Airwork Engine Service Ltd at Heston Airport which later became H & W G Andrews Ltd and also Airwork General Trading Co Ltd; then Harold Andrews Grinding Co Ltd (HAGCO). Harold Andrews was also a keen fisherman with notes made in the Machinery & Production Engineer magazine of his fine catch of salmon on the river Test! The adverts for Airwork Ltd in 1954 made mentioned of their fleets of Hermes, Vikings & Dakotas with cargo including 2 white rhinos to Antwerp, helping eliminate TseTse flies with aerial spraying and Safari Service offering the lowest fares between Africa and the UK.