1974 Bentley T Series

The car comes our way via a trade seller who has seen plenty of T-Series Bentleys over the years.

His opinion, and ours, is that this is a very good, solid example and one that has been well looked-after and curated throughout its 51 years of life, not least benefitting recently from a new alternator.

He assures us that the car drives very well indeed and does everything asked of it with competence, capability and composure in equal measure.

The bodywork is very straight and true, and there are no dimples, dinks or dents of any note anywhere that we can see.

The car sits very squarely and correctly when viewed from any angle.

The panel gaps and shut-lines are crisp and consistent.

The wheel arches are solid and sound and we’ve seen no blisters or bubbling in any of the usual places – or any of the less usual ones, for that matter.

The chrome-work is particularly vibrant and shiny, and there’s no foxing, tarnishing or pitting anywhere that we can see.

The rare Georgian Silver finish (with hand-painted coachlines) is also in very good order and even entirely standard stone chips, scratches and scuffs are far more notable for their absence than their presence.

The wheels look pretty good too, although there are a few scuffs and dinks here and there on the hub caps and ‘beauty rings’.

From what we can see, the badging, lights, lenses and other exterior fixtures and fittings are all in impressive, well-preserved condition.

Happily, we’re able to give the interior an equally glowing report, which is particularly commendable given that it seems to us to be pretty original and authentic.

The red Connolly hide has held up very well, front and back, and the front seats have a level of gentle creasing that’s good even for the car’s mileage, never mind its age.

The door cards have endured the passage of time with commendable stoicism, as have the wood veneers on the dashboard, door cappings, ‘hockey stick’ trim and elsewhere.

The padded black vinyl on the dashboard roll, knee-roll and either side of the centre console is firm and has resisted the temptation to crack or fade over the last half century.

The red Wilton carpets and mats are very good.

There’s a faint line on the sides of the rear seat centre armrest where it’s been stowed in the vertical position, and a small patch of wear at the bottom of the driver’s seat armrest.

As far as we’re aware, all dials, knobs, switches, levers and instruments are fully functional and do what they’re supposed to do without hesitation, deviation or repetition.

The vendor tells us that the heater blower seems a trifle noisy at times – somehow, we can’t see that being a deal breaker.

The engine bay looks clean, dry and fresh and everything appears to be in its right and proper place.

The undersides of the car also look to be possessed of plenty of structural integrity and everything seems sound and solid as far as we can tell.

Nothing we’ve seen has given us cause to tut or raise an eyebrow.

The car has plenty of history from the 1970s until about 1984, after which there are invoices and bills from various specialists such as Colbrook and Flying Spares.

The vendor has addressed and sorted any issues with the brakes and electrics. He has also replaced the regulator. The car was serviced last year.

We will update this section as and when more history arrives.

This stately and very classy T1 has been around since 1974, the year Lord Lucan disappeared and John Stonehouse reappeared.

But you really wouldn’t think it was half a century old to look at it.

It presents very well from outside, inside and underneath.

It drives admirably and, with just 108,000 miles on the clock, it is a low-mileage example of a rare and increasingly sought-after model.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £14,000 - £17,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Harrow, London. To arrange an appointment to inspect this vehicle, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.