1978 Bentley T2

First registered 6th December 1977, ‘BLK 27S’ would have set its first owner back £22,412, which works out at a staggering £174,510 at today’s prices.

Finished in Chestnut over Gold, the Bentley T2 comes to market fresh from a recent investment of almost £8,000, and this significant investment builds on a huge amount of work that is faithfully documented in the extensive history file.

It’s also still showing just 122,000 miles on the odometer, and is enjoying something of a quiet retirement racking up just 20,000 of those in the past 25 years.

The seller has taken the reluctant decision to reduce the size of his classic car collection, and he’s happy to offer this one with a very sensible estimate and no reserve.

Please read on for the full details, but the TLDR is that this is likely to be a very cost-effective way of getting behind the wheel of a recently (and expensively) fettled Bentley T2.

 

The Chestnut-over-Gold colour scheme works well with the Bentley’s Old School design; timeless and elegant, it looks good as you walk up to it with a decent shine and nice panels.

Peering more closely, while the offside panel alignment shows tight and even shutlines, that on the nearside is a bit more variable and the rear door doesn’t fit quite as snugly as its twin.

The paintwork has had localized repairs too, and these are noticeable by way of hard edges, imperfect blending, overspray, and a rough, almost sandpaper-like finish in places.  

There is also a bubble on the offside rear wheelarch, with more bubbling along its lower edge. The offside front wing has deteriorated along its upper edge including some unevenness to the panel between the aerial and the base of the windscreen plus a rust bubble on the trailing edge above the chrome trim.

The A- and C-pillars have all had work and there is some residual unevenness to their finish, too.

Moving onto the brightwork, the radiator slats aren’t quite straight, and quite a bit of the chrome, including that imposing radiator shell, is dull and tarnished.  

The front and rear screen seals have been replaced, and this was not a cheap job. However, the windscreen is starting to delaminate in the upper offside corner and the air intake between the bonnet and the windscreen doesn’t sit flat.

The steel wheels, which are covered with a set of good chrome hubcaps, are fitted with a matching set of Maxtour GT radial whitewall tyres. 
 

The front seat bases were both replaced in May 2025, a job that ran up a bill for £786 in the process. However, we are told they now move fore and aft as they should. Covered with Chestnut leather that is in a decent condition, the resulting seats are now presentable and comfortable.

They also set the tone for the rest of the interior, which is nicely worn in without being scruffy. Old Money rather than new, if you like.

The seats, which are piped in cream, are joined by solid-colour door cards. Three of these are in a good condition, with the exception being the driver’s door, which is heavily scuffed and scratched.

The walnut veneer is expansive and even includes a pair of mirrors in the C-pillars. It looks good from a distance, but closer inspection shows it will need some work to restore its finish as the lacquer has started to deteriorate.

The T2 still boasts what looks like the original Blaupunkt radio, and the headlining is taut and free of damage, albeit a bit grubby.

The boot is scruffy, with worn trim that’s stained and peeling away. However, it does have the tool kit.

As for work to do, the front passenger seat has splits in its face leather in two different panels, while the driver’s seat has another on its backrest.

The offside rear coat hanger is missing, and the rear parcel shelf and the inside of the glovebox have mould or mildew on them.

The carpets are all very poor, but the rear passenger compartment still has its freestanding footrests, which is a nice touch, as are the lamb’s wool overmats.

Finally, the air-conditioning needs attention, as does the central locking system for the four doors. (We are told the boot locks as it should.)
 

Hawk Classics ran up a bill for almost £6,000 to fettle the Bentley into a condition the seller was happy with; throw in a few odds and sods and the owner estimates it owes him £8,000 in repairs alone.

The invoices on file show what was done but the headline is the V8 starts well and revs nicely. It drives well too, with our man reporting that it: “runs and brakes well, and there are no lights on the dashboard”.

(For those of you who are new to us, this is heady praise indeed.)

Mind you, it does appear to have been well looked after, with the seller summarizing its recent maintenance as follows:

•    97,000 miles - engine tune carried out by a Rolls-Royce specialist.
•    105,000 miles - new ignition module, engine mount, and front ball joints
•    106,000 miles - replaced parking brake pads.
•    108,000 miles - reconditioned wiper motor and oil pressure switch.
•    109,000 miles - passed Bentley inspection plus carburettors stripped and cleaned, alternator reconditioned, and a window motor replaced.
•    111,000 miles - replaced front brake pads, hoses, and pipes, plus rear height control ram, driveshaft joint, gearbox sump gasket, cooler pipes, gearbox oil, fan and compressor relay. The brakes were bled.
•    114,000 miles - new fuel pumps from Bentley, plus a thermostat, air-con service board and servo, and new brake pipes.
•    2015 – brake calipers replaced all round, plus new brake hoses. The gearbox was also reconditioned at a cost of nearly £5,000.
•    2017 - full service.
•    2024 - full service. 

Hawk Classics also welded the underbody for the MoT and later undersealed it.

The engine bay is workmanlike rather than pretty, but then it is clearly better to spend money on making sure the mechanical components work than it is prettifying them.

The quilted soundproofing mats under the bonnet are excellent though, and a few hours fitting new hose clamps and fasteners followed by a deep clean would make a world of difference.

And, if you appreciate quality engineering this won’t be a hardship as no one did it better than Rolls-Royce and Bentley, back in the day.
 

The Bentley’s MoT certificate, which is valid until April 2026, was issued with no advisories and this should give you an idea of the seller’s priorities when it came to fettling his much-loved T2.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the history file is replete with a replacement Owner’s Handbook, the original factory build records, warranty claims, the final inspection and road test reports, and many invoices and bills from folk like Flying Spares and various Bentley main agents dating back all the way to 1978. 
 

Believed to be one of just 558 T2 models built – and perhaps one of only 15 left – this rare Bentley T2 might be in need of a bit of TLC, but that need is reflected in our guide price of between £10,000 and £15,000.

Better yet, it’s being offered with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid, which could make it a mighty tempting winter project.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.