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The
Bentley Continental series has a long history, from the original experimental
chassis in 1951 to today's breathtaking turbocharged models. Both
W.O. Bentley and Rolls-Royce had a special interest in long distance Continental
motoring, the latter having produced ‘Continental’ models since 1912. It was therefore
only natural that the Bentley Continental model should be produced.
Rolls-Royce asked H J Mulliner to collaborate on producing the coachwork for what
was to become the ‘R’ Type Continental. The prototype (right) was registered OLG490
and nicknamed ‘Olga’. The lightweight streamlined aluminum body gave Olga an official
5 lap average at the Montlhéry circuit of 119.75 mph. The Bentley ‘R’ Type Continental
was the fastest and most refined production 4 seater of its time and set the standard
for all Bentley Continentals that were to follow.
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The
prototype Bentley Continental, known as "Olga".
[click
photo to enlarge]
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In
general, the Bentley Continental models (including the Corniche and Azure, which
are Continentals in all but the name) are distinguished from their "ordinary"
Bentley brethren by higher-than-standard performance and a special coach-built
body. Continentals reached higher performance levels through lightweight body
construction, powerful engines, higher gear ratios, or some combination of the
three. All
Continentals are sports saloons or drophead coupes, with the exception of the
four-door "Flying Spur". (The
British have several automobile terms that need translation: a "sports saloon"
is a high-performance two- or four-door enclosed automobile with a front and back
seat; a "drophead coupé" is a two-door convertible; the "hood" is the convertible
top; the "bonnet" is the hood; the "boot" is the trunk. Who says there isn't a
language barrier between the Americans and the British?) Only
388 S2 Continentals of any style were ever built so there appears to be a greater
likelihood that these cars will hold value over time. Because
there were so few of these beautiful drophead coupes made, the history of each
car tends to be fairly well-documented - thanks to complete records from Rolls
Royce and a cadre of Bentley enthusiasts around the world. Copies of the original
build records for BC28LCZ have been obtained and are included with this vehicle.
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The original Bentley S2 Continental
models: Sedan by James Young, Coupe by HJ Mulliner, Flying
Spur by HJ Mulliner, and Drophead Coupe by Park Ward.
[click
photos to enlarge]
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BC28LCZ,
was originally shipped to Ruth Greenewald in Palm Springs, California. While all
Bentley Continentals were built to order and could be delivered in any color imaginable,
Ms. Greenewald chose a standard Porcelain White with scarlet interior. Somewhere
along the line the color was changed to "silver mink," which is a later Bentley
color that is essentially a silver blue with a hint of green. By
1980, BC28LCZ ended up in a collector car dealership in New York, where it was
purchased by a Florida businessman, Edward Mestre. This owner rebuilt the engine,
refinished the woods, restored some of the leather, and installed a modern stereo.
When
he died in 1990, his mechanic, Victor Wilbur, purchased the car from the estate
and used it rarely, logging only 1200 miles in 10 years. The
present custodian, John Sweney, CEO of a marketing firm, bought the car from the
mechanic in the summer of 2000 and brought it to Houston, logging thousand of
miles in local pleasure travel, shows, parades, and even daily commutes to the
office. Like
all British cars, the Bentley Continental is built to be driven, not stored away.
When left alone in the garage, it has been known to call out to go for a drive
in the countryside! When
acquired by its present custodian in 2000, the car ran quite well considering
its age. It had been lovingly cared for and well-maintained, but never fully restored. Between
2000 and 2003, most of the major mechanical assemblies were restored by Houston-area
Bentley specialists, including Sport & Classic Car Company and Post Oak Motors.
These
restorations are detailed below, but they included: -
steering and suspension
- transmission
and differential
-
tires and brakes
- exhaust
- starter
and wiring
- carburetion
and ignition
- cooling
- air
conditioning
- top
All
in all, the car has traveled 121,000 miles since new. |
BC28LCZ
in 1999.
[click
photo to enlarge]
BC28LCZ
in 2001.
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photo to enlarge]
Interior.
[Click
photo to enlarge]
Mascot.
[Click
photo to enlarge]
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