Innehållsförteckning för Issue 35 - Mar/Apr 2023 från Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver

This Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III is currently undergoing recommissioning and light restoration work at a garage in Scotland. It has served on wedding fleets in recent years, undergoing a colour change from white to silver a few seasons ago. The legend that goes with this example is that it was the car featured in the opening credits of the 1980s American soap opera, Dynasty. Sure enough, from Season Three, a white Silver Cloud III appears behind Joan Collins near the end of the credits. Efforts to confirm the story by those working on the car have so far come to nothing, but if any reader knows a way to discover the chassis number of the car used in the show, we would be interested to hear about it. When the…

‘Hooper was, quite simply, the best ’. So said Nick Walker in his excellent A-Z of British Coachbuilders, and that was indeed the perception of this London firm since before the internal combustion engine came to be. They were founded in 1805, and by 1830 had a Royal Warrant, becoming coachbuilder to Queen Victoria for 60 years. By the 1920s, they were turning out the best-appointed and most expensive bodies on RollsRoyce, Daimler and Bentley chassis, usually at the more dignified end of any styling trend. They survived, like Rolls-Royce, when others of lesser reputation bit the dust in the Depression years of the 1930s. Hooper's post-war production was influenced by the firm's wartime acquisition by the BSA combine. This included Daimler and was overseen by BSA's chairman Sir Bernard…

I really enjoyed the story in the previous edition about the Silver Shadow that survived the Peking to Paris Rally in the hands of those two intrepid Aussies, but I have to take issue with some of the credit given to the car. Firstly this: ‘the Silver Shadow had the original motor, transmission, drivetrain and suspension components. The only modifications we made were the requirements of the rally’. Well, with different springs, no load-levelling system, driveshafts from a different model and a thicker sway bar I'm not sure I'd describe the suspension and drivetrain as original. Of course the mods were requirements of the rally - if you wanted a chance of finishing! Then, when it states There were never engineering failures, only external issues’, had we not read about…

What's new in Bethesda? Well, we've come through two difficult years, and after a slow start to 2022 things got better and better, and we ended the year of something of a high. We have recently sold several significant cars in terms of desirability and in a higher price range, and this may indicate something of a change in the pattern of customer requirements. How did you get started? The Real Car Company was established in 1987, when Ian Johnstone and I found our hobby was getting out of hand. We found that more and more cars were passing through our hands and in the end we decided to make it a full time occupation, alongside a business making exhaust systems. But by the spring of 1988 the car sales…

During its early years, Rolls-Royce prided itself on making all the mechanical components for its cars; how else could it guarantee ‘the best car in the world’ if parts from others were fitted? But as motor car usage grew and new technologies were developed elsewhere, the company (perhaps reluctantly) began incorporating items from more specialist suppliers. In 1952, it took the bold step of adopting an entire new transmission for the Silver Wraith, courtesy of General Motors in the USA. The Hydramatic was the world's first mass-produced fully-automatic gearbox, introduced in 1939 for Oldsmobiles and then, when GM was sure it worked, graduating to Cadillac (arguably Rolls-Royce's main US rival) in 1941. However, it was during the war - when it was used in all manner of machines, including tanks…

The Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club is excited to announce their upcoming visit to the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show at Birmingham's NEC from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th March 2023. This annual event is a must-see for classic car enthusiasts and collectors, and the RREC is proud to be participating once again. The RREC will be showcasing a variety of classic Rolls-Royce & Bentley cars at the show. Visitors will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with these stunning vehicles, and learn more about the rich history and heritage of Rolls-Royce. In addition to the classic car displays, the RREC will also be offering advice and guidance to those interested in restoring or maintaining their own classic Rolls-Royce or Bentley car. The Practical Classics Classic Car…

DERBY DAY AT VINTAGE & PRESTIGE Derby Bentley saloons are a varied bunch, as indeed are the open cars. Coachbuilders of the 1930s loved to show what they could do on these low, athletic chassis, and some of the highest peaks of the designer's art and craft were achieved on Derby-built cars. Vintage & Prestige is offering examples from either end of the Derby saloon price spectrum right now, with a 1934 3½ -litre H.J. Mulliner Sports Saloon for £56,000 (above) and a fastback, be-spatted Airline Saloon by William Arnold, also a 1934 3½ -litre car, for £150,000 (below). The latter car is still in Vancouver, Canada, but V&P's Richard Biddulph is flying over soon to photograph it in greater detail. He says the prices for cars of this era…

I have recently come into a modest sum of money that allows me to fulfil a long-held wish for a high-quality British saloon car of the 1950s. My shortlist includes a Bentley Mk VI or R-type, an Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire 346, an Alvis TA21 or a Rover 90 ‘P4’. When they were new, the latter three were probably quite close in price and they're not too far apart today, though the Alvis might need more investment to get a sound one. The Bentley would have been twice or three times the price of these ‘rivals’ when new but is now not out of reach - less good ones overlap with the nicer Armstrongs and Alvises (if not Rovers, perhaps) in price. My question, which is not intended to offend the readership…

If success is measured in longevity, the Corniche in its many forms was the most successful car Rolls-Royce ever made. From the first Mulliner Park Ward coupé in 1966 to the last Corniche S in 1995, it lasted 28 years - longer than the 40/50hp ‘Silver Ghost’ (20 years) or the Phantom VI (22 years). The combination of luxury, performance, image, handtooled quality and a full four-seat configuration was still compelling 15 years after the Silver Shadow saloon was replaced, despite the tremendous expense. When Blair's car was new in 1980, the first owner could have had a Ferrari 308 GTB, a Mercedes 450 SL, a Porsche 928 and three Minis for the same sum. But there was never much competition. Many other prestigious marques offered convertibles, though very few…

FEATURE CAR ROLLS-ROYCE 25/30 Next time you find yourself in Staffordshire, you may be lucky enough - if you keep your eyes peeled - to catch a glimpse of this lovely and very original car, the pride and joy of Brian and Judy Williams. It's a 1936 4¼ litre Rolls-Royce 25/30hp Sports Saloon (chassis number GTL68) with bodywork by the famous coachbuilders, H.J. Mulliner. The 25/30 was launched in April of ‘36 as the latest update to the smaller RollsRoyce offering that dated back to the introduction of the 20hp model in 1922. Changes from the 20/25 were not extensive, but the increase in engine size from the previous 3.7-litres gave a useful boost to a chassis asked to carry heavier and heavier coachwork. This example was bought from The…

The Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith represents a somewhat different ownership prospect from that of its standard-bodied contemporaries, the Silver Dawn, Bentley MkVI & R-Type. While it shares much of the same running gear, this suits the serious collector better than the owner who likes spinning through the country lanes in a regal, yet driveable, piece of motoring history. While just as driveable, the presence of a division on Silver Wraiths makes the experience entirely different for all but the most disparate of family units! Mechanically, the correspondence with their standard-bodied contemporaries means that the Silver Wraith is beautifully catered for by a number of well-stocked parts suppliers, and the cars are simple enough for the dedicated hobbyist to do much of the maintenance. High quality specialist technicians, while always busy, remain…

‘100 miles per hour m speed with 100 percent m comfort and docility’ This proclamation was made in an advertisement that appeared for the Bentley 8-Litre in the April 17th, 1931 issue of The Autocar magazine, touting the performance of what Bentley claimed was The world's finest car’. Nearly a century later, many enthusiasts agree. This is a bold statement, especially when in 1931 cars like the Duesenberg, RollsRoyce Phantom II, Hispano-Suzia H6C 8-Litre, Cadillac V-16, and several other magnificent automobiles were being made. The 8-Litre was W.O. Bentley's finest grand tourer. It was also the last car he designed for Bentley Motors. In the 1920s, W.O. Bentley's cars had earned a solid reputation and were highly competitive in sporting events, including the first win at the 24-hour Le Mans…

Any chance of a story on a Derby Bentley? It seems a long time since I saw a feature on these cars in your magazine and I believe they are of more interest than some of the formal, less sporting Rolls-Royce models of the same era, which are often featured. I am, of course, biased in my opinion, having run several examples in my life, starting with a very tatty 3½-litre Park Ward saloon that ate all my money when I was a medical student in the 1960s. I've been without one for several years now, so I hope Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver can fill a gap! A fair request! If readers whose Derby Bentleys have a story to tell would like to see their cars in print, please get…

What has happened to the ‘From the Archive’ pages in RollsRoyce & Bentley Driver? I used to enjoy turning to the back of the magazine to see what you'd found, because I never knew what might turn up. There's plenty of other good content, of course, but I think it's a shame if From the Archives has gone for good. Thanks for the comments, Trevor. We have been rounding up various interesting items but finding the space for our Archive feature has been tricky. But fear not, it will return before long - Ed…

Since we photographed the car for this article, Pipe Dreams Classic Cars has taken on an apprentice. Ollie is 20 years old and for one week in every five, attends classes with the Heritage Skills Academy in Bicester, Oxfordshire. This was founded in 2015 to train the next generation of heritage engineers and to promote opportunities within the heritage industry. If you worry about the depletion of traditional skills from coachbuilding to trim to mechanical knowledge, have a look at www.heritageskillsacademy.co.uk to see what's available to keen youngsters. The idea is that Ollie will finish this course after three and half years knowing more than I'll ever learn,’ says Blair, ‘and he'll be qualified too. We're already offering more mechanical restoration services to our customers, including a full rebuild of…

Plans are already under way for a variety of exciting activities as the BDC prepares for another busy and enjoyable programme in 2023. Of the main annual events, the Club is pleased to announce that this year's 75th Summer Concours & Party will be held in the delightfully rural surroundings of Kelmarsh Hall & Gardens in north Northamptonshire on Sunday 9th July. The highlight will be the crowning of the car named Best in Show. Which model will succeed Michael Dacre's 1936 Derby 4¼ as the overall winner this time? Prizes will also be awarded in a host of other classes, in both the Concours and Patina categories. The country house, built in 1732, is surrounded by award-winning historic gardens, all set within a scenic 124-acre parkland site. It has…

If you fancy seeing your own Rolls-Royce or Bentley within these pages, it couldn't be easier! We're interested in any model of any age - and even its condition isn't important, as we're just as keen to see ongoing projects as we are potential prize-winners. All you need to do is email us a small selection of good quality jpeg images - and we'll do the rest. Within your email, don't forget to tell us a bit of history about your car, details of any work carried out, or perhaps your future plans for it. The more information, the better! Email us at rrb.ed@kelsey.co.uk - and don't forget to send your photographs fullsize. The higher the resolution, the larger we can use your images. If you'd prefer to send non-digital…

THE FINAL PAGE At the risk of kicking off a page in a RollsRoyce and Bentley magazine with mention of another marque, one of the things I enjoy about a Scottish winter is the chance to drive my old Alvis in the snow. It's a 1923 open tourer with narrow artillery wheels and fourinch-wide tyres, so it digs into the white stuff very nicely, and with a combination of relatively low weight, low gearing, high ground clearance and decent torque, gets around effortlessly amongst the slithering moderns with their traction control and vast low-profile tyres. Any vintage Rolls-Royce or Bentley would be just as satisfactory, though perhaps less nimble if you went up the scale to a Phantom II or a 6 ½ -litre Bentley. I even crept about on…