Details
Property From an Estate
1931 BENTLEY 8-LITRE "PANELLED WEYMANN" SALOON
COACHWORK BY H.J. MULLINER
Registration No. ex-UK AG 6917
Chassis No. YX 5115
Engine No. YX 5117
Green with red interior
Engine: six-cylinder in-line, 8 litre, 200bhp; Gearbox: four speed; Brakes: four wheel drum - servo assissted; Suspension: semi-elliptical front and rear, Bentley-Draper Duplex shock absorbers. Right hand drive.
Within the history of the Motor Industry there are few select names that during their own lifetime have become legendary, none more so than the name Bentley which, still to this day, arouses immense passion and symbolises the very best of British Craftmanship. During the short span of twelve years between 1919-1931, W.O. Bentley earned a world reputation for producing the ultimate high performance sporting motor car, that proved its reliability and speed by winning the le Mans 24-hour Endurance race five times.
The simple philosophy of Bentley was to provide luxurious high performance transport that was effortless and silent, and no better example of that was the introduction in 1930 of the magnificent 8 Litre model. Despite the shadow of a world economic recession, W.O. Bentley had been planning a replacement of the exsisting 6.5-litre Big Six and the 8 Litre was basically an enlarged version of the 'Speed Six' model. The cast new engine with a bore of 110mm (4.33 inches) and the same 140mm (5.51 inches) stroke of the 6.5 litre. A new lower, deep channel, chassis frame with five tubular cross members carried the engine, the new F type elektron gearbox, and additional stability was provided by mounting the rear springs outside the main chassis members. The 8 Litre was primarily designed to take heavy luxurious saloon car coachwork and when tested by one of the Motoring Journals, the first closed saloon car to lap Brooklands circuit at over 100mph, fully laden.
By the time the factory closed in 1931, one hundred, 8 Litre chassis had been laid down only 23 of which were to carry H.J. Mulliner coachwork.
The car on offer was delivered to its first owner Commander Billyard Leake D.S.O in August of 1931 with engine No.YX5117. He retained the car until 1936 when, according to Stanley Sedgewick, it was sold to Countess Seafield, and then again to A. Goldberg in 1938. It is believed that in the same year YX 5115 was purchased by Colonel Richard F. Cooper.
R.F. Cooper, was an officer in the British Army, having served in both the first and second world wars. A colourful character, Colonel Cooper was an avid hunter and owned a coffee plantation in Kenya, where he often hunted with his friend Ernest Hemingway. Colonel Cooper died in 1952 and YX 5115 was left first to his wife and upon her death to their son, Richard. The family had settled in Laramie, Wyoming where they had interests in nearby cattle ranches.
In 1958 the 8 litre was retrieved from storage in Kimbotton, England and given to Jack Barclay's for a complete restoration. By 1967 YX 5115 was imported to the USA on the Queen Mary. A new crankshaft was fitted between 1979 and 1981 as the original had cracked. It was fitted by Hofman and Mountfort in Henley-on-Thames. Since that it has seen little use with additional restoration work being done in 1981. In more recent years YX 5115 has been on display at the Auburn Cord Dueseberg Museum. It was last driven in 1988 and has since been started occasionally. The Panelled Weyman Saloon coachwork by Mulliner is very attractive, sporting a very low windshield, and roof line. It is believed to have been owned by the current family since 1938. An extensive file with restoration receipts and details are avaliable upon inspection.
1931 BENTLEY 8-LITRE "PANELLED WEYMANN" SALOON
COACHWORK BY H.J. MULLINER
Registration No. ex-UK AG 6917
Chassis No. YX 5115
Engine No. YX 5117
Green with red interior
Engine: six-cylinder in-line, 8 litre, 200bhp; Gearbox: four speed; Brakes: four wheel drum - servo assissted; Suspension: semi-elliptical front and rear, Bentley-Draper Duplex shock absorbers. Right hand drive.
Within the history of the Motor Industry there are few select names that during their own lifetime have become legendary, none more so than the name Bentley which, still to this day, arouses immense passion and symbolises the very best of British Craftmanship. During the short span of twelve years between 1919-1931, W.O. Bentley earned a world reputation for producing the ultimate high performance sporting motor car, that proved its reliability and speed by winning the le Mans 24-hour Endurance race five times.
The simple philosophy of Bentley was to provide luxurious high performance transport that was effortless and silent, and no better example of that was the introduction in 1930 of the magnificent 8 Litre model. Despite the shadow of a world economic recession, W.O. Bentley had been planning a replacement of the exsisting 6.5-litre Big Six and the 8 Litre was basically an enlarged version of the 'Speed Six' model. The cast new engine with a bore of 110mm (4.33 inches) and the same 140mm (5.51 inches) stroke of the 6.5 litre. A new lower, deep channel, chassis frame with five tubular cross members carried the engine, the new F type elektron gearbox, and additional stability was provided by mounting the rear springs outside the main chassis members. The 8 Litre was primarily designed to take heavy luxurious saloon car coachwork and when tested by one of the Motoring Journals, the first closed saloon car to lap Brooklands circuit at over 100mph, fully laden.
By the time the factory closed in 1931, one hundred, 8 Litre chassis had been laid down only 23 of which were to carry H.J. Mulliner coachwork.
The car on offer was delivered to its first owner Commander Billyard Leake D.S.O in August of 1931 with engine No.YX5117. He retained the car until 1936 when, according to Stanley Sedgewick, it was sold to Countess Seafield, and then again to A. Goldberg in 1938. It is believed that in the same year YX 5115 was purchased by Colonel Richard F. Cooper.
R.F. Cooper, was an officer in the British Army, having served in both the first and second world wars. A colourful character, Colonel Cooper was an avid hunter and owned a coffee plantation in Kenya, where he often hunted with his friend Ernest Hemingway. Colonel Cooper died in 1952 and YX 5115 was left first to his wife and upon her death to their son, Richard. The family had settled in Laramie, Wyoming where they had interests in nearby cattle ranches.
In 1958 the 8 litre was retrieved from storage in Kimbotton, England and given to Jack Barclay's for a complete restoration. By 1967 YX 5115 was imported to the USA on the Queen Mary. A new crankshaft was fitted between 1979 and 1981 as the original had cracked. It was fitted by Hofman and Mountfort in Henley-on-Thames. Since that it has seen little use with additional restoration work being done in 1981. In more recent years YX 5115 has been on display at the Auburn Cord Dueseberg Museum. It was last driven in 1988 and has since been started occasionally. The Panelled Weyman Saloon coachwork by Mulliner is very attractive, sporting a very low windshield, and roof line. It is believed to have been owned by the current family since 1938. An extensive file with restoration receipts and details are avaliable upon inspection.