1936 Bentley Drophead Coupe

Front and left-hand side view of 1936 Bentley Drophead Coupe, 3 1/2 litre.
WO Bentley became famous for building large and fast motor vehicles in the early 1920’s, indeed a number of his vehicles won a number of famous international races including the 24 hour Le Mans race. Whilst the manufacture of a small number of racing cars was great publicity Bentley also made many far more sedate, but capable, saloon bodied cars for the aristocracy.
This 3 ½ litre drophead coupe, which is believed to have been the last vehicle of this model built, represents the pinnacle of the sporting road-going designs of Bentley’s pre-war cars, and as such would have been driven by the discerning sporting gent of the day. Indeed this particular vehicle was once owned by two sporting gents, Stan Hailwood and Tetley Ironside Tetley Jones. The other Stan Hailwood may not have been as well-known as his son, Mike ‘The Bike’ Hailwood, who won innumerable motorcycling championships and went on to a career in Formula One motor racing as well. Stan competed at a modest level in local motor racing in his native Oxfordshire and became a very successful motorcycle dealer. Tetley Ironside Tetley Jones, unlike Hailwood, was born into money as part of the successful tea merchant Tetley family and inherited control of the company at the tender age of 25. Tetley Jones was born into a social circle that Stan Hailwood aspired too, and eventually achieved, both men would have seen the sporting attributes of the Bentley drophead coupe.
Specifications:
Engine: In line 6
Capacity: 4257cc
Power: 29.4 hp
Weight: 1700kg