1934 Bentley Derby

-Licensed and registered on Gabriola Island, BC, Canada.
-Chasssis B165BL first delivered in London with registration BGN 5.
-Fully functioning and ready to drive.
-Carefully maintained and driven by an enthusiatic member of the RROC and RREC.
-Matching numbers engine and hood
-Recent major engine rebuild in 2005 by Bristol Motors.
-One of six cars delivered in Ultramarine Dark Blue with black fenders.
-Impressive original woodwork with bookmarked dashboard.
-Sold without front club badges or 1934 BC License plate.
-Can be delivered to Richmond/Port of Vancouver for professional worldwide export for a reasonable fee.
-Sold as is with no warrantee whatsoever.
-Detailed paint and chrome apraisal availible on request
Contact Richard Owen for any inquiries +12508917475 [email protected].
-Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility.
-Payment total due within one week by bank transfer.
-Must be shipped by the buyer within two weeks.
-Total Mileage is unknown
Bentley B165BL by Nick Northeast
Delivered new to E. W. Smith ( who was associated with instrumentmanufacture but not the “Smith” of Smith’s instruments ) ofBletchingley House, Bletchingley, Surrey onSeptember 22nd 1934 andsupplied by Car Mart. Build records which will be included with the saleindicate car was ultramarine with black fenders (wings) and fawninterior. I have pieced together the ownership history from new – seeseparate document. Thecar passed through various owners and wasshipped to Canada in 1970 where it was restored and painted white. Nextowner acquired car in 1980 and had the heater installed at that time.The leather was replaced in red, which is still in good condition. Hehad the starter motor rebuilt in 1981 and then the interior fabricexcept the headliner. In 1987 he had installed a stainless steel exhaustsystem and the road springs re tempered plus new wefco gaiters. Thedynamo was rebuilt in 1994 and the brake servo in 1999. I acquired carOctober 2003. By this time the engine was showing signs of wear and inlate 2004 suffered a broken wrist pin in one of the pistons. Over thenext 9 months the engine was rebuilt completely, cylinders sleeved tooriginal spec with new pistons and Mk. VI con rods replacing theoriginal ones whose design utilized external oil pipes. All bearingswere replaced and mains white metalled and line bored. Engine wasrebuilt at Bristol Motors in Victoria BC, the same shop that isentrusted to look after the ex John Lennon 1965 Phantom V 5VD73 for theProvince of BC.
Car has covered just in excess of 7000 miles since all recorded in a logbook that will be included. An earlier log book from 1970 plus manyinvoices that date back as far as 1971 will also be included. When Ipurchased the car, it had no original tools. However an original wheelwrench and “C” spanner for the wheel discs will be included. The caralso has its original ignition/door key. ( see photo ).
I have checked with the DVLA in the UK and the license number BGN 5has not been assigned to another vehicle so I believe, but can notguarantee, the number should be recoverable if the car is returned tothe UK.
Notes on Car Condition
Car came with added heater in the front centre foot well and abattery cut off switch on inner aspect of firewall bulkhead. Lap seatbelts are fitted but are not attached to adequate anchor points. “Betterthan nothing” is how I describe them.
2004
Acquired and refinished genuine forward leaning “B” mascot with steam valve .
( Old radiator cap included to use as “town cap” )
2004 – 2005
Engine –full rebuild to original specs except using Mk VI conrods withinternal oil passage to wrist pins, cylinders re-sleeved, mains whitemetalled and line bored, new alloy pistons, correct upper radiator hoseset up, Ignition set up with 2 original rebuilt bakelite coils andcorrect ballast resistor on double coil mounting bracket. [ Note – asused in later series cars but original single coil mount bracket comeswith the car ].
2005
New Battery, Fenders painted Maroon
New Clutch lining
2006
Chrome front and rear bumpers, powder coat front engine mount and bumper brackets and safety hooks
2007
From Fiennes Engineering : Install correct new fuel nickel plated supplypipes from filter through to fuel pumps to carburettors.
Stafford Vehicle Components : Reproduction“D’ tail lights and sidelight conversion with 2 flasher units so the trafficator arms work inconjunction with flashing indicators, all from original clockworkswitch.
2008
Strip paint and powder coat in light grey all wire wheels, paint andfinish chrome rings and wheel nuts for “deluxe” wheel discs,2 newBridgestone tires. Rebuild fuel pumps, one with points, the otherelectronic conversion
2010
New wheel bearings
The Frawley Company,(Pennsylvania ):
Master Switch stripped and rebuilt
Re engrave and finish Master switch, Starter button, Steering wheel boss,
re- chrome horn button, door handle escutcheons
Replace original failing speedometer with original rebuilt unit from Avenuemail U.K.
Re-chrome ParkWard coach plates.
Future work needed to my knowledge –
Mechanically for the most part the car is in good condition and hasalways started regularly “ on the button” with good oil pressure. Itidles smoothly and will tick over at 500 rpm when warm but is morecomfortable at about 800-900 rpm. On the road the car is smooth andtracks well. I prefer not to exceed 3000 rpm so I tend to drive at 55 –60 mph.Battery has been maintained but is now 10 years old so new oneis due
The gear box has never been dismantled during my ownership and althoughis perfectly useable, I feel there is wear, pulling hard up a steep hillin second gear I have had the car jump out of gear and the synchromeshis worn. Clutch was replaced in 2005 but with a fully loaded car up asteep hill some slip is evident. Care is needed to not overheat it. Whenclutch is depressed there is some whine from possibly the thrustbearing but so far hasn’t affected its drive-ability. The clutch on theearly Derbys is known for early wear but Fiennes Engineering havedeveloped a modification to address the problem. Drive dogs have slightclick so will likely need attention in the future. Car has always brakedwell and the the servo works fine but I have not examined them lately.
The bijur oiling system works but has not been checked for correct oilflow at the nipples. I suspect it can be improved. Calorstat radiatorshutters work.
All lights work, including interior light but an upgrade to brighterLEDs and possible reflector re-silvering would no doubt improve nightdriving.Chrome on P100s is reasonable but there are nicks and smalldents. Centre spot light is Notek with WW II era shutter. I had customcovers made for all 3 headlights ( see photo )Horn works. Trafficatorarms work in conjunction with amber flashing indicators all off theoriginal clockwork switch. All dash instruments work including the clockand night illumination.
Bodywork.
At time of engine rebuild, the opportunity was taken to clean thefirewall bulkhead aluminum and the chassis side rails. The previousowner to me had a long unfinished driveway and so along with the oilingsystem, a layer of oily clay coveredmuch of the underside of the car.Without dismantling anything, I spent many hours underneath the car toclean it but the mixture had seemed to work as a rust inhibitor because Iwas amazed how sound the chassis is underneath. I believe it is due tothe high carbon content of the steel used in combination with the oillayer. One arm part of the running board support brackets each has beencut away in the past for no reason that I can see. Also not present areunder trays or the mudguard liners to the fenders.
There is aluminum corrosion in parts of the coachwork with areas ofpaint bubbling and cracking especially around the roof drains – probablythe weakestaspect to the car. The white paint was done around 1970 orso is due for a repaint. Sun roof still works but fabric is “tired”.The doors do not droop and close readily with nice fit lines. The windowmechanisms work but the glass channel felting is worn so the windows donot wind as smoothly as they should and need help to guide them.Carpet dates from approximately 1980 and is worn and needs replacing .
I believe the previous owner had a minor rear end accident. Repair workto the trunk lid was not the best in my opinion. Fit gap is poor and isnot entirely waterproof. The trunk lid had been attached to chainsinstead of brackets to hold it in the open position and the originalstep down from the trunk floor for tools had been modified with theaddition of 3 drawers ( see photo ). The chains were not vintage lookingbut I found the original lid stays amongst some spares that came withthe car. I removed the chains and fitted the stays but had to improvisesomewhat to make them work.Before any repaint the bodywork issues asoutlined need to be addressed.
Wood work is original walnut and is in above average condition, glovebox itself has been remade in the 1980s however the lid is original butknob is not. Other dash board switches are genuine.
Note bulkhead has never been drilled to accommodate the original jack. Ibelieve the jack for this early series car would have been located inthe trunk along with the other major tools.

Also published at eBay.ca