1956 Bentley

• Still considered to be one of the finest Bentley models ever made
• Extensively improved in recent years by Frank Dale
• Fitted with period correct style power steering
• Fitted with air conditioning
• Best in Class at the 2024 Bentley Drivers Club Concours
• First place in The Bentley Trophy at the 2024 Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court
• A beautiful example of this iconic and ever popular model 

Chassis No BC53AF is the seventeenth of ninety seven cars built in right hand drive to Design No 7400 by H.J.Mulliner. It was originally completed in January of 1956 finished in Circassian blue with a blue leather (VM3087) interior. It was supplied by Paragon Motor Co Ltd to its first owner Thomas Hamling & Co Ltd of St Andrews Dock in Hull which were a company that owned a fleet of trawlers. It was purchased for the personal use of Mr H. Watson Hall and was specified with a lowered rear seat cushion to allow more headroom. The car was then owned in the late 1970’s by Mr E.G.C. Hulbert who lived near Wandsworth Common. In 1985 it was purchased by Mr Terry Unwin who retained the car until 1990 when he sold it to Mr Gianni Vivendi who was an antique dealer in London. The penultimate owner to date sold the car in 2018 having had BC53AF for a twenty-year period. The present owner entrusted the car to Frank Dale in more recent times where a series of improvements were carried out as per his request. A complete mechanical review was undertaken and then carried out, including the addition of factory style power steering and overhauling and modernising the air conditioning system. Significant attention was also given to various other areas of the car, including the brakes, suspension and the general functionality and running of the car. We also improved various cosmetic aspects of the car, including a repaint, restoration and re-chroming of all the brightwork plus some improvements to the interior and cabin. The completed car was shown at the 2024 Bentley Drivers Club Concours where it won best in class. A few weeks later BC53AF then won first place in The Bentley Trophy at The Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court. Praise indeed. We are delighted to now be offering this vary handsome and beautifully sorted Bentley S1 Continental for sale which comes complete with chassis cards, tools and extensive records detailing historic and far more recent improvement works.  

The success of the R Type Continental between 1952 and 1955 lead to the creation of the S1 Continental chassis, which was released in April of 1955. For the first time Bentley enthusiasts had a greater choice of coachwork designs to choose from with H.J.Mulliner and Park Ward responsible for bodying the majority of the S1 Continental chassis produced. One of the most popular designs was the fastback coachwork by H.J.Mulliner, built to Design No 7400. It was modified to fit the 3-inch longer S1 Continental chassis and in styling terms was adapted further from the R Type Continental with a raised front wing line and less bulbous rear wings with a higher line which were finished with stylish new swage lines.