1935 Bentley Derby 3.5 ltr

Bodied by Thrupp & Maberly, coachbuilders to Queen Victoria, marque royalty Jack Barclay sold this 1935 Bentley Derby to its first owner.

It also comes with a good history file including a copy of the original build sheet plus a copy of the sales invoice that was signed by the man himself. Of course, being more than 90 years old it’s had some work with its most recent restoration being carried out by marque experts Fiennes in 1987 and 1996, whose intervention included a full engine rebuild.

Hemingways did some work in 2006, and Ben Smith Engineering Services carried out yet more in 2013. The seller, who’s owned ‘BXE 760’ for nine years, maintained the tradition by investing more than £7,000 in a new clutch, dampers, and a headlining. He also had the wheels shotblasted and powdercoated before fitting them with new Blockley tyres – all five of them.

He’s used it properly too, driving it over to France a couple of times and even making stately progress up Prescott Hill on occasion. He says it’s always started “first time, every time” and has never let him down.

Little wonder that Our Man rates it as “a terrific car” – and if he rates it that highly it’ll be worth taking a few moments to see what’s got him so excited.

The black coachwork looks nothing short of magnificent with an unholy shine showcasing the car’s elegant lines, lines that flow from those magnificent front wings along full-length running boards into a stylish boattail rear.

The ventilated bonnet and side panels might be remarkably long, but they are beautifully proportioned and topped by a short roof that’s fitted with a huge fabric insert. 

The coachwork is in great shape overall with good alignment and only a few modest battle scars. The bonnet louvres also run straight and true, and the windows slide freely.

The chromework is largely free of tarnishing and pitting and could probably be maintained for another few decades with nothing more expensive than a tin of Autosol.

Art Deco handles open rear-hinged doors that allow the front-seat occupants to get in and out of the Bentley more gracefully than would otherwise be possible. The front quarterlights are Triplex laminated glass too, which is a nice safety upgrade.

It wears badges proclaiming membership of the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club and the Bentley Drivers’ Club, while the Bentley bonnet mascot sits proudly on top of the imposing chromed radiator shell.

Tex ‘Viewmaster’ mirrors sit on top of the front wings immediately behind frosted sidelights. The Lucas P100 tri-bar headlights might be some of the largest we’ve ever seen at 12 inches in diameter but even these are supplemented by a Notek ‘Fog-master’ driving lamp for even greater lumens.

Lucas rear indicators have also been fitted, which seems like a sensible upgrade to us.

The wire wheels were shotblasted and then powdercoated, a treatment that’s left them looking splendid. The chromed spinners are in good shape too, albeit with a little surface rust here and there.

The tyres are a matching set of 5.50x18 Blockleys, including the spare. Made in 2019, all have very good tread left on them and no obvious damage to their sidewalls.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

As for flaws and blemishes, moving around the car we noticed the following: a sharp scuff on the nearside wheelarch plus a poor repair to the paint, and some blistering under the paint on the wheelarch and running board; the nearside bonnet and side panel have various chips; the nearside front door also has some chips plus bubbling under the paint on its bottom corner; the nearside rear door has chips; noticeable repairs have been made to the nearside rear wheelarch and bubbling remains.

The boot lid has a scratch adjacent to the nearside latch; the rear panel has bubbles under the paint; the offside rear wing is bubbling and has some chips; the offside rear door has a chip near the glass, bubbling at the bottom of the door, and an inoperative door handle.

The driver’s door has chips on its leading edge; the running board is bubbling and has some damage to its outer edge; the offside front wing is dented and chipped; and the offside bonnet and louvres have overspray between the vents.

This might sound like a lot but we’d like to add three points: The first is that the black paintwork highlights blemishes that another colour might have hidden.

The second is that we try to very picky because we know that so many of you bid sight-unseen.

Finally, the seller points out that because it is an alloy-bodied car, it’s never going to rust through so any bubbles are almost certainly unsightly rather than destructive.

The interior has fared rather well, with the olive-green leather having developed an attractive patina but no more.

The burr walnut veneer has also survived with no significant chips or cracks, and a healthy lustre to the varnish. It’s proper wood underneath too; like the seats and the heavy chrome controls, the use of natural, well-proven materials mean you be able to keep it looking this good well into the 22nd century.

The four-spoke steering wheel predates Ferrari’s Manettino wheel by decades – and it does so with an elegance no modern car can hope to rival.

The metal gate for the four-speed gearbox might also have inspired the Italian firm, and the floor-mounted lever between the front seats opens a valve that turns the exhaust into a straight-through system; an original feature, you could think of it as an analogue ‘Sport’ button.

Admire too the way the speedometer needle is retained, and how the split-collar design of the light switches clamps them securely in place; simple engineering, gracefully executed.

The windows are framed with wood, and the door and window controls are chromed, heavy in your hand and set in extravagant door cappings.

Touching the side trim and headlining is like stroking a mole, and the front seats are adjusted via Chapman’s patented Leveroll mechanism.

The boot is trimmed in the same neatly-bound carpet as the cabin, making a luxurious cocoon for your luggage – and because the spare wheel is mounted outside, your luggage will stay clean and unspoiled no matter what calamity befalls you.

As the video demonstrates the Bentley starts well, has a solid idle, and doesn’t make any odd noises or excessive smoke. It builds decent oil pressure too, and our test drive revealed that it drives very nicely.

Lifting the split bonnet reveals a beautifully presented engine made of materials you can identify without Googling a Resin Identification Code; no plastic beauty covers hiding China-tweaked electronics here, just components made of brass and copper and steel and aluminium that you can service with the comprehensive tool kit that lives alongside them.

And the companies that manufactured the components took a pride in their names, with folk like Great Western Radiators and Bentley Motors spending more than they needed to on beautifully manufactured nameplates.

Bentley also used proper metal plates to display the information it thought its customers needed to know, and the result is an elegance we’ll never see again, no matter how much your new car might cost you.

This attention to detail extends to the underside, whose leaf springs have been wrapped in neatly-laced-and-buckled leather gaiters, and whose solidity would have Brunel nodding his head in approval.

It appears to have nothing more than an (easily sorted) thin veneer of corrosion on some steel bracketry and the like.

NB: The Bentley comes with a few spares, including a metal cover for the exposed spare wheel. Please see the photos for details.

The Bentley does not have an MoT certificate.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with two sets of keys in addition to an unusually thick history file.

This comprises copies of the factory build sheets and original specifications, a copy of the invoice for its sale to Jack Barclay in 1935, a V5C Registration Certificate in the seller’s name, and reams of old invoices and historical paperwork, including expired MoT certificates dating back to 1985 and tax discs from 1998.

There’s a copy of Derby Bentley Authenticity Guide by the Derby Bentley Society too, plus a buff logbook, Fiennes’ workshop log, handwritten notes on work that’s been undertaken, the Handbook, and an official workshop manual.

Wolf Barnato, Raymond Mays, and Sir Malcolm Campbell were among those who drove Bentley 3½-litres, as did James Bond in the film From Russia With Love.

It is, culturally and mechanically, an icon. It is also one of the most civilised ways of moving from A-to-B Man has ever created.

Infinitely rebuildable, it is the antithesis of today’s disposable society where manufacturers stop supporting their cars after a few years, leaving you with no choice but to take another PCP deal out on a new model, which is, of course, the point.

Of course, you could step off the treadmill; sure, you aren’t going to want to commute along a motorway every day but if your mileage is more modest, or you’re easing into semi-retirement, something like this could make an awful lot of sense.

As for what it’ll cost you, please indulge us while we continue the comparison with a modern car: A Ford Kuga, hardly the most elegant or extravagant of vehicles, starts – starts, mind you – at £33,335, which is almost exactly the same as our lower estimate.

It tops out – without any optional extras whatsoever – at a mighty £45,130, which again is pretty much on the nose for our upper estimate – and with the modern car you can expect to lose 40% of your money after three years.

Worth thinking about, isn’t it?

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £35,000 - £45,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.