1960 Bentley S2

The seller bought ‘571 UTO’ earlier in the year and has since spent a small fortune on it in fitting an electronic ignition system, four new whitewall tyres, a new stainless-steel battery tray, welding the chassis, and having it serviced.

However, much to his chagrin, his wife really doesn’t like it and rather than let it sit unused, he’s decided to cut his losses and let it go.

He drove it to us from his home in South Wales, a journey he described as “a nice run!” – and if it doesn’t meet its reserve, he gets to take it home and keep it with a clear conscience…

The Vehicle History Check is clear bar a marker for a change of colour, which is a bit odd as the Bentley appears to be finished in the same colour scheme it left the factory with. We suppose it may have received a change to red and silver at some point before being returned to its original hue or it could be a SNAFU by the DVLA.

It’s definitely had paint though and presents well as you walk up to it with straight panels and a good shine to the two-tone coachwork. It’s got presence too, the sort of presence that can withstand middling panel alignment, light rippling along the sides, and a few dents on the bonnet.

The chromework presents well: Straight and undamaged, only light pitting to some of the pieces, including the front bumper, radiator shell, and the door handles, spoils what is otherwise an above-average suite of brightwork.

The lamp lenses are free of chips, cracks and other damage and the coloured rear lenses have remained nice and bright.

Sanding marks are present on the rear window, but the glazing is in good order other than that, although the rubber seals will need to be replaced as they have perished with age.

The 15-inch steel wheels are in good order. Set off by a very nice set of chrome and painted hubcaps, whose colour scheme includes a delicate red pinstripe that echoes the one that runs along the car’s flanks, they’re shod with a matching set of 235/75R15 whitewall Milestart Touring SLE tyres. The seller fitted these and all have very good tread.

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 other flaws, the paintwork has scratches and rust spots across most of the panels. In addition, we noted rust, including bubbles in places, on the nearside front wing and door, roof, rear panel, offside B-pillar, and offside sill.

The paintwork has cracked on the nearside front and rear wings and the offside sill, and it is chipped on the nearside front door and rear wing.

Finally the fuel filler flap doesn’t close, the aerial is damaged, the sunroof doesn’t seal very well, and the boot lid rubs against its aperture.

The base of the front bench seat was professionally refurbished in June 2020 at a cost of £700, and this remains in good order with no damage and a nice resilience to the cushioning. However, the sides and back of the seat would benefit from the same treatment as the face material has cracked.

The driver enjoys a full suite of instrumentation set inside a burr walnut veneer dashboard. The switches are also beautifully made and labelled and a picnic table slides out from under the dashboard to provide space to rest your coffee cups – or Champagne glasses.

The steering wheel is vintage-vast and slim-rimmed, but then a car like this is piloted using fingertip-pressure rather than brute force. An open compartment sits to the right of the steering wheel, while the passenger has easy access to a lidded and Yale-locked glovebox.

The rear seat is in a better condition than the one in front, with good face leather. It is also very comfortable to sit, with very good legroom but then the rear compartment is a very special place as each passenger gets their own picnic table, three-point seatbelt, individual fold-down armrest, and walnut-framed mirror in the C-pillar.

The odometer appears to be stuck at 76,929 miles, so we cannot be sure of the actual mileage. Other problems include a moth-bitten headlining, an inoperative driver’s window, and while the leather-bound carpets are in good shape they are stained.

The rest of the grey leather interior has developed a pleasing patina – or is showing its age, depending on your attitude to a bit of character; we don’t mind it at all, and think high-end cars like this carry it better than most, especially as everything else we tested worked as it should.

The boot contains a couple of car covers plus a full-size spare wheel, some spares, and a fuel can.

The seller tells us that he’s had it serviced and the braking system gone through.

The last service before that appears to have been in 2019 when the odometer was reading 76,929 miles, the same as it is now. It was a biggie though, with the invoice running to three pages and around £3,000.

There are plenty of other invoices on file for servicing and maintenance over the years, and it would be worth setting aside a few minutes to read through them.

As you can see in the video, it starts well and idles and runs very smoothly. It’s quiet too and doesn’t produce excessive smoke.

The engine and underbonnet generally are in a decent condition although there is a notice under to warn the centre-hinged bonnet cannot be propped open without the aid of a piece of wood.

Moving underneath, an invoice on file shows the nearside rear received some welded repairs in 2019. The seller also noticed a couple of areas that needed attention and had these welded to catch them before they became a bigger issue.

There remains surface rust on the steel suspension and steering components, plus perished rubber bushes and a lot of oil and grease.

The Bentley does not have an MoT certificate, the last having expired in 2018. Of course, it no longer requires one, and the history file contains many expired certificates.

The V5C Registration Certificate shows a total of seven previous keepers since it was first registered in 1960, which works out at one every seven years or so.

The history file contains a copy of the original build sheet, showing its first owner was a H.C. Groom Esq. of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. It also contains a factory workshop manual and parts list.

With a guide price of between £18,000 and £23,000, the Bentley offers a huge amount of real estate for the money.

Yes, it needs a bit of work to help it fulfil its potential but there’s life in the old thing yet and it’s just crying out for an owner who can see its potential and is happy to put the time and effort in to let it sing again.

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’.