Bentley Eight
This unrestored Bentley is in great overall condition, with just a light bit of sprucing up needed to create a wonderful classic
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
This may have been the entry-level Bentley and a fair bit less expensive than the Mulsanne when new, but it wants for nothing in terms of refinement. Firing up that big 6.75-litre V8 elicits only a minor hum. The steering wheel-mounted gearshift moves into ‘D’ without any clonks, and on the move even major flaws in the road are dealt with softly, smoothly and without any noise through the cabin or peculiar sounds from the suspension. The stoppers are good, too, pulling the car up in a straight line and quickly with it – it has recently had its anti-lock braking system fettled as part of a recent service. The Eight was always about leisurely rather than spirited progress. Engage kickdown and a fair lick can be achieved, but really this is a machine for gliding.
BODYWORK CHECK
The Cotswold Beige paint presents well, but as this is an unrestored car there are a few signs of ageing. There’s a small amount of surface rust at either side of the front and rear bumpers, where the metal meets the rubber overriders. This will be sorted before the car is sold. The chromework is in good condition, with no fogging, warping or bobbles present. There is some lead cracking to the boot panel and the rear three-quarters, as well as a minor parking ding and a filled-in mark on the rear passenger’s side panel and some touched-in scratches on the door edges. However, the door seals are in good condition and the tyres have lots of tread left.
HOW’S THE INTERIOR?
The interior is in fine condition, with only very minor wear to the seats clad in mushroom hide. The doors open and close without any peculiar noises, and the burr walnut veneer has no scratches or cracks. The padded picnic tables don’t look used, and the Blaupunkt Bremen tape/ cassette is fully operational, as is the aircon.
UNDER THE BONNET
The vast engine is well-presented, with fluids at the maximum mark, and there are no leaks to be found anywhere. The paperwork points to regular servicing at a main dealer until 1993 and from specialists and dealers from 2000. While there’s little paperwork from the inbetween years, the mileage is backed up by MoT results. It has covered less that 700 miles since 2007.
OUR VERDICT
For an unrestored car, this example is wellpresented, a testament to the tiny mileage the previous owner put on the car over 14 years. As such, it feels like it only needs minor refreshing to bring up to concours standard, or you could enjoy it every day as it is.