Bentley R-type
This handsome old horse rides wonderfully, but a hands-on buyer will find minor jobs worth tackling, writes Theo Ford-sagers
Leafing through this Bentley’s hefty history file you’ll find a lot of four-figure receipts, year after year – but according to a letter in the file, the last full restoration was in the late Eighties. A £5700 bill for roof pillar refurbishment and interior wood is from 2009, with a further £9300-worth of bodywork in 2010. Engine work, plus indicator installation – rendering the original trafficators redundant – and other jobs totalled nearly £18,000 in 1999/2000.
The paint is smart and lustrous with no significant chips or scratches. You’ll find a small run on the front offside wing and a little breaking paint around some panel seams, but the pinstripes are spot on – as are shutlines, mudflaps, glazing and lamps.
The white wheels should technically be silver but make appealing highlights, and the 195/90 R16 Dunlop Road Speed RS5 tubed tyres show ample tread. The bumpers are recent replacements, and the brightwork is all spot on. Underneath, the wheelarches appear solid. There’s surface rust around the chassis, engine subframe and lower areas of the inner wings, although the only structural corrosion we could find was in the nearside sill. The vendor promises to fix this for the buyer.
The view under the bonnets – one each side – is one of period patina rather than gleaming perfection. The dipstick shows transparent oil, and there’s just a little seeping around the top of the oil filter housing. No other causes for concern are apparent, and a few period touches are on display in the form of a rubber torch clamped to the bulkhead, and a glass washer bottle. Recent carburettor gaskets belie their recent refurbishment. A perfectionist might wish to have various components repainted (the intake manifold and a few linkages are looking flaky) while cheap hose clips spoil the atmosphere – easily remedied. The bulkhead, though painted cream, is apparently factory-correct.
The interior is in fabulous condition, with immaculate wood and no damage to the leather seats. Quality mats and carpets are fitted; peeling them back reveals a little surface rust around the edges of the footwells. There’s a slight stain in the headlining; it feels dry, but we didn’t take the car out in the rain. Front seatbelts are fitted. Boot trim is clean and dry, its floor solid, and a period jack lives with the spare.
On the road this R-type is a joy. The engine fires instantly, trickles along at a smooth idle and you’re soon wafting effortlessly at 60mph-plus. All gears engage without fuss, although the clutch biting point feels a little high.
There’s healthy oil pressure – above 25psi – a stable temperature needle and no intrusive noises or wobbles. The brakes, equipped with new front cylinders, are remarkably responsive and the ride is beautifully smooth. However, potholes induced a little more kickback through the wheel than should be expected – worth discussing with the vendor.
This is one of the UK’S more expensive R-types available today, although it’s working hard to justify its price tag.