1937 Bentley

An unusual and very interesting, attractive, practical four door open cabriolet configuration make this a particularly desirable car, being easy to access through large doors, and ‘wide-bodied’, giving increased spaciousness and elbow room, and nicely weather resistant, with well-constructed hood, wind up windows, tonneau cover, etc, ideal for tours, rallies and more, particularly as it is fitted with overdrive, thereby relaxing the cruising experience for long distance runs. Following an extremely thorough, high quality, chassis frame upwards restoration in the 1990s, the car is in excellent condition, with superbly re-framed and restored coachwork by Steve Penny, much mechanical work by McKenzie Guppy. The engine has sensibly been fitted with 'MX style' thermostat and oil filter conversions. Very nicely painted, upholstered, etc, and comes with a large file of history, which includes confirmation of a great deal of restoration expenditure, the invoices amounting to nearly £150,000. Also included are a photographic record, magazine articles, a logbook from 1968, etc, etc. A lovely, smart, sharp, very well cared-for car of sought-after design in wonderful order, very useable, offered newly MoT tested and ready to enjoy.

Chassis Nr B179JY               Reg DXM 229

 Snippets: Doris Skinner

Sir Sydney Martyn Skinner purchased B179JY for his eldest daughter Doris Irene Skinner (1903/95), Doris never married and it would appear she was an astute business lady, with commercial property registered in her name as early as 1931 – this being Rye Lane and Choumert Road in Peckham. In May 1927 Doris was involved in a collision with another motor car – there is no mention of what she was driving at the time! Her brother was Percy Martyn Skinner (1906/93) who was not only a pig farmer but also a poet of some relevance with his most noted being “Letters to Malaya” and “The Return of Arthur. It is thought that during WWII Doris gave B179JY to her brother for use on his farm which is when it was converted it to an Estate Car thereby taking advantage of petrol coupons. When Doris Skinner died in 1995 her estate amounted to over £950,000 and she still lived in the same village as she did 1927. Her younger sister, Constance Muriel, married Henry John Kingerlee a scion of a well know Oxford construction firm whose roots date back to the mid 1800s with Thomas Kingerlee a plumber and glazier, his son Thomas Henry started Kingerlee Ltd in 1850 & today the company is in the hands of the fifth generation. Members of the Kingerlee family who did not join the family firm includes drapers, chemists, film printers & Lord Nuffield’s private secretary.