1956 Bentley S1 Saloon

Registration no. 6353 TU Chassis no. B4BA

Footnotes

Conceived as replacements for the ageing Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn and Bentley R-Type, the all-new Silver Cloud and Bentley S-Type were introduced early in 1955. The duo sported sleeker bodywork on a new box-section separate chassis - Rolls-Royce eschewing unitary construction for the time being - incorporating improved brakes and suspension, the latter featuring electrically controlled damping. Enlargement to 4,887cc and the adoption of a six-port cylinder head boosted the traditionally undisclosed power output of the dependable inlet-over-exhaust six-cylinder engine, which for the first time was identical in specification in its Rolls and Bentley forms. Automatic transmission was now standard equipment, with manual transmission a Bentley-only option up to 1957. Fast - 100mph-plus - relatively economical and cheaper to maintain than the successor V8-engined versions, the classically elegant S-Type is arguably the most user-friendly of all post-war Bentleys.

This Bentley S1 was dispatched from the factory on 19th January 1956 to James Cockshoot & Co Ltd, who had acquired it on behalf of Joseph Adamson, the Manchester industrialist. It was first registered on 8th March 1956 under his personal registration number, 'KDB 1'. The Bentley was specified with a radio and an extended steering column, the total cost being £3,295. Copies of the original order are in the file. At some stage, the car was re-registered with an attractive Crewe registration number - '6353 TU' - that it still carries today. It is possible that this happened when it was sold to Mr Arthur Burrows in Ilford in June 1977.

Approximately 10 years ago, the Bentley received a new radiator and a front suspension rebuild. Since then, some hoses have been renewed, the water pump serviced, the brake master cylinder replaced, and (last year) one of the fuel pumps replaced. The vendor advises us that the burr walnut trim to the door tops and dashboard is excellent; that the headlining appears to be original and in good condition; and that the leather upholstery is good also. The car is said to perform well and run smoothly, while the engine is still very quiet. Accompanying documentation includes a V5C Registration Certificate and a copy of a 2008 magazine article on this actual car.