World’s Oldest Bentley T-Series Restored to Original Glory and Returns to Heritage Collection

World’s Oldest Bentley T-Series Restored to Original Glory and Returns to Heritage Collection

(IN BRIEF) The world’s oldest Bentley T-Series, first produced in 1965, has been meticulously restored and returned to Bentley’s Heritage Collection. The car underwent an 18-month restoration process after being discovered in storage in poor condition. Bentley specialists, P&A Wood, focused on preserving the original components while addressing challenges like missing parts and accident damage. Now fully restored, the T-Series will be displayed and maintained at Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe.

(PRESS RELEASE) CREWE, 10-Sep-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — The first-ever Bentley T-Series, originally produced in 1965, has returned to Bentley’s Heritage Collection after undergoing an extensive 18-month restoration. This iconic vehicle, chassis number SBH1001, was the first of its kind to feature a monocoque body, marking a significant evolution in Bentley’s engineering history. Discovered in storage as a non-running vehicle, it had been missing critical components, including the dashboard and entire interior, and showed signs of accident damage.

Bentley partnered with renowned specialists P&A Wood to embark on a detailed recommissioning process. With a focus on preserving as much of the original vehicle as possible, the team followed a “repair over replace” approach. Key elements like the engine, gearbox, and rear axle were restored to working condition, with the engine coming to life after 15 years of inactivity. However, significant work was required to rebuild missing parts, source rare components, and repair corrosion.

The car’s innovative hydro-pneumatic suspension system and unique Vibrashock mounts were carefully restored, and the exterior underwent painstaking refurbishment, with the team ensuring that the original patina was preserved wherever possible. Using modern techniques while honoring traditional craftsmanship, the team brought the car back to its original Shell Grey glory, complete with its press office registration number of 1900 TU.

This first-of-its-kind T-Series now joins 45 other classic models in Bentley’s Heritage Collection at Crewe, where it will be maintained in road-legal condition for future display and driving.

The Bentley T-Series

In 1958, work began on designing the first monocoque Bentley and Rolls-Royce, destined to replace coach built bodies underpinned by a separate chassis. The result was the car sold by Bentley as the T-Series and by Rolls-Royce as the Silver Shadow.

By 1962, John Blatchley, famous for styling the R-Type Continental had completed a new exterior design for a steel and aluminium monocoque body. The design improved on the passenger space of the preceding S3, but with the overall car now seven inches shorter, five inches lower and three and a half inches narrower.

Using the freshly developed 225 bhp, 6.23-litre V8 engine, seven prototypes undertook significant testing including endurance runs of over 100,000 miles. At the time the engine achieved the highest specific output by weight of any production car in the world of 2.7 lb/hp (1.2 kg/hp).  Design innovations included separate sub frames to carry the engine and transmission, suspension, steering and rear axle assemblies, with ‘Vibrashock’ rubber sub frame mounts developed to isolate road noise and vibration.

The Bentley T-Series was hailed as a clear example of revolutionary engineering given it was the first Bentley to move away from a separate chassis build, and its relatively lightweight construction gave impressive performance for a four-sedan in 1965, with a maximum speed of 115 mph and 0-62 mph achieved in 10.9 seconds.

1,868 examples of the first-generation T-Series were produced, with a pre-tax list price of £5,425 and the majority being standard four-door saloons.

Notes to editors
Bentley Motors is the most sought-after luxury car brand in the world. The company’s headquarters in Crewe is home to all of its operations including design, R&D, engineering, Mulliner and production of the company’s five model lines, Continental GT, Continental GT Convertible, Flying Spur, Bentayga and Bentayga EWB. The combination of fine craftsmanship, using skills that have been handed down through generations, alongside engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology is unique to UK luxury car brands such as Bentley. It is also an example of high-value British manufacturing at its best. Bentley employs around 4,000 people at Crewe.

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SOURCE: Bentley