Originally commissioned in May 1938 to be completed in July, B2MR was ordered as a rolling chassis only by Bentley as the first of the MR chassis for the new 4.25 litre Bentley. Originally designated to the London Motor Show, B2MR was earmarked for highspeed testing and was assigned to a City of Westminster registration number EYX 395 via Conduit Street, Piccadilly (Rolls-Royce London office) which it still wears today, it was given a monocoque Park Ward steel body returning to Derby for testing. The reason given for B2MR as a trials car was to test the 4.25 litre engine at higher revs, thus testing new piston rings and white metal bearings at high-speed designed to make the Derby Bentley an autobahn success, much of which took place in a French testing facility and its surrounding roads. On 26th September 1938, the car returned to the Conduit Street showroom for sale as a pre-owned example.
The first non-Bentely owner was found in 1939, a Captain in the Army. We believe the car was exported to Northern America where it remained until it was re-imported to the UK by David Baldock of Goudhurst, Essex. Our current owner, Mike was made aware of B2MR in the 90’s when it was locally owned in Shipley, West Sussex, purchased by a Helicopter pilot who had bought the car only for his wife who forbit the purchase until she had a new kitchen, thus a frantic search for a new owner whipped around the local pubs. Mike decided to visit and test drive it, after which he parted with £21,000 to become the new custodian. At this point in 1995 Mike had no idea of B2MR’s provenance and was just keen to restore the car despite pre-purchase advice against it due to the nature of the extensive required works. He enlisted the professional help and advice of Llyn Small, a man well versed with Derby Bentley and who had a fleet of them at one time with Vintage Bentleys for hire. An apprentice at Rolls-Royce, there wasn’t much Llyn didn’t know about the repairs program, so a plan was hatched and works began at a modest pace initially.
After a round of mechanical repairs, it was discovered that the steel saloon body would need to be lifted off in order to make some repairs to the chassis, this project however ended in much of the body not surviving the ‘lift’ and Mike was left with a consideration to choose a coachbuilder for which James Pierce was recommended. A visit to Pierce, now retired on the South Coast and back to his first love of boat building, when asked what style body would he be looking for Mike mentioned a four seat Vanden Plas style tourer and to his delight Pierce was happy to dust of the tools and coach build this very car. Pierce completed a period interior and dash to complement the body with the front seats retrimmed to the original specification while Sajents saw to the writing and paining of the body. Of late a Fiennes cylinder head was acquired and fitted with the original still available and since then car has been used sparingly domestically attending many shows and events. Covering 12,000 miles in 18 years without trouble, it has been continually MoT’d with the latest not due until September 2025.
This is a significant car in Bentley motorcars history, with provenance and quality in equal measures, B2MR is both handsome and drivable, our vendor recounting a time where on a speed test on the M23, the police pulling alongside…. wagging a disapproving finger but ultimately allowing him to slow down and go about his business, one of many wonderful takes that accompany this cherished example.
The paperwork with the car is extensive, from original buff logbooks and Rolls-Royce Bentley data cards, there has been no stone left unturned. Our vendor even has a printed photobook with images and factory records for prospective buyers.
Price on application, please contact Mathew Priddy mrp@historics.co.uk or call 01753 639170
