1958 Bentley

Cabriolet Convertible

6 - Cyl.

Automatic

B187 FD

Gasoline

1958 Bentley S1 Four-Door Cabriolet An unusual opportunity to buy a unique and very elegant machine. Presented in “barn find” condition, not running, fresh out of dry storage: A great project for a connoisseur or restoration specialist! This extraordinary four-door conversion of the Bentley’s standard steel body was done neatly and shows very fine fit and finish. The custom coachwork is credited to “Parker & Webb”, of Biggen Hill (London), and is the car’s most overwhelming feature and most stirring aesthetic attribute. We’ve never seen another exactly like it. Its four-door cabriolet format will always be extremely rare within company of other Bentley S-series and Rolls-Royce Silver Clouds. The Rolls grille and hubcaps were fitted long ago, and are simple enough to convert back to Bentley again. The car retains its original Bentley instruments and ID tags, and is properly titled here in Minnesota as a Bentley. The very top itself is not the most sophisticated contrivance, but it looks effective for keeping the cabin dry. It requires erecting and then snapping down buttons along the edges one at a time. But it fits, and is easy to set-up, take down and store in the boot. A most intriguing "extra" is the set of four alternate aluminum doors, these without window frames or glass. They allow true open-air motoring, with no window frames (except for the windshield) to break up the view or the airstream, and a very elegant look. If used, they will need to be painted to match the rest of the car, but they are perfect for parades, wedding pictures, or any situation where passengers want to really see and be seen. In lieu of roll-up glass, these alternate doors can utilize specially tailored flexible side curtains that work in conjunction with the matching top. This is an old-fashioned, but somewhat sporty, solution to keeping the weather out (like a 20s touring car, or a 50s English sports car). Sitting inside, with the top and side curtains in place, the effect is sort of a “luxury camping” ambience. We thing it’s a pretty cool set-up, and it gives the car a lot of character: A bit eccentric, but cozy and dry...Very British. The body is in very nice condition. In our examination we found only very minor hints at any corrosion, and most of that was simply on the bumpers’ chrome plating. The Aluminum panels are super clean. No structural rust or rot in evidence. The impressively stout X-frame chassis (these were Rolls’ and Bentley’s last separate chassis cars) is completely solid and appears straight, though there is a dent in one rail where perhaps the car got hung up on a rock or something. The floors appear clean from underneath; again, no rust. Same inside the boot and the spare tire slot. As is the nature of many convertibles, we suspect that this car was rarely exposed to wet roads or weather. Panel fit is excellent, with the exception of one rear door which will need latch and/or striker plate adjustments. The bonnet and wing (that’s “hood and fender” in US!) shut-lines are precise and neat, as is the fit of the boot (“trunk”) lid. There is no sign of any chassis sag, nor any indication of body rigidity issues, both of which can be problems on elderly cabriolets and converted cars: More evidence of the very strong chassis and excellent engineering by Rolls-Royce. This car is complete, with only minor details in exception. It’s fitted with the classic Rolls-Royce inlet-over-exhaust 6-cylinder engine. 1958 was the last full model year for this excellent power unit. In proper tune, these motors are silky, nearly silent, and especially smooth at idle. The classic “six” has engineering roots going far back to the grand Rolls-Royces of the classic era, and many marque purists prefer this engine to the superseding V8. The interior is a mixed bag. Starting with the seats and door panels, many (most?) of these hides can be cleaned and re-dyed and will look great. Some seat panels are not salvageable because of tears and splits, particularly on the rear bench. The carpets need replacement. The instrument panel, dashboard and door caps all have their original walnut burr veneers, as only Rolls Royce could do them. As is typical, the old varnish is flaking and delaminating, but the wood (which has stunningly beautiful grain) can all be refinished without any surprises. The folding tea tables in the rear are pretty nice, and might be considered presentable after careful cleaning. Instrumentation is clear and complete. The car has not been “prepared” in any way after its long-term storage. After delivery, we gave the Bentley a bubble bath with a soft cloth. It is otherwise “as-found”: The brake pedal goes to the floor. The engine turns smoothly on a charged battery, but we made no attempt at draining the tank and getting it to run. This is a restoration project, pure and simple. In general, though, we were very surprised at how nicely it cleaned up. The exterior paint has blemishes and scratches, but a careful buffing would do wonders. The paint might even be “saved”; it’s a quality finish that would be expensive to reproduce to the same standard. Overall, it gives the impression of having been well looked after. There's even a can of original Rolls-Royce formula brake fluid in the boot! We know little about this car's history other than that it was last on the road in the 1980s. It is right-hand-drive, obviously, and it retains a reflective yellow British license plate: 264FUH. The plate may offer clues to the area and year of the last British registration, but to me deciphering old Brit license plates looks more complicacated than US tax code. There are four old sill plates with the name of a prominant Bentley dealer in Gloucestershire, UK. We contacted them to try and find any history of the car's years in England, but haven't yet been favored the courtesy of a reply. This car is part of an estate, and the heirs would prefer to not pay for winter storage. They have elected to start the bidding low with no reserve: High bid buys this car next week. We expect that this lovely classic Bentley will find its market value here on eBay. And just a reminder to make it clear to everyone: This is a project car for a dedicated and knowledgeable enthusiast. It will have to be trailered away, preferably in enclosed transport. When completed, the owner will have the reward of a unique, valuable, and beautiful classic automobile that will be welcome in any automotive forum. Good luck in bidding! Please ask any questions first. We will answer quickly and honestly. We have many more photos if you would like to see something in particular. Personal inspections are welcome and encouraged! Thanks for looking. The Fine Print: GOOD LUCK! Please bid to the value this car may hold for you. Please feel free to ask questions or add comments. Please ask questions BEFORE you bid. We will respond quickly and honestly. This car is located in Plymouth, Minnesota 55441, about ten minutes west of downtown Minneapolis. Inspections are invited and encouraged! CONDITIONS: Winning this auction constitutes a legal and binding agreement between the Buyer, the Owner and the Selling Agents. Please bid sincerely and sensibly. Zero-feedback bidders must contact us first before bidding to establish some level of seriousness-of-intent; It's nothing personal, just business: We, and many others, have been stung on eBay Motors by too many dead-beat auction winners. Vehicle is sold "As-Is and Where-Is". If the Buyer comes to pick up this car and is in any way dissatisfied, he or she will have the Option of walking away from the Deal with Full Refund of the Deposit and any Payments made to the Owner. Otherwise, no warranty is expressed, implied or offered. Neither the Owner nor the Selling Agents can or will take any responsibility for this car after it leaves the premises. PAYMENT: Buyer must make a $500 DEPOSIT by PayPal within 24 hours of the Auction Close. The Deposit will secure the Deal for all Parties involved. Failure to make Deposit within 24 hours will risk Cancellation of the Sale at Discretion of the Owner and Sellers. BALANCE MUST BE PAID within 7 BUSINESS DAYS of sale by SECURE PAYMENT or CASH at PICK-UP. TRANSPORT: Buyer is responsible for all transportation arrangements and costs. Car is garaged in Plymouth, Minnesota 55441 (about ten minutes from downtown Minneapolis, thirty minutes from Twin Cities International Airport). We do not offer quotes on shipping. There are many vendors to choose from offering vehicle transport; eBay's "preferred" shipper, DAS, and FedEx/Passport are two great places to start getting bids. STORAGE: While the Auction Winner sorts out pick-up or transport arrangements, Owner can offer, free of charge, outdoor storage for up to 30 days after auction termination. We will keep the cabin area covered to try and keep out the rain. Longer periods can be arranged at cost if necessary. Seller cannot accept any liability during this storage period. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank You for Looking! We are fluent in classic European cars. We are hobbyists, first and foremost, and happy to hear from you on the subject of cars or bikes. In addition to AUTOMOBILIA and PARTS, WE HAVE SOLD DOZENS OF VEHICLES ON eBAY...EACH DEAL A HAPPY ONE FOR ALL INVOLVED! We also sell non-automotive items on eBay under the names 'kowalski0001'. We invite everybody to review our auctions and feedback under both seller names. >>MM1000auto>> was created to auction the THINGS WE LOVE MOST: CARS, PARTS, and AUTOMOBILIA! On Oct-18-11 at 15:06:38 PDT, seller added the following information: Attention Bidders and Watchers: We just learned this morning from the owner's son that his elderly Dad drove this car until just six years ago, when he had to give up driving. He drove it into his garage at home and parked it there. It was not parked for decades as we'd reported (which had been the case with other machines from this collection), but was kept warm and dry at the home garage. We're told it ran well then, and that the brakes had been overhauled just a year or so earlier (which explains why the brake lines look new). Still, expect that the brake pistons will have dried-up seals and need a simple rebuild. Guessing will not take more than a weekend for somebody to get machine running again!On Oct-20-11 at 07:52:23 PDT, seller added the following information:In addition to the original can of Rolls-Royce approved Brake fluid in the boot, to which we alluded in the auction text, WE FOUND A FEW MORE CANS OF THIS IN THE GARAGE, which we are offering here on eBay. If you're interested, please click on our other auctions or search CASTROL RR363.