1923 Bentley 3 Litre

Bentley 3-Litre, built in 1923.

• Chassis number 110, engine number 104.
• License plate KLY 3, nickname “Wilfred”.

This Bentley was delivered new on June 4, 1923. The first dated work order reads: “Stripped for racing”. This Bentley 3-Litre won a race at Brooklands in the hands of Captain Cecil Wingfield Twisleton-Wykeham Fiennes. In 1923 Fiennes took first place in the Brooklands 90 mph Long Handicap race. Fiennes recorded two laps at an average speed of 92,23 mph (148,4 km/h). Another podium finish – third place – came in the 35th Brooklands 100 mph Short Handicap race. The details of chassis 110 from the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club (BARC) were checked and confirmed by renowned motorsport editor and Brooklands historian William “Bill” Boddy. The Bentley can be seen in photographs from that period racing at Brooklands with a side exhaust and no spoilers. Other factory orders mention the fitment of different rear axle ratios, special high-pressure pistons, Hartford shock absorbers, and so on. In December 1923 chassis 110 was 'standardised' by the factory and sold on 15 December 1923 for £525 to Mr Angus Douglas Vickers (member of the Vickers family and owner of the famous Vickers aircraft factory at Brooklands). Vickers never raced the car, but used it for personal transportation. In 1924 he had the car upgraded by Bentley with extra brakes on the front wheels and the twin SU “Sloper” carburettors were fitted. In 1925 the engine received a modest overhaul at the Kingsbury factory and later that year the car was sold to RAF Lieutenant (and later Squadron Leader) John Brooke. In 1935, the last work order was entered into the factory maintenance register, concerning a chassis repair. Chassis 110 was then still owned by John Brooke, who was then living in Athens. It is said that Mr. Brooke took the Bentley to Greece, where he was stationed during World War II. The Bentley survived the Second World War and was involved in an accident in 1947, requiring the fitting of a replacement chassis frame from chassis 712. Despite this, the original identity of chassis 110 was retained, thanks to the surviving original parts, including the numbered switch panel, engine crankcase and fuel tank. After the repair, the car was submitted to the traffic department for reclassification to fall into a lower tax category and re-registered as KLY3. The previous owner (the late Mr. Lionel Burrell – founder of Classic Cars magazine, who passed away in March 2025) bought the car in 1963 and cherished it for 60 years! In 1969, Mr. Burrell drove the famous “Bentley Boy” SCH 'Sammy' Davis in KLY 3 at Le Mans to celebrate the marque's 50th anniversary! Mr. Burrell also had an interview with brand founder WO that day Bentley and took a picture of him behind the wheel of the car! The photo was published on the cover of The Autocar magazine in January 1969. Later work on KLY 3 included a body restoration in the 80s and a valve train overhaul in 2004 by Fopp d'Hane, which also included attention to the ignition, tyres and carburetors. After 60 years of ownership, the car was passed on to the current owner in 2023. This owner had the Bentley technically and mechanically inspected, maintained and prepared for participation in historic events. This beautiful Bentley 3-Litre has been maintained for decades by marque specialists and has a strong and well-documented connection with its early racing history. The car has a fantastic original patina and drives and handles excellently. We've never driven another pre-war Bentley where you could select the next gear by feel and without double declutching. The car comes with extensive documentation from new, including the original Kingsbury factory service book, a handwritten logbook from the late 40s restoration, a Bentley Three Litre handbook, the 'Technical Facts of Vintage Bentley' manual, and numerous photographs and invoices. A unique opportunity to own a vintage Bentley that won a race at Brooklands!