For sale

1963 Bentley S3 Continental H J Mulliner Chinese Eye 2dr FHC

A good, clean example, nicely finished in soft white with good chrome plating and pale grey leather interior, and specified when new with 'Sundym' rear screen and rear side windows, which are indeed still in place to this day. Unusually, and appealingly, the car is fitted with a Tudor-Webasto fabric sunroof, complete with identifying tags, as shown in one of the photos. We have prepared the car for sale, work which included attention to brake hydraulics and servo, power steering, etc, as well as a full service. Running nicely, driving well, and we have just been successful in reinstating the original registration number, which is pleasing.

Chassis No.  BC42XB                    Reg. No.  702 GLR         

 Snippets: Military Cross, PoW & Racing Team

John “Jack” Sidney Durlacher 1913/88 was a grandson Henry Durlacher, who in 1843 founded Durlacher Bros (art dealers) whose offerings included furniture, works of art and porcelain, the New York City branch was opened in 1920 to cater for clients such as J. Pierpont Morgans & Sir R. Wallace.  The New York City branch of the company sold artworks to families such as the Sachs, Wideners & to the Frick, Fogg & Cleveland Museums to mention a few.  Henry & Adelaide Durlacher had 10 children with the 7^th being Neville who was Jaks’s father, the family wealth was such that when Henry died in 1902 his estate was in excess of £100,000 today that would be circa £15m! During WWII Jack Durlacher served with the Royal Artillery and on the 20^th of May 1940 whilst defending Calais, for which he received the Military Cross, he was captured and imprison at Oflag VII-C Laufen in South-eastern Bavaria.

 After the war ended Jack join his father in “The City” & in due course so did his son, Nicholas.  Jack’s family were keen sportsmen & women - his mother Ruth Dyas was a national lawn tennis player & his father Neville a keen golfer & tennis player  - Jack and his siblings taking up skiing during their younger days.  Jack’s aunt Nora had married Leslie Dow a member of the Dow Port family – Leslie had been “sent down from Cambridge” due to being involved in a betting scandal!!  Jack was 50years old when he took delivery of BC42XB, (a birthday gift perhaps?) and a few years later he went into partnership with the Johnnie Walker heir Rob Walker when they bought a Cosworth powered Lotus 49. That same year the team won the British Grand Prix with Siffert as their driver, it was Rob Walker’s last win. 

 The 2^nd owner of BC42XB was Donald Louis Nicholas who had a lifelong fascination with the Stuart history, Donald served with the 70^th H.A.A. Regiment during WWII and after the war ended he wrote several books on his Scottish heritage.  His 1^st wife, Evadne Chavasse was a scion of the Chavasse medical family - her Uncle Noel Godfrey Chavesse is one of three people who had been awarded the Victoria Cross twice, the others were C. Upman & A Martin-Leake. There were 4 members of the Chavesse family who were awarded the Military Cross during both WWI & WWII.  

 The 3^rd name on the chassis cards is Denys Martyn of Triley Court, Abergavenny – he had studied at Cambridge alongside George Lascelles (Earl of Harewood) & in 1947 Denys, George & Patrick Hedley-Dent enjoyed a motoring holiday in Italy & I quote: “wearing clothes that were too thick, failing to sleep in the hot weather, worrying about money“.  Denys & George remained friends for many years and often went on Operatic Expeditions together.