Bentley Begin Restoration Of The World’s Oldest T-Series
In another move by a manufacturer with a long heritage, Bentley Motors in Crewe have begun restoration of the world’s oldest T-Series. The growth of heritage restorations in house is a good thing, with may cars being brought back to original condition with a certification of authenticity too. However, this one isn’t going to be for sale or a customer, it’s being kept for their own collection.
The very first of the T-Series models ever produced is being carefully restored by Bentley apprentices and specialists with the aim of completing it in 2023. The wheels up restoration involved getting the 6 ¼ litre pushrod V8 started for the first time in 15 years. The engine and gearbox are said to be in good condition in spite of sitting for such a long time.
The oldest of the T-Series was manufactured on the 28th September 1956 and was owned by Bentley Motors for trials around the world. It was finished in Shell Grey paint with a Blue leather interior.
The Bentley T-Series was originally announced and unveiled at the Paris Motor Show on the 5th of October 1965 and was quite different from its predecessor the S-Type. Importantly it was the first Bentley to use unitary construction, a monocoque utilised instead of a separate chassis and body as every Bentley before had done.
The engine was the 225 bhp, 6 ¼ litre V8, originally designed for the Bentley S2 and introduced in 1959. Back then it was the highest specific output by weight of any production car in the world, of 2.7 lb/hp or 1.2 kg/hp. Considered over engineered at the time, the engine was strong and had great reliability and stayed in production for 50 years. By the rime of retirement in 2019 it was producing double the power, three time the torque and emitting 99 percent less emissions. Certainly, impressive for a much earlier design.
Back in 2016 a group of apprentices started the rejuvenation process for T-Series VIN 001, removing the trim and reconditioning the body in white. The initial preparations were put on hold while the company focused on the current production range. Once this was complete attention returned to developing the heritage collection.
Bentley T-Series Story
The T-Series story began back in 1958 to develop the first monocoque Bentley Known for their coachbuilt bodies with a separate chassis for years, changing customer expectations, where they wanted smaller cars with the same interior space, luxury and comfort was coinciding with a decline in the coachbuilding trade.
In 1962, John Blatchley, who was famous for the design of the R-Type Continental, completed a new design for a steel and aluminium monocoque. There were improvements in interior space compared to the pS3 predecessor, but the new car was seven inches shorter, five inches lower and three and a half inches narrower. There was even a bigger boot.
The newly developed V8 engine was fitted to seven prototypes, and they undertook significant testing, which included endurance runs of over 100,000 miles. Other design innovations included separate subframes to carry the engine and transmission, suspension, steering and rear axle. Vibrashock rubber subframe mounts were developed to isolate road noise and vibrations from the cabin.
The suspension on the T-Series was advanced for the time with independent suspension on all four wheels with automatic height controls according to the load. Pressure for the levelling suspension was from a triple hydraulic system which had disc brakes on all four wheels. The suspension comprised of double wishbones and coil springs at the front with semi-trailing arms at the rear.
At launch the T-Series was hailed as a clear example of revolutionary engineering, the first Bentley to move away from the separate chassis. Its relatively light construction gave impressive performance, the maximum speed of 115 mph and 0 – 60 in 10.9 seconds.
Bentley built 1,868 of the first generation T-Series, the list price before tax was £5,425. The of them were four door saloons, but there was a two door introduced in 1966 and a year later a convertible too. Production numbers of those were low, with only 41 cars produced. The second generation car, known as the T2 was launched in 1977 and lasted until 1980 when the T-Series disappeared from the Bentley catalogue.
The completion of the restoration will be marked as important, so I’ll keep my eye out for it.
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