First New Blower Bentley 4 1/2 Litre For 90 Years

First New Blower Bentley 4 1/2 Litre For 90 Years

Bentley have produced the first new Blower 4 1/2 litre car in over 90 years. The last original one produced in 1930.

Car Zero as it is known is the first of the continuation series of the Blower, of which there will be 12 built for customers. This is also the world’s first pre-war continuation car to be produced. Of course, not all of the owners of the originals are happy, but it is a neat idea to produce new old cars. It’s not a new idea, but the range of cars coming to market now is growing.

To produce one of the new Bentley continuations takes some 40,000 hours to build. Nearly 2,000 individual components were designed, and hand crafted from original drawings and tooling. In house technicians and British suppliers combined to produce all the required parts.

Bentley have produced the first new Blower 4 1/2 litre car in over 90 years. The last original one produced in 1930.

Car Zero as it is known is the first of the continuation series of the Blower, of which there will be 12 built for customers. This is also the world’s first pre-war continuation car to be produced. Of course, not all of the owners of the originals are happy, but it is a neat idea to produce new old cars. It’s not a new idea, but the range of cars coming to market now is growing.

To produce one of the new Bentley continuations takes some 40,000 hours to build. Nearly 2,000 individual components were designed, and hand crafted from original drawings and tooling. In house technicians and British suppliers combined to produce all the required parts.

Bentley own one of the original Blower cars, the ex- Sir Tim Birkin 1929 4 1/2 litre supercharged race car. Chassis HB 3404 with its engine 3902 and registered with the number UU 5872 provided a lot of detail. Every single part was scanned whilst going through a sympathetic restoration.

Using all this new data meant that 1,846 parts were designed to produce the new Blower. 230 of those are assemblies, the largest being the engine.

Car zero is effectively the test and development prototype. Built ahead of the customer cars to go through months of durability and performance testing.

Finished in gloss black paintwork with Oxblood red interior from Bridge of Weir.

 

Bentley own one of the original Blower cars, the ex- Sir Tim Birkin 1929 4 1/2 litre supercharged race car. Chassis HB 3404 with its engine 3902 and registered with the number UU 5872 provided a lot of detail. Every single part was scanned whilst going through a sympathetic restoration.

Using all this new data meant that 1,846 parts were designed to produce the new Blower. 230 of those are assemblies, the largest being the engine.

Car zero is effectively the test and development prototype. Built ahead of the customer cars to go through months of durability and performance testing.

Finished in gloss black paintwork with Oxblood red interior from Bridge of Weir.

Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors, Adrian Hallmark, had the honour of driving Car Zero down Pyms Lane to mark the occasion, and comments:

“Today was a truly remarkable day, not just as a milestone in the Blower Continuation Series project but also for Bentley Motors. To drive the first new Blower in 90 years was a privilege, and the quality of the car would make Sir Tim Birkin himself proud. The craftsmanship is exquisite, and I’m pleased to report that the car drives just as beautifully as our original Team Car.

“It was also significant that I could drive the new Blower down Pyms Lane, now part of our main site as we expand to create the new Bentley campus. Investing in our headquarters is vital both for Bentley’s future and for Crewe, and our new developments and buildings are a physical manifestation of the exciting future before us as we start our journey to become the world leader in sustainable luxury mobility.”

The Blower Continuation Series represents the first customer-facing project delivered by the new Bentley Mulliner Classic portfolio. this is one of three new divisions of Mulliner alongside Coachbuilt who are developing the Bacalar and Collections who are responsible for the Continental GT Mulliner.

Bentley Blower Car Zero - Front
Bentley Blower Car Zero - Front 10

Creating Blower Car Zero

Original drawings were analysed, and all old drafts were referenced in the creation along with old archives of photos. Even the Ex Tim Birkin car was stripped, and each individual part was scanned. Probably the most valuable Bentley in the world, but it provided a complete 3D CAD model.

Moving away from the modern technical aspects, producing these parts required the use of talented artisans who were recruited to start manufacturing components that Bentley Mullliner required.

Bentley’s Director of Mulliner, Paul Williams, comments:

“Seeing Car Zero come together over the last weeks and months has been astonishing. The very latest digital design techniques came together with genuine artisanal hand-crafted artistry – often using manufacturing methods true to the 1920s. It’s only through this fusion of old and new that we could craft these cars, with the skills of our engineers mirrored in those of our specialist suppliers. We’ve issued thousands of drawings and specifications for components, and watching them arrive into Mulliner and then seeing the car take shape has been hugely rewarding. Now we start the next phase – testing and development, ahead of the build of the 12 customer cars.”

Bentley Blower Car Zero - Front
Bentley Blower Car Zero Dash
Bentley Blower Car Zero - Front 10
Bentley Blower Car Zero - Cockpit

From the decision to go ahead with the project, Bentley Mulliner sought the very best specialists across the country. Using traditional techniques passed down through generations is fitting for the production of such a car

The chassis has been made in heavy-gauge steel, hand-formed and hot riveted by the specialists at Israel Newton & Sons Ltd. The 200-year old company, based near Derby, is a traditional steam locomotive and traction engine boiler maker. They have the skills to forge and shape metal in traditional way.

The Vintage Car Radiator Company, who are based at Bicester Heritage, has re-created many of the Blowers components. The mirror-polished, solid nickel silver radiator shell. The hand-beaten fuel tank which is formed in steel and copper. After all they are the market leaders in the manufacture and restoration of vintage car radiators. Due to the authenticity of the methods used and their high standards they have when creating components, they were the perfect choice.

Bentley Blower Car Zero - Engine

The leaf springs and shackles for the suspension have been made to original specifications by Jones Springs Ltd. The West Midlands based specialist has nearly 75 years of experience which started in a blacksmith’s forge.

Vintage Headlamp Restoration International Ltd in Sheffield have recreated the Blower’s iconic headlamps. The father and son team are world-renowned silversmiths. They had the ability to create vintage-design headlamps from original specifications.

In the bespoke Mulliner Trim Shop in Crewe put the finishing touches to an ash frame created by Lomax Coachbuilders of Ludlow. Here they apply 25 meters of highly specialised Rexine material to wrap the body. Mulliner master craftsmen then hand trimmed the body. For Car Zero the gloss black bodywork is paired with Oxblood red Bridge of Weir leather and matching trim. Just like the originals, the seats are stuffed with 10 kilograms of natural horsehair.

Recreating The 4 1/2 Litre Engine

The original 4 1/2 litre engine was designed by W.O Bentley himself. The new one was created with the help of a variety of specialists including NDR Ltd in Watford.

The engine has many innovations that took until the 1970s for many sports car manufacturers to produce. Aluminium pistons, overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder and twin spark ignition. A new Amherst Villiers roots-type supercharger mounted to the front. This is an exact recreation of the engine that powered Tim Birkin’s four Team Blowers. They even have a magnesium crankcase.

An engine testbed at Bentley HQ in Crewe was converted to be able to test the rather old engine design. This facility has been at Bentley since 1938 and was originally built to test and run in the Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 engines used in Spitfire and Hurricane fighters.

A replica of the Blower cars front chassis was built to allow it to connect to the modern computer controlled dynamometer. Due to the now unusual shape and size of the engine many of the old Merlin testbed fixtures have been used, which have been in storage at Bentley all this time.

Each engine will be put through a defined schedule of running in before fitting to the car.

Bentley Blower Car Zero - Instruments

Car Zero Durability Testing

With the completion of car Zero real world testing can begin. Testing with increasing duration and speed will assess the durability and robustness. Gradually increasing the difficulty of the conditions. The equivalent of 35,000 kilometres of road driving and some 8,000 kilometres of track driving is to be achieved. Simulating taking part in the Paris to Peking rally for example and the Mille Miglia. Top speed testing will of course be a part of this.

Bentley Blower Car Zero With 1929 Sir Tim Birkin Car
First New Blower Bentley 4 1/2 Litre For 90 Years

The price is irrelevant. If you have to ask… But they have all found homes anyway.

Whether you agree with continuation cars or not, there’s no denying that these are something very special. I’m ok with it, without a time machine I will never have the chance to buy new old cars. Now the only obstacle left is the money…

Don’t forget to follow Jalopy on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Thanks to Bentley for the images and the video, see below.

Simon

[shared_counts]