Description
H&H Classic Auction @ The Imperial War Museum, Duxford/ Cambridgeshire
9th October, 2024 13:00
1961 Bentley S2 Continental Sports Saloon
Coachwork by James Young
Estimate
£60, 000 - £80, 000
Registration No: JAS 767
Chassis No: BC26BY
MOT: Exempt
1 of just 23 RHD Bentley S2 Continental chassis to be bodied by James Young to their design number CV100
Well specified with power steering, automatic transmission, electric windows and air conditioning
Veteran of numerous BDC and RREC rallies and tours
The subject of over £100, 000 in expenditure in its current ownership, now coming up to 19 years
Fresh from a complete engine overhaul with Overton at a cost of c.£30, 000
'In the twilight of their coachbuilding years, James Young had with these cars reached the pinnacle of excellence.' - Martin Bennett, Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
In the 1950s and 1960s the Bentley Continental was the world's ultimate Grand Tourer, a car in which you could set off from any European capital in the morning and arrive at Monte Carlo fresh enough to play the tables that same evening. Introduced in the autumn of 1959, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II and Bentley S2 appeared externally unchanged from their 'Cloud and S-Type predecessors, though the duo's performance was considerably enhanced by the new 6, 230cc aluminium-alloy V8 engine. Although wider and shorter than the 'six' it replaced, the new power unit fitted relatively easily within the engine bay, relocation of the steering box from inside to outside of the chassis frame being the most obvious alteration to the previous arrangements. Externally the new models appeared virtually unchanged, while beneath the skin Rolls-Royce's own four-speed automatic transmission was now the only one on offer and power steering had been standardised.
Despite the popularity of the 'standard steel' bodywork, introduced when production of Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars resumed after WW2, a steadily declining number of independent coachbuilders continued to offer alternatives. Arguably the most stylish were those produced to clothe the Bentley Continental which, of course, was only ever available with bespoke coachwork. One of the most prominent of these surviving firms was James Young, a company that had established itself among the foremost coachbuilders for upmarket chassis by the end of the 1930s. The Bromley-based carriage-maker had bodied its first automobile in 1908, affiliating itself with a succession of quality marques throughout the 1920s and 1930s before being acquired by the Jack Barclay Group in 1937. Its factory was devastated by wartime bombing, the company did not resume exhibiting at the London Motor Shows until 1948, continuing to offer coachbuilt designs of distinction on (mainly) Rolls-Royce and Bentley chassis until the arrival of the unitary construction Silver Shadow/ T-Series range in the 1960s. A lack of suitable chassis would force the firm's closure before the 'Sixties decade ended, but in its declining years James Young produced what are widely recognised as its finest creations, this beautiful Bentley Continental among them.
As one of only 23 RHD 4 door S2 Continentals by James Young, ‘JAS 767’ is an already rare proposition. Originally ordered by a John Rogerson Esq, but due to cancelling his order, chassis number BC26BY was built to the specification of Greek Businessman C H Dracoulis. Ordered in ‘Glasso Green’ paintwork with contrasting beige leather interior featuring walnut veneer, the additional specification included electric front windows, electric aerial and a private lock to the passenger door. Furthermore, the column levers were instructed to be covered in black leather and a reading light fitted to the rear quarter. The total build cost amounted to £7, 876, nearly three times the average house price in the UK at that time. After postponing his order due to residing in Greece, the vehicle was eventually delivered new in 1961 to a W Turner Esq.
Acquired by its current custodian in April of 2005, ‘JAS 767’ has become somewhat of a ‘veteran’ of numerous BDC and RREC international tours and rallies, with all completed without problems and covering some 35, 000 miles. Foreign trips include numerous European tours between 2005 and 2008 including a wedding in Copenhagen; in 2009 the ‘Arabian Gulf Adventure’, where the car was flown and toured Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Dubai. The Northern Italian lakes were toured in 2011 before the car was flown once more, but this time to the USA, where it toured the north-west and Canada, covering some 2, 750 miles in 2013. Between 2014 to 2016 'JAS 767' saw further European trips, before again being air freighted to the US in 2017, for a south-eastern tour of some 2, 400 miles. Most recently, ‘JAS 767’ toured Sweden (in 2018).
As well as numerous international tours, the Continental has been subject to much expenditure during the current ownership, totaling over £100, 000 to the present day. Within this expenditure, over £41, 000 was spent in the first two years of ownership on a complete engine, steering, brake and exhaust overhaul. In addition, an air conditioning unit was fitted under the existing facia; entirely removable. Over the following 13 years, a further £33, 000 was spent and just this year, the car was subject to a complete engine rebuild with Overton at a cost of c.£30, 000.
‘JAS 7667’ comes accompanied with a well documented history file, containing numerous hand-written notes specifying the dates each piece of work was completed. As well as this, a comprehensive folder containing photocopied records of the build, a number of previous invoices, MOTs, tax discs, hand-written notes containing mileages at MOTs and expenditure, and finally the V5 document. Also accompanying the car is its original tool kit and spare wheel.
