Bentley 4 1-4 Liters (1936-1939)

Belem, Lisbon, Portugal

HISTORY

The 1936-1939 Bentley 41-4 Litre was a lineal descendant of the 31-2 Litre, with the same chassis, suspension, and choice of custom bodies. Its larger engine's extra power and torque -- neither ever revealed -- made up for the heavier coachwork and equipment that always came along.

As before, the 41-4 Litre was a Rolls-Royce with a Bentley badge and 90+ mph performance but no independent front suspension.

From late 1938, an "overdrive" transmission with geared-up top was fitted to make the car better suited to fast roads.
Many of the 41-4 Litres had Park Ward bodies, without wooden framing, so they've lasted better.

PLUSES OF THE 1936-1939 BENTLEY 41-4 LITRE:

A real aristocrat
Top-drawer build quality
Comfortable, dignified, yet sporting
Parts supply still OK

MINUSES OF THE 1936-1939 BENTLEY 41-4 LITRE:

Costly to buy, very costly to run
Wood bodies still rot
Inferior to contemporary Americans in ride
Styling a bit traditional
Production of the 1936-1939 Bentley 41-4 Litre:
1,234

Specifications of the 1936-1939 Bentley 41-4 Litre:
Wheelbase, inches: 126.0
Length, inches: 192.0
Weight, pounds: 3,750
Price, new: NA

SOURCE: auto.howstuffworks.com-1936-1939-bentley-4-1-4-litre.htm
Read less