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Enjoy!

Thank's Kurt.

A 1928 4.5 litre Bentley re-bodied into a LeMans style race car.

This was originally a lovely deep Red 2 door drop head coupe by Salmons. Like so many Bentley ownwers, a better car was thought of with the LeMans look!

Ghosthunter.

A truly deplorable practice called 'bodysnatching' in the vintage car fraternity. It destroys a part of a vehicle's history and of our common heritage.

This happened to the 'Blower' Bentley as well. Only Five official LeMans team car 'Blower' Bentley cars were made with another Fifty production cars for private costomers, all wearing DHC or Saloon bodies. Today, there are probably more than a Hundred, all dressed as LeMans cars!

Ghosthunter.

GHOSTHUNTER wrote:This happened to the 'Blower' Bentley as well. Only Five official LeMans team car 'Blower' Bentley cars were made with another Fifty production cars for private costomers, all wearing DHC or Saloon bodies. Today, there are probably more than a Hundred, all dressed as LeMans cars!

Ghosthunter.

How do you identify a factory original Le Man team Bentley from the interlopers?

motorman wrote:

GHOSTHUNTER wrote:This happened to the 'Blower' Bentley as well. Only Five official LeMans team car 'Blower' Bentley cars were made with another Fifty production cars for private costomers, all wearing DHC or Saloon bodies. Today, there are probably more than a Hundred, all dressed as LeMans cars!

Ghosthunter.

How do you identify a factory original Le Man team Bentley from the interlopers?

Good question Alex!

Those Five team cars were all registered for road use at some time during the team's ownership and they still have their original index numbers. Any copy or look-A-like car can not have any of those index numbers and if such a car did turn up for sale through an auction house, the experts would soon jump on the car to check it's status and check the current owners of the team cars to see if one has been put forward for resale.

There have been some pretty good team car look-A-likes and one such car shown below sold for £557.075 in Bonham's sale in 2009.
When an original team car has been sold, it can fetch a fair bit of Money as this Tim Birkin single seater did in 2012, going for £4,5 Million.
This body style is a later adaptation of the car replacing a similar style to the LeMans specification, not a rebody as it was instigated by Tim Birkin and his engineers for speed attempts.

Ghosthunter.

Thanks for the information Kevin, can I ask if all five of the original Le Mans blowers are accounted for in collections or museums?

4 of them definately, the 5th car was more of a spare car and did not get as much use, I'd have to check my notes (in the Shed!), to be certain of that car.

Ghosthunter.

GHOSTHUNTER wrote:4 of them definately, the 5th car was more of a spare car and did not get as much use, I'd have to check my notes (in the Shed!), to be certain of that car.

Ghosthunter.

Fascinating, does that mean there is a potential barn find out there?

Thank you for your insights. I've learned new things today. Once again I am amazed by your depth of knowledge about all things Bentley and Rolls Royce.
Probably a good thing this isn't a genuine La Mans Bentley since it was being flogged around the track at speed with other vintage racers of its generation.
Good times!