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Explorer finds possible seven-figure 1928 Bentley in abandoned UK barn

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Colin Smith of the YouTube channel The Bearded Explorer uncovered the 1928 Bentley 4.5 Litre Sports Tourer beneath layers of dust and debris. Powered by a naturally aspirated 4.4-litre inline-four engine delivering 110 horsepower, the car retains its rare coachwork despite the persistent threat of rot in wooden-framed pre-war vehicles. Historians are assessing whether its existing exterior finish matches factory records showing the car was originally painted black. Full authentication of its mechanical components will be necessary before the vintage tourer enters restoration or heads to auction.

Key points

  • Specialists must verify matching chassis, engine, and gearbox numbers to establish the ve…: Specialists must verify matching chassis, engine, and gearbox numbers to establish the vehicle's true pedigree and legal history.
  • Pre-war Bentleys seldom keep original bodywork intact because harsh barn environments fre…: Pre-war Bentleys seldom keep original bodywork intact because harsh barn environments frequently rot wooden frames and corrode steel panels.
  • Surviving models command values from the mid-$400,000s up to a record $2,750,000 for auth…: Surviving models command values from the mid-$400,000s up to a record $2,750,000 for authenticated cars boasting documented racing pedigrees.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

A British urban explorer filming an abandoned building has discovered a rare 1928 Bentley 4.5 Litre Sports Tourer hidden under decades of dust and debris inside an unused barn. The car was found by Colin Smith, who makes videos for his YouTube channel, The Bearded Explorer. While exploring the building, Smith came across the vintage vehicle with its original Vanden Plas bodywork still intact. The discovery has attracted attention from classic car fans and historic vehicle collectors around the world. The find is especially important because of the car's rarity. Bentley built around 720 examples of the 4.5 Litre model between 1927 and 1931. Of these, the historic coachbuilding company Vanden Plas fitted bodies to just 204 cars. Only 148 were built as open four-seat tourers, matching the design of the car found in the barn.

Rarity and factory specifications

More than 50 Vanden Plas four-seat tourers left the Bentley factory in 1928 alone. This places the newly discovered car within the first years of production of the 4.5 Litre range. Under its long bonnet, the standard touring model had…

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