1957/58 BENTLEY S-1 CONTINENTAL Park Ward Design 872 Sports Coupe
Paris Show Car the First of Eleven Left Drives built. 73,183 km (45,739 miles) believed correct.
This delightful performer was equipped from new with the final specification large valve, large carburetor engine, power steering, dual master cylinder braking system, heavier rear axle shafts and more. Authentic air conditioning for the period has been fitted. Its efficiency and that of the cooling system have been upgraded using technology unavailable a half century ago.
The factory record tells us that this was the 1957 Paris Salon Car. It was originally delivered on September 24, 1957 to Leon Paulet, Esq. at 5 Square Stalingrad, Marseille, France. Mr. Paulet was an engineer whose firm was founded in 1913 to supply arms and precision machine tools and in 1919 graduated to manufacturing components for automobiles. In 1921 they revealed a chassis of their own. The Leon Paulet Type 6AB was a large, formal automobile based upon a Hispano-Suiza design. Very few were made before cessation of the project in 1927.
Still titled in France to an original family member the vehicle was acquired by us from a noted Belgian trader in December 2007 in virtually original condition throughout aside from a poor respray to the side panels. The absence of wear to certain indicators and the advanced age of the original owner would tend to confirm that the 67,000+ kilometer (42,000 mile) odometer reading at the time was accurate.
A complete cosmetic and mechanical restoration including but not limited to a bare metal refinish, complete rebuild of the engine, the gearbox and the braking systems and a fresh show quality interior and re-veneering of the wood pieces was completed July 2009. Upon disassembly it was found to have several unique features including factory power windows, map pockets to the backs of the front seats and zippered document pouch to the headliner, all faithfully included in this, its first and only restoration.
Elegantly finished in Alpine Grey over Black Garnet with parchment hides, we believe this 2018 Amelia Island Peoples Choice Trophy Winner is by far the finest and perhaps the only left drive example available anywhere in the world.
