Custom Bentley sells for $40,000 at Shannons Motor Show Auction

Originally owned by Mr. Charles Lloyd-Jones, the then-owner of the David Jones retail chain, the Bentley was purchased new from Jack Barclay Limited in Mayfair, London. Some time after Jones shipped the car out here, it was sold to John Vawser Motors of New South Wales before it was acquired by the vendor, The Right Honourable 6th Earl of Stradbroke, Keith Rous.

Soon after the Earl purchased it, the Bentleywas converted into utility form, with a distinctive "woody" style rear,by a George Williams in Camperdown, NSW. If that wasn't enough, Rous made sure the Bentley was even more eye-catching by painting the metal components of the body in bright yellow, with green signwriting for his Mt. Fyans cattle property. Infamous for his eccentricities, the "green and gold" theme has been duplicated on the Earl's convertible Rolls-Royce. The ute has been maintained for the past 20 years by Pro Star Motors in Hawthorn, Victoria.

Regularly displayed at the Australian National Motor Museum over the past fifteen years, the Bentley has been driven sparingly and in 2011 it was kindly donated by the Earl to the Trinity Grammar School. In the Earl's letter to the school he indicated that it be "used by the School or to be sold to donate funds to the School".The school decided to offer it for sale, with all proceeds to go to the building of a new library facility.

Offered with no reserve, the unique Bentley S1 ute sold for $40,000 to a UK-based phone bidder and is believed to be heading back to the Old Dart to be added to the new owner's collection. It'll be sure to turn as many heads there - if not more - as it did here!

Image courtesy of Shannons