What once was old is new again, with Blower Bentleys from Crewe again. Yesterday we told you about a trio of Bentley cars built by their Mulliner custom shop. The most anticipated is a continuation of the 1928 Supercharged 4-1/2 Litre. Limited to a dozen examples, nothing has been left to chance. That is why a new 1928 Bentley Blower engine has roared to life.
Bentley Mulliner is Building a Trifecta For Salon Privé
After building an exact replica of the front suspension, they dusted off an engine dyno that was last used in WW2 to calibrate the Merlin V12. The analog dynamometer is a work of art, and so is the beast bolted to it. Building a new version of an old engine is not easy. In my case, it took years to learn how to port heads, lap valves, set breaker points, and listen to the ignition timing. While these procedures are not completely gone, we are looking at the end of an era. Computers and machine tools simply do a better job, but the reward of a classic engine is unlike anything else. Once the break-in is done, we will share the dyno results with you, so stay with us for all your Bentley news.
