There is no one right restoration
Over the years VBE have undertaken restoration projects across all marques — from Pebble Beach concours restorations to sympathetic rebuilds that honour the years of patina and history that accumulate with owning such wonderful pieces of living history.
How far you take any restoration is entirely at the owner's discretion: as little or as much as required to complement the car and suit your needs. It all comes down to the customer, the car, and the vision. From barn finds to well-loved family heirlooms, we can help you restore your passion and create something truly special.
Original Patina
Preserving originality is something many owners strive to achieve. The patination that accumulates through eras of ownership is something VBE protect and celebrate as part of the car's history — honouring the car and restoring in a sympathetic manner.
Thorough research and the re-instilling of original parts lost along the way are key elements of this type of restoration. We spend our time carefully examining and producing period-correct results, so the final outcome truly reflects originality and character.
VBE can of course correct modern afflictions that are not period-correct — anything added or modified over the years can be reverted to original.
Concours Standard
“To build a fast car, a good car, the best in its class.”
— W.O. Bentley, Founder
Concours Standard restorations are the pinnacle — the principle being to highlight and celebrate the marque in its finest form. The romance of owning a best-in-show appeals to many, showcasing the car as it would have been straight from the factory.
Original parts, original styling, flawless painting, plating and trim accentuate the true beauty of a marque. Attention to detail and quality take precedence — nothing but perfection is acceptable.
Petronella — a vintage car with a modern-day twist
VBE's own project car, Petronella, is a great showcase for our unique in-house skills. She is the dream of VBE's owner, Tim Cresswell — who is now keen to help other Bentley enthusiasts build or restore their own vintage car.
The engine, previously a 3 Litre, has been converted to 4½ Litre specification with a 5.3 Litre cylinder block. It carries a forged semi-counterbalanced crankshaft and forged con-rods — all designed by VBE — with the bottom end converted from white metal to shell bearings, forged pistons, uprated needle-roller rockers and lightened valve gear.
Oil pump capacity has been doubled on high-speed driving gears. Ignition is converted from ML magnetos to Delco Remy coil. A bespoke lightweight flywheel carries a modern diaphragm clutch, and the original Bentley C-Type gearbox casing has been converted to take D-Type close-ratio gears, as per the later Blower cars. A Laycock overdrive with uprated main shaft lets the car cruise at 70mph at just 2,200rpm.
She runs a high-tensile aluminium differential housing with steel diff cage, produced by VBE; a 4½-pattern fuel tank with extra capacity and switchable dual fuel supply; hydraulic brakes in place of the original rods; and lightweight aluminium shock absorbers, double-mounted as per the Le Mans team cars.
The car, the vision, the craft
Tell us about your car — barn find or family heirloom — and we’ll talk through the right approach.
Contact the Workshop