| Author | Message | ||
     michael vass Experienced User Username: mikebentleyturbo2 Post Number: 29 Registered: 7-2015 |
hope you like the car  | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1735 Registered: 4-2003 |
The classic "barn car" find - something most of us would like to experience  . | ||
| Christian S. Hansen Frequent User Username: enquiring_mind Post Number: 53 Registered: 4-2015 |
Not found in a barn, but still my reliable daily driver:  | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 480 Registered: 5-2015 |
The cartoon is an accurate drawing of a Dawn. Regency red over black is the classic colour scheme for a Dawn it just looks so correct. The Dawn was intended very much to be owner driver. I have driven R type Bentleys and slow and ponderous is incorrect they go better than some think. The engines are very smooth. They make good daily drivers and will happily run at 70mph. MPG is better than some think as well. 20mpg possible. I am jealous because I have always wanted a Dawn. The Cloud to me looks to heavy. It shows in the Photos. The Dawn looks lighter ( and it is). My Shadow looks lighter than it is. The Dawn came from the 20hp idea a small owner driver car. The 40/50hp was for limousines and big cars. These became eventually Wraiths and Phantoms. The Cloud changed this and the Shadow reinforced the change. So in a sense of market place development the Dawn and the Bentley R type were the last of a line. Local to me id a Bentley R type "mk 6 " type 4 door saloon. It's in daily use and silently runs around Bournemouth. Cross ply tyres and a dented rear bumper. | ||
| Christian S. Hansen Frequent User Username: enquiring_mind Post Number: 55 Registered: 4-2015 |
Robert... I love "most" of the Dawn, especially the Pre-War design, but the steering is ponderous to the point where parallel parking is a chore and makes the car fell heavier than it is. The power assist steering finally introduced with the Cloud creates an effortless dream and makes the car feel lighter than it is. P.S. Correct me if I err, but the only issue with the cartoon's premise is that the Dawn was not available in '49?  Cloud for comparison | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 1655 Registered: 6-2009 |
Christian, Wasn't the Silver Dawn produced between 1949 and 1955? Not that I think the premise of a brand new (or very nearly) car being immediately parked in a barn is particularly tenable. Brian, who feels like we're picking nits | ||
| Christian S. Hansen Frequent User Username: enquiring_mind Post Number: 56 Registered: 4-2015 |
Brian... Oh, yes, the shame of it...my rusty recollections. What I was thinking was that for the first several years the Silver Dawn was apparently an "export only" model and unavailable on the "home market", i.e. UK., and in any event, the long boot variant (as also on the R type Bentley) did not come about until the early '50s. Yes, tivialities! | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 481 Registered: 5-2015 |
The photo of the cloud does show the car well. With the addition of power steering a Dawn or R type is easy to drive. One must compare the Dawn with other makers contemporary offerings and the Dawn comes out quite well. My first experience of a R type was a drive of 5 miles to the workshop the car felt soft and wallowly. At the workshop we changed the springs and overhauled the dampers. This made a vast improvement. The owner was equally impressed. | ||
| Christian S. Hansen Frequent User Username: enquiring_mind Post Number: 57 Registered: 4-2015 |
Robert... Interesting idea about adding power assist to the steering. Is it truly feasible? When I looked at the assist ram and seemingly different front suspension on the Cloud, I assumed that it would be impractical. Has it been done? I assume you would need the donor parts from a Cloud? So...not that I will rush right out and do it..but is it occasionally done and at least moderately cost effective, or is it simply in the realm of "you can do anything with a suitable application of funds, time, and effort"? P.S. I assure you that the MkVI, R Type, and Silver Dawn as from the factory and not abused/neglected is tight and firm on the road and not the least bit "boatish" or prone to wandering, even at speed. As a youth, I had the pleasure of owning one in near perfect condition with little more than 20K miles and dealer maintained by F. Dale and I was suitably impressed. I regret to this day having ever parted with it. The problem that I have noticed is that while the Bijur chassis lubrication system will essentially provide limitless life to the chassis IF USED, most subsequenet owners once the car is deemed "simply an old car", and especially American owners I suspect, are entirely clueless about the lubrication system, have never read the owner manual, have no idea what the pedal under the dash is for, if they even noticed it, and when looking at the chassis and seeing no obvious grease fittings, end up assuming that it is sealed for life and never needs lubricating. As a result, 50+ years of never lubricating the chassis can destroy a chassis. When a sales pitch on car for sale (or one detailing all the restoration work that was done) includes references to all or any suspension works done (king pins usually) that is a giant red flag and means that the chassis was never lubricated for 50+ years and that the rest of the car is absolute worn out junk as well. Such a pity given that the system was specifically designed to avoid that wear if properly lubricated. Properly maintained, they run like a vintage sewing machine...that is, forever, if adjusted and lubricated. | ||
| Carl Heydon Frequent User Username: car Post Number: 68 Registered: 2-2004 |
I love the one shot lube. It's not perfect but the effortless use makes any flaws pale into insignificance. One of my MkVIs had rear springs grease nippled and I added nipples to the top of the kingpins and yes one does need to occasionally check that everything is 'damp'. It helps that my garage floor is gravel and my opinion may change if and when I concrete, but a bit of plastic and old carpet would solve that. If, like most old RR&B, they are not used as cars then it doesn't matter but B14BH has covered 100,000 hard miles under my bum and all is tight except a couple of mm in the centre steering pivot. I have enquired about electric power steer for the Mk VI but I cannot find anyone in Australia and sending my steering column to Europe is silly and doubles the cost. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 483 Registered: 5-2015 |
Power assisted steering is available. 2 types. The valves are between the steering box and the column. Or the power ram has the valves fitted to the ram chassis mounting bit. The compression or tension on the mounting operates the valves inside the mounting. Either type works well but the latter type is simpler. Especially if retro fitting. Another option is to retro fit a power steering box from say a Range Rover. But this is not as straightforward as it first appears because of steering geometry and originality. | ||
| Christian S. Hansen Frequent User Username: enquiring_mind Post Number: 61 Registered: 4-2015 |
Robert... You have piqued my curiosity. Any leads you can relate, especially the variant you referred to as the simpler of the two? Thanks if you can find any further information. |
