The Abbott religion

Sir,

Below are a few facts regarding the queries raised in the letter from D Metcalf (September issue).

E R Hall pre-war was a West Yorkshire mill owner, producing worsted cloth in Hudderfield. The photo in 50 years of the Marquea on page 156 shows Eddie Hall’s 1933 ‘Abbott’ body originally installed on his Bentley chassis B35AE, and not the Tourist Trophy body used in 1934. This ‘Abbott’ body was taken out to South Africa post-war, and sold to be mounted on the vintage Bentley chassis as the picture shows.

In 1987 the vintage Bentley returned to England to have a Vanden Plas style body fitted, more in keeping with a vintage Bentley. The ex-Eddie Hall ‘Abbott’ body was put up for sale and was bought by Mr SF Bulling who fitted it onto a Bentley chassis B145DK.>/p>

In 1990 the Bentley chassis, complete with ‘Abbott’ Body, was sold on to a Mr. CPB Horsley, who had recently found Bentley chassis B187BL in America, which in 1934/35 had originally been fitted with the ‘Abbott’ body by Eddie Hall, so finally the correct chassis and body were reunited.

Incidentally on page 168 of 50 years of the Marque there is a photo of the same ‘Abbott’ body fitted on Bentley chassis to wear this body.

Finally Bentley chassis B 187BL, registration No BGO 387, with the much travelled ‘Abbott’ body, was put up for auction by Coys at the Nürburgring. It was not sold. and the present location of this car is not known.

I am,Yours etc,

F Turtle, Cottingham, East Yorkshire