Some classic car owners are content to leave their charges in museums or humidity-controlled garages. Others believe the cars should be driven and even exposed to the same hazards they faced when new. Among the latter are members of the Bentley Drivers Club, who organised a tour of thirty-four vintage Bentleys ranging from 1925 to 1969 that began in Vancouver, BC, travelled north through Banff, Jasper, Prince George, and onto the Alaska Highway to Anchorage. From there they ferried to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island, then drove south to the finish at Victoria, BC's capital city. The cars and drivers came from England, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.

Victoria being a mere twenty miles from my home in Sidney, I was delighted to view more classic Bentleys than I'd seen in my entire lifetime. Some nineteen cars were original "W.O." Bentleys, built by Walter Owen Bentley prior to the sale of his assets to Rolls-Royce in 1931. As they arrived these fabulous classics lined up in front of the British Columbia parliament buildings, to the astonishment of tourists visiting from nearby Canadian and US cities. For these magnificent old classic cars and owners the tour was a challenge, which explains why some arrived with dirt and dust while a few looked as though they'd just had a visit with the detailers. Of the thirty-four classic Bentleys that began the tour only two failed to make it to the finish. Which tells you just how rugged these cars were when built. Most early Bentleys seemed to be painted British Racing Green but this 1928 4.25 liter was an exception, making it a favorite with spectators and photographers.



It seems as though no two Bentleys were alike, hence this beautiful 1939 4.25 liter, owned by David & Adele Cohen. I especially liked the crisp, creased cabin design.



And though it's a shame not to include all the Bentleys in the tour, let's conclude with a postwar example, when the great British cars, under the Rolls-Royce umbrella, had become elegant continental tourers.



[Thanks to contributor Nigel Matthews for making me aware of this unique event.]