Just Arrived

Bentley Brooklands - FSD 788

Chassis:  55755

Fresh off the trailer and currently loitering near the testing ramp is this 1995 Bentley Brooklands. Silver over black leather — a quietly confident spec that doesn’t shout about itself, and frankly, doesn’t need to.

From a few paces back, it looks very tidy. The paint still shines, the panels are straight, and it has that unmistakable slab-sided Bentley presence. Step a little closer, though, and the usual suspects begin to show: bubbling in the arches, a few scabs here and there, and a general sense that British steel and British weather have been having a long, quiet disagreement. One headlight also appears to have picked a fight with moisture and lost — a single reflector bowl rusted just enough to add a certain “seen some things” expression to the front end. 

Inside, it’s all black leather and dark burled walnut. A less common combination than the usual cream-and-walnut, and all the better for it — smart, understated, and much easier to keep clean. The leather is creased and worn but not ruined. It looks used, not abused.

It came to us from a short-term owner — someone who likes a project but quickly realised that Bentley parts pricing is not for the faint-hearted. He got it running and driving, then gave us a call before the bills started arriving.

Now it sits here in Merry Lees, waiting for its turn under the lights. Whether it gets fixed up or parted out will depend on what we find underneath. For now, it’s sitting, waiting, and hoping we don’t notice the arches.