My second Cyclekart build and another Brooklands era boat-tailed car. There's just something about those sleek lines.
The inspiration for this build is the Blower Bentleys of the early 1930's. One of the most iconic car of the pre-war racers. The Blower Bentley was developed to replace the Bentley six, a huge and heavy car which Ettore Bugatti once famously referred to as "the world's fastest lorry"
The addition of the blower to the 130hp 4 1/2 litre engine, increased power to a massive 240hp, easily besting the power made from the Six but with a fraction of the weight. But whilst the power was formidable, it came at the cost of reliability. Bentley’s Racing Manager, Nobby Clarke once said: “The Blower eats plugs like a donkey eats hay”.
AC/DC singer and car enthusiast Brian Johnson cited the 4½ Litre Le Mans as the best car he'd driven: "The first time I saw it, everything went north on us, except me jaw – that went south. I just had to have it. That car, I think, is a masterpiece… It was ludicrously expensive – I mean, just crackers."