This 1926 3-Litre Bentley Tourer, chassis number HP 383, has led a fascinating life of teardowns and rebirth. It is believed to have originally been built as an H.J. Mulliner coupe on a long chassis, an unusual combination. Its first owner is recorded as J.C. Wood in Michael Hay'sBentley: The Vintage Years. At some point rather early in its life, the Bentley is said to have been cut to the shorter chassis length of 9 feet, 9 inches.

Edward Mortimer-Rose, a decorated Royal Air Force fighter pilot from Littleport, Cambridgeshire, England, who flew Supermarine Spitfires in the Battle of Britain, acquired the car in the late thirties or early forties. Photos that his nephew shared with the Vintage Bentleys International Owners' Organization show Mortimer-Rose next to his shortened Bentley, bearing two-seater bodywork and wartime modifications to the headlights. The photos were taken while stationed at RAF Warmwell in Dorset, England, ahead of his squadron’s deployment to North Africa in November 1941, where he would be killed in action at the age of 22. Mortimer-Rose left the Bentley to his girlfriend, who is believed to have emigrated to North America following the war.

History compiled by the current owner and briefly outlined in Hay's book indicates that the 3-Litre was subsequently elongated back to its original 10 feet, 10 inches and supplied with a four-seat replica Vanden Plas body in the late eighties by noted Bentley restorer Stanley Mann of Radlett, Hertfordshire, England. The car is said to have been later acquired by two Swiss gentlemen, who purportedly raced it in the Alps. One of them subsequently moved to New Brunswick, Canada, where the current owner saw the car and eventually acquired it in 2003. By the time he took possession, the Bentley had been fitted with a replacement 3.0-liter inline-four—number 308—from a 1924 model, which the owner had overhauled in 2015 by Pierce Reid in Stowe, Vermont.

To make driving more enjoyable and reliable, the owner installed an overdrive and retained the original driveshaft, which is included in the sale. He also replaced the dynamos with alternators and coils, installed an electrical cut-off switch, replaced the vacuum pump with an electric one, had the brakes and clutch relined, and replaced the headlights with LED units. A previous owner installed two radiator fans, according to the consignor.

Lovingly maintained and joyfully driven to club meets and on tours during 23 years of current ownership, the car and its owner have traveled well and far together, including 1,000 miles to Toronto for a Rolls-Royce Owners' Club meet around 12 years ago and on a tour in New York State. Now this remarkable Bentley beckons a future owner to continue enjoying it on the road and at events, where its interesting history can be retold to future generations. In addition to the original-type driveshaft, a history file accompanies the vehicle.