Classic cars come with classic car problems. The sort of reliability we take for granted today was unheard of thirty years ago. Classic cars don't start in cold weather They overheat in hot weather. They leak brake fluid. Their wiper motors break. Bits of trim fall off them. Their clutches fail. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
And it's not like you can take it down to your local mechanic and have them fixed. Parts are expensive or unavailable. In the days before eBay you had to go to swap meets and scrap yards in the hopes of finding the part you needed. It was Hell.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel though, at least for those who own a Bentley built between 1955 and 2002. To ease the burden on its U.S. aficionados, Bentley Motors is planning a road trip across the U.S.A., bringing with them over a thousand heritage parts and genuine accessories.
Dubbed the Bentley Heritage Roadshow, the idea is that Bentley owners will be able to get specialist and hard-to-find parts, as well as genuine accessories, direct from the original manufacturer. And if Bentley doesn't have the part you need on the day, then they can organize to have it shipped over from Crewe.
"Our task is to continue to provide these passionate owners and drivers with the service and parts they need." said Steve O'Hara, Director for After-Sales at Bentley.
Carrying everything from complete V8 engines to as-good-as-new owner manuals (still in their original packaging!), you're sure to find the right part for your Bentley.
The Roadshow starts its journey in California on September 16th, before passing through New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina and Texas before finishing up in Florida on October 23rd. If you are a Bentley owner who would like to get his hands on some genuine parts, contact your local dealer for further details.
By Tristan Hankins
