Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Stored and kept by one family for a lifetime, this Bentley Speed Six has waited 86 years for its second chance at life.
It retains full service history from its factory delivery in 1929 through to 1936, when the final recorded mileage stood at 68,424.
The Speed Six was introduced in 1928, with the first of 183 chassis delivered in early 1929 as a more sporting evolution of the Bentley 6.5 Litre—an improvement designed for long-distance touring. It went on to become Bentley’s most successful racing car, with works entries achieving eight wins or second places from 11 races between 1929 and 1930.
Chassis WT2273 was built to order and completed its final factory test on 7 February 1929. Its first owner, Walter V. Rivers of Reading, kept it for three years and 29,000 miles before selling to Sir Francis McClean of Henley-on-Thames, then High Sheriff of Oxfordshire. McClean sold the car in 1937 with 65,404 miles. The fourth owner was Mr. R.D. Gregory of Cippenham House near Slough.
The Speed Six remained in use until 1949 before being barn-stored. In 1948, a fire broke out at Cippenham Farm; fortunately, WT2273’s body had already been removed. That same year, the chassis was driven around the farm as a rolling chassis during a BDC event, before being left outside for seven years. It was eventually sold as Graham Gregory began clearing his father’s collection.
The car was restored in 1999, with Graham enjoying the honour of driving his father around Silverstone in the revived Speed Six shortly before his passing.
Today, WT2273 belongs to Martin Dippie, who restored it with the goal of creating a reliable long-distance race and rally car—a goal realised when it competed in the Benjafields 24-Hour Endurance Race at Portugal’s Portimão Circuit.
Listen to the video to learn more from the very proud owner and to see it out on the Highlands Track!
Stored and kept by one family for a lifetime, this Bentley Speed Six has waited 86 years for its second chance at life.
It retains full service history from its factory delivery in 1929 through to 1936, when the final recorded mileage stood at 68,424.
The Speed Six was introduced in 1928, with the first of 183 chassis delivered in early 1929 as a more sporting evolution of the Bentley 6.5 Litre—an improvement designed for long-distance touring. It went on to become Bentley’s most successful racing car, with works entries achieving eight wins or second places from 11 races between 1929 and 1930.
Chassis WT2273 was built to order and completed its final factory test on 7 February 1929. Its first owner, Walter V. Rivers of Reading, kept it for three years and 29,000 miles before selling to Sir Francis McClean of Henley-on-Thames, then High Sheriff of Oxfordshire. McClean sold the car in 1937 with 65,404 miles. The fourth owner was Mr. R.D. Gregory of Cippenham House near Slough.
The Speed Six remained in use until 1949 before being barn-stored. In 1948, a fire broke out at Cippenham Farm; fortunately, WT2273’s body had already been removed. That same year, the chassis was driven around the farm as a rolling chassis during a BDC event, before being left outside for seven years. It was eventually sold as Graham Gregory began clearing his father’s collection.
The car was restored in 1999, with Graham enjoying the honour of driving his father around Silverstone in the revived Speed Six shortly before his passing.
Today, WT2273 belongs to Martin Dippie, who restored it with the goal of creating a reliable long-distance race and rally car—a goal realised when it competed in the Benjafields 24-Hour Endurance Race at Portugal’s Portimão Circuit.
Listen to the video to learn more from the very proud owner and to see it out on the Highlands Track!
