By David Berthon - Chair of the Motoring Committee

Finding a 1963 Bentley S3 Drophead convertible is no easy feat. While Bentley produced 1318 Bentley S3 saloons between 1962 and 1965 just two right-hand drive Drophead convertibles were produced by H.J. Mulliner-Park Ward Ltd.

We were somewhat lucky some years ago when both drophead convertibles ended up in NSW with chassis B768CN perhaps the more interesting of the two. Delivered new in the U.K. it changed hands in 1967, purchased by Jim Hunt, then production manager of the James Bond films. Over the next 25 years it traveled extensively to locations for the latest 007 movies until purchased by Sydney property developer Lang Walker in 1993 and imported into Australia.

By then it was getting rather shabby in the body, so the two-door convertible was given a full body off restoration taking over 3000 manhours. I caught up this luxury drophead soon after and it proved a real surprise package on a return trip to Canberra.

I had expected this graceful but somewhat hefty two-door four-seater to have a few age limitations but came away impressed by its overall competence. The real surprise is the body rigidity, the overall comfort, and the open road performance. Interestingly, S3 Dropheads started life as normal four-door sedans and were then transported to the Mulliner Park Ward division to convert.

This coachwork division stems from Rolls Royce’s purchase of long-standing coachbuilder H.J. Mulliner Ltd. in 1959. Two years later H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd. was formed, which by 1971 was renamed Rolls Royce Motors Ltd. The coach building company built extensive stiffening into the firewall region to sustain rigidity although I suspect the drop head weighs considerably more than the saloon. When considers this cars age and the lack of computer design at the time it is amazingly free of scuttle shudder.

The leather top with full electric operation, one of the first in 1963, folds neatly into the parcel shelf without inhibiting boot space. Power source is Bentley’s trusty 6.2-litre 90-degree alloy V8 with hydraulic tappets and twin SU carburetors driving through a column-shift three-speed automatic. Surely this trademark Bentley engine is one of the all-time greats and it powers this big car in an almost effortless manner.

Perhaps the only hint of its age is the hesitant nature of the General-Motors sourced four-speed automatic – especially in the first to second gear motion where the gear changing can be inconsistent compared to the electronic automatics of today. Once cruising in fourth gear however this big convertible settles down and is at its best at the 110 km/hour open road limit. Having stood for some time its Avon TurboSpeed nylon-based tyres on 15-inch rims took some kilometres to smooth out.

The suspension on the front is coil spring independent wit hydraulic shock dampers while semi-elliptic springs at the rear feature hydraulic shock dampers controlled by a switch on the steering wheel. On winding roads, the latter proved most helpful and helped maintain a relatively flat cornering attitude at all times. And surprisingly, despite the lack of front disc brakes, powerful servo assistance on the large drums gives it enormous braking ability but not without some fade with overzealous use.

Motor Sport suggested in 1963 that “at the maximum speed of 116.3mph, the quietness level remains virtually the same as for 30mph, so that the volume of the radio does no need to be increased.” We’ll have to take their word for that.