Is this Ex-Peter Sellers Bentley Worth a Shot in the Dark?

H&H Classics

A 1960 Bentley S2 Continental that was once owned by British comedy legend Peter Sellers will be auctioned in March.

Sellers was the Continental’s second keeper and ran it from November 1961 to July 1966, ensuring it was regularly maintained by Jack Barclay in London. In addition to keeping the Bentley in perfect running order the dealer was commissioned by the comedian to reprofile the front wings and add two additional headlights. Sellers also had a smoked glass rear-view mirror fitted with a longer arm that allowed the sun visor to move without restriction.

“Sellers was a man who changed his cars so often, his fellow star of The Goon Show, Spike Milligan, referred to them as ‘metal underwear’, so to have retained this Bentley for so long, shows how much he cherished it,” says Damian Jones, senior motorcar specialist, at auctioneers H&H Classics.

Peter Sellers 1960 Bentley Continental
H&H Classics

Sellers’ Bentley is one of only 60 right-hand-drive S2 Continentals that were elegantly dressed in Drophead Coupe bodywork by coachbuilders Park Ward. In its day it was one of the most expensive cars in the world costing £8,246 2s 6d—an equivalent of almost £160,000 ($204,000) in 2024. You could have bought a Ferrari 250 GT and still had enough change for a Jaguar Mk2 3.8 for the same outlay.

The Pink Panther star’s car is estimated to fetch £120,00-£150,000 ($153,00-$191,000) when it goes to auction on March 13 at H&H Classics’ Imperial War Museum sale. It comes fresh from one of the world’s biggest collections of Continentals and is sold with an extensive history file which includes invoices showing the car being delivered to the set of the 1963 Ealing Comedy The Wrong Arm of the Law. Assorted Sellers memorabilia is also part of the package.

The Continental is unrestored and in need of recommissioning, and/or restoration, so it could be something of A Shot In The Dark with plenty more to spend on top of the final sales price.

Peter Sellers 1960 Bentley Continental 2
H&H Classics

 

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Comments

    I do not believe that Mr. Sellers did that car any favors with the “reprofile (of) the front wings and add two additional headlights”.

    That is an understatement. If I were restoring it those extra headlights would be the first thing I would get rid of. Even though the color may be original, I would change it. But then, that is just me.

    Man that’s one rough ugly puppy ! It would be a hard call to decide weather to restore it to it’s original condition or to restore it ,,as is , having the Peter Sellers provenance ?

    The estimated sale price must be because of the Sellers provenance is all I can figure and it would likely take double that to ever make it into something even worth while IMHO ? I guess there’s an A** for every seat though , but what do I know?

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