Road & Track has a short story about the 1929 Blower Bentley, wherein they mention that it was one of
James Bond's first cars, in the books anyway. The
Blower Bentley was the brain child of Tim Birkin who wanted to go racing. Automobile racing is expensive.
Tim found a backer in
Dorothy Paget, who liked racing horses. Apparently it was her only occupation. Horse racing is an expensive hobby. How was she paying for this? Not to worry,
Dorothy was richer than god, having inherited fortunes from both sides of her family.
Her mother, Pauline, was one of the
American Whitneys.
Her father, Hugh Paget, was an English peer who started life with $5 and a ticket to America where he started a cattle ranch in Iowa, of all places. Later he hooks up with
Henry Melville Whitney and they form the Dominion Coal and Steel Companies and make a fortune. And in case you haven't put two and two together: Henry is Pauline's father.
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| Eli Whitney |
Henry is descended from
Eli Whitney, famous for the cotton gin and interchangeable parts.
That photo does NOT show a Blower Bentley; it is normally aspirated and 6 years younger. But yes, it's the movie car. The movie did not follow the book.
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