24h Le Mans
M24 will open its doors at 10 a.m. on 28 May 2026. The new museum located at the main entrance to the Le Mans circuit harbours hundreds of magnificent tales of racing, plunging visitors into the world of motorsport.
Keeping a legend alive involves important restoration work. The Bentley 3 Litre, the car that covered the longest distance at the second 24 Hours of Le Mans is the oldest winner of the race still around to tell the tale! An automotive masterpiece, the car is currently being restored by Vintage Bentley in the United Kingdom and will soon take pride of place at M24.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans was an international event from the outset. In 1924, Briton Frank Clement and Canadian John Duff entered a specially-prepared Bentley 3 Litre. The nailbiting race was marked by a head-to-head between Bentley and Lorraine-Dietrich, and marred by sabotage: a part was hammered into one of the Bentley’s rear wheels to prevent its removal. Despite losing half an hour in the garage in vain attempts to change the wheel, Bentley won the race. The incredible victory cemented the event’s popularity in the United Kingdom and beyond, and sparked the formation of the group later known as the Bentley Boys. The actual Le Mans-winning 1924 Bentley 3 Litre, complete with its original engine, chassis, radiator and axle, will soon be on display at M24.
Such a gem deserves to be displayed at its best. So, before becoming one of the star pieces in the M24 collection, a renovation was in order. In 2023, the Bentley 3 Litre made the trip from Brooklands to Le Mans to celebrate the centenary of the race. The decision to conduct the restoration was taken on that occasion. Such an undertaking required thorough investigation. The chassis and the mechanics have been overhauled, and the bodywork, which was damaged, has been rebuilt.
William Medcalf of the Vintage Bentley workshop: “We have restored several classic Bentley’s of historic importance, so we were delighted when Fabrice Bourrigaud, ACO director of Culture & Heritage asked us to examine John Duff’s 1924 Le-Mans winning #8 Bentley 3 Litre (XT1606). For the very first time, 100 years of family history and official archives were scrutinised, casting new light on urban legends. We renovated the car to the exact state in which it appeared on the 1924 24 Hours of Le Mans starting grid, with all its imperfections and last-minute additions. The result is fascinating and questions the established narrative of Bentley’s racing beginnings. The award-winning team at Vintage Bentley, based in West Sussex, UK, is very proud of its finished work.”
The difficulty resided in obtaining the necessary records to piece together the past. A huge amount of research was conducted to ensure that all the car's parts were genuine. A former officer was hired to trace all the owners of the car and collect information on John F.Duff and Frank Clement. All sorts of documents turned up: including the original ownership papers and lost photos. Thanks to the precious finds, the renovators were able to establish that the bodywork was not that of 1924. It was therefore rebuilt in aluminium, to achieve the goal of restoring the car to its original state. The wood panelling and leatherwork were also reproduced – a massive project in itself! In all, Vintage Bentley spent some 3,700 hours on the renovation. Not content with being a backdrop for masterpieces, M24 – Museum of Motorsport breathes new life into them.
