1952 Bentley Other for sale $159,500
| 1952 Bentley Other $159,500 |
| Car Ad from: Hemmings View Original Ad |
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Price:
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$159,500
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| Contact: |
View Original Ad from Hemmings |
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Location:
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St. Louis, MO
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| Details: |
Introduced in 1946 the MkVI was Bentley’s the first postwar production car. This new car marked a major landmark and turning point for Bentley as it was the first in the company’s history to be offered as a complete car with a standardized production body built in house. Known as the Standard Steel Saloon the panels were built by Pressed Steel Ltd and assembled at the newly integrated Rolls Royce works in Crewe. While the practice of ordering custom coachbuilt bodies was falling out of favor and many of the traditional British firms were closing up shop it was still possible to order a MkVI with a custom body from any number of builders such as Freestone and Webb Radford H.J. Mulliner and Park Ward. But the vast majority of customers opted for the elegant and handsome Standard Steel Saloon body which helped make the MkVI Bentley’s most successful model to date. Mechanically it was similar to the pre-war MkV with independent front suspension on the substantial chassis and a 4.25 liter inline six. For the 1952 model year it was updated to the “big bore” 4.5 liter specification and available with either an automatic or four-speed manual gearbox. When properly maintained the MkVI is a reliable and robust motorcar with that exhibits the delightful over-engineered feeling of a classic Bentley. 4946 examples were produced the vast majority of which were sold with Standard Steel Saloon bodies. Yet a fraction of production did receive special coachwork as our featured example wears.From its foundation in 1919 Park Ward had maintained a very close relationship with Bentley. So much so that in 1931 Bentley had planned a takeover of the coachbuilding firm before Rolls Royce stepped in and took over Bentley. Park Ward coachwork has graced virtually every chassis made by Bentley from the earliest 3-liter cars through the 1990s when the name was used to denote specially equipped and limited edition models. For the MkVI Park Ward offered an elegant five-passenger Drophead Coupe body. The gorgeous flowing lines were minimally adorned with just a few flashes of chrome trim. Typically Park Ward the Drophead Coupe was elegant refined and restrained yet still capable of making a bold statement. Just 27 of its kind were produced before MkVI production shifted to the R-Type making it one of the rarest of the coachbuilt post-war Bentleys.Our fine example is a 1952 model desirably configured in left-hand drive with four-speed manual transmission and the big-bore 4.5 liter engine. Just 8 cars were produced in this specification for 1952. B135LNY is finished in Sand over Sable with a tan top and red coach stripes. The body is in very good order straight and tidy with fair quality older paint that is attractive yet showing some signs of use. It appears this Bentley has never had a full restoration but rather has been maintained and freshened as needed over the years. The result is a handsome and usable car with an appealing patina that encourages regular drives. Park Ward refined their design over the short production so many of them wear different detailing this example has full rear fender skirts that are cleverly hinged to access the wheels for service. A chrome strip follows the lower edge of the body and repeats on the wheel skirt and the car looks equally appealing with the top up or folded.In the cabin light tan leather is piped in brown and presents in good condition with fair carpets and good detailing. Smiths instruments are correct and in good working order. The door panels are executed in a lovely sunburst pattern and beautifully restored wood trim graces the door caps dash and windscreen surround. The wood trim is certainly a highlight of the interior restored to a high standard with gorgeous inlay banding and a deep rich gloss.This MkVI is mechanically sound having recently been treated to a full $29000 worth of service from Crewe-certified master technicians at Bentley Denver. The engine bay is tidy though in driver-quality condition. This
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