1949 Bentley Mark VI

First registered in January 1949, ‘RYE 755’ was initially issued with the numberplate ‘MHX 1’; the likely value of the plate taken in conjunction with the huge expense involved in buying a Mulliner-bodied car in the first place, hints that T.L. Birrell of Eccleshill was a very wealthy individual indeed.

Supplied by Rippon Bros of Bradford in black and grey, it moved to its next owner in 1954 and then to a L. Kostoris & Son of Manchester in 1956, with whom it stayed until 1995.

Now finished in maroon, the seller bought it in 2017 and has poured money and love into it during the past seven years, maintaining it in the sort of condition that not only allowed it to gain an advisory-free MoT but gave him the confidence to drive it on the six-hour journey to us: “the old girl did it, and she did it without faltering.”
 

The Mulliner bodywork looks terrific, doesn’t it? Now maroon rather than the black and grey it left them finished in, its new colour is fittingly regal and suits the car perfectly.

It still presents well because the panels align nicely, the chrome is bright and straight, and the overall impression is of a car that settled into the autumn of its years with a quiet dignity some of us would do well to emulate.

The rear quarterlights on the Mulliner coachwork are distinctive and often draw favourable comment from the RREC crowd when the seller takes it along to his local meetings. The rear spats are worth noting too, as they are something the factory cars lack.

More modern indicators have been fitted to the rear, but they are a sensible upgrade and the change was made sympathetically. They also sit just above a very good chrome rear bumper that includes a wonderful Bentley badge in its centre.

The auxiliary driving and fog lights at the front are wonderfully of-the-period, and are supported by Bentley headlamps and working trafficators.

The 16-inch steel wheels are in good shape and are enhanced by very good maroon and chrome hubcaps. The tyres all have plenty of tread left on them and, even better, they’re matching 6.5R16 Bridgestone V-Steel radial tyres.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

Other reassuring signs include a badge confirming membership of the RREC, along with a window sticker confirming the seller donated to the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation; we find that the best cars come from good people, and the seller certainly qualifies as a very nice bloke indeed.

Not least because he was keen to point out that while the Bentley presents very well indeed, some work is needed around the spats and lamps to remedy the rust that’s starting to take hold.

We also note cracks to the paint beside the nearside front sidelight, condensation inside the nearside headlamp, and some light pitting and scratches to some of the chromework. 
 

The seller is also honest enough to admit that the interior is in “good order but not pristine”, a summary we think is largely accurate, if a bit pessimistic.

Because as long as you aren’t expecting a concours interior, we think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised by its condition and specification.

It’s got a full suite of instrumentation including a Smith’s 8-day clock and a Bentley speedometer, with minor gauges covering oil pressure, coolant temperature, battery charge, and fuel level.

The steering wheel contains the controls for the hand throttle, fuel/air mixture, and suspension damping.

The grey leather seats are piped with maroon to complement the colour of the coachwork, and the front door cards are finished in the same hue. The former are only very gently crumpled, while the latter are a little marked but still presentable.

The rear seats and door cards are in an even better condition than those in the front, and the accommodation on offer provides a luxurious and commodious seating position for up to three people.

Those in the back can also enjoy two fold-down picnic tables plus mirrors in each rear quarter panel and two beautiful reading lights.

The wooden trim along the dashboard and the tops of the doors is also proper wood; no plastic or thin artificial veneers used here, just natural materials that you can maintain with a good beeswax polish and restore with simple hand tools if and when it becomes necessary.

The carpets are in an excellent condition and look nearly new. The headlining is taut and clean. An upgraded, but still discreet, radio has been fitted.

The boot is a very good size and is as well trimmed as the rest of the interior.

As for things you might like to tidy up, there is some tape wrapped around the steering column plus some untidy wiring underneath the dashboard.
 

The engine bay is, like the rest of the car, very nicely presented without being overly fussy. Very useable, in fact, a summary we keep returning to and one we hope you don’t think damns with faint praise.

Because there is an awful lot to like under the bonnet including braided HT leads, Old School NGK sparkplug caps, metal plates from Bentley, H.J. Mulliner, and Jack Barclay, and evidence of recent expenditure along with a centre-hinged bonnet that provides unrivalled access.

The underside is protected by a coat of underseal, while nice touches include leather covers for the leaf springs and what looks like a recent exhaust.

However, if you wanted to put the old girl on axle stands this winter and work your way through underneath, killing what little surface rust there is before reapplying a good quality underseal, few would accuse you of being overly fussy.
 

A summary of the Bentley’s history is:

•    Supplied by Rippon Bros. of Bradford in January 1949 to T.L. Birrell of Eccleshill
•    1954 – the car moved to Esher, Surrey 
•    1956 – sold to L. Kostoris & Son of Manchester 
•    1995 – moved to York 
•    1996 – sold to someone in Pudsey, Yorkshire. A great deal of repair and restoration done on the car and by 2002 it was its present colour. It was off the road for some time
•    2009 – the Mark VI moved to Ealing, London, but for some of the time it was believed to be in Poland. With this ownership the original registration was sold and a new registration, ‘723 XUV’, was put on in 2009
•    2015 – the car moved again, this time to Kent 
•    2017 – the seller bought the Bentley and changed the registration to have the letters first and then the numbers, an arrangement he felt was more appropriate to the age of the car. However, he was careful to stay with a central London registration to suit the original, which we think is a charming detail that goes to the heart of how well he has curated it

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the marker for a change of colour.

The Mark VI’s history file includes the driver’s handbook, some historical factory paperwork, and more modern expired MoT certificates and invoices for servicing and maintenance over the years, including the comprehensive work we mention above.

The Bentley is fresh from a full service in June 2023 that included having a new brake master, one front slave cylinder, and new brake shoes fitted along with some miscellaneous fettling by the MoT Centre at a cost of just over £5,000

Despite not needing one the Bentley has an MoT until June 2025. Even better, it was issued without incurring a single advisory, which is mightily impressive and another very good sign.

To the sellers knowledge the engine was replaced in 2020 with a period-correct one of the same capacity and a similar age from a Bentley Mark VI, so we can’t see any cause for concern regarding originality.

We are told the car is “mechanically good” and “used regularly”, claims the MoT record suggest are probably accurate. 
 

With a guide price of between £20,000 and £25,000, we think this charming Bentley Mark VI will draw an awful lot of attention from our more discerning followers thanks to its overall condition and recent advisory-free MoT.

Yes, it does need a little work to enable it to fulfil its considerable potential but this sort of thing is part and parcel of running a car of this age and many enthusiasts find working on such a beautifully engineered car a pleasant change from wrestling with plastic engine covers and diagnosing fault codes…

And besides, good useable examples are where the smart money goes these days because not only can you can use it without fear but every job you tick off the (short) list of jobs adds enjoyment and value.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am- 12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.