1952 Bentley Mk6 Freestone and Webb

Even though he’s selling it, it’s obvious that owner and general Bentley aficionado Peter is very fond of this late production, Freestone and Webb-bodied Mark Vl saloon.

‘It’s faultless to drive,’ he says , standing in front of the car; ‘maintains good oil pressure, easy clutch (it’s a manual), easily keeps up with modern traffic.’ He pauses in thought for a moment. ‘In fact it drives better than that one.’ He points at a rare Park Ward-bodied coupe that the saloon is making way for. (This time, looks win).

Like many a classic car enthusiast, he has restored the car beyond what makes economic sense.

‘I wanted to bring them back to life,’ he says. That he has certainly done with the Mk6.

The late-production (1952) Freestone and Webb-bodied 4.5-litre saloon was bought from a deceased estate in 2018, the previous owner (one of only three others) having owned it since 1975. During all it’s life it had only covered some 35,000 miles. Even so, Peter set about refettlting the Bentley.

All fluids - and the cooling system - were drained, and their tanks flushed. The water pump was replaced. Dynamo and points were all freshened up and the fan belt replaced. The brakes were rebuilt, the dampers ‘topped up’, and the ride control pipes replaced. The car was treated to four new tyres and a stainless steel exhaust.

On top of that, the Bentley underwent a thorough cosmetic refresh - new paint, new leather and refurbished woodwork, until, as you can see, it shone like a new pin.

‘The main thing,’ says Peter, staring earnestly at the MkVl, ‘is that it goes to a good home.’

We think it will.

Resprayed less than two years ago, this Bentley is an extremely smart looking car - from a distance or close up. Walk right up to the car and you will see a smooth and beautifully polished finish. There is no overspray on the door seals, nor on the piping between the wings and bodywork, which maintains a constant height and width. There are a few tiny little ripples - perhaps on a door bottom edge, but these, if you can find them, are very small. There are one or two small rougher surfaces (not corroded) such as at the intersection of the B-pillar and door on the driver’s side, but these are extremely minor.

Also, there is a chip in the driver’s side lower door panel, but this will be repaired before the car goes to its new home.

Thinking of panels - shape and sizes - there are some actually quite awkwardly shaped (from a construction point of view) box and panel sections on this Bentley, but everything fits together very nicely with consistently narrow and parallel gaps between sections. That includes the folding sections of the bonnet - you just have to get the knack. The rear wheel arch spats also fit well.

Setting off that dark maroon rather nicely is all of that chrome of course. There is a little pitting or handling wear to some parts, but the overall effect of the brightwork is excellent. Again, like the paintwork, you can come in very close and see the details are clean, the brightwork well jointed and free of any discolouration or corrosion. Looking around and behind bumpers or down window gaps, there is nothing to make you frown. You might see very slight delamination on the nearside edge of the windscreen and that the very thin seal around it is very slightly perished, but still very tidy looking.

One cheeky detail that you won’t notice is that the wing-top side lights are actually LEDs and a combination of indicator and side lights - how nifty is that?

This car makes a very good first impression.

Like the outside, the interior benefited from extensive renovation.

The cream leather is soft and supple and shows no signs of scuffing or wear anywhere. All cushions retain their shape and none of them sag when sat on. Like the exterior, one of the reassuring aspects of this cabin is how, when you delve into the detail, the finish isn’t let down by rough edges or dirt in seams or corners. All details are very clean and tidy. There are one or two chips in door pillars/cavities, but nothing to really detract from the overall effect.

The deep red carpets are spotless, retain their shape - no curling up - and with their contrasting edge piping complement the leather well. The whole cabin comes together ensemble to create the perfect period ambience for both driver and passengers.

The burr walnut has to be one of the best features of the interior; highly figured throughout, with rich colour and detail in the grain. Its High gloss finish - no signs of fade or cracking in the lacquer - is consistent across door tops, the rear picnic tables and the dashboard itself.

Set perfectly in the woodwork, the dials and instruments are all present and correct. Numbers remain bright - including the printing on the central control dial, which can still be read, and the chromed control knobs remain well plated. The correct period radio is retained.

The steering wheel is similarly in very good order, the chromed centre boss remains bright - as do the thumb controls - and the wording around the wheel hub is very tidy and easily legible. There are no scratches.

The headlining is clean and taut and the sunroof slides back without sticking. It was the subject of its own restoration and the cassette was totally removed and the woodwork and mechanism renovated.

Door handles and window winders are bright and all work as they should - no wobbles or rattles. The picnic tables and the windows work quite smoothly.

The whole space will entertain your passengers as much as you.

Where the body and cabin retain the glow of restoration, the engine compartment is a bit more ‘real world’. That isn’t to say untidy. Bulkhead, sidewalls and the underside of the bonnet are all pretty clean. There is a dusting of surface rust on (bulkhead) bolts, but nothing remotely significant. Engine components and ancillaries have their share of scuffs, but these are from maintenance rather than neglect, and the whole bay has a no-nonsense workmanlike feel about it. Wires, cables and hoses all look tidy, and there are no cracks in the Bakelite or rust in screw heads. The motor starts on the button and runs very smoothly with no spluttering or blue smoke.

It’s good to see just how robust this car appears underneath. As stated, it has only driven some 36,000 miles in its whole life - and probably most of that in dry weather. There is superficial corrosion on the underside, but everything looks pretty healthy.

Joints, springs and bolts look to be in good shape, while chassis rails and box sections appear strong with no holes or any significant dents. In fact all suspension and structural assemblies look to be in excellent health and inspire great confidence in the car as a whole. There is nothing that would discourage you from going on any sort of driving tour.

The boot space appears solid, it’s carpet tidy enough and the spare wheel firmly secured (and in good condition too). The hinges look strong. There are some scuffs to the under side of the lid and a small hole in the fabric. And there’s plenty of space for a weekend’s worth of cases.

The MarkVl retains its original handbook, some copies of older documents and pictures of the car being repainted. Unfortunately, there aren’t many receipts from its earlier life, but then neither did it cover a lot of miles during that time. Even so, and very reassuringly,most of the potentially crucial refettling has been done in recent times.

However, at the time of photographing, not all of the invoices from the extensive work Peter had done were available to see. Even so, should a potential bidder find them essential to view, they can easily be made available.

A handful of owners, low mileage and an extensive refresh make this characterful Bentley a very easy car to like and trust. Plus, it is a gutsy, entertaining and practical classic that represents an awful lot of fun - and a decent investment of your money. It will make a lovely touring car or be great for drives out alone. We expect it go sell for between £26,000 and £36,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the owner in Dundee Scotland. To arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

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