1948 Bentley Mk VI Special

A nod to the iconic Bentley specials of the early '30s, this Bentley Mk VI Special offers endless driving pleasure while being surprisingly practical too.

Paint

Finished in British Racing Green fabric and metal. The painted areas are finished to a lovely standard, with good coverage and colour across each panel. The painted areas would benefit from a good polish to bring any very light swirl marks out. Being picky, we also noticed a small patch of discolouration on the rear fuel tank.

Again, we have taken hi-resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork for yourselves.

Bodywork

The classic fabric / metal bodywork of this Bentley looks in great condition, with all the panel gaps around the car looking to align very well for a car of this age.

Tom had a custom canvas roof and wooden trunk made for the car, designed by himself, assembly is easy and stores away nicely within the boot trunk.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Dashboard

The dashboard in this Mk VI Special shows no signs of any major damage or scuffs, just some light patina around the clocks.

With no warning lights displayed, the odometer showed a reading of ~22,407 miles on our visit.

Tom tells us that he changed the speedo in 2019 at ~47,200 miles and replaced it with a refurbished clock reading ~18,250 miles. On the consignment we took a reading of ~22,407.

The drive

An extremely fun and memorable journey is offered in the MK IV Special, you’re exposed to all the elements when the roof is down and be sure to have a smile beaming across your face.

The car fired up the first time with no issues to report. On the road with Tom, the car felt tight, it had plenty of power to push it along the road too.

We didn’t notice any unusual noises coming from the engine or suspension either.

Glass and trim

The glass on this Mk VI Special example looks great and in line with restoration, we didn't notice any chips, cracks, or discolouration on our visit. The window seals look good too and in line with the rest of the condition of the car.

The chromed elements, window surrounds, and both leather straps for the bonnet/spare wheel all look in great condition too.

The windscreen can be easily detached and two aero screens can be fitted instead.

Wheels and tyres

The 16" Red painted wheels give this MK VI Special a lot of character and tastefully match the chassis. On this example, the wheels appear in good condition, with no sign of any obvious damage to any of the hubs from our observation.

The wheels are fitted with Blockley tyres, dated 2011 and 2021 and these appear to also be in good condition too, with a good amount of tread remaining and no visible cracking or signs of age to the outside sidewalls.

Seats and carpets

The British Racing Green leather seats present in very good condition for the age of the car. Slight signs of patina are beginning to show to the seats, door cards, and pedals which of course only adds to the character of the car. Carpets appeared to be in good condition too.

Tom has solved the problem of lack of storage in these older cars by fabricating a front storage box to go between the driver and passenger with the addition of a modern fire extinguisher.

Please take a look at the photos and video below to decide on the condition of the seats and carpets for yourself.

Engine and gearbox

As mentioned, the car is fitted with a 1952 4.3L Full Flow engine from Bentley. On the day of our visit we started the car from cold, and it performed well out on the road - the engine pulled nicely, idled smoothly, and ran without fault.

Tom has fitted a spare coil and fuel pump within the engine bay.

On our visit there was a small oil leak caused by a stone chip to the sump which Tom will get repaired before the end of the auction.

Tom reports the car starts from cold with no issues and drives well with its manual four-speed gearbox powering the wheels.

Please take a look at the mechanical video to see the car starting from cold, driving around, and for a closer look underneath the Mk VI Special.

Electrics and other

Tom has fitted a cigarette lighter and 2x USB connection for practicality while on his longer road trips.

We didn’t test all the electrics during our visit, but Tom reports that to his knowledge all of the electrics are functional and operational, in line with the rest of the condition of the car.

History and paperwork

The car has history dating back to it’s ‘Special’ conversion in the early ‘80s. The car also comes with a photos documenting the conversion carried out by Nicholas and Ken and was originally owned by the Spanish Embassy in London. Take a look at this history and paperwork media to see the previous MOT reports, parts this Mk VI Special has received over its life. This Mk IV Special comes with tonneau cover with zip, door tops and roof which can be neatly stowed in the boot.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa.

So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Suspension and brakes

The suspension appears in good condition and provided a smooth journey on the Warwickshire roads.

Please watch the On the Road video to see our short drive in the car, it felt just as you'd expect for a Bentley from this era - an amazing driving experience.

Steering wheel gear stick

The Bentley drivers club steering wheel presents in good condition, finished in aluminium with a wood rim.

Please take a look at the image gallery to see the detail of the interior.