Bentley Mk VI 6 H.J. Mulliner 'Lightweight' Saloon 1951
General description :
1951 Bentley Mark 6 H.J. Mulliner 'Lightweight' Saloon
Chassis Number: B140MD
Registration Number: 662 YUX
Vintage & Prestige Fine Motors Cars are proud to present this 1951 Bentley MK VI H.J. Mulliner 'Lightweight' Saloon for sale. These very special all-aluminium 'Lightweight' Saloons were offered by H.J. Mulliner to those wanting something sleeker and more stylish than Bentley's Standard Steel Saloon. A significant premium reinforced the idea that these Lightweights were only reserved for Bentley's most discerning customers, with a price tag of £5105 versus the £3674 for the Standard Steel Saloon.
Only 41 of these aluminium 'Lightweight' Saloons were produced by H.J. Mulliner between 1951 and 1953. What makes this particular car even more desirable is that it is powered by Bentley's Big Bore 4.5L straight-six engine, demonstrating a healthy power increase over the previous 4.25L, as well as being fitted with dual exhaust pipes.
Presented here in Tudor Grey over Shell Grey, with a grey Vaumol leather interior and grey West of England cloth headlining, this Bentley MK VI H.J. Mulliner 'Lightweight' Saloon, B140MD, was exhibited at the 1951 Geneva Motor Show before being sold to its first owner, Monsieur Ervin Piquerez of Bassecourt, Switzerland. Mons. Piquerez was the founder and owner of Ervin Piquerez S.A., the company that invented the super-compressor, a dive-resistant watch case. The car remained in the Piquerez family until 2007, after which it was repatriated to the UK, where it underwent a massive 3-year restoration to return it to as-new condition.
Highlights of this extensive body-off restoration include:
- Fully overhauled chassis
- Complete overhaul of the entire fuel system, including the tank, the pumps and the filters
- Wiring loom completely rebuilt
- Rear springs removed and overhauled
- Shock absorbers removed and overhauled
- Steering system completely rebuilt
- All chrome removed and triple plated
- Bare metal repaint
- Any corroded aluminium cut out and replaced
- Complete braking system overhaul
- Complete interior strip-out and refurbishment
- Complete interior electrics overhaul
- Engine stripped and overhauled
A full list of the work carried out, with invoices to match, accompanies the large history file. Further upgrades added to the car include electronic ignition, Flexolite full flow oil filtration with spin-off canister, and uprated front anti-roll bar links.
As a result of its Swiss ownership, this right hand drive car is fitted with a speedometer in Km/h, and has only covered a mere 59,000Km from new.
This is certainly a unique opportunity to purchase such a fantastically-restored Bentley MK VI in this ultra-rare all-aluminium 'Lightweight' body by H.J. Mulliner. The car is available for immediate viewing at our showroom.
Before becoming a mere subsidiary to Rolls-Royce, Bentley was an independent Automaker famous for the "fastest lorries in the world" e.i Bentley 4½ Litre.
Good ol' Bentley boys (A group of wealthy British motorists, mainly Woolf Barnato, Sir Henry "Tim" Birkin, steeplechaser George Duller, aviator Glen Kidston, S.C.H. "Sammy" Davis, and Dr Dudley Benjafield ) -in their trusty Bentley cars- took four consecutive victories at 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930
In 1931 Bentley was taken over British Central Equitable Trust that later proved to be a front for Rolls-Royce Limited. Unhappy with his role at Rolls-Royce, W.O. Bentley left the company when his contract expired in 1935 duly joining Lagonda. This was beginning of which ultimately led Bentley cars to become more or less badge-engineered Rolls-Royce.