Description

Chassis No. B184MD
Engine No. BC95B

Following World War II, England, along with the rest of the world, returned to peacetime and the Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motor Companies transferred their motor car division from Derby to Crewe. The majority of Bentley Mark VI chassis produced between 1946 and 1952 wore steel four-door “saloon” bodies from the Pressed Steel Company, and were fully assembled in the Bentley Works. About twenty percent of the Mark VI chassis produced were consigned to coachbuilders for special bodies for discriminating first owners. The car offered today is one of those that received custom coachwork, and what a special body it is! Originally it wore a closed fixed-head design by Carosserie Graber, a Swiss coachbuilder, who designed and built eighteen bodies for the Bentley Mark VI chassis. Displayed in that configuration at the 1952 Geneva Motor Show, it soon after returned to Graber and was transformed into the elegant drophead coupe you see today. The sleek streamlined body wears pontoon-style fenders, melding exquisite design cues to include unique integrated air vents and matching, highly-desirable Marchal head, side, and fog lights. Its first owner is understood to have been Walter Gemuseus of Zurich, Switzerland.

By the 1960s, this rare British-Swiss hybrid arrived in the US where it was regularly driven by a naval commander in Newport Beach, California, who is understood to have kept the car until the 1980s. Another long-term Southern California ownership would follow until the car was acquired by prominent Rolls-Royce and Bentley collector Gene Epstein of Pennsylvania in the mid-2000s. Under Epstein's careful eye, marque specialists were entrusted to complete a ground-up restoration wherein the body was taken down to bare metal, repaired as necessary, then properly refinished in a gleaming dark forest green, similar to “British Racing Green.” The meticulously trimmed saddle leather interior was well chosen and is an outstanding complement to the elegant green exterior. When lowered, the tan leather convertible top can be tidily stowed away beneath its matching fitted tonneau boot. Dark green wool carpeting, bound with tan leather, lines the footwells. Its matching numbers 4,566 cc inline-six engine, with twin SU carburetors, was carefully rebuilt over the course of the two-year restoration, while other mechanical components were restored as necessary to ensure a confident driving experience. The torquey, yet surprisingly silky inline-six remains coupled to its original four-speed manual transmission. Servo-assisted front and mechanical hydraulic rear drum brakes provide efficient stopping power. Independent front suspension and semi-elliptical leaf and adjustable spring rear with hydraulic shock dampers combine to offer the driver and passengers the ultimate in comfort while underway. Correct wheels wear Coker Classic whitewall tires, and a matching spare is tucked into the boot. Polished wheel covers feature body-color matching trim rings, embellished with elegant pin striping, matching the coach-line accents and enhancing the sleek body design. Upon completion of the restoration in 2009, the car would be enjoyed and shown for several years, earning an AACA First Junior Award at the Hershey National Meet in 2009, and receiving recognition at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance, among other events. Notably, B184MD was normally driven, rather than trailered to these events. In 2014 the car would pass to well-respected Florida-based Rolls-Royce and Bentley enthusiast Orin Smith, before ultimately being reacquired by Epstein in 2018.

Upon acquisition by its present owner in 2020, a decision was made to further improve on the work completed under Epstein's stewardship, with an eye toward competing at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Receipts on file chronicle the extensive cosmetic, mechanical, and detail refinements that were deemed necessary to present the car to a discerning panel of Pebble Beach judges. The result of this extraordinary effort was well rewarded at the 2022 Pebble Beach Concours with a First Place in Class P-2: Graber Coachwork Late, a clear testament both to the elegance of the flowing Graber body lines and to the correct nature of B184MD's restoration and current presentation.

The right-hand drive, manual transmission Bentley is offered with a brilliant set of Antler luggage, a period-correct fitted wicker picnic hamper, a rare French language instruction manual, as well as photo documentation from the restoration. Special-order extras as listed on the original build sheets include a lowered steering column to accommodate the original owner's physique. “Town and Country” horns, another special order, were fitted and still announce the car's presence. Among other charming features are a passenger-side drinks cabinet, rear seat passengers' dome light, and a wonderful display of unique finish details throughout. The rosewood burled instrument fascia frames full Smiths instrumentation including a 180 kph speedometer with a rare and original gauge that monitors oil pressure, amperage, coolant temperature, and fuel level. The jewel-like electric clock is centered in the glovebox door.

Bentley enthusiasts universally agree that the early postwar Bentley cars, like the Mark VI, offer elegant road manners and a unique behind-the-wheel experience that is at once thrilling and unforgettable. Lovely in its subtle elegant lines, this is among the most beautiful Graber designs on the Bentley Mark VI chassis. Offering equal parts timeless design and superior quality, it remains in excellent, show-quality condition.