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Car of the Month
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Car of the Month - January 2022
Bentley Mark VI, 1952, #B101NY
Drophead Coupé by Freestone & Webb
Freestone & Webb had been founded 99 years ago – the coachbuilder started business in 1923. Their premises 'Unity Works' was but a few miles away from the factory where W.O. Bentley produced his sport cars. Attractive design and high-quality standards were hallmarks of the coachwork made by Freestone & Webb. During the first decade of its existence the coachbuilder the coachbuilder’s creations preferably were built to Weymann-license to achieve light weight which didn't impair a car's performance. No wonder that Bentley Motors became a major customer.
After the end of World War II when the number of independent coachbuilders was dwindling rapidly. Freestone & Webb thanks to their well-deserved reputation were considered to be among 'The Big Five'. They had established themselves on a par with Hooper, H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward and James Young. An impressive example of what a client could expect to be delivered by Unity Works' designers and craftsmen it the Drophead Coupé on 1952 Bentley Mark VI chassis #B101NY. It was a spectacularly elegant car gathering attention wherever it did appear but didn't cause any hick-up with flamboyant pomp. With a hood fully disappearing under a metal cover, long sweeping fenders vanishing into the rear of the body and full spats over the rear wheels the drophead coupe was complying perfectly well with Freestone & Webb’s trademark attention to fine detail.
The other side of the coin is this car has been almost
prohibitively expensive when new. That might be an explanation why
Freestone & Webb did find only one more customer for this design. Their
second drophead coupe shared merely the basic lines but the coachwork
shows in-depth modifications. Hence it is justified to list #B101NY as a
‘one-off’.
At a certain stage during its later life the car was up-dated from its original 4,257 cc F-head inline six-cylinder engine (with est. 150bhp) to the slightly more powerful 4,566 cc 'Big Bore' variant of that engine. More recently the differential was substituted by one of 'Continental-layout', hence cruising at low revs was improved. Over recent years the car became restored to a standard which permits to enter any top class event and surely is a contender for laurels at A-ranking Concours d'Elegance. One of the most beautiful Bentley Mark VI after a painstakingly careful restoration #B101NY today arguably is even more stunning than when it was new.
It was no surprise to find two photos of this car were selected for inclusion in James Taylor's new book "Freestone & Webb 1923-1958, The Story of a British Coachbuilder". Taylor thus has compiled the first book ever devoted to the work of Freestone & Webb. He did his job formidably well and most certainly his tome will be a 'Standard Reference Book' for readers and collectors alike.
