Garage find - Bentley Mark VI
Discussion
I never thought I'd be posting in here, I feel privileged! Does someone offer me tea and coffee and a newspaper?
Anyway..
A friend of a relative of a friend of my girlfriend's dog (etc) apparently is a slightly eccentric 'hoarder', and has a Bentley Mark VI, living in £50 per week storage. I believe it is a non runnner, in some sort of restoration condition. It also is apparently one with a coachbuilt body (French maybe??) - am I right in thinking these can be more valuable?
So, what is this likely to be worth? According to C&SC a standard one seems like £25k in good condition but a mere £2-3k in this sort of state. A bit low isn't it? I know it costs a lot to restore but, are they just not that special?
Does anyone want to buy one??
Anyway..
A friend of a relative of a friend of my girlfriend's dog (etc) apparently is a slightly eccentric 'hoarder', and has a Bentley Mark VI, living in £50 per week storage. I believe it is a non runnner, in some sort of restoration condition. It also is apparently one with a coachbuilt body (French maybe??) - am I right in thinking these can be more valuable?
So, what is this likely to be worth? According to C&SC a standard one seems like £25k in good condition but a mere £2-3k in this sort of state. A bit low isn't it? I know it costs a lot to restore but, are they just not that special?
Does anyone want to buy one??
"Standard" Mk VI's are generally worth anything from 30 - 50k if memory serves me right?
However, bear in mind coachwork is hugely important and can make a tremendous difference to price. I remember a 47 Mark VI with a garish (IMHO! havent seen it in the flesh) body by Franay... went for $1.7 million.
With the right Bentley, anything can happen! Fingers crossed for when the time comes to sell mine!
Doubtless will be corrected shortly if above is bs...
However, bear in mind coachwork is hugely important and can make a tremendous difference to price. I remember a 47 Mark VI with a garish (IMHO! havent seen it in the flesh) body by Franay... went for $1.7 million.
With the right Bentley, anything can happen! Fingers crossed for when the time comes to sell mine!
Doubtless will be corrected shortly if above is bs...
AdvocatusDiaboli said:
"Standard" Mk VI's are generally worth anything from 30 - 50k if memory serves me right?
Nope. £5,000 to £10,000 will buy a very useable standard MKVI. £10,000 to £20,000 will buy a really nice one. Coachbuilts do fetch more, depending on condition obviously. A rough std MKVI can be bought for £3000 to £5000, and even at that price level, it might be a road legal driver, and continue to be so for years and years, even if neglect continues. They are hard to kill. They are really lovely cars to drive, I had one for about 6-7 years, a 1949 standard steel MKVI, paid £6500 for it in '95, sold it in '02 for £5750, or thereabouts. But it did have a £6000 engine rebuild whilst in my possession, so I didnt get my money back, but they are a Bentley bargain nonetheless.
I love the things.
Edited by Balmoral Green on Friday 12th January 17:51
That does seem cheaper than i would have thought...
www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/view-classic-cars-for-sale.php?makenav=Bentley&keywords=vi&searchtype=basicand&justsearched=1
www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/view-classic-cars-for-sale.php?makenav=Bentley&keywords=vi&searchtype=basicand&justsearched=1
Try
www.kda132.com for info.
It's run by a pal of mine and is a wonderful source of information on this type of car.
Generally speaking, the best ones (standard steel, not coachbuilt) are sold by Frank Dale or P&A Wood for lots of dosh, however good useable ones are around the £20-30k mark.
Rear-axle rebuilds are now commonplace, as they tend to 'go' and cost £6k-ish. If it is standard steel you will never see your money back (if it's a shed), but if coachbuilt, try and find out who the coachbuilder is and also the chassis no.
Also, try www.bdcl.org,who have a non-members posting board.
Rgds,
Andy
www.kda132.com for info.
It's run by a pal of mine and is a wonderful source of information on this type of car.
Generally speaking, the best ones (standard steel, not coachbuilt) are sold by Frank Dale or P&A Wood for lots of dosh, however good useable ones are around the £20-30k mark.
Rear-axle rebuilds are now commonplace, as they tend to 'go' and cost £6k-ish. If it is standard steel you will never see your money back (if it's a shed), but if coachbuilt, try and find out who the coachbuilder is and also the chassis no.
Also, try www.bdcl.org,who have a non-members posting board.
Rgds,
Andy
great cars, good driving and possibly the best value bentley for your money.. i know i've got one. regards a non runner..they ain't cheap to fix.
to rebuild an engine can be £10k. and if the body is coachbuilt it can be very expensive to put back into a useable condition. that said if you get a chance to buy a running MkVI for sensible money then i would highly recommend them. once bought you can improve but if you go for a FULL restoration you will not get a return for your money unless it is a very special coachbuilt car and once restored (which often ruins a car) it will take 100k miles to soften it again into a driving machine.
there are a lot of restored MkVIs for sale at big money but my mind is they are not worth it. once restored they become pieces to polish and admire not drive. MkVIs are best used and driven, they can be used everyday, cruising at 65 mph in everyday traffic.
best advice with a MkVI is buy a runner then improve over the seasons. best bought from a club member either bentley drivers club or rolls royce enthausiasts club than lining a dealer's pockets.
to rebuild an engine can be £10k. and if the body is coachbuilt it can be very expensive to put back into a useable condition. that said if you get a chance to buy a running MkVI for sensible money then i would highly recommend them. once bought you can improve but if you go for a FULL restoration you will not get a return for your money unless it is a very special coachbuilt car and once restored (which often ruins a car) it will take 100k miles to soften it again into a driving machine.
there are a lot of restored MkVIs for sale at big money but my mind is they are not worth it. once restored they become pieces to polish and admire not drive. MkVIs are best used and driven, they can be used everyday, cruising at 65 mph in everyday traffic.
best advice with a MkVI is buy a runner then improve over the seasons. best bought from a club member either bentley drivers club or rolls royce enthausiasts club than lining a dealer's pockets.
If this is where you are coming from I don't think that the lucky owner can expect to get a fortune for the car just because a. its a Bentley and b. its quite rare. Does it look good? Got any pics old mate?
There was a coachbuilt body on an S-Type I think which may have been described as a Hooper Empress. It may be rare but, and I accept that this is subjective, boy is it one ugly
er and I wouldn't have one at any price. I have been told, or rather warned, that a Derby Bentley can cost a kings ransom to restore, that a Mk VI/R-Type is less prone to corrosion than the later S-Types. Once you get into specialist bodywork, and french too, goodness knows where you can end up.
Maybe you should look into its history.
There was a coachbuilt body on an S-Type I think which may have been described as a Hooper Empress. It may be rare but, and I accept that this is subjective, boy is it one ugly
er and I wouldn't have one at any price. I have been told, or rather warned, that a Derby Bentley can cost a kings ransom to restore, that a Mk VI/R-Type is less prone to corrosion than the later S-Types. Once you get into specialist bodywork, and french too, goodness knows where you can end up. Maybe you should look into its history.
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