1952 Bentley Mark VI Park Ward Drophead Coupé
- Engine
- 4.6L F-head inline-six, Stromberg downdraft carburettor, ~150 bhp
- Colour
- Silver taupe over black
A rare left-hand-drive example among only twelve such cars built, this 1952 Bentley Mark VI carries Park Ward Design 99 drophead coupe coachwork in aluminium. Delivered new to a Massachusetts harpist, it passed through just four hands over more than six decades, including a long and devoted Texas ownership during which a comprehensive restoration was carried out between 1974 and 1978. The car retains numerous original features and is accompanied by extensive documentation and a handwritten ownership history.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$198,000
- 1952-03-27 →Factory deliveryAriel P. Hallfull documentation
First owner, a professional harpist based in Marblehead, Massachusetts; acquired new via Foreign Motors of Boston. Later traded the car toward a Cadillac while traveling to Houston on a concert tour.
- → 1956Private saleAlex Cameron IIIpartial documentation
Houston, Texas businessman and Rolls-Royce and Bentley collector who took the car in trade from a dealer at roughly the cost of a new Cadillac. Advertised it locally for sale in late 1956.
- 1956 → 2014Private saleHarold Block and fatherfull documentation
El Paso-based family who purchased from Cameron and used the car regularly for about seven years. After the father's death, Harold Block maintained custodianship for decades, commissioning a full restoration by Garfield Hughes between 1974 and 1978, and only selling at age 76 once the odometer reached 100,000 miles.
- 2014 →Private saleOrin Smithpartial documentation
Fourth owner since new; purchase arranged by Rolls-Royce specialist Richard Gorman of Vantage Motorworks in Miami. During his tenure, lower body moldings were fabricated and fitted.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2014Modification
Lower body mouldings fabricated and installed.
Carried out during Orin Smith's ownership.
- —RestorationHughes Motor Corporation
Full interior restoration using period-correct materials; Rolls-Royce bumpers (closest available substitute for correct Bentley units) were fitted, and a silver taupe over black colour scheme was applied.
Part of the broader restoration programme carried out by Garfield Hughes; exact date within the 1974–1978 period not specified.
- —MechanicalHughes Motor Corporation
Gearbox overhaul and comprehensive rebuild of the drivetrain and electrical systems.
Carried out as part of the 1974–1978 restoration programme; engine compartment finished in correct period beige on both firewall and bonnet underside.
- —Service
Ongoing routine servicing, minor repairs, and cosmetic upkeep over several decades of continued use following the main restoration.
Conducted by Harold Block during his long ownership after the restoration was completed.
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