Shooting-brake: A conveyance used to carry shooting parties with their large supply of firearms, cartridges, provisions, dogs and game. It could also be used to carry the “beaters” to and from the shoot. In France, station wagons were known as a break de chasse,the literal translation being “hunting break.”Later they also became known as estate cars or station wagons.
Starting as carriage builders in the 1870s William, Joseph and John Rippon set up shop in Huddersfield, England. It became a thriving business during the transition from horse-drawn vehicles to horseless carriages. In 1905, the Rippon Brothers landed an exclusive deal with Rolls-Royce, becoming an official retailer, while at the same time creating bodies for other high end makes.They described themselves as “motor body builders and designers.”
One of the vehicles the brothers plied their trade on was a 1949 Bentley Mark VI, ordered by Captain George H. Ackroyd.Rippon purchased the rolling chassis for their client and went to work creating a totally bespoke “Shooting Brake” built to the Captain’s order, including a single, side-mounted spare.
The car was delivered to its owner in May of 1950. This was to be one of only two built in this style on the Mark VI chassis.
By 1961, the Bentley moved on to another British owner and then in the late ’80s migrated across the pond and lived in a number of outstanding collections before taking up residence with it’s current care-taker.
The Bentley is elegant and imposing all at the same time. It is a lot of metal and wood in one place. You can see yourself in a black and white image, driving over the moors in search of grouse with your trusty hound in the back and your Purdey side-by-side resting in it’s case.
Entering the Mark VI is like entering a proper gentleman’s drawing room. English leather, polished wood and carpeting abound.
And what proper gent would want to bother carrying a key? The Bentley starts without one, though in any case it shuold probably be started by his man-servant/chauffeur. And as the ignition coils were not supplied by Rolls-Royce, they were not to be trusted, so two were in attendance under the bonnet. So one would not be stranded if one of the offending items did not produce the required juice.
You definitely do a bit of time traveling when you address the steering wheel, with many controls still operated from it, you feel more pre-war then post-war. The Smiths gauges seem almost futuristic by comparison.
Once started, one only needs to drop one’s right hand off the wheel a short distance to engage one of the four forward gears then the Bentley’s straight-six engine moves you along at a correct and quiet pace, in all the comforts of said drawing room. But do mind the brakes, the Rolls-Royce mechanical-hydraulic system created so you would NOTuncouthly lurch to a stop, takes Herculean strength to arrest your forward motion at low speeds. Bets to leave that chore to the help.
But if you do choose to take on the task yourself, you will find it is like being the captain of the Queen Mar, as driving that aforementioned drawing room will require all your upper body strength to come into play…but what gentleman parallel parks? However, when you arrive at normal road speeds things become less strenuous and the braking more effective.
You will be driving on the wrong side of the car if in the colonies, so if you accidentally stray across the yellow line and incur a rude hand gesture from a fellow motorist return it with a royal wave, something that befits your station in life behind the wheel of this stately motorcar.
It’s not a new Landy or Rambo Lambo, it’s a machine from a bygone era that adds a touch of class to the roads around the country estate. So whether it’s answering the call of the hunt or a sedate run to Whole Foods for some mesquite smoked squab, the world at large will know you have arrived.
A tip of the hat to Bill Jacobs for this gentile trip back in time.
Specifications
Wheelbase 120 inches
Front track 56 inches
Rear track 58.5 inches
Engine Inline 6 cylinders
Displacement 4257cc (259.8 cuin)
Bore 88.9mm/3.5 in
Stroke 114.3mm/4.5 in
Compression 6.4 : 1
Transmission 4 speed manual
Brakes hydraulic front and mechanical rear servo-assisted drum brakes
Performance
Top Speed 93 mph
0-60 mph Sedately
Mileage (A gentleman does not concern himself with such minutiae)
VALUATION
Excellent $121,000
