You may have noticed a lot of “woodies” being posted here on The ClassicCars.com Journal over the past few weeks. Perhaps you read about this 1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, 1949 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon, or 1947 Chrysler Town and Country Convertible Coupe. Guess what—today’s Pick of the Day is another woodie, but this time, it’s a very different one. You can find this 1949 Bentley Mark VI shooting brake by Rippon Bros Limited listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in St. Louis.
According to automotive historian Jonathan Wood’s 2012 book “Rippon Bros: A Coachbuilder of Renown,” the business was established in England in 1870. “Renowned for the quality of its coachwork and closely allied with Rolls-Royce for most of its corporate life, Rippon survived until 1970. Its bodies, created by some of the trade’s finest craftsmen, also featured on examples of the best British and Continental makes of their day, with Bentley, Daimler, Delage, Railton, and Renault chassis being so enhanced.”
What makes this Bentley so unusual is not just its body style (which is reportedly one of two shooting brakes built on the Mark VI chassis) but when its body was styled. Instead of starting life as a regular Mark VI and later being converted into a shooting brake, this car was initially purchased by Rippon Bros on behalf of its original owner, Captain George H. Ackroyd of the carpet company T.F. Firth & Sons, then built according to his requests.
The prevailing theory is that Ackroyd used this bespoke Bentley for hunting. Notice the side-mounted spare tire, which freed up interior room; the rear seat can be folded down to fit large cargo. If you look closely, you’ll also see a sunroof panel. Under the hood’s twin swing-up panels is a carbureted 4.3-liter OHV inline-six, which is paired with a four-speed manual transmission.
After changing hands in England in the 1960s, this unusual creation was purchased by a Rolls-Royce Owners Club member and shipped to the U.S. Under the subsequent ownership of collector Henry Petronis, the metal bodywork was painted Royal Blue, the woodwork was restored, and the leather upholstery was changed from light blue to the current tan, which coordinates perfectly with the walnut wood trim. In 2016, this Bentley was purchased from car collector and cellular phone industry pioneer Craig McCaw, then sent to Automotive Restorations for a mechanical refresh.
If you want a woodie that’s a little out of the ordinary, this 1949 Bentley Mark VI shooting brake is it. You can make it yours for $129,900, but will you be ready for all the questions people will ask about it? There’s only one way to find out . . .
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
