BACK

Bentley T MPW 2-door saloon

1968, CBH4006, Exeter blue

This rare Bentley T Mulliner Park Ward convertible was first ordered by a Niall D. Hodge as a Rolls-Royce, but changed to a Bentley before production. Hodge placed an initial order for a Silver Shadow DHC through Macrae & Dick, Ltd, changed his order to a Bentley T, then moved the order to Grassick's.
The final order specified the colour scheme Ming Blue with Silver fine lines, Dark Blue hood, Champagne hides, Beige carpets and headliner. The car was repainted Exeter blue by the former owner.
Special features are: full refrigeration, foglamps, Sundym glass throughout, wing mirrors, Irvin lap and diagonal safety belts to both front seats, front seat runners set back 2" from standard, badge bar for 3 badges, G.B. plate.
Further specifications were:
- "Beading to the lower part of the hood is to be 3/8" wide Brass Chrome Plated."
- "The door armrests are to be thinned per Mr. Hodge's instructions to the Coachbuilders."
- "Special wide front seats are required as close to the centre as possible, and they are to be completed with folding armrests to the insides of the squabs, the cushions to be plain trim."
- "The rear seat cushion is required to be extended by 1" and lowered at the rear by 1" - it is to be plain trim and the squab is to be as soft as possible."
- "Smooth rubber mats to front & rear compartment - Colour to be advised".
The car is largely original and still has its set of fitted, leather-bound smooth rubber mats as specified in the factory order. The present owner (April 2011) lives in Sydney, Australia.

The plain seat bottom cushions were a special order. This particular style of plain seat cushion, with fluted squabs was originally designed by H J Mulliner, and known as the "Renillum" design. The name came from spelling "Mulliner" backwards! Renillum style seating first appeared on pre-War H J Mulliner bodied Wraith and Phantom III models, and similar styles were soon adopted by other coachbuilders such as Park Ward, Hooper and James Young. This style of seating was seen on many Silver Wraiths and even a couple of Phantom V cars.