Specialist dealers in early Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars

1949 Bentley MKVI Open Special.

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A well built special, with an early style body, well proportioned, well constructed and smartly presented. The body is designed to give a flavour of vintage Bentleys of the 1920s, incorporating cycle wings, slab tank, very nice 21” wheels with Blockley tyres, (which have the effect of increasing the gear ratios, giving relaxed, high speed cruising), fabric covered body, nicely made hood and various other thought through features, making the car good-looking and very useable, as evidenced by its recent delivery to us, being driven 850 miles from Sweden, via ferry to Harwich, over a 24 hour period! The chassis, engine braking system and running gear are all standard MKVI, making the car practical and relatively easy to maintain. Very impressive all round, and ready to go.


  • Chassis No. B453EW
  • Reg No. BCP 374
  • Price SOLD
  • Finance



Snippets: Pickup’s Appetizer “The Red Thing”.

The 1st owner of B453EW was Fred Pickup (1879/1968) who started his business as a Botanical Brewer alongside his brother Thomas. The Pickup brothers started their business in 1906 in Portsmouth & the two families moved to Bristol in 1907 where they produced ginger beer and other carbonated drinks. In 1919 they decided to dissolve the partnership with Thomas continuing the company under the name of Pickup & Co. Fred then moved to Lancashire (in 1931 it is reported in the local newspaper that he ran over a pedestrian who escaped unharmed!!) and continued in the business of mineral water manufacturer with one of the products being known as “Tizer” – The Red Thing, the colour being due to the amount of fruit juice that was used in its production. After the death of Fred the company was acquired by A G Barr better known for their Iron Brew. According to their company history it would seem that Fred & Thomas Pickup were the nephews of William Snodgrass Barr whose father Robert Barr was the founder of A G Barr & Co in the late 1890s with his unique range of soft drinks.


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