The usual suspects gathered on the first Sunday of September in a quiet backfield of the enormous, neo-brutalist Celtic Manor hotel, overlooking the verdant, golfer-riddled Welsh countryside. Ignoring deceptive signs to the Concourse, I steered instead for the Concours and parked my 400 in the back row, as the judges were not yet ready for my… Continue reading Bristol Owners Club Annual Concours 2024
Category: Cars
A Gem from the Bristol Review from Spring 1955
Well, while I was supposed to be getting on with something else, my attention as usual wandered and I came across this page in the Bristol Review, vol 3, number 8. The Bristol Review was the Works Journal of the mighty Bristol Aeroplane Company in its heyday. It contained news, information and updates on various… Continue reading A Gem from the Bristol Review from Spring 1955
BOHT Lecture Day at the Atwell Wilson Motor Museum. 19 April 2024
A very enjoyable and instructive day was had by all participants. We also planned to provide a live YouTube transmission for those not able to attend. Unfortunately this was not entirely successful and we lost the connection for part of the day. However we had a belt and braces solution available and also made videos… Continue reading BOHT Lecture Day at the Atwell Wilson Motor Museum. 19 April 2024
Bristol Sports Engine Line Builder
Today I turned up Ray Williams’ own record of the engines he built personally on the sports engine line at Filton 1953 onwards. Incidentally he was told “ if Tony Crook comes in and you speak to him you are fired". Presumably TADC was seen as a rival on the hunt for hot tuning tips…… Continue reading Bristol Sports Engine Line Builder
The 401/2/3 buck in light restoration
The Heritage Trust has in its custody the front end of the buck on which your own 401 and 403 were coach built. It is made of sculpted hardwood and high quality ply. The nose section was obviously detachable to enable fine detail panel work. Tinsmiths would cut and shape aluminium panels to fit using… Continue reading The 401/2/3 buck in light restoration
Perhaps a 405 prototype!
In this iteration, Bristol have contemplated their first, four door model, presumably the precursor of the 405. Its vertical rear window flanked by spectacular fins shows how they addressed the rear end, perhaps consistent with current streamlining principles and a compromise with Kamms cut-off tails. And at the front, that tall long stroke engine is… Continue reading Perhaps a 405 prototype!
Bristol 401 streamliner model
This hand made prototype streamliner (we presume from the early 1950s) has a same or similar roofline as the 401 - but the droop nose recalls Porsche’s 356 , Panhard’s Dyna, or the Citroen DS. The model is 11” long x 4 1/2 “ wide x 4” high (28 x 11.5 x 10.2). The second… Continue reading Bristol 401 streamliner model
BRISTOL BEACH – Recollections of a Brief Affair with Chassis 319
Bristol 400 Chassis 319 circa 1966 Perhaps it was the morning I had spent on Bondi Beach that made me particularly aware of curvaceous bodies that fateful day. I was only eighteen after all in March 1965. Perhaps it was a sudden access of good taste that led me to screech to halt in my… Continue reading BRISTOL BEACH – Recollections of a Brief Affair with Chassis 319
Bristol model – What might have been…
The Bristol owners Heritage Trust, with the aid of some very generous sponsors, raised a splendid sum of funds to enable us to rescue key items from the wreckage of this once proud firm in their final iteration at Windlesham. This is one of the prototype concept models we bought from the liquidators . It… Continue reading Bristol model – What might have been…
Bristol 400 and Zagato 406 at the Brabazon hangar
Here is a nice video with Stefan Cembrowicz and Andrew Blow having fun in front of the Brab hangar back in November 2016. https://youtu.be/tRSmXOEUijI
Bristol Owners Heritage Trust 