Why doesn't my Bristol have matching numbers? We have only been able to look through quite a small fraction of the enormous Bristol Cars Ltd and Car Division archives. All sorts of distracting treasures turn up which interfere with us getting on with our sacred task of archiving, indexing and curating. But I thought I'd share… Continue reading Droppings from the Heritage Trust
Category: Treasures
Spare Original Factory Publications
As the Trust’s volunteers sort, collate and catalogue the records that are now in storage at the BOHT workroom in the conservation hanger at Aerospace Bristol and at ,two storage units a short distance away on the other side of the A38, a fair quantity of surplus documents are being found, most of which are… Continue reading Spare Original Factory Publications
Update on the Archives of Bristol Cars Ltd.
After nearly 4 years the Bristol Owners Heritage Trust has finally, finally managed to purchase all the Archives of Bristol cars, starting with the Bristol Aeroplane Company’s Car Division records, correspondence, blueprints, and plans. And a lot of dust!The contents of the archive extend right through the firm's various iterations, with material from all levels,… Continue reading Update on the Archives of Bristol Cars Ltd.
Big News from the Bristol Owners Heritage Trust!
Terrific news!! At long last after years of negotiation, false starts and legal complexities re IP, on Monday 6 January 2025 the Bristol Owners Heritage Trust bought the entire Archives of Bristol Cars Ltd comprising 12 A0 plan chests of blueprints, 15 filing cabinets of correspondence dating back to the mid-1940s plus sundry miscellaneous automobilia. When we have… Continue reading Big News from the Bristol Owners Heritage Trust!
Organisation Chart Map of National Type Approval for Bristol Cars Ltd 1981
Whilst trawling (trolling?) through the archives, the following yellowing, rather crumpled organisational map came to light. This was back in the day when Bristol Cars Ltd was still at the Filton site. But times were changing, and no longer would the BAC barrier glide upwards and a uniformed commissionaire salute smartly when I swept up… Continue reading Organisation Chart Map of National Type Approval for Bristol Cars Ltd 1981
News Flash! BOHT Lecture Day
The BOHT Lecture Day is on Friday 19 April but don't worry if won't be there! You can see the talks anyway as we will be providing a live stream of the lecture on the BOHT YouTube channel. The transmission will be starting at about 12:00 BST. Don't worry if you can't make it at… Continue reading News Flash! BOHT Lecture Day
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 Owners Heritage Trust 