I can’t say that I have ever covered a Bristol. With a history dating to 1945, the company just ceased operations in 2020 – what a shame, another remarkable British marque ends up taking a knee – so sad. With that thought in mind, let’s review one of their products from the early 1950s, a Model 401 to be exact. Definitely a project, this 1951 Bristol is located in Warrenburg, New York and is available, here on eBay for a BIN price of $10,499. There’s a make an offer option too.
The Bristol 401 was offered as a sedan (two-door salon) and a cabriolet, referred to as a model 402, between the years 1948 and 1953. While certainly, a distinctive, and some might say peculiar-looking car, it’s a rare bird with estimates of only 611 sedans and twenty-three cabriolets seeing the light of day.
To say that this Bristol is a project is an understatement. The body’s rough and minus its trim, glass, and necessities like lights. It looks as if a simple bladed scraper has been used to remove the paint. The seller is including “parts” with the sale but there are no images or identification as to what those parts may include though the seller does add, “Have all the original seats, trim, badges, gauges, etc for the car. I have the original instruction manual and spares handbook that came with the car as well”. So perhaps it won’t be a potluck undertaking after all.
Under the bonnet, the original BMW sourced 2.0-liter in-line six-cylinder engine is long gone. But the new owner will have a powertrain choice as accompanying this two-door saloon is a Buick 3.8 liter “blown” V6 and wait for it…a Toyota 22R in-line four, with transmission no less – such a deal! How to hook all of this stuff up is another matter of course, but we are told, “Vehicle has tons of potential“.
The interior may as well be the exterior owing to the lack of a floor. The environment is trashed, the instrument panel has been gutted, the door cards are gone to the ages, the headliner is gravity-bound and there is an Oldsmobile steering column in place – but other than that…
But wait, there’s more! The seller will throw in a 24′ enclosed trailer so you can haul this gem, its engines, and unattached parts to its next venue. Imagine – all this goodness for only $10,499! Now that price seems outsized considering the Bristol and its condition but the trailer appears to be pretty useful and in sound shape so maybe this deal isn’t as out of line as it initially seems. Actually, the trailer might be worth more than the car so this could be more of a “Buy the trailer, and I’ll throw in the car” kind of an arrangement. So, what’s your estimate, an interesting and worthwhile project or no thanks?
The trailer is worth more than the car. Like the engine/transmission transplant. Could be made into a fun car.
Buy the combo. Load car into trailer. Find closest salvage yard. Unload car from trailer.
Don’t got to a salvage yard. It’s in NY. Just make a detour to Gullwing and drop it off.
Trailer is worth more but the whole package is still priced optimistically. Bristol cars have been the red headed step child of British high dollar autos. Beautiful and innovative for its time. Parts when you find them are expensive, so parts included may be factor in pricing. Recently saw one listed with Volvo turbo power.
Was that listing not an Alvis. On BaT last week?
this is how I buy things. Y? Not alota funds.
The car, unbeknownst to many, is actually a real find. May B the poor man’s MB or Jag. Research it to know.
The trailer (if in good shape) is worth the BIN price. I could use it to get the race car to track w/the ‘puller’, tools, spares, etc). How many mi on the 22R and Buick?
One of the coolest features of these cars was the steering wheel, and that’s not included.
@JPL: Not sure if it qualifies as cool, thought one of their more “unique” features was stowing spare tires in the front fenders. Like Jensen, Bristol used Chrysler engines, after they stepped away from the BMW inspired sixes. Their last model, the FIGHTER, used a modified Viper engine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Fighter_(automobile)
An arm of the Bristol Aeroplane Company which built an eight engine trans-Atlantic airliner after WW II, about the size of a Boeing 767.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Brabazon
@JPL: Not sure if it qualifies as cool, thought one of their more “unique” features was stowing spare tires in the front fenders. Like Jensen, Bristol used Chrysler engines, after they stepped away from the BMW inspired sixes. Their last model, the FIGHTER, used a modified Viper engine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Fighter_(automobile)
An arm of the Bristol Aeroplane Company which built an eight engine trans-Atlantic airliner after WW II, about the size of a Boeing 767.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Brabazon
As stated, the trailer is almost worth the ask. The supercharged engine certainly has value. If I had the funds, I would tackle this project. Not insurmountable, and a decent looking car. And as usual, nothing like it will show up at cars and coffee.
That parts car has been picked clean of every usable Bristol part, not sure it can even be turned into a hot rod with all the missing and impossible to locate trim and chrome gone.
One of the most interesting post WW2 shapes ever. Owed a lot to Touring of Italy, but built by aerplane manifacturer, very clever aereodynamics.
Seller says rim,interior and glass are with the car. If so it is cheap.
It is sad to see this Bristol so badly deteriorated. I wouldn’t buy it because there is so much work to be done to do things properly, that plus finding a correct 100 B or C engine…plus gearbox, would all cost much more than it would be worth…and even then, it would be non-numbers-matching. To put some other anachronistic engine and transmission in would be desecration of a rare classic…even though that too would be a lot of work and the MUCH lower value would also make the project economically non-viable. My suggestion would be to contact the Bristol Club in England and see if someone in the club is interested, or would the club be willing to buy what’s left of this 401 for some valuable parts?
Jay Leno has a v nice You Tube on this
If it looks suspiciously like a BMW, that is because it pretty much is. A lot of the BMW factory and machinery was confiscated by the British as war reparations. Bristol got the automobile tech as they wanted to diversify. Only the Brits could screw up such a deal. The Bristol engines (basically BMW) were also used by AC in the Ace (rebadged the AC-Bristol)
Dr. Data: “Only the British could screw up such a deal” is what you say…but you don’t say what it is that “they screwed up”. I suggest you click Barn Finds: Big Price Drop! 1953 Bristol 403
and then read Laurence’s comment in response to that of Gerard Frederick, who shares your views towards “the British”. By the way, Dr. Data, I am British.