Rolls Royce used to say "at 60mph, all you can hear is the clock". Tony Crook, the long time owner of Bristol, said "at 100mph, all you can hear is the Rolls Royce you just overtook"
I worked for Bristol at Filton from 1979 to '85. The best job l ever had... By the way, Jack, you seem to be developing a bit of a "six" fixation. 😊 The cars that followed on from the 401, all began with a four, right up until the 412. Then there was the 603. After that, names took over.
Here is in the US I have never seen or heard of a Bristol 401. If the exterior were refinished, it would be a stunningly good looking car, it has a beautiful shape. It is a really interesting car.
Thanks for the memory! When I was in college around 71/72 my mate on the course had one of these. We had a great time driving around in it, felt quite the business. The petrol filler flap was a source of hilarity at manned petrol stations which were common at the time.
Driving an old car like this is such a treat. We have it made, but there is something special when you drive such an old machine, and it gets you to where you want to go a little bit slower than you expected, and a bit less creature comforts. But being able to take that machine that far, is something else
... Meanwhile in East Germany, in one of those funny twists of fate, they were building a fairly close contemporary relative of this Bristol... The EMW.... Worth doing a bit of research on these rare cars. Very fascinating!
Back in the 70s I had a 401 the price I paid then was £220!! When you pulled away it was only firing on 5 ! Both mine and another friends 401 were both fitted with a free wheel. It was a super car and a joy to drive.
It was open well into the 2000s. I remember seeing a car in there which sadly had not been built to the highest standard. Fit and finish was well down on Bristol's heyday.
As someone who was trained in aircraft maintenance I'd argue the fuel filler door is aviation standard/influence. If it was it the filler cap would be accessible only after removing twenty screws.
@@simonm9923 Yes, I couldn't remember their exact name, but you knew what I meant. And they should screw into Helicoils to ensure the female threads stay in good nick.
Great video Jack. These cars are definitely special with their own character. I admire the owner's philosophy of getting it to run well, though if it were mine, I'd be inclined to restore the interior and exterior as it looks a bit ropey in its current state.
A very Large Thank-You to Julian for loan of this amazing automobile for you to test drive and comment on, Jack!!! It is quite simply a desperately pretty design, executed with all the top notch technology at the time, a very, very special thing indeed!!!
What a beauty ... Aerospace engineering inspector here , yes the TKR Le Mans jaguar used our composite materials skills in the early 90s ... carbon Kevlar wheel scoops .. keeping airflow on the wheels too make it stick to the track ... Anyway thanks for the video ... I'm 56 and hopefully there's still the skills and quality commitment about somewhere on this island 😊
After what Jeremy wrote about the car (Blenheim maybe ?) in the Times and knowing Tony Crook, little wonder no one associated with him could have a go in one ^^
I always liked these and the BMW these were based on. The amount of insulation in Bristols is amazing. I wish I bought one when I could afford one 15-20 years ago!
Vicino casa dei miei parenti, nell'Essex rurale, c'è un vecchio signore con una Bristol 401 grigia, bellissima. Esce sempre la domenica per fare un giretto...
What an amazing car. Lots of lovely bits of engineering. The dash is wonderful. However, Correct me if I’m wrong, but that one sounds like it has a misfire - 5 cylinders rather than 6.
I've never seen a patinated Bristol before. They always seem to be mint, or under half an inch of barn dust. It looks amazing! Julian, Jules, J-dawg... nice work so far, hope you're leaving the bodywork as-is.
I actually had no idea they had gone, such an exclusive club. Many years ago I remember walking past the one dealership, they looked old fashioned then, to me! Interesting to see just how it started with all those features and new innovations at the time.
Finally Jack you drive a real car. ANY Bristol, I mean any Bristol would find a place in my garage. I would move even my daily driver out to have one of these. The build quality is unsurpassed. I have driven a few of these cars, and I always walk away wanting one. Unfortunately here in Australia they are VERY rare and VERY costly. There are 3 Bristols on my bucket list. In 1958 the 406 had disk brakes on all 4 wheels!
I love the older cars. Being from America I shouldn’t even know about this car, but I am an Anglophile and knew about the Bristol cars. Keep up the great work. I totally enjoy your channel.
I can remember seeing Bristol cars in the sixties in our American car mags, never have seen one in person. Thanks for the great video! I've wondered why you don't do more vintage cars; I'd love to see your take on the Alvis, either the TD or TE.
Bristol cars are some of my favourites. I saw my first one, a 403 I think, in British Racing Green, parked outside our house back in the 1950's. Love! I would like to see that one restored, mind.
The term "Shabby Chic" is best described for this car, but wow, what a car,brilliant, I would definitely drive something like this, nice one Jack & Kudos to the owner😁👍
Good timing! I find Bristol cars fascinating - if I were one of the super-rich, there would be a place for one in my garage. Coincidentally, a Bristol 411 passed me yesterday - it was beautiful!
"...gin palace on wheels..."? That's a new one on me and I lived in Briton for fifteen years. Fascinating car and a great presentation. It seems to embody so much that is innovative about British automotve engineering.
My dad had a 407. They story went, that Tony Crook personally selected the car for each customer, matching the customer to the car "he" thought would best suit him. My dad got a 407. True enough, he loved the push-button gear selector.
Thank you for covering one of my favourite cars from one of my favourite brands. I could probably wax lyrical (or as close as I can manage) on the features of the early Bristol motorcars. Yes, there was a lot of BMW in the Bristol's genes but the British combined the best of BMW practice by taking the chassis of the 326 and combining it with the 328 engine. On the 400 they even took inspiration for the bodywork from the BMW 327, just to be sure of doing a complete job. The BMW 326 (and the Bristol 400 up to and including the 405) used an bracket shaped like the latter A to provide lateral location of the back axle (rather like Alfa Romeo with its post-war designs) and torsion bars for the springing medium (arranged to give progressive rate springing). The BMW 328, for all its sporting success had to make do with a pair of leaf springs to support and locate its live axle. Bristol took great pains over the front suspension assembly, which was assembled as a unit before being attached to the chassis. Each assembly was checked to ensure that the geometry was correct throughout the full range of wheel movement. I noticed that you mentioned the lack of synchromesh on first gear. As originally designed, the transmission incorporated a freewheel mechanism on first gear, to allow for silent engagement of that gear while the car was moving. However, the freewheel mechanism could be damaged by careless usage, and some owners had it removed. As for the movement of the lever, I hope you get to try a later car, as the shorter lever that was fitted to the 404, 405 and 406 is reputed to be one of the best gear changes in the business. Bristol gets a lot of hate from people who've probably never even seen one in real life, never mind travelled in one. Thank you for presenting the positive aspects of the marque to a wider audience.
An uncle of mine had one of these more than 50 years ago. Apparently the first owner , a musician, bought it as it was the only car whose boot would hold a cello
I love all Bristol cars, perhaps some more than others but I have never considered any of them controversial. This car the 401 is a thing of beauty, look beyond the outer body finish (I dislike 'patina', so over used) and the attention to detail is so good. You can see the BMW influence but it is still a British car. You could argue that it takes some inspiration from the Jaguar XK 120/140 series but that may be stretching it a bit perhaps, again I love both of those cars too. I think the sound of this engine is just wonderful even if it is getting on age wise it still sounds purposeful. Thank you to Julian for bringing this car down and thank you Jack for the review. 👍👍
I never knew about Bristol cars until I watched a movie called "An Education" a few years back. The main character/antagonist drives a 405. It immediately caught my eye, it was such a wonderful car.
Saw one for sale when I was a student in 1981. Would have loved to have bought it, but would not have had the skills to put it back on the road. Great video. Thanks
Something is only original once. I can understand rebuilding a wreck to an "as new" standard if you have deep pockets. A seventy year old car in good running order should not be tarted up. It would be like giving your granny a tit uplift, tight dresses and Botox everywhere. Taste, common sense and frugality are the watchwords for preserving old vehicles.
I really hope that you are going to drive a Blenheim. When I was in the UK I had the pleasure to be a passenger for a few minutes in one of these,a blue series 3. Even if I was picked up in Tottenham we were moving slowly in traffic, it was an extraordinary experience.
What a machine! I have walked past the Bristol showroom so many times. The cars are of course gorgeous! However, they looked anachronistic in this modern era!
Was very much hoping you’d get your hands on some Bristol, been looking forward to this 😎 And ironic the DDR East Germans were making cars based on BMW 328 in Eisenach too as EMW I used to work for a guy who owned one in California
I remember walking past the Bristol showroom in Kensington Church Street as a kid. My grandfather ordered a beaufighter, but died before he could receive the order. Think it was run by a guy called Tony Crook. I stand to be corrected...
You are correct. He was a motor racing driver of some note and had also flown Spitfires in the RAF. I think that James May was banned from the Kensington' show room owing to something derogatory Clarkson had said about Bristol Cars.
@@tonystevens9278 There is some truth in that. I have been watching TG recently just for old time sake and they talked about that in the second series when James May joined the team. 👍
RR made limousines, Bentley were in the doldrums, Bristol made "gentlemen's expresses". They were good up to the 406, all with the straight six cylinder engines (nee BMW). Then in 1961, like Jensen with the C-V8 in 1962, they went across the pond for big engines, which really changed their characters. Look how good were Jaguar between 1949 (XK120) and 1987 (series 3 XJ6, 1992 if you include the DS420) with a certain straight 6. If you are not going racing, with three dual throat carbs (D Type), a staight 6 works well with two large SUs, which compliment the 3 into 1 (x2) exhaust manifolds, as seen here.
Many years ago in the early 70s my next door neighbours husband came home with a brand-new Bristol what a car that was , like nothing else on the roads it flew
The BMW aircraft engine company was largely saved by the British post WWI, when, in 1928, it became a car manufacturer with a licenced variation of the Austin 7. Without this deal, both BMW and Bristol cars might never have existed.
About 1990 I was involved in developing academic computer networking in an area of the UK, and one of the salesmen with whom I had dealings had opted out of the company car scheme and instead had some arrangement where he bought a classic Bristol, and his employer paid for insurance and maintenance (and restoration without the taxman knowing). I wonder if he watches this channel.
A mate of mine had a 401 in the early 80s. It had apparently been taken to France on the deck of an aircraft carrier and driven round France at high speed, as a publicity stunt.
My parents had on in the late 60's, when i was a toddler. I saw a photo of me sat on the bonnet and thought it was an old jag in the picture (black and white and small) when i left home and was searching the loft for stuff. No ,apparently it was a bristol 401 hand painted in british racing green.
Fascinating car! btw, it was also featured in a Belgian exploitation movie from the early 70's called "Les lèvres rouges" (Daughters of Darkness)... even the makers of the movie thought of this as a worthy car for a noble vampire baroness...
Their cars were very select and if you were a 1980s Yuppie with money in your pocket and outrageous red braces, you were shown the Kensington showroom door apparently 😮 However, you didn't mention their very well known bus company. Bristol still make aircraft and their engines at Filton. Aircraft are now called Airbus UK and the engines R-R (ironically).
I've always had a liking for Bristols (stop giggling at the back there!). When you went into the showroom in Kensington to order your Bristol, if Tony Crook didn't like the look of you, there was no way in hell that he would sell you one of 'his' cars. You've just got to love an attitude like that 😂 I can't remember the exact details (so correct my mistakes please), but in the late 70's or early 80's Tony Crook was voted off the board and almost literally kicked out of the premises. He passed away a short time later 😢Shortly after that, the company itself ceased production. It's been revived a couple of times since then, mainly for the restoration and upkeep of existing models, but it would be good to see this most British (with a bit of German and American) car companies back on the road again. Bristols, you just can't beat them 👍
They are truly cars where you don't own them but are custodians. Wonderful machines, the essence of Britain.
Yeeeees!!! Especially the one made of BMW 328 !!!
with a German accent?
@@bertbristow7172 the English are part German, genetically.
the only british bit about them is the unreliability.
Rolls Royce used to say "at 60mph, all you can hear is the clock". Tony Crook, the long time owner of Bristol, said "at 100mph, all you can hear is the Rolls Royce you just overtook"
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 brilliant!
Jay Leno said, it only means the clock in your Rolls is extremely noisy 😂
I met Tony Crook a couple of times, such a character, so many stories about him. Mostly true!
i love my rolls , do you like your s
I worked for Bristol at Filton from 1979 to '85.
The best job l ever had...
By the way, Jack, you seem to be developing a bit of a "six" fixation. 😊
The cars that followed on from the 401, all began with a four, right up until the 412.
Then there was the 603.
After that, names took over.
Here is in the US I have never seen or heard of a Bristol 401. If the exterior were refinished, it would be a stunningly good looking car, it has a beautiful shape. It is a really interesting car.
Jay Leno has one which is restored and featured on his channel..
Thanks for the memory! When I was in college around 71/72 my mate on the course had one of these. We had a great time driving around in it, felt quite the business. The petrol filler flap was a source of hilarity at manned petrol stations which were common at the time.
Driving an old car like this is such a treat. We have it made, but there is something special when you drive such an old machine, and it gets you to where you want to go a little bit slower than you expected, and a bit less creature comforts. But being able to take that machine that far, is something else
... Meanwhile in East Germany, in one of those funny twists of fate, they were building a fairly close contemporary relative of this Bristol... The EMW....
Worth doing a bit of research on these rare cars. Very fascinating!
The EMW derive from the BMW design, so they look identical in some aspects, to BMW501.
In the tv series ¨the inspector Lynley mysteries" Lynley drove a maroon Bristol 410. He also drove a Jensen interceptor.
Lucky sod.
Back in the 70s I had a 401 the price I paid then was £220!! When you pulled away it was only firing on 5 ! Both mine and another friends 401 were both fitted with a free wheel. It was a super car and a joy to drive.
I remember the Kensington showroom. I'm not sure when it closed, but it was still there in the 90's
It was open well into the 2000s. I remember seeing a car in there which sadly had not been built to the highest standard. Fit and finish was well down on Bristol's heyday.
A very BIG thank you for allowing me to discover this beautifull machine. What a character she has!
i just love old bristols, they were fantastic cars.
As someone who was trained in aircraft maintenance I'd argue the fuel filler door is aviation standard/influence. If it was it the filler cap would be accessible only after removing twenty screws.
But self-retaining (captive) quarter turn Zeus screw with offset triwing drive recesses.
@@andrewdking, indeed! They’re Dzus fasteners actually, used on every racing car from the 50s and ever since 👍
@@simonm9923 Yes, I couldn't remember their exact name, but you knew what I meant. And they should screw into Helicoils to ensure the female threads stay in good nick.
Magical! I'd love to see more Bristols driven and reviewed.
Great video Jack. These cars are definitely special with their own character. I admire the owner's philosophy of getting it to run well, though if it were mine, I'd be inclined to restore the interior and exterior as it looks a bit ropey in its current state.
A very Large Thank-You to Julian for loan of this amazing automobile for you to test drive and comment on, Jack!!! It is quite simply a desperately pretty design, executed with all the top notch technology at the time, a very, very special thing indeed!!!
Love it! Thank you Jack and Julian.
What a beauty ... Aerospace engineering inspector here , yes the TKR Le Mans jaguar used our composite materials skills in the early 90s ... carbon Kevlar wheel scoops .. keeping airflow on the wheels too make it stick to the track ... Anyway thanks for the video ... I'm 56 and hopefully there's still the skills and quality commitment about somewhere on this island 😊
Crazy cool old beauty. As a Canadian I’ve never seen one in the metal but maybe one day. I guess James May is allowed into the building now hahahaha
After what Jeremy wrote about the car (Blenheim maybe ?) in the Times and knowing Tony Crook, little wonder no one associated with him could have a go in one ^^
@@jean-charlesweyland129 I always wondered what Clarkson did. Thanks. I will look that up.
A Bristol 411 would be my dream car, I think one day I'd swap my Bentley turbo R for a Bristol. Best car of all time.
A man of taste 👌
Fabulous car one of my favourites along with Lancias from the fifties and sixties. Once the paint work is done going to be truly beautiful.
Please Jack, more like this, so interesting. Thank you, Sir.
Dare I say it's a very chic rat-rod? Great video, Jack. You are getting some amazing cars on the channel.
Love touching Bristols❤❤
😂😂😂😂
I just wish he'd tested two in the video.
This stuff writes itself. 😁
Priceless 🤣🤣🤣🤣👍
😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
It's got six jugs.
LJK Setright would approve.
I seem to remember him describing the " tactile sensation of textural perception " a long time ago !
What a pretty and nicely engineered machine. The bonnet slide for opening.. just utterly nice. Lovely car.
I always liked these and the BMW these were based on. The amount of insulation in Bristols is amazing. I wish I bought one when I could afford one 15-20 years ago!
Vicino casa dei miei parenti, nell'Essex rurale, c'è un vecchio signore con una Bristol 401 grigia, bellissima.
Esce sempre la domenica per fare un giretto...
Fantastico… 😎
What a car! I appreciate the owners view on restoration. The only thing I would restore on this car would be the interior and leave the outside as is.
That straight 6 makes a really good note 🎵.
What an amazing car. Lots of lovely bits of engineering. The dash is wonderful. However, Correct me if I’m wrong, but that one sounds like it has a misfire - 5 cylinders rather than 6.
Bring on the patina! Love the motivation. I used to cycle past the Kensington showroom and never saw a soul in there.
Jack. You have the coolest job. Fantastic job as always Jack.
Beautiful.Thank you for bringing something different to us.
I've never seen a patinated Bristol before. They always seem to be mint, or under half an inch of barn dust. It looks amazing!
Julian, Jules, J-dawg... nice work so far, hope you're leaving the bodywork as-is.
In the old days, the aluminium panels were difficult to treat for corrosion and it kept coming through the paint. Maybe better tech is available now.
Remarkable car. Quite distinctive in so very many ways.
I actually had no idea they had gone, such an exclusive club. Many years ago I remember walking past the one dealership, they looked old fashioned then, to me! Interesting to see just how it started with all those features and new innovations at the time.
Finally Jack you drive a real car. ANY Bristol, I mean any Bristol would find a place in my garage. I would move even my daily driver out to have one of these. The build quality is unsurpassed. I have driven a few of these cars, and I always walk away wanting one. Unfortunately here in Australia they are VERY rare and VERY costly. There are 3 Bristols on my bucket list. In 1958 the 406 had disk brakes on all 4 wheels!
I love the older cars. Being from America I shouldn’t even know about this car, but I am an Anglophile and knew about the Bristol cars. Keep up the great work. I totally enjoy your channel.
I can remember seeing Bristol cars in the sixties in our American car mags, never have seen one in person. Thanks for the great video! I've wondered why you don't do more vintage cars; I'd love to see your take on the Alvis, either the TD or TE.
Loved how the 405 that starred on "An Education" looked on screen
Bristol cars are some of my favourites. I saw my first one, a 403 I think, in British Racing Green, parked outside our house back in the 1950's. Love! I would like to see that one restored, mind.
TY J 🙏🙏. Olde world charm right there!
I really am in love with this car❤
The term "Shabby Chic" is best described for this car, but wow, what a car,brilliant, I would definitely drive something like this, nice one Jack & Kudos to the owner😁👍
Great car, same engine as the 327/328 BMWs of the late 30s, amazing valve train layout with the horizontal pushrods.
Good timing! I find Bristol cars fascinating - if I were one of the super-rich, there would be a place for one in my garage. Coincidentally, a Bristol 411 passed me yesterday - it was beautiful!
"...gin palace on wheels..."? That's a new one on me and I lived in Briton for fifteen years. Fascinating car and a great presentation. It seems to embody so much that is innovative about British automotve engineering.
James May is inside that car somewhere if you look hard enough.
Always pleased to see a Bristol. Love the patina. 😎
Absolutely brilliant video jack ❤👍what a stunning car Absolutely amazing car and still going most cars now can't do 100 thousand brilliant
Thanks 👍 Danielle!
Always hankered after a 401 - but they’ve never been easy to acquire. Now they're all restored and £100k. Apart from this one - a joy to see 🎉
Amazing, you bring us some fantastic cars from the past. Thank you, so much.
Great car! This one deserves a restoration.
My dad had a 407. They story went, that Tony Crook personally selected the car for each customer, matching the customer to the car "he" thought would best suit him. My dad got a 407. True enough, he loved the push-button gear selector.
Thank you for covering one of my favourite cars from one of my favourite brands. I could probably wax lyrical (or as close as I can manage) on the features of the early Bristol motorcars.
Yes, there was a lot of BMW in the Bristol's genes but the British combined the best of BMW practice by taking the chassis of the 326 and combining it with the 328 engine. On the 400 they even took inspiration for the bodywork from the BMW 327, just to be sure of doing a complete job. The BMW 326 (and the Bristol 400 up to and including the 405) used an bracket shaped like the latter A to provide lateral location of the back axle (rather like Alfa Romeo with its post-war designs) and torsion bars for the springing medium (arranged to give progressive rate springing). The BMW 328, for all its sporting success had to make do with a pair of leaf springs to support and locate its live axle. Bristol took great pains over the front suspension assembly, which was assembled as a unit before being attached to the chassis. Each assembly was checked to ensure that the geometry was correct throughout the full range of wheel movement.
I noticed that you mentioned the lack of synchromesh on first gear. As originally designed, the transmission incorporated a freewheel mechanism on first gear, to allow for silent engagement of that gear while the car was moving. However, the freewheel mechanism could be damaged by careless usage, and some owners had it removed. As for the movement of the lever, I hope you get to try a later car, as the shorter lever that was fitted to the 404, 405 and 406 is reputed to be one of the best gear changes in the business.
Bristol gets a lot of hate from people who've probably never even seen one in real life, never mind travelled in one. Thank you for presenting the positive aspects of the marque to a wider audience.
I really like your videos on old cars that most know next to nothing about, please keep doing them.
An uncle of mine had one of these more than 50 years ago. Apparently the first owner , a musician, bought it as it was the only car whose boot would hold a cello
I love all Bristol cars, perhaps some more than others but I have never considered any of them controversial. This car the 401 is a thing of beauty, look beyond the outer body finish (I dislike 'patina', so over used) and the attention to detail is so good. You can see the BMW influence but it is still a British car. You could argue that it takes some inspiration from the Jaguar XK 120/140 series but that may be stretching it a bit perhaps, again I love both of those cars too. I think the sound of this engine is just wonderful even if it is getting on age wise it still sounds purposeful. Thank you to Julian for bringing this car down and thank you Jack for the review. 👍👍
I never knew about Bristol cars until I watched a movie called "An Education" a few years back. The main character/antagonist drives a 405. It immediately caught my eye, it was such a wonderful car.
I have an old postcard with this car. Now I see how it moves. What a day! =)
Gorgeous car. I even like the patina on that example.
Saw one for sale when I was a student in 1981. Would have loved to have bought it, but would not have had the skills to put it back on the road. Great video. Thanks
Sounds like it’s down one cylinder. Love the content.
Great video. The 401 must have one of the longest gearshift in the world.
Rumor has it most Bristol car accidents were caused by that wiper motion
That patina gives the car so much character you can forgive its shabby appearance. I would definitely drive it. A statement piece.
Something is only original once. I can understand rebuilding a wreck to an "as new" standard if you have deep pockets.
A seventy year old car in good running order should not be tarted up. It would be like giving your granny a tit uplift, tight dresses and Botox everywhere.
Taste, common sense and frugality are the watchwords for preserving old vehicles.
I really hope that you are going to drive a Blenheim. When I was in the UK I had the pleasure to be a passenger for a few minutes in one of these,a blue series 3. Even if I was picked up in Tottenham we were moving slowly in traffic, it was an extraordinary experience.
What a machine! I have walked past the Bristol showroom so many times. The cars are of course gorgeous! However, they looked anachronistic in this modern era!
Super video. You should do more like this.👌
This is probably the most interesting car you have driven Jack. It would be amazing if you could try a few others.
The car with that humpback looks like the Porsche Panamera (1st Gen) of its day.
The engine sounds like it needs a tune-up.
The Bristol 401 is one of my favourite cars
"Not done anything to the looks of the car", well that's the understatement of the century! Cracking machine though. 👍
Was very much hoping you’d get your hands on some Bristol, been looking forward to this 😎
And ironic the DDR East Germans were making cars based on BMW 328 in Eisenach too as EMW
I used to work for a guy who owned one in California
Gorgeous engine sound!
Fantastic!
I remember walking past the Bristol showroom in Kensington Church Street as a kid. My grandfather ordered a beaufighter, but died before he could receive the order. Think it was run by a guy called Tony Crook. I stand to be corrected...
You are correct. He was a motor racing driver of some note and had also flown Spitfires in the RAF. I think that James May was banned from the Kensington' show room owing to something derogatory Clarkson had said about Bristol Cars.
@@tonystevens9278 There is some truth in that. I have been watching TG recently just for old time sake and they talked about that in the second series when James May joined the team. 👍
Great Video ! Many thanks !
Another British car i have never seen or heard of. I particularly like the older unicorn car videos!
RR made limousines, Bentley were in the doldrums, Bristol made "gentlemen's expresses". They were good up to the 406, all with the straight six cylinder engines (nee BMW). Then in 1961, like Jensen with the C-V8 in 1962, they went across the pond for big engines, which really changed their characters. Look how good were Jaguar between 1949 (XK120) and 1987 (series 3 XJ6, 1992 if you include the DS420) with a certain straight 6. If you are not going racing, with three dual throat carbs (D Type), a staight 6 works well with two large SUs, which compliment the 3 into 1 (x2) exhaust manifolds, as seen here.
I always liked the Brigand/Britannia as they are so understated that you could easily walk past one in the street and not notice it.
Great car ...great vid ....i can remember when the 400 was a cheap classic
Love this one one off your best so far so interesting
The 6 cylinder cars were wonderful.
Love the condition
Many years ago in the early 70s my next door neighbours husband came home with a brand-new Bristol what a car that was , like nothing else on the roads it flew
The BMW aircraft engine company was largely saved by the British post WWI, when, in 1928, it became a car manufacturer with a licenced variation of the Austin 7. Without this deal, both BMW and Bristol cars might never have existed.
About 1990 I was involved in developing academic computer networking in an area of the UK, and one of the salesmen with whom I had dealings had opted out of the company car scheme and instead had some arrangement where he bought a classic Bristol, and his employer paid for insurance and maintenance (and restoration without the taxman knowing). I wonder if he watches this channel.
Patina perfection
The most British of cars is derived from German parts... Well, so is the Royal family, so, it works out.
well done excelllent.
A mate of mine had a 401 in the early 80s. It had apparently been taken to France on the deck of an aircraft carrier and driven round France at high speed, as a publicity stunt.
My parents had on in the late 60's, when i was a toddler.
I saw a photo of me sat on the bonnet and thought it was an old jag in the picture (black and white and small) when i left home and was searching the loft for stuff.
No ,apparently it was a bristol 401 hand painted in british racing green.
Fascinating car! btw, it was also featured in a Belgian exploitation movie from the early 70's called "Les lèvres rouges" (Daughters of Darkness)... even the makers of the movie thought of this as a worthy car for a noble vampire baroness...
amazing car
Their cars were very select and if you were a 1980s Yuppie with money in your pocket and outrageous red braces, you were shown the Kensington showroom door apparently 😮
However, you didn't mention their very well known bus company.
Bristol still make aircraft and their engines at Filton. Aircraft are now called Airbus UK and the engines R-R (ironically).
@@andrewdking : never mind being shown the door. You wouldn't even be allowed in!
I've always had a liking for Bristols (stop giggling at the back there!).
When you went into the showroom in Kensington to order your Bristol, if Tony Crook didn't like the look of you, there was no way in hell that he would sell you one of 'his' cars. You've just got to love an attitude like that 😂
I can't remember the exact details (so correct my mistakes please), but in the late 70's or early 80's Tony Crook was voted off the board and almost literally kicked out of the premises. He passed away a short time later 😢Shortly after that, the company itself ceased production. It's been revived a couple of times since then, mainly for the restoration and upkeep of existing models, but it would be good to see this most British (with a bit of German and American) car companies back on the road again.
Bristols, you just can't beat them 👍
Can't be right .. I went for a test drive with Tony Crook in the mid 90's
Perhaps the nicest Bristol in the films was driven by Daniel Day Lewis in the Phantom Thread. Perfect car casting for a 1950s stylish English gent.
AC Bristol "Ace" produced 220 units from 1953 to 1963, unknown until Carroll Shelby put a V8 under the bonnet
My dream car !