B ISTO ARS

[pogweasel]

I have had the very good fortune to just finish reading the last works of LJK Setright, surely the greatest Bristol Cars enthusiast/apologist to put pen to paper.

 

In the tome, he describes that it takes a particularly long time to aquaint oneself with the driving pleasure of an Bristol, but once you have the knack, he says, they are perfect.

Can this possibly be true?

I would have thought that despite an aeronautical heritage, these things would probably still not be a 'great' drive. But then I suppose we, as "shiters" will never know. Unless anyone can confirm/deny of course.

 

 

Shite-spec 403:

 

I like this sort,

 

 

This is probably the peak:

 

But I am hugely drawn to the probably horrible 412, I mean it looks like a Granada Coupe of somesuch shit.

Also because from here on in, they became spectacularly UGLY, the 608 onwards are really ill-proportioned. and not in a good way like the 412.

 

Still, I won't ever own one, having been asked to leave their showroom when I accompanied an (at the time) Porsche-owning friend whose demeanour did not appear to fit the Bristol sales model, and I would wager that these gentlemen have long memories....

[CreepingJesus]

Yep, you'll never get back in that showroom again!

Bristol are an absolute enigma - how the company survives despite its' continued efforts to refuse to conform. Apparently, a well sorted old 403 type is quite a good drive, within the limits of reason. The plug ugly square ones are ok too, provided it's not the turbo version. Apparently the Brigand Turbo's a proper handful! Wouldn't mind getting my grubby peasant mitts on one, tho'...

[warren t claim]

I'd roll in a Beaufighter Turbo. I know this is probably bollocks but is it true no-one has ever died in an accident driving a Bristol?

[pogweasel]

Sadly, it has just been brought to my attention that "BONO" either owns or has owned a Bristol motor car.

Given that this man is quite ostensibly the biggest twat-bag ever to walk the earth I feel that their standards must be slipping.

[warren t claim]

Sadly, it has just been brought to my attention that "BONO" either owns or has owned a Bristol motor car.

Given that this man is quite ostensibly the biggest twat-bag ever to walk the earth I feel that their standards must be slipping.

 

And one of the annoying Gallagher brothers from Oasis.

[seth]

Pog, did you just search the internet for pictures of "Bristols"? How did that go?

 

I have no first had experience. There's a 401 (?) that lives next door to Ickle_Seth's school. It gets fettled in the drive from time to time.

 

LJK is still the man

[Tayne]

,

[autofive]

 

this reminds me of a Gilbern

 

and i think id plump for an Invader rather than a 412

 

[pogweasel]

Pog, did you just search the internet for pictures of "Bristols"? How did that go?

Fairly well.

Some cars. A few buses. Much of a dismal-looking city. Some tits.

 

LJK is still the man

Indeed.

Not only am I looking at Bristols, Honda Preludes and preposterous beards, I keep eyeing up those black sobraines the tobacconist keeps on the 'hideously expensive' shelf.

[Guest]

You want to ask Pete-M. He's driven one of the Chrysler V8 jobs.

 

I'd love a [bristol] 405. There's one in daily use in Conwy - it parks in the same marina FATHA_WAT uses. Can't find the pictures of it at the moment.

I went to secondary school with the son of a very well known Bristol specialist who operates near where I live.

 

I'm trying to get him to do a profile interview, but he runs the biz off the books. Even I did talk to him, I couldn't publish it for fear of him being bummed by the tax man. Probably an ideal ambassador for the marque then.

[Pete-M]

Indeed. Not a massive number of miles in a 411. I'd have one. They're rather good.

 

Comfier and better handling than the Interceptor or Bentley Turbo R. Can't ask for more than that.

 

Having said that, I've just had to google to see which exact model it was. That could only happen with a Bristol.

[brammy777]

Bristol must be one of the very few Marques left where most of the population in its country of origin have no idea what it is.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

What bristol needs is for someone like GM to take it over, flood it with young 'execs' with big ties and laptops, and work a bit of its brand management magic, maybe come up with some sort of Bristol 4x4 people carrier with a 2.0 diesel engine and loads of grey placca all over it? get the name out there instead of farting about building 20 cars a year with polar-bear-killing engines.

[garethj]

LJK also owned cheaper transport; a Scirocco Storm and a Suzuki Whizzkid

[Richard]

Was the Bristol bus company any relation?

[nigel bickle]

CRC 2 -photographed at Goodwood recently- belongs to Theo Gillam, PracClassics writer. i suspect he's Dieselled it....

 

I have driven a s3 411-at le Mans one year when we all went down in ''exotica'' (I took my old 412) -we tended to do ''themed' weekends.

 

I loved it. it was like a Royce-but so much more together. Most hadnt a clue-which appealed widely -and the power was seamless/effortless. i sold my Interceptor shortly after- greatly disillusioned. Felt pants in comparison.

 

its on my list & I intend to have one -prob close to ''retirement''.

[messerschmitt owner]

Was the Bristol bus company any relation?

nope

 

the car company grew out of the aircraft company and the bus company grew out of the tramway company!

[ashmicro]

EFA

 

[Peter C]

 

As ungainly (I wouldn't say ugly) as this car is, I like it. I was born in 1974 and my penchant is for cars built after my birthday, although there are a few exceptions to this rule. The earlier 400 series cars do not appeal to me, much the same as the Model T fails to arouse me. However, I do admire their engineering and build quality, which I understand to be up to aircraft quality, a bit like early Saabs, perhaps.

 

As for LJK, when I was a kid I read Car magazine every month. I didn't get him at first but now that I'm all grown up, with my own facial hair, I can concur that the man was a genius.

 

Odd looking man. Note the Bristol in the background:

 

[r.welfare]

That pic of LJKS always gets the lyrics of ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man" running in my head.

[ashmicro]

Every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man

 

 

LJKS was a bit strange, but I always went straight to his "Frontlines" when I used to get CAR, before it was shit.

[mnde]

Those missing letters reminded me of the opening credits to Fawlty Towers. So I decided to see what happened if I put BRISTOL CARS in an anagram maker.

 

My favourites were SCRIBAL ROTS and SCROTAL RIBS.

 

http://wordsmith.org/anagram/

 

Mark.

[ashmicro]

WATERY FOWLS

 

FARTY TOWELS

 

are the ones I remember. There was only 12 episodes of Fawlty Towers, but it lives on after decades in the Great British psyche. The greatest episode ever has to be "The Germans" Jingoism, racism* and a good helping of British lunacy. Quite brilliant. I have it on VHS. The current Mrs Ash doesn't quite "get" Fawlty Towers as she was born in 1984.

[pogweasel]

FLAY OTTERS

 

FATTY OWLS

 

FLOWERY TWATS

[barrett]

Nige - Gillam's one is indeed running a perkins dieasel - There's a tiny pic of it in the most recent C&SC

 

Pog - Is that first picture the Touring-bodied 401?

[Pete-M]

Nige - Gillam's one is indeed running a perkins dieasel - There's a tiny pic of it in the most recent C&SC

 

Oh this has to be the absolute shittiest thing you could ever possibly do to a Bristol. In fact, I'd like to meet the chap responsible and beat him around the head with a 383 Mopar lump until he is very, very dead.

 

That's a crime against motoring. Fuckin' heathen needs a slap.

[barrett]

LOLZ !

 

calm down Pete, that's his whole thing, stuffing old diseasels in cars known for their smoothness.

 

It is a bit odd, but you gotta admit that it's probably the coolest 403 on the planet in terms of how it looks

[Pete-M]

LOLZ !

 

calm down Pete, that's his whole thing, stuffing old diseasels in cars known for their smoothness.

 

It is a bit odd, but you gotta admit that it's probably the coolest 403 on the planet in terms of how it looks

 

A bit odd? It's possibly the most "anti-car" thing it's possible to do. Whipping out a proper engine and shoving one of Dr. Diesel's Evil Inventions into it. Fuxake, diesel engines should only be used in ships, trains, and generators. Not high quality handbuilt British motor cars.

 

If he's at the show on Sunday, DO NOT point him out to me...

 

[Timewaster]

 

Alright,alright Calm down calm down

[chaseracer]

Pog, did you just search the internet for pictures of "Bristols"? How did that go?

Fairly well.

Some cars. A few buses. Much of a dismal-looking city. Some tits.

 

Weapons-grade lollage, gentlemen.