Restore 403 or sacrifice for parts?

[Ashley James]

Clyde - I've seen your car along there and would love to meet up if
there is a gathering. John's been over to Rich's workshop and seen
my car but he's delightfully absent minded!


Ash

[seanmcs]

Thinking about the values of the cars, I have the impression that
the Fighter has brought the Bristol name back into public focus in
the UK. Certainly the membership of the BOC has climbed a lot in the
last three years. I noticed some spectacular prices for a couple of
Arnolts in the USA earlier this year. I'd also imagine a Zagato 406
would be receiving a lot of interest if one were available! Only 5
around plus the 2-3 on 400 chassis. My own limited experience is
that the 405 has been the best handling Bristol I have ever had - it
will be interesting to see how the 406Z will compare. Body nearly
finished now and assemble, take down, paint, upholster and fit
screen then re-assemble to come. Maybe by March.

Sean

[Ashley James]

I've not long completed a total rebuild of my 400, which coincidentally is the same colour (well sort of!) as the car that the Duke of Richmond and Gordon used to open the Goodwood Circuit in 1948.

To commemorate this auspicious event (the 60th anniversary), my car is to open the meeting, doing a few parade laps with Lord March in it, starting the racing each day and spending the rest of its time in an enclosure set aside to display the previous Duke's cars.

The thought of four days, taking time off work and the misery that is getting in and out of these affairs, rather put me off attending. Therefore I've lent the car to Andrew Blow who's generously offered to do it. It was a wrench after so much work and expense, but it seems like an excellent way to dangle a very good example of a 400 under the noses of some of the World's top collectors and hopefully make them feel like buying and restoring one.

If anyone is going to the Goodwood Revival with a camera, I'd love some photos. It's a green (Cambridge Grey) 400 and was made in 1949


Ashley

[Calibrator]

For better or worse I now have the 403 that started this thread off in my workshop. It came to me via a wanted advert on this forum last year.

I've only had it for a little over a week, but the limited chance I've had to inspect and prod its nether regions has given me hope. It looks awful, but essentially the major malady is in the sills both sides. The near side sill having been "repaired" at some point in the past. Chassis itself is rock solid, and the body work requires very little new metal. Front seats are shot, but the rears are in fine form, and will colour up nicely. Some of Gliptones conditioner I had lying around has softened the leather very nicely.

Chrome needs doing all around, and whilst the glass is all good, the rear side window actuators are beyond salvage I think, and the windscreen rubber is shot.

So to answer the original question, restore or sacrifice? Well definitely not sacrifice, I'm not going to break it for sure, it's too good for that. Restore? Well yes, but with the caveat regarding the engine and gearbox. It will be restored to a motive car, but unless 6 numbers come up on the lottery that I don't play, then it will be with some other power train. Threads elsewhere have explored this issue, and in truth I'm undecided what to do. I have the ex Harry Wareham 405 that was featured in the Duckhams oil advert, with a Rover V8 engine and 5 speed LT77 gearbox from an SD1 that I've had fitted. But I'd rather stick to a straight six engine of some sort for the 403, an engine with similar architecture to the original Bristol Engine. The V8 installation in the 405 was a little invasive of the chassis, and I'd rather avoid that on the 403.

I know there will be folks out there horrified at what I'm doing. All I'd ask those folks to remember is that I wasn't the one responsible for robbing the cars of their original engines and gearboxes.

[penman]

Hi
This AC Greyhound has a Triumph 6cyl in it, I'm not sure if it is a 2000 or 2500 the weight of the Triumph is not far short of that of the Bristol, the 2000 had a claimed output of 90bhp compared with the Bristol's 100bhp.

[Calibrator]

That's a beautiful looking Greyhound. Mine isn't so lovely, but I'd like to hope it could be. I've heard of several Bristol sixes with the Triumph 2500 installed. Anybody have a direct knowledge of how the car drives?

[David.H]

How about a small BMW "six" & box? Lots around, & with the right provenance!only difficulty might be the Engine management etc, but there are people who understand all that stuff!
David