401 engine sugestions.

[Geoff Kingston]

When initially advertised the converted 405 was available with the option of a correct Bristol engine and gearbox to return it to original specification, obviously at a price reflecting the value of those components but a viable proposition compared to the value of the more expensive car as the starting point appears to be a good on the road car which looks as though it would not require any other restoration or work.
Contrast that with the 405 project sold by Brightwells a few months ago, it needed a lot of work and although there was a Bristol engine and gearbox with it they were from an earlier car, an 85A block with 85C head and a non overdrive Bristol syncro box, it made under £8k, or about the value of the engine and gearbox to the buyer as the rest of the car, i.e. the rolling body shell was on eBay 2 weeks later for spares, a pity as it was basically sound.
It would have made a good basis for an engine conversion and if it still survives it is perhaps its only hope, it may have had a better fate if it had been offered without the wrong spec engine and gearbox.
In the BOC there are several cars now with different power units, the most recent I have seen is the 406 fitted with a Rover V8 engine and gearbox by Spencer Lane Jones, the owner a long standing owner of another standard 406 is very pleased with the outcome so yes a conversion may knock the value but you might end up with a better car in terms of performance than could be achieved with a Bristol engine without spending mega bucks on it.

[Philip]

Geoff - I believe the red saloon at Brightwells was bid to £8k, but was unsold - it was previously bid to £14.5k at an earlier Brightwells sale, but, again, was unsold.