Blenheim Production Numbers

[Laurent B]

Hello

I recently made an inventory of all the Blenheims. I used photos published by car spotters and car dealers on the Internet. This was not very easy because many cars have had several registrations. A few were repainted and I know a Blenheim 1 wich was turned into Blenheim 3 ! However, the website Cazana.com helped me to recreate the history of all cars registered.

So, there is at least 34 Bristol Blenheims
_ 5 Blenheim 1 (one of wich turned into Blenheim 3)
_ 6 Blenheim 2
_ 22 Blenheim 3
_ 1 Blenheim 4

Among these 34 cars :
_ 5 are known by their VIN
_ 3 are genuine LHD cars. 1 was registered in France, 1 in Germany and 1 in Sweden (but it recently came back to England)
_ 1 RHD car was turned into LHD by Bristol Cars for a Swiss customer in 2013. This car is now in the Netherlands.
_ 2 cars have an Irish registration

Of course, my inventory is not completed and I am still searching new informations, but you can already have an idea of the volume of "production". Production datas claimed by Tony Crook were very optimistic !

Excuse my English, I am French !

[Geoff Dowdle]

Laurent B,
it is interesting that you have collected this Blenheim information.

The information I have about the Blenheim production is that they were all produced RHD .
Blenheim 1 6 cars
Blenheim 2 10 cars
Blenheim 3 17 cars ( one was completed RHD & converted to LHD before delivery)
Blenheim 3S 1 car

Note there is no record of a Blenheim 4 unless an earlier car was later updated.
Some of the cars above could have been returned to BCL for conversion to LHD.

Geoff

[Laurent B]

So the "Blenheim 4" is in fact a second hand car updated, isn't it ? Although I found a lot of pictures of this car, I don't know much about it. The original specifications, the VIN or the date of update are unknown.

Several Blenheim 3 have "S" wheels, so it's difficult to say which one is a real S or not. However, the specifications and technical datas of the S are not exactly known.

I know at least 2 Blenheim 3G and one of them have "S" wheels. So is it a "3SG" or not ?

[AlanD]

Great work Laurent and Geoff!!

Very interesting information. Does the total for the series 2 include the silver coloured example that when to New Zealand, I have seen this car when I was in NZ. I am not sure if it was purchased second hand in the UK and then exported or went direct from the factory. When I met Tony Crook in the Kensington showroom he mentioned there was one there, which I subsequently saw in Auckland.

Regards

Alan David
Sydney

[Geoff Dowdle]

Alan,
The Blenheim in NZ as far as I can find out is a Blenheim 3 .
Chassis TTBL399168874
Silver with Black trim
Exported in Feb 2000 , but I don't know if it was direct to New Zealand .

Registered in NZ June 2001 "ACU206"

I have not seen the car , do you have a photo of it that you can post on the forum??

Geoff Dowdle
Sydney Australia

PS
you should join the BOC of Australia on one of our events or meetings which are held regularly in Sydney .
But you won't see a Blenheim , they are mostly early 6 cylinder cars.
You would be most welcome.

[Geoff Kingston]

The numbers for the Blenheim 3 don't stack up as far as the 'knowledgable' trade in the UK are saying, their view is eight or nine cars so where are the other 8 nor 9 coming from?

[AlanD]

Originally Posted by Geoff Kingston

The numbers for the Blenheim 3 don't stack up as far as the 'knowledgable' trade in the UK are saying, their view is eight or nine cars so where are the other 8 nor 9 coming from?

I do not believe for a second that the figure of eight or nine Blenheim's being produced is correct. Just recently one UK classic car dealer had 4 different Blenheim's for sale at one time.

Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of the silver Blenheim I saw in downtown Auckland. I was about 20 meters away from it so had a good look, but this was in the days before smart phones with cameras. I must have seen the car a year or two after it arrived in NZ.

As to its series number I can only tell you that Mr Crook told me it was a Series 2, I do remember that quite clearly, perhaps it was the last of the series 2 cars, or Mr Crook was in error?

I am glad this thread has been revived.

Regards

Alan David
Sydney

[irienz]

[quote=Geoff Dowdle;8940]
The Blenheim in NZ as far as I can find out is a Blenheim 3 .
Chassis TTBL399168874
Silver with Black trim
Exported in Feb 2000, but I don't know if it was direct to New Zealand.

Registered in NZ June 2001 "ACU206"

The Blenheim 3 may still be in New Zealand. I have not seen it or its owner for some time but the owner did not live here permanently (although the car did). At one point the owner and i lived in the same apartment building in Auckland and my 411 and the Blenheim used to park within a few metres of each other. I do not know whether it was exported directly or the owner took delivery in England and then privately exported it, but Bristol Cars gave the impression when referring to it, that it had been exported.

[AlanD]

Geoff K, I see you note 1 B3SP and Geoff D you list 1 B Special.

Is the same car and if so what is it exactly ?

irenenz, its a small small world two different Bristol's in the same apartment building car park in Auckland, owned by two different people!

Regards

Alan David
Sydney

[Laurent B]

A reader of my blog found the first Blenheim !

bristol blenheim - the first - Classic Car Photos

Its current registration is FJL100. This numberplate was first registered on April 1983. So the first Blenheim is perhaps a prototype based on a secondhand car !

[Brianfromdorset]

I keep meaning to sit down of an evening and compile a list of how many different cars appear on Google images. There's quite a few.
Incedently I drove Tony Crooks Blenheim last week thanks to the super guys at Spencer lane jones Hackett. It was a fantastic experience.

[Lance]

The NZ Blenheim is mine.It was delivered to me in the UK in Jan 2000 by TC himself .I exported it to NZ later that year.Car Magazine once described the Bristol as a "hand-built horror" and I can but agree.It's lovely when it's
going but that isn't often enough.It actually broke down when I was driving it away from the showroom in Kensington High St.Still can't bear to part with it though which must mean something.

[jon.p.godfrey]

Originally Posted by Laurent B

Hello

I recently made an inventory of all the Blenheims. I used photos published by car spotters and car dealers on the Internet. This was not very easy because many cars have had several registrations. A few were repainted and I know a Blenheim 1 wich was turned into Blenheim 3 ! However, the website Cazana.com helped me to recreate the history of all cars registered.

So, there is at least 34 Bristol Blenheims
_ 5 Blenheim 1 (one of wich turned into Blenheim 3)
_ 6 Blenheim 2
_ 22 Blenheim 3
_ 1 Blenheim 4

Among these 34 cars :
_ 5 are known by their VIN
_ 3 are genuine LHD cars. 1 was registered in France, 1 in Germany and 1 in Sweden (but it recently came back to England)
_ 1 RHD car was turned into LHD by Bristol Cars for a Swiss customer in 2013. This car is now in the Netherlands.
_ 2 cars have an Irish registration

Of course, my inventory is not completed and I am still searching new informations, but you can already have an idea of the volume of "production". Production datas claimed by Tony Crook were very optimistic !

Excuse my English, I am French !

Dear Laurent,

Thank you for your hard work! I have enjoyed your Recensement page very much!
I am also very curious as to what happened to the first Blenheim, registered as 'MPH 100'. I wonder if it was updated to Blenheim III specification?

[Sam410]

Originally Posted by Laurent B

Among these 34 cars :
_ 5 are known by their VIN

Hi Laurent,

I suspect a number of early Blenheims (or one of them at least) were 'remanufactured' and sold as new Blenheim 3s, receiving a new VIN in the process. I know of someone who had a very late B3, and found two different VIN numbers on the car. He discussed it with BCL and was advised which was the correct one. The impression he got, though not confirmed by the company, was that they'd simply failed to change all the VIN stamps (I'm not certain how many there are) when the car was rebuilt.

[jon.p.godfrey]

Originally Posted by Sam410

Hi Laurent,

I suspect a number of early Blenheims (or one of them at least) were 'remanufactured' and sold as new Blenheim 3s, receiving a new VIN in the process. I know of someone who had a very late B3, and found two different VIN numbers on the car. He discussed it with BCL and was advised which was the correct one. The impression he got, though not confirmed by the company, was that they'd simply failed to change all the VIN stamps (I'm not certain how many there are) when the car was rebuilt.

Hello Sam,

When you say remanufactured, do you mean the cars have been upgraded/rebuilt? As in, a 603, Britannia/Brigand or early Blenheim being upgraded to Blenheim III spec?

[jon.p.godfrey]

I love talking about Blenheims, it's like talking about Lochness Monster sightings! Car conspiracy theories!


I looked up 'FJL 100' - the first Blenheim - on the DLVA MOT checker, doesn't look like she has been roadworthy for a few years...