Bristol alternatives.

[Kevin H]

Mr Potential,

I wouldn't consider the Reliant Scimitar comparable with a Bristol. Not that there is anything wrong with Scimitar, but it's a very different car. To be honest nothing is quite like a Bristol!

The Mercedes 450 SLC has certainly stood the test of time. Probably has better build quality than a V8 Bristol. But it's much smaller than a V8 Bristol and I can't imagine it would carry four adults in the same comfort as a Bristol. Cons: Common as muck, ex pimp car.

I quite like the Rover and have toyed with the idea of buying one myself, but I would want a P5B Coupe. I don't believe they had any build quality issues. It was good enough for the Prime Minister!

Lancia Flavia coupe is a great looking car, but I don't know much about it.

Other suggestions,

BMW 2800 CS
Bentley T1
Jaguar XJ6 Coupe

There was a time you could have got a good Gordon Keeble for that money, or an Aston DBS, but not any more...

With the V8 Bristol you are paying for exclusivity and a bit of mystique. Having helped pull one apart, I personally don't think the engineering or build quality is superior to most of the other cars here. You can definitely tell they were hand made. But, if you start with a good one it would be one of the easiest to maintain.

[Richard Levine]

eeerrrhhhh Kevin, what size are the 4 adults which you are carrying in comfort in a Bristol? I am on my third Bristol, but none have managed to accommodate 4 normal sized adults in comfort. 2 yes, but 4, never.

[Ashley James]

The Jensen CV8 MKIII has the 6.75 Litre engine, is beautifully made,
looks astonishing and is a hoot to drive. It's my favourite of all
the US engined Europeans, although the Facel Vega is a pretty
amazing coachbuilt car too. The detail work in stainless steel is
very clever indeed.

Ashley

[Markus Berzborn]

As for the SLC, on longer journeys the back seats are only suitable for children really.
Anyway, I would recommend the 500 SLC with the aluminium 5 litre engine rather than the 450 SLC.
And people needing more spaciness should consider the succeeding SEC line. Although this is an entirely different car in character - more comfort-oriented.

Regards,
Markus

[jimfoz]

Originally Posted by Markus Berzborn

As for the SLC, on longer journeys the back seats are only suitable for children really.
Anyway, I would recommend the 500 SLC with the aluminium 5 litre engine rather than the 450 SLC.
And people needing more spaciness should consider the succeeding SEC line. Although this is an entirely different car in character - more comfort-oriented.

Regards,
Markus

Actually even better for rarity would be the 450SLC 5.0 - I think they only made a few hundred before it became the more obviously named 500SLC.

[Kevin H]

Originally Posted by Ashley James

The Jensen CV8 MKIII has the 6.75 Litre engine, is beautifully made,
looks astonishing and is a hoot to drive. It's my favourite of all
the US engined Europeans, although the Facel Vega is a pretty
amazing coachbuilt car too. The detail work in stainless steel is
very clever indeed.

Ashley

But would you get a good one of either of those for GBP15k ?

Originally Posted by Stuart

Interesting that Alfa doesn't seem to have featured in this thread?
Stuart

Given the initial post I thought we were only considering cars in the 1960s and 70s that were comparable to a V8 Bristol. Did Alfa make anything that fitted that criteria?

[potential]

Originally Posted by Kevin Howard

Did Alfa make anything that fitted that criteria?

I can't think of anything from Alfa that's a direct competitor, the Montreal appeals but I'd have to be completely mad to buy one

Originally Posted by Peter.Kent

Other suggestions: keep with Lancia. The Gamma was a fantastic car, whether in Berlinetta or Coupe mode. Either look great. Fantastic handling, more than adequate performance from the 2.5 flat 4. Early ones shed cam belts but I think the design was put right with the fuel injected models. It's the last true Lancia. Those that followed were Fiats. Wouldn't cost a lot either. Peter

I do love the external shape of the Gamma Coupé but I'm not sure I'd enjoy staring at that dash board every day.

Speaking of Fiats, the 130 Coupé looks like a lovely car.

[Rubbond]

Dear all of you,
Love your website, Think you're all great albeit a bit/ bit very quirky.
When I was a boy I used to fly from Hurn airport in Hampshire to Cherbourg
in France, in a Bristol aeroplane that I thought was called a Bristol City,
but that could be a mistake I made (after nearly 50 years) remembering the
term Bristol "Cities".
On the plane there were just 12 passenger seats, leather to boot, and I
think there were also still parachutes on board.
Below there was space for 3 cars. I can remember one Aston Martin amongst
them when I flew in 1962. Probably a DB4.
Only the rich could afford to fly then, with or without their car.
Those were the days, my friend. (this is not a McCain quote).
On the other subjects, my goodness. Who really could care a sh*t about
electric rear windows?
Or am I mad?
Andrew Knox.

[406Special]

It did occur to me that the number of times the rear windows are ever opened
on a Bristol probably number on the fingers of one hand, unless of course
you carry fresh air fanatical passengers. Otherwise they probably never get
touched, so why give a S**t as “rubbond” suggests.

Making the rear windows electric would simply make the car more complex and
not that more practical. I think a better design would have the rear
windows wind down into the rear cavity (electrically or manually). Further,
if the front doors were frameless, then the whole affair could be pillarless
and that would look stunning – but a much more expensive and structurally
demanding challenge.

Now give me electric solenoid activated (or sprung cable operated) petrol
filler cap or rear boot lid any time. These changes represent more
convenience and are practical. My 406 is getting electric with back up
cable control of boot lid and fuel filler cap. The rear windows will remain
manual, although I am toying with electric front operation. My front seats
(from a BMW 3 series convertible) will be electric as well. Apart from
these few modern conveniences, I am trying to keep it as simple and easy to
maintain as possible. About that fact I do give a S**t.

[Kevin H]

Originally Posted by Richard Levine

eeerrrhhhh Kevin, what size are the 4 adults which you are carrying in comfort in a Bristol? I am on my third Bristol, but none have managed to accommodate 4 normal sized adults in comfort. 2 yes, but 4, never.

Ah, you got me there Richard, I guess I was quoting the old marketing hype!

My 411 has been off the road for the last eight years and only ever once carried adults in the back that I can remember. Not that there were any complaints, but the passengers were female and it was a short trip. I guess it depends on the height of the driver and front passenger as well.

It's all relative though. Of the cars mentioned none of them would have any more leg room that a V8 Bristol, and several would have considerably less.

The only cars I can think of with really generous room in the back have been long wheelbase versions of more modern cars.

[Peter.Kent]

I had a Scimiter. Prefer the look of the earlier GTE over the later
Cologne engined model. Handles well. Enough grunt. Seats 4 at a bit of a
pinch. Downsides are that they leak around the back window. Unless fixed,
all of them overheat (there is a simple cure) I remember going to a
meeting and noticing that everybody arriving popped the bonnet for a bit
of extra ventilation as soon as they stopped! I became adept at changing
warped cylinder heads. Fibreglass body is difficult to maintain to
concours standard. I think they get tired. Last time I asked, parts were
not a problem.
Lancia Flavia: beautiful car. But the flat 4 is a bit slow. The bodies rust
terribly and electric are a nightmare. I guess that spares would be a
problem particularly in England where so few were sold. (Colin Dexter told
me that he knows absolutely nothing about cars and it was a friend who told
him that an eccentric like Morse should have a Lancia Flavia ... and that is
the car that features in the early Morse novels. The Jag which appears in
the films was purely the inspiration of the film producers.)
Rover: agree with Kevin that the coupe looks fine. Used to have an early
six cylinder which was dreadfully slow and thirsty. The V8 much better
from that point of view but it's still a big old car. Awful rust around
the wings. Handling? If you've ever been on a canal barge you'll know the
feeling!
Mercedes: I know nothing.
Other suggestions: keep with Lancia. The Gamma was a fantastic car, whether
in Berlinetta or Coupe mode. Either look great. Fantastic handling, more
than adequate performance from the 2.5 flat 4. Early ones shed cam belts but
I think the design was put right with the fuel injected models. It's the
last true Lancia. Those that followed were Fiats. Wouldn't cost a lot
either. Peter

[Markus Berzborn]

Originally Posted by Kevin Howard

The only cars I can think of with really generous room in the back have been long wheelbase versions of more modern cars.

I currently use a Daimler Double Six of the last generation in the long wheelbase version. This is what I call generous legroom in the back.
But still, it's problematic for people of more than 1.90 m because of the classic Jaguar roofline. I guess this is why the current XJ is considerably higher - but has lost this special appeal.

The optimum for rear seat passengers would probably be a RR Phantom (old or new) or something like that.

Regards,
Markus

[jimfoz]

Originally Posted by Markus Berzborn

I currently use a Daimler Double Six of the last generation in the long wheelbase version. This is what I call generous legroom in the back.
But still, it's problematic for people of more than 1.90 m because of the classic Jaguar roofline. I guess this is why the current XJ is considerably higher - but has lost this special appeal.

The optimum for rear seat passengers would probably be a RR Phantom (old or new) or something like that.

Regards,
Markus

Any of the LWB S-classes had very good rear legroom and they are still 'cheap as chips' for a relatively good one unless you go for the 6.9 or 6.3 variants

[Markus Berzborn]

Well sure, the S class is fine. And relatively easy to maintain, at least over here in Germany. Spare parts are also readily available and not very expensive.
If I lived in Britain, I probably would have an S class. But I just don't like seeing the same car at every corner. They are just too common here. I think in England, it's probably the other way round - the XJ is common and the S class exclusive.
One of my neighbours has a 6.9 in very good condition with all options. But it seems he is not really able or willing to afford the maintenance. He only registered it again last year when it achieved "vintage status" (in Germany you can apply for that for cars older than 30 years, it means taxes are significantly lower then) and even so rarely uses it. Fuel consumption is really high for today's standards. Anyway, I personally prefer the 6.3 because of its classic body shape. The 6.9 is a bit too ostentatious for my taste.

Regards,
Markus

[Jervaulx]

Markus, i live in Manchester in England and the Mercedes S-class, as well
as other models is a very common car in Manchester. The Jaguar XJ is a
rarer car here as it has a bad image, too much of an old mans car i hear
and lacks sophistication. I do like the S-class though.

Andrew