Bristol alternatives.

[Ashley James]

It's all been completely beyond me as I have a 400! I chose it
because it looked stunning and a friend went to school with the last
Sir George, so had seen the cars around for years. I normally run a
MKVI Bentley that I've rebuilt over the years and altered to suit
slightly to suit long distance touring. It's silent, exceptionally
smooth, extremely comfortable with a ride that compares favourably
with the best moderns and it's performance is similar to the 400.
Therefore the raucous, bumpy, noisy and partly developed Bristol has
been a culture shock. After a 2 year rebuild, I'm nearly finished
doing the development work that Bristol didn't!

Work has included Alfin brake drums, an anti-roll bar, a Delco Remy
distributor, more or less a 405 engine and soon an MGB clutch and
close ratio box, a brake servo and finally, correctly jetted
carburettors. Not to mention huge amounts of additional sound
deadening, new felt seals and screws to hold down all the floors etc
and the best Motor Wilton. It's no Bentley but with it's overdrive,
it'll cruise all day at 80+, it corners exceptionally well, it's heavy
to drive and it's still noisy, but pretty astonishing for a '49 car.

Modern Bristols with Chrysler engines I'm less sure about, most are a
bit aesthetically challenged to my antique tastes, but the 410 is
really quite nice, I like Sam Frost's Royal Blue one with what R-R
call St James red hide, probably Conollys Vaumol. That's the one I'd
modernise if buy another.

Ashley