Bristols

Has anybody here actually seen a Bristol in the metal?

Anybody driven one? Owned one?

How are they viewed in the UK?

 

Never driven one, but admire them. Kinda rare in US. Don't know if new Bristols can be imported to US (there's a point to that...)

There was a custom one that'll be a glorious half Century old in a few years (since sold, of course) at Heritage Classics in West Hollywood for a bit.
http://www.heritageclassics.com/bristol/58blu406e/Page.html

Visually, to me, they're understated, but edgy. Maybe an acquired taste for some. If I could, I would, and I'd have to be a would/could as - how many can work on something like this in the US? Hell, there's not any Bristol dealers anywhere on earth outside of Manufacturer direct. Yoiks!

Now, if you want to dig deep, go new (as opening salvo "promised") and over 200 MPH - check out the Bristol Fighter.

 

The V8 cars are some of my favorite automobiles.

Distinctly English (as opposed to British). I have never owned one, but have driven a few. They feel big (substantial, heavy) and with the big Chrysler V8's are reasonably fast (if not quick). A real gentlemen's estate meant to comfortably carry you from point A to point B without much fuss or bother, if not as quickly as one of the true GT's. Similar to a Jensen Interceptor but with even less sporting aspirations.

(The earlier 4 cylinder cars are a different breed and I'm not really familiar with them. I know for the era they were considered really top shelf.)

I get the idea they are seen as overly traditional and somewhat stodgy. They don't bring huge bucks in the UK... I've come very close to buying and importing two or three, but the deals have always fallen apart at the last moment. (I still see a mid-70's car in my future.)

You seldom see them for sale in the US (I think they left our shores in the early 70's if not earlier...only a couple V8 models ever offered here) and of course are limited to importing only cars 25 years or older.

Bill

 

I remember seeing a low mileage Beaufighter at an ordinary car auction in the mid 1980's and remeber the auctioneer commenting that not only was it the biggest depreciation he'd EVER seen, but it also sold for the most money below "guide" price, I think it had a "trade" book value of about £30k and sold for about 10 or 11 grand, and it was a low mileage, lovely car!

 

have seen and played with AC Bristol and Arnolt Bristol 8 coupe that was owned by Lee Marvin... but they were a little odd DAMN FAST but odd

 

I used to live in the same street as an owner of an early 80's Bristol. To me it looked a bit ungainly.

It seems to me that by any measurable standard, there were plenty of better cars for the money.

However, the things that make a Ferrari stand out from other performance cars are not 'measurable' and so I can only assume that the reason people continue to buy Bristols is because they have some indefinable quality that appeals?