Thinking about a 401/403

[Raymond]

I am rather taken with the advert for this early 401 but before travelling down from Derby to view the car, I thought perhaps someone on this forum may know of it?. Has anyone been to see it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVr8QLpkfKo

What is there about these early aerodyne models that I particularly need to look out for?

[David C]

First signs are good - it looks as though it has a disc brake conversion.
Check whether it has an anti roll bar and what engine and gearbox are fitted.
Original engine would probably have been 85A at around 80BHP. Later 100A, 100B2 etc over 100BHP and the extra power is useful on modern roads.
It doesn't look as though this one has had an overdrive added but something to look for.

Bristol gearbox may well be good but now hard to rebuild. Later BWCR gearbox is a better prospect.

First signs of rot are usually in front of base of rear wheel arch. Lower the spare wheel carrier and look for corrosion on the sides of the metal on either side.

If you can drive down a hill on the overrun as long as possible then boot the accelerator. As little smoke as possible out of the back is a good thing. An engine rebuild may easily cost £10k

The car should go where you point it and not veer to the sides over bumps. I would suggest you drive all of the available 401s before you make a decision.

[Stefan]

Well sounds like everything I can think of has been addressed. Scrutinise it underneath on a ramp and look carefully at the new paint e.g. around the wheel arches to make sure no corrosion is striking through.
A compression test would be reassuring but it sounds as if mechanically the engine will be tipi top.
If it hasn’t got an overdrive ( essential for the motorway) and anti roll bar those can readily be fitted.
These days we’re looking at restorations of restorations of a 70+ year-old car so much depends on the skill of the ancestral artisans. Most important of all , finally, I would get it well warmed up and drive it very fast to make sure you enjoy it. Some thoroughly restored cars are mere Trailer Queens, this one via SLJ , BCL, and Hackett has the right provenance, and should be a brilliant drive.

[Raymond]

Thank you Gentlemen. Some good points to consider.

Here is the advertisement:

https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1663012


2008 BOC concours winner is a good start!

The car appeals to me on several levels. I particularly like the white faced instruments and the rest of the cabin looks like a nice place to be.

This car has had a fortune spent on it ...and the work has been carried out by all the right people too. This includes a disc brake conversion.

I am finishing a 'last nut and bolt' restoration of an MG TC
but until it is out of the door I can't get too excited about another purchase. I am, however, determined to get a 401/3 one day ...but it would need to be the right car. This one ticks all the boxes but has been for sale for ages; I am just wondering if the price is just too high?

[David C]

It is a lovely looking car. I do like the white faced instruments.

A lot depends on how you plan to use the car. The 2 litre Bristol responds very well to being driven quite hard and can be great fun. If this is how you are likely to use it then you will probably appreciate uprated engine and gearbox. If you are planning to cover large distances an overdrive gearbox will make for more pleasant cruising but make sure that the differential ratio has been changed to 405 spec. This not only makes the car longer legged on the motorway but gets it away a bit quicker too.

There are plenty of good cars available at the moment so follow Stefan's advice. Find good empty roads and get your foot down. You will soon spot the difference between the Trailer Queens and the driver's cars.

Prices are a little hard to judge at the moment. There doesn't seem to be a huge demand from those under pensionable age, many preferring the fast Fords and similar of their youth. This means a decent supply of good cars with less clamour to buy. If you are not in a hurry you could make an offer and bide your time but the really good spec cars may well sell quickly as there are fewer of them.

[Raymond]

David, thank you for your advise. As it happens I have now reached the age of 70 ...but I am in denial.!!

The MG TC I have rebuilt has a competition history but it now has a supercharged engine built to fast road spec. The car also has a higher final drive ratio and a 5 speed box. Uprated steering and brakes etc etc. so you get the idea. I don't like to dawdle but I would want to fit an overdrive. I had one on my Triumph GT6 and wouldn't really want a 4 speed box without it. It would also give the engine a longer life. Thanks for the tip about the 405 diff.