Has anyone seen my Bristol 401

[jurowla]

I would love to know if any one has seen the Bristol 401 once ownd by my family about 1974 Reg No 240 DRF. It was sold in the Somerset area and at the time was painted a rather non original and very bright white. Can't seem to find any info on it.

[GREG]

It is reg TMX 541 now. It is one of the rare Touring bodied versions of a 401.

It is painted red.

[geo]

Originally Posted by GREG

It is one of the rare Touring bodied versions of a 401.

Yes to the other two pieces of information and, according to the BOC list, it is chassis No. 204 and as Greg tells you, it is type 401TOU

Here is the other picture.

George

[jurowla]

I don't think it was bodied by Touring. have attached a rather poor photograph taken in 1974.

CNV00008.jpg

[jurowla]

It was rescued from a Chertsey boat yard where it had sat for quite a long time.

[GREG]

Well, that is not a Touring body so there must be a mistake with the BOC records.

Maybe you could contact the BOC for more detailed records.

[Tim Ferrington]

Good evening.

Having own, currently the only genuine 1948 Touring bodied Bristol, chassis number 206. I'm currently researching in the history of these cars. It appears that there were 8 built, of which only 5 still exist. I'd be very interested in hearing from any members who have owned or know these cars. I can be personally emailed on guyferrington@me.com

[Geoff Dowdle]

Jurowla & Tim ,
My understanding about the Touring bodied 400 and 401's are as follows .

Three 400 chassis were sent to Touring in early 1947 and at least two returned to Filton by August 1947 .
Chassis 400/101 RHD KHU924
Chassis 400/129 RHD LHW949
Chassis 400/ ??? possibly 113 LHD ,( unable to confirm this chassis number but it was the only LHD chassis sent to Drenowatz in time to return by August 1947 , Chassis 113 was later returned to BAC and dismantled), I believe it was only partially bodied , to show the BAC staff the construction in detail . There is a good photo of this partially built car in the book "Touring Superleggera" p232.
Two of these three cars were prepared for the Geneva Motor Show in March 1948. One RHD & one LHD

Probably 8 other 401 chassis were sent to Touring in early/mid 1948
401/201
401/206 UMC315 > BAS199
401/207 TMX541 > RSV944
401/217 TML165
401/218 VMG611
401/219 TMX542
401/220 UMD140
401/300 WPC867> ROW403

----------------------------------------------------------
In early 1948 BAC produced three of their own 401 cars with "Touring style" bodies . The basic design that carried on to the first batch of production 401 with the ridge along the lower body and door .

Chassis 401/204 LHU613 (later "240DRF") This car competed in the 1949 Mille Miglia and was the BAC Demonstrator/roadtest car

401/209 was prepared for the Earls Court Motor Show 1948 and then sent to Commonwealth Motors , Melbourne,Australia in early 1949 and registered "OB453" on 5th June 1949 in Melbourne , it has survived and is nicely restored.

401/213 MAE148 was a second BAC demonstrator car .

These three cars are quite different to the Touring bodied cars.

I hope this helps your research . If any of the information is incorrect please advise
Geoff

[peterg]

It does have an unusual bonnet, like Bristol hadn't decided whether to have a one piece or conventional split bonnet.

Looking at a film of the opening of the BBC Centre in Sheperds Bush I wonder if that was the Bristol parked around the forecourt. Unfortunately my memory is so bad I can only remember that there was a Bristol, not even the model.

[Geoff Kingston]

Jurowla,
There is a photograph of your old family car in the Palawan book on The Bristol Aeroplane Company Car Division, it is in the company of a Touring bodied example and can be found on pages 106 and 107, in the photograph the caption refers to the car which is displaying its original registration number LHU613 as the first 401 prototype. This is confirmed by the chassis ledger reproduced in the book and this must therefore be the first car incorporating the refinements to the design made by Dudley Hobbs and his colleagues.
Geoff.

[Tim Ferrington]

Good evening Geoff

The current surviving chassis are:

400/206 Owned by myself in concours condition, originally light blue, we think used as a recce car for 1949 Mille Miigia.

400/207 Owned by Simon Draper for a number of years, in a poor state, when last viewed in 2012.

400/217 Owned by a French gentlemen, completely new body made by Touring.

400/218 Unknown

400/219 Owned for a number of years by Brian May

400/220 Owned and at present being restored by a Greek gentlemen.

It appears that chassis 129 was used a publicity car and taken back to the factory.

I noticed on the two pictures of the Bristol stand at the 1948 Gevena Show, which appear quite often. The two cars featured there aren’t chassis number 129 and 201 as the featured cars have their fuel filler caps on the lefthand side and the rear number plates are the style fitted to the later cars and not the smooth finish with two circular brake lights as on 129 and 201.

I think these two cars are infact dummies made up from standard Alfa Romeo 2500 bodies, slightly adapted, with the Bristol grill, steering wheel, and wheels. This would explain why one is lefthand drive. The interiors are exactly the same and there no exhausts. This would clarify things sightly.

I wonder if you had thoughts on this theory?

[jurowla]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/456764...n/photostream/

[UPB 185]

What a fascinating thread!

And to think you'd unwittingly acquired a pivotal 401, as its registration date of August 1948 confirms. And from my old stomping ground in those days, too!

Unless it's stored in pieces somewhere or hidden away in a barn it looks most unlikely it survives, according to the DVLA database. The last V5 was issued way back in December 1983, and the fact that it shows as 'Not Taxed For Road Use' indicates there's been no licensing activity post-Sorn from 1998.

Hope someone somewhere uncovers some more info at some stage. It would be a worthy project indeed.

Regards, Mike