1974 BRISTOL 411 SERIES 4 - just acquired

[hesketh786]

Good evening all !

I hope everyone is keeping well.

I recently acquired a 1974 Bristol 411 Series 4.

Chassis no - 7700386
Reg no - VMD98M
Mileage -28k

The car is complete and in excellent condition.
The engine of the car is with the car but in several parts as I have been told it had a broken piston ring and the previous owner was going to fix it, never got around to it.

I will be rebuilding the engine over the next few months and will be putting it back in the car.

In the meantime I will be dropping in another Mopar 383 engine so that the car is drivable.

My other 411 is making great progress, the body has been stripped back to bare aluminium and the 383 Mopar has been fully rebuilt.

Below are the pics of the car.

Does anyone in the club have any history of this car or know anything about it ?

Thanks again,

Hass

[David C]

Congratulations! Looks really good.

[hesketh786]

Thank you David !

[Nick Challacombe]

Interestingly Hesketh, the chassis list I have does not list any 411 series 4 with a chassis number starting with a 7700. registration number VMD 97M, VMD 99M are listed but not VMD 98M.
Car looks good, hope all goes well with the engine rebuild at least all the parts needed if any are readily available for the engine.
Regards,
Nick 407 6028

[hesketh786]

Hi Nick,

Thanks for the post and hope you are well.

That is interesting !
I read that the 411 S4 was produced from 1974 is this incorrect then ?

I hope to find out more on this car.

Many thanks

H

[David C]

The first four digits of 411 chassis numbers increase one at a time and the last digit increases by three so 7700 386 is prior to 7701 389 which is followed by 7702 392.
By my reckoning this would make yours roughly the 18th S4 produced.

[Nick Challacombe]

Good day H, as far as I can tell from the chassis lists the first 411 series 4 was a demonstrator reg number then as always MPH 100.
The Reg number when sold was changed to WLX 343M. This car reputedly was converted to the series 5 spec demo car CA.73-77.
It may well have been built in 73 but the first 411 series4 were registered in 1974. There are no chassis numbers listed at all in the chassis number book produced by the club which have a double 0 after the 77. Chassis number increased by 6 or 4 numbers throughout production and not necessarily in numerical order. Many mysteries in numbering of Bristol's , the answers died with TC RIP.

[hesketh786]

Good evening Nick,

Thank you for the information provided that is very interesting !

So could my car been built in a cross over period of the S3 and S4 ?

Many thanks again,

H

[David C]

Hello H.

Per my previous, I think your car was bang in the middle of the s4 production.

It looks as though 7682 was the first S4.

Your car, 7700 reg VMD 98M, 7702 was VMD 97M and 7703 was VMD 99M. Presumably all registered in a block, possibly in the Manchester area.

[AndrewA]

H - you've done it again!
Are you receiving any treatment for this addiction?
This one looks great and reasonably straightforward - but then they all start off that way .
Cheers
Andrew

[hesketh786]

Dear Andrew !

I hope you are well sir !

I know I know ! I could not resist the temptation it was to hard not to buy it !

And yes treatment is well underway for this horrible and crippling addiction I have.... but unfortunately as we can see from the latest results that the help is not working just yet ! hahah !

Yes she is a rather straight forward and easy resto by the looks of it as of now !

Like you say they can spiral out of control !

How are you keeping and how are your cars coming along ?

Great to hear from you,

Best
H

[hesketh786]

Dear all,

I hope you are well.

I have finally finished the full engine rebuild for my 411 S4 !!

I've gone with the following for the rebuild

+.030" Flat top cast pistons 4.250"
Lunati Voodo High lift Cam
Edelbrock 2186 Performer intake
Edelbrock AVS 650cfm Electric choke carburettor
Custom S/S headers
Electric ignition
High flow aluminium water pump
Pertronix Flamethrower ignition coil
and a few more upgrades

All other parts on the engine are brand new - sparks, leads, alternator, gaskets, power steering pump etc...

Thanks !

[Thomas591]

Very interesting!

I have a few more questions:
-Which duration does the camshaft that you have used have?
-Roller camshaft or standard hydraulic lifters?
-Does these headers really clear the chassis rails? Who made them? Price?
-Cylinder heads are left standard?

Please report, maybe when the engine has run in, the fuel consumption.

Sorry for being so inquisitive..

Regards

Thomas

[AndrewA]

Morning H
Glad to see you haven't resorted to doing things by half !
Look forward to first time you fire it up.
Best
Andrew