[Ashley James]

I must say that I worry for old Bristols because they really are
neglected. My son was workshop manager at www.alpineeagle.co.uk
where they regularly rebuilt cars for more than double their value.
I don't think the owner would appreciate me telling how much it cost
to restore a Gurney Nutting PIII, but the engine alone was about £80K!

Brian May has quite a few projects that require total rebuild and for
which there is little or no interest. I think I'm one of only a
handful who've completely rebuilt a 400. It's very sad and I don't
think it is so much the cost, which is considerable, but that
collectors are virtually unaware of them. Surely a decent 400 wouldn't
look out of place at Pebble Beach, it is quite distinctive enough, but
it has never happened.

I own a Bentley MKVI and they've been neglected for years, but in the
last ten or so, people have been spending considerable sums of money
on them and their condition has improved significantly. Rich is
currently doing a total interior restoration of a 400 but before that
it was a straight run of Bentleys.

I do hope some of you will shoot of to see Brian and save a few cars
that otherwise I'd be very worried about.

Ash