Bristol 603 wanted please

[MichaelGanss]

If anybody has a 603 for sale, or perhaps knows of somebody who might be selling one, please let me know.
Thank you.

[Clive Foster]

Will a project car do? Mine got away from me for various reasons after redundancy over a decade ago and I'm reluctantly coming to the conclusion that I'm getting too old to finish it although, God willing, time and funds should finally be available next year.

Its in East Sussex, about an hour away.

Necessary chassis work and rear underside welding et al has been done, just door bottoms and A posts to do. Was good runner, minor issue with transmission selector bracket is the only mechanical issue I'm aware of. Floppy "bearing" in crap bracket. Needs new one machined up which I can do. Bottom line is I got stiffed on purchase by a very well covered up rolling bodge and pretty much ran out of enthusiasm after being ripped off by so called pros.

Doesn't help that I've discovered that a Range Rover P38 is, frankly, a better car!

Clive

[livermoreb]

Have a look at - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1977-BRIST...8AAOSw8d5ZSpkQ

[405dh]

Hi Michael,

Your posting is most opportune. See ebay listing below, which hit my screen today, so presumably has just been listed. It is in Lymington.
Interestingly, I viewed the car when it was put up for sale by the first owner, a Mr Gordon Tallis near Warwick. He advertised it in the BOC Newsletter together with an Aston Martin DB6 which he had also had from new. I went over to view the Aston, which had been totally rebuilt by the factory at great expense around 10 years before. Problem was it needed doing again! I had it professionally inspected and because it was stored in a damp garage, the hessian wrap the factory used around the steel tubing got damp and caused bad reaction between the aluminium and steel parts of the body. I could see how wet his garage was and the Bristol was stored there too but I'm afraid I didn't look closely at it.
It was around 2005 and the asking price of the DB6 was about £35k but needed a £50k rebuild, so I passed on it, despite the vendor being very flexible after the expensive inspection I paid for. Big mistake in hindsight of course! (However I did land another later).

Anyway, if you view, look carefully for signs of previous corrosion and the moral is don't store cars in damp garages - it destroyed his DB6 twice!

Good luck in your search,
Chris.




1977 BRISTOL BLMC 603E AUTO | eBay

[Geoff Kingston]

I don't want to sell mine but there is an ex BOC members 603E just come on the market with M and M Automotive in Lymington Hampshire, they have just put it on to eBay as a classified ad at £19950 their phone numbers are 01590 688811 or 07788 851113.
Mine is also a 603E and they are a very nice car to drive there are about 11 of this model listed in the club at the moment and the one on offer looks quite nice and only two owners from new.
Geoff.

P.S

I see several of us are eBay watchers as well, Clive's comment is interesting as I have owned several Range Rovers all bought second hand including a P38 and my current L322, they are so far removed from the concept of any Bristol that I would have difficulty in saying they are a better car because the Bristol 603 is a very rewarding car to drive, remembering that its underpinnings are basically a very old design a bit like the first generation range rovers one of which I still have an LSE now needing similar metal work repairs to the ones Clive described have been done on his 603.
The P38 Range Rover was a big step forward over the first generation range rovers as was the L322 that followed and they are obviously a better all round vehicle as they are so versatile and fabulous tow cars to collect more projects!
I was fortunate with my 603 that although a stalled project all the welding had already been done and it was just a case of putting it all back together, instruments, some of the wiring, the interior and the front and back screens quite a bit of head scratching at times but we got there in the end.
I nearly weakened though a few weeks ago when a reasonably priced Holland and Holland P38 Range Rover came on the market but decided to spend the money on the LSE.
The answer of course is you need both a Bristol and a Range Rover and there are some very nice P38's being brought back from Japan at the moment.

[MichaelGanss]

Hello! Yes, I am aware of the M and M listing in eBay. They don't have the car as yet in fact. Apparently it will be with them at the end of June.

[Sam410]

It will need delivering to them from King's Lynn.

1977 Bristol 603 E for Auction - Anglia Car Auctions

[John Rolfs]

I have a 603S, 1977, with Wolfrace alloys. 3 owners from new. It is currently in bare metal and needs redecorating inside and out, headlining, screen rubbers, footwell floor panels in the front and some welding. It has had a Chrysler crate engine fitted, low mileage. It needs a good home so sensible offers accepted.

[Philip]

Originally Posted by Geoff Kingston

The answer of course is you need both a Bristol and a Range Rover

I'd agree with Geoff, but qualify it by saying that you need more than one of each.