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• Auction House:
  Mossgreen
• Sale Name:
  Collectors' Cars, Motorcycles & Automobilia
• Sale Date:
  19 Jun 2016 ~ 3pm
• Lot #:
  38
• Lot Description:
  1950 BRISTOL 400 SPORTS SALOON
  The 412th car produced of a mere 421 built; Chassis No: 400/I/645; Engine No: 400/85A/1723; Car No: 400/A/512; This vehicle will be sold unregistered.
• Provenance:
  From the Estate of the Late John Calvert
• Notes:
  The British Bristol Aeroplane Company procured the rights to BMWs automotive designs as part of the reparations made by Germany at the end of WW2. And thus, the Bristol 400, which commenced production in 1948, was the fusion of three pre-war BMW designs. The chassis was derived from the 326; an engine from the 328 sports and the handcrafted body has similarities to the 327 coupe. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but the Bristol 400 is a more refined luxury car. It was the very first automotive product from the British Bristol Aeroplane Company-later to become Bristol Cars. The aerodynamically designed Bristol 400 body-work is made with steel panels over a wooden frame and the doors, bonnet and boot-lid are skinned with aluminium. The car features an unusual opening rear window introduced part way through its production run. The 2 litre overhead valve straight 6 cylinder engine was considered technically futuristic due to its hemispherical combustion chambers developing 80hp at 4,500rpm with a top speed of around 148 km/h (92 mph). In addition to the 400's beauty and sophistication the most significant advancements from the BMW DNA was Bristol's use of the highest quality metallurgical materials contributing to a longer engine life. This power-plant ultimately compared favourably in road comparisons irrespective of engine size. International competition successes abounded including in 1949, being the first British car to finish the Monte Carlo Rally, the same car then maintaining an average of 92.08 mph over the 100 km at MontlhŽly straight afterwards! Bristol's next modified version built for the 401 was selected to power the Cooper Formula B race car beginning the Cooper Bristol racing legend. We are informed by the Bristol Club of Australia that this car was despatched ex-Bristol Cars, Filton, and Australian delivered to Commonwealth Motors, Melbourne, in September, 1950. Its original colour was Heather Grey. The original owner is unknown but it did reside in Tasmania from 1954-1970 returning to Melbourne fitted with a Vanguard motor. Mr. John Wilson bought the car in 1974, restored and refitted the original engine block 400/85A/1723, other than the head which is from another Bristol 400 engine numbered 1429. (the head from 400/85A/1723 is in Melbourne and available to repatriate with the car by private treaty.) The car was sold to Mr. Graeme Johnstone in c1988 and subsequently to the late John Calvert in c1992. Calvert maintained and kept this car in his collection until the time of his death in May, 2015. We are informed by his family that in recent years it has been regularly serviced by the late Peter McFarlane of Geelong. This Bristol, painted in a period green livery with light tan leather upholstery with brown piping, has a lovely overall patina befitting of its age. Fitted with a 4-speed manual transmission this car is one of the very last Bristol 400s built and retains the original telescopic rear shock absorbers, rear seat modification to allow for more leg and elbow room and heavier gauge wheel centres. Manufactured from 1948-1950 this superbly designed and sort after collectors' car is considered by many as the most desirable example of this significant British marque with all its post-war underpinnings and history. There were a mere 421 units produced. It is accompanied by an original instruction book and a photocopied workshop manual.
• Estimate:
  A$75,000 - 95,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Automobiles & Accessories

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.