BRISTOL 403 (1953)
CHASSIS N. 403-1404
ENGINE: IN LINE 6
DISPLACEMENT: 1997 CM3
POWER: 100 CV
BODY: TWO-DOOR AERODYNE SALOON
‘… the best motor car you could have bought in the early ’50s was surely the Bristol…” (LJK Setright)
After WWII, the Bristol Aeroplane Company decided to diversify and started a Motor Car Division to produce high class personal cars for discerning and sporting gentlemen. Based on a very successful pre-war BMW design, the 400 of 1948 was followed by the 401 and 403.
With the 401 Bristol, with the help of Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, developed a very aerodynamic bodywork which gave them a very high speed potential. This type of body had been developed by Touring over the previous two decades, and used on many sport and racing Alfa Romeos and BMWs, such as the 328 Berlinetta Aerodinamica which won the 1940 Mille Miglia.
Bristol’s mastery with light alloy technology made it possible for the finished 403 to have a weight of only 1.225 kg which, with the generous power of 100 bhp and the low-drag body, allowed for a very fast motor car: in fact the 403 was capable of reaching 100 mph, a speed achieved only by a handful of specialist sportscars of the times.
Only 287 403s were built, of which roughly 50% survive today.
The car we are offering today was delivered in London in July 1953, and later was in Scotland and Wales. The vendor purchased it in 2012 from a well known Bristol collector, and treated it to a full restoration, documented by many photographs visible on www.stefanopasini.it. It has been driven around 5000 miles since, and is therefore nicely run-in.
It has British and Italian papers and a FIVA A3 certificate; it comes with tools and original service manual.
The vehicle is in excellent mechanical condition but for safety reasons, we advise the purchaser to have it checked over and to replace the fluids, filters and perishable elements.
