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£53,760

1954 Bristol 403

United Kingdom • 23 Sept 2017 • Lot 217

Vehicle Details

AI Listing Summary

This rare Bristol 403 from 1953 is presented in metallic blue with a beige leather interior and only 46,000 miles. Upgrades include a Derek Hughes overdrive, servo-assisted Girling disc brakes and a full documented history, making this a fantastic looking and driving car.

Condition

8

The car has been well maintained, with only 46,000 miles from new. It drives beautifully with fantastic oil pressure and quiet running. The gearbox has very good synchromesh in all gears, and the brakes are servo assisted with Girling discs to the front. The car comes with a folder with full history from day one and is a fantastic looking and driving car.

/ 10

Transmission:

Manual

Chassis No:

403/1549

Odometer:

46,000 miles

Reg Number:

UFF 221

RHD/LHD:

RHD

With the introduction of the 401 - the first of its exquisitely styled aerodynes - Bristol began to move away from the pre-war design the company had inherited from BMW.

Carrozzeria Touring provided the Superleggera method of body construction that overlaid alloy panels on a lightweight tubular-steel framework, while the low-drag shape was achieved after hours of experimentation in the Bristol Aeroplane Company's wind tunnel.

The 401 continued to use its predecessor's running gear and BMW-based, 2.0-litre, six-cylinder engine with its ingeniously arranged, pushrod-operated, inclined valves.

The gearbox remained a manual four-speed unit with first-gear freewheel.

With the introduction of the 403 in 1953, Bristol improved on what was already an exemplary Grand Tourer, the newcomer's apparently unchanged appearance disguising a number of important changes.

The engine remained a 2.0-litre six of BMW design but the alloy cylinder head was new and helped liberate 100bhp, up from 85bhp.
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