Delta's Earl Grey Break 2014

[Tim Falce]

I thought I'd share these two pictures I took on Friday. It looks a bit sad and I'm not sure why there is the draped inside and out which can't help much.

[Mike Bell]

Agree. Is that bare aluminium Tim, or has someone painted it to look like it!

Talking of sad, there's a Scimitar sitting in a garden other side of town with a tarp over- well sometimes over, depends if the wind and rain have got to it! Appreciate that some owners don't have much choice on storage, but don't like to see. There is now another tarp covered motor behind the Reliant, but haven't got a peek of what that is yet!

[Tim Falce]

Yes it's bare aluminium, I've not seen it there before and in the area it's parked if it's left overnight I wouldn't expect it to be there the day after

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Yes it's bare aluminium, I've not seen it there before and in the area it's parked if it's left overnight I wouldn't expect it to be there the day after

Tim, excuse my ignorance, but for the life of me I can't remember what the car is. I recognise it, but the little grey cells are denying any true knowledge. They keep telling me that it is a Facel Vega of some description, but I don't think that that can be right!

And whilst I am here, may I wish everybody a superb Christmas, and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year; may all your wishes come true!

[Tim Falce]

It's a Bristol not sure what model and I didn't know they were ally bodied

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

It's a Bristol not sure what model and I didn't know they were ally bodied

Thanks for that, and having looked it up, it would appear to be a 404, circa 1953/4. Seeing as how it came from an aircraft manufacturer, it doesn't surprise that it was alloy bodied. In fact, looking at a photo from an earlier date of their factory, there seems to be a number of previous models also built in alloy.

[delta]

My mate still makes some of the body panels for Bristol cars

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Talking of sad, there's a Scimitar sitting in a garden other side of town with a tarp over-

There is also one beside the road near Larkins Brewey but is not covered up that has been there for 30 + years !

[Nick JM]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

I thought I'd share these two pictures I took on Friday. It looks a bit sad and I'm not sure why there is the draped inside and out which can't help much.

Mike, thank you for having the b@lls to ask. I was in the same predicament and chickened out of asking what it was.

Tim is that a driven motor or has it been there a while? I would imagine they are fetching some money now although still an underrated classic.

[Al Weyman]

I rebuilt an engine for one once, it was actually from an AC Ace. A very interesting design as a full hemisphere head design but with push rods which crossed over. It was originally a BMW design and pillaged after the war I believe. Of to Spain tomorrow bit more south than you Gordon what's the weather like?

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

I rebuilt an engine for one once, it was actually from an AC Ace. A very interesting design as a full hemisphere head design but with push rods which crossed over. It was originally a BMW design and pillaged after the war I believe. Of to Spain tomorrow bit more south than you Gordon what's the weather like?

Happy holidays Al!

The Ace used that I6 Bristol engine along with many other sports and single seaters. Correct about BMW origins. When used with triple downdrafts and because of that head design the engines are very tall! Find a pic of a Cooper Bristol single seater or Lotus X / Bristol and you will see!

[GORDON STREETER]

Al, although it's warm it's cloudy at the moment, up to now we have had brilliant blue sky and probably warmer than the UK as it was 27c down the front the other day !
Incidentally the old Fiat 1500 used the Hemi head cross over pushrod idea and in it's day was a quick car.

[Al Weyman]

27c is ok, it's 12c this morning in Watford and very mild.

[Al Weyman]

I had the block of the engine at the machinists when I had a fallout with Mr Nathan and left, then a few weeks later I hat a call from his business partner Henry Coombes (a real gent) pleading me to come back and reassemble it as no one could figure it out, as Roger was away and Henry such a nice bloke I agreed.

[Mike Bell]

I hope you charged "consultancy" rates Al, rather than normal.......

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Nick JM

Tim is that a driven motor or has it been there a while? I would imagine they are fetching some money now although still an underrated classic.

I have no idea if it's being used or not, I park in that spot (my lorry in the background in one shot) once a week for my break and I've not seen it there before. I'll have a look next time I'm in the area. It's certainly not one of the better areas of London but I suppose it's out of the way so might not attract too much attention.

[Nick JM]

Pretty looking car in a butch "Navratilova" looking way . Might be worth finding out a bit about it

[terence]

Having restored one years ago, one I can tell you is that if its a bad one, alloy skin is very good at hiding rust in the body structure, it could be very expensive to restore.Bristols also used sodding great yank motors shortly after this model.Always rated them higher than the Rollers we used to look after.

[grantp]

I think the Bristol is a 407 - first of the V8s according to Wkikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_407




Back in the late 90s I was quite tempted by a 409. The owner, who had had it for years, had a swathe of interesting stories to tell about his time with the car some of which seemed rather "tall". The ones I recall were "40mpg cruising", "pulled at 140 on the M4 but they only wanted to look at the car" and something very similar related to getting away with failing a breath test.

The problem was the car needed a lot of work and was basically a rolling chassis/body with a collection of bits of wooden trim and a whole load of engine parts lying around in boxes. Probably all complete .... but who would know? I thought about it for a couple of weeks and then came to my senses.

[terence]

40mpg? What planet was he from!

[Mike Bell]

Talking of fuel consumption, as pump fuel prices seemingly fall by the day, I'm dreaming of the cost savings on the truck next season. Not only that, but the ferry operators will not have an excuse for 'fuel surcharges'........

Then, to bring me back down to earth, a reminder from a shipping company that in 2015 ferry fuel surcharge will be replaced by an emissions based charge "Marpol", and it will vary from operator to operator between 5 & 15%! Apparantly the operators are required to reduce ship emissions by 0.1% and this is the way to achieve it. Charge more. Can only hope that they deduct the current fuel surcharge before calculating.....

And it's not anywhere near Friday!

[Tim Falce]

I thought all ships had to run on diesel by a certain date or was that scaremongering by the shipping companies

[Mike Bell]

I think they are changing to a less polluting fuel, which of course is also more expensive. Closer to diesel as we know it, I guess....

[Nick JM]

Been reading up on that Bristol...convinced myself I need (not want) one... Need help/therapy/brought to my senses

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Nick JM

Been reading up on that Bristol...convinced myself I need (not want) one... Need help/therapy/brought to my senses

You only NEED one if you play golf and have three friends who also play, thus requiring a car that will seat 4 adults in leather luxury whilst carrying their sets of golf clubs in the boot.

If that is a criterion in your life then you may well need a Bristol. If not it would no longer be a requirement and you can walk away to shovel cash into something less expensive.

HTH.