Bristol 405 (1955)

Bristol 405 DHC 1955 RHD

Excellent idea of the Bristol Automobile production division to get inspiration from the Bristol
Airoplane Company by copying for the models 404 and 405 the nose of their “Beaufighter”: a combat
aircraft built by Bristol during WW II.
This aeronautical connection was further developed by shaping the lines of the 404 and 405 in the
windtunnel and building the bodies in light alloy. Also the dashboard housing all the instrumentation
behind the two-branch wing-styled steering wheel was another detail borrowed from aviation.
The brilliant mechanicals meanwhile, initially came from the pre-war BMW 328, but were upgraded
after WWII by Bristol engineers, with max power increased to 125 HP, a remarkable figure for this 2-
litre 6-cilinder engine. The use on the 405 of the excellent ZF gearbox coupled to a Laycock de
Normanville OverDrive, rack & pinion steering and front disc brakes further refined the drivetrain.
Just 52 Bristol 404 Coupés were ever built and only 43 examples of the 405 4-seater drophead of
which this chassis number: 405-D 4511 is an early 1955 representative.
Finished in dark blue with nicely patinated beige leather interior this matching numbers Bristol 405
drophead presents and performs very well.
Being part of a very select Brussels collection the 405 DHC has also a 404 Coupé stablemate!
Because of old age, either the 405 DHC, or the 404 Coupé, eventually both are for sale.

Price 405 DHC: 255.000 Euro