1949 | Bristol 400

Being a renowned manufacturer of aeroplanes, Bristol Aeroplane Co Ltd started designing their first automobile immediately after WW2. Their first model - the Bristol 400 - debuted in 1946. The 400 was heavily inspired by pre‑war BMW designs, the engine being a refined version of the highly praised pre-war six-cylinder BMW 328 engine. Bristol built their car in batches of 50-100 units at a time. The chassis was built between August and December 1948 and stored temporarily before the body was finished late 1948, early 1949.

This wonderful Bristol 400 was first used by the company being a ‘specimen for car sales’. On 27 July 1950 the car was exported to Australia where it arrived in Melbourne in September 1950. The car was sold to a Mr. B.R. Walker, who lived in Sydney, by Bristol Agent D.K. McDonalds. The car was road registered in Australia on 14 April 1951. Then the car was finished in green combined with a beige leather interior trimmed with brown piping. Then the car featured extra options like two extra sun visors and a rear seat modification which are still present. In 1954 the car participated in the Queen Elizabeth Royal Tour, a car convoy which escorted the queen on her visit to Australia. A letter with a lunch invitation in the presence of the queen is present in the historic documentation.

In the following decades the automobile was cherished by about 7 successive Australian owners. The automobile has participated in many local rallies, trials and tours and was owned by adventurous people like fighter pilot Stuart Leon-Harris of Mosman (Sydney 1967). The full history of the car is present, and it tells a wonderful story of all the adventures this fantastic Bristol has been a part of. In the 1970s the car was garaged in pieces to be overhauled. In 1986 the car was sold and restored and rebuilt on behalf of the new owner. Photos taken in the 1990s show the car finished in the current exterior and interior colour scheme. In 2011 the Bristol was sold to a Mr. Hill in somerset UK. A sympathetic restoration was carried out and the engine was fine tuned. Photos from this period are also present.

In the year 2022 the automobile was acquired by a Dutchman who imported it to the Netherlands. Over €40.000 was invested to get the car to a high mechanical and optical standard with the aim to participate in the legendary 1000 Miglia in 2024. Amongst others the engine and carburettors were overhauled, and the electrical system was rebuilt. This magnificent Bristol 400 has successfully participated in the 2024 and 2025 1000 Miglia and was just serviced by S2 Classic Cars.

This fantastic automobile is in an excellent condition and comes with an impressive history file. This Bristol 400 can be your ticket to the 2026 1000 Miglia! The car can be imported to and registered in any country, and comes with a FIVA identity card and 1000 Miglia registration: https://login.registro1000miglia.it/en/view_registry_car/4334

This is a ‘matching numbers’ car, bodywork, engine and gearbox are factory original to the chassis. This Bristol 400 is finished in Burgundy red combined with a magnolia (pale beige) leather interior trimmed with burgundy piping and burgundy colour wool carpet.

Chassis (VIN) number 400/1/461, car number 400/A/497, engine number: 85A/1705.