Bristol cars in administration...

[nick mercedes]

Don't we already?

They changed their name from the really krauty one to Windsor...

Which showed a lack of imagination really as that's where they lived.

 

[st4]

Battenburg, as in the cake?

 

[nick mercedes]

Battenburg, as in the cake?

Something like that, might have been Von Battenburg, just to make it a bit more German...

Do you jocks even recognise our German royal family?

Bring back Mary and all that.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Don't we already?

 

[st4]

Something like that, might have been Von Battenburg, just to make it a bit more German...

Do you jocks even recognise our German royal family?

Bring back Mary and all that.

We are all British, us "jocks" included. Trouble is, the live in limieland...

 

[Charles Morgan]

Saxe Coburg Gotha

Battenberg was the family name of Louis Mountbatten, his father (a Serene Highness) having changed it soon after the start of the war.

By virtue of Mountbatten taking Prince Philip (a penniless descendant of the King of Greece, another German - Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg) under his wing, the family name of the Royal family is now by practice Mountbatten-Windsor, which if Prince Philip had kept his surname and the rest remained German would be Battenberg-Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg-Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

Windsor is so much easier.

 

[timskemp]

That's most sad, but a friend who has a 411 and a convertible mentioned his concerns to me a couple of months ago. Another unique producer disappears.

So, your friend has a nice pair of Bristols?

 

[Charles Morgan]

Yes, a 411 and a 406 convertible.

An unmatched pair.

 

[nick mercedes]

We are all British, us "jocks" included. Trouble is, the live in limieland...

Worse, they're based in Slough (proper chav town - the bit of Slough with a castle is known and Windsor, just like the bit with the posh school is known as Eton, but in reality its all still bloody Slough)...

Still it's a result they are Germans given all of this:

Prince Andrew and girl, 17, who sex offender friend flew to Britain to meet him | Mail Online

 

[Dieselman]

Ha ha ha... This thread has turned full circle...Hilarious...

 

[grober]

Were the post war Bristols not based on original BMW designs? Spoils of war perhaps?
Wikipedia excerpt :-
The history of Bristol Cars began in 1945. Forecasting an excess labour capacity postwar, the Bristol Aeroplane Company (BAC) began working with AFN Ltd, makers of Frazer Nash cars, on plans for a joint venture in automotive manufacture. By July 1945 BAC had created a Car Division and bought a controlling stake in AFN. HJ and DA Aldington remained Directors of AFN and were joined on the Board by Reginald Verdon-Smith and George Middleton White, both sons of BAC Directors. Reginald Verdon-Smith was elected Chairman and HJ Aldington Managing Director.
HJ Aldington, who was still in the British Army, used his military connections to visit the bombed BMW factory in Munich several times in 1945, culminating in a 'duty' trip in October 1945, along with his brother and two Bristol representatives, to take detailed plans of BMW cars and several development engines which they flew back to Bristol. This was quite a tricky manoeuvre as Munich had been declared part of the American Zone and the American Military had just issued orders for the BMW plant to be dismantled and crated up for shipment to the USA. These plans and engines were subsequently declared to be war reparations. BMW chief engineer Fritz Fiedler was also given employment at AFN where he continued development of the BMW 328 engine.

 

[219]

I didn't even realise they were still going. Don't think I have ever seen one in real life, and certainly never known anyone who owned one.

One of my customers , back in the days of running the hi-fi shop , had a 409 . It has been 35 years , so I can't remember the family name , but could go right back to the place .

They lived in a big , country pile - seriously money-ed people ( owned an engineering company , a distillery , a public park in the town and goodness knows what else ) - the cars were just run as family hacks , usually unwashed , and the Bristol was starting to rust ( there was also a Triumph Vitesse and a Land Rover ) but he always admired my Mercedes .

 

[219]

On this topic , I just read somewhere that Sir Richard Branson is a customer , and a fan , of Bristol Cars - so you never know .............?

 

[MOCAŠ]

Took a walk past the showroom this evening, which, while still replete with (mainly pre-owned) cars, was shrouded in darkness for the first time I can recall. Even the famous red lettering spelling out BRISTOL CARS was fully unlit, where once there might have been just the odd letter or two on the blink. No notice to announce the Administration or that anything was untoward, though.

Here are few grainy (iPod) photos:

411 and 407

Beaufighter and Fighter

A sad sight, leaving me with feelings similar to those I experienced when their long-standing service and maintenance site just off the Chiswick roundabout was sacrificed for some kind of redevelopment project.

 

[stevieb15]

Back in the early seventies my first loves father worked in manufacturing at Bristol Cars in Bristol, oddly enough
He was a really great guy, loved his job, proud to work in such a prestigious business, very conscientious and very boring once you got him on the subject.
Every vehicle was unique, there was nothing that couldn't be done for a prospective client or to satisfy an existing owners upgrading or maintenance aspirations.
If they go it will be extremely sad, I don't even know if he's alive today but if so he'll be devastated.

 

[MOCAŠ]

If they go it will be extremely sad.

Agreed, but I fear that even if they are saved, the essence of the company will be lost. It will take an extraordinary investor to provide the backing they need while not wishing to interfere in the direction or running of the firm.

Still, I wish them all the best. Apart from anything else, I'd promised myself a Series 6 for my 50th brithday...

 

[tali]

I'm amazed they survived so long -nobody seems to buys their cars-even by the British niche market they are in
Tony Crook said to be a very rude person indeed
LJK Setright's wife committed suicide in his favourite Bristol

Were the post war Bristols not based on original BMW designs?

Spoils of war perhaps?
Wikipedia excerpt :-
The history of Bristol Cars began in 1945. Forecasting an excess labour capacity postwar, the Bristol Aeroplane Company (BAC) began working with AFN Ltd, makers of Frazer Nash cars, on plans for a joint venture in automotive manufacture. By July 1945 BAC had created a Car Division and bought a controlling stake in AFN. HJ and DA Aldington remained Directors of AFN and were joined on the Board by Reginald Verdon-Smith and George Middleton White, both sons of BAC Directors. Reginald Verdon-Smith was elected Chairman and HJ Aldington Managing Director.
HJ Aldington, who was still in the British Army, used his military connections to visit the bombed BMW factory in Munich several times in 1945, culminating in a 'duty' trip in October 1945, along with his brother and two Bristol representatives, to take detailed plans of BMW cars and several development engines which they flew back to Bristol. This was quite a tricky manoeuvre as Munich had been declared part of the American Zone and the American Military had just issued orders for the BMW plant to be dismantled and crated up for shipment to the USA. These plans and engines were subsequently declared to be war reparations. BMW chief engineer Fritz Fiedler was also given employment at AFN where he continued development of the BMW 328 engine.

The Aldington family imported the very first Porsches in the UK and set up the Porsche GB concession

 

[verytalldave]

I remember reading somewhere that "Bristol cars were the thinking mans Rolls-Royce".

That silver grey model that MOCAS posted above is sublime.

 

[219]

LJK Setright's wife committed suicide in his favorite Bristol

I was not aware of that .

Poor old LJKS must be spinning in his grave now .

 

[grober]

2 LJK Setright "obits" in this thread. LJK Setright - FerrariChat.com
he also liked Morgan 3 wheelers which links nicely to C M's thread. http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/105837-chocks-away-morgan-cleared-take-off.html