Bristol Type 402 Drophead – 2 litre

The Type 402 was the third production model produced by the company. Introduced in 1949, it was produced concurrently with Types 400 and 401. It was the first production series drophead manufactured by the company. Produced to order, cars were leaving the factory from 1949 to 1950. Manufacture of the Type 402 Drophead ceased in 1950.

---

Home | History | The Cars
400 | 401 | 402 | 403 | 404 | Arnolt | 405 | 405 D | 406 | Misc. 6-cyl. | 450 | 2-litre data | V8s

---

Bristol Type 402 Drophead Coupé

This model was fabricated with the same body features as the first series 401 and can be identified as such by the ridge along the lower body panels. As in the early 401 saloon, the instrumentation and controls are Ivory coloured. Only 22 of these cars were produced. Prior to this venture, a small number of Type 400 and Type 401 driven chassis were bodied as dropheads. These chassis were sent principally to Farina, but some were also sent to a small number of other, perhaps less well known, design houses, e.g. Beutler, Langenthal and others. One 403 saloon is also known to have been later reconstructed by its owner in the fashion of the Type 402.

This is a picture of a prototype 402. Note the ridge along the lower body: this is a feature shared by only the first series of its stablemate the 401 saloon. Also worthy of note in this illustration are the fitted head-rests on the front seats, which were not adopted in the final production series.

This car was one of a pair purchased by the actor known as Stewart Granger and his then wife, the actress Jean Simmons. This may explain why this particular Bristol type has long been known as the "Hollywood Special". This illustration actually shows the ex Jean Simmons car, privately restored and now not entirely to the original specification. Whether Stewart Granger's car still exists after all these years is a moot point: there have been several claims, but none as yet has been substantiated.

Pictured right is a Type 402 presently located in Australia. The wheels, though smart, are not to original pattern, which was a 16 inch rim "Easiclean" pattern, on which was mounted a chromed hub cap adorned with a "Bristol 2 litre" badge. This model would have yellow coloured ground to the Bristol Shield within the central circle, similar to that used as the logo above.