MISCELLANEOUS

Other Manufacturers and the Bristol Six

Bristol engines and gearboxes were fitted by a number of other manufacturers in their models between 1945 and 1960. The primary makes, arranged in alphabetical order, were:

1. AC

   Used in some Ace, Aceca and Greyhound models. See Sporting Success below.

2. COOPER

   

   Cooper used Bristol Sports engines to great effect in their single seat racing cars driven by many great names including, memorably, the great late Mike Hawthorn. At Silverstone in 1999 we were fortunate to have on exhibition and demonstrated Michael Parr's excellently presented machine. It drew the attention of young and aspiring Damon Hills...

   

   ...and of course the admiration of the still younger at heart. What a cracker!

   Such things are dreams made of... and all to the symphony of those well tuned organ pipes crackling and barking their unmuted warning of ever nearer proximity, until in a flash the mirrors are full of the bright yellow cowl, then empty... as the tune fades melodiously into the distance... leaving a plume of essence of Castrol Racing Oil and the acrid scent of well warmed racing rubber.

3. ERA

   In 1952, English Racing Automobiles used Bristol engines in 4 of their 2 litre team cars cars driven by many famous names amongst others, ranking highly that rather well known driver Stirling Moss.

4. FRAZER NASH

   

   Used in Targa Florio, Le Mans and Mille Miglia models (the latter pictured right). Much more information about these cars and more pictures can be found at the USA F-N site.

5. HRG

   In about 1947/8 HRG built an experimental chassis specifically for a Bristol 2-litre engine. Recently restored, the car has the only known Type 75 engine, probably a transitional development between the Type 85 and the much commoner type 85A.

6. KIEFT

   Three Bristol-engined Kieft cars entered the 1953 TT. Jim Mayers, who competed in the Bristol team at Le Mans in a Type 450, is pictured here in a Bristol Kieft.

7. LISTER

   One of the most famous Lister drivers was Archie Scott Brown, who was often to be seen harrying and even beating Jaguars and Aston Martins, all carrying a lot more horsepower, but being a lot less lithe on the track.

   The story began in 1948 with Brian Lister himself racing and then building sports racing cars for the soon-to-be Lister works driver Archie Scott-Brown. Following Scott-Brown's racing successes in 1954, Lister decided to produce a small number of customer cars for the 1955 racing season. One of these 1955 cars – BHL 4 – was raced very successfully by rising star Jack Sears at Oulton Park, Silverstone and Goodwood during the 1955 and 1956 seasons.

   The car was designed by aerodynamicist Sir Tom Lucas and featured the uniquely styled rear wing fins which were much admired by and later developed by Lotus founder Colin Chapman. It is powered by the Bristol six-cylinder 2-litre engine mated to a four speed part-synchromesh gearbox.

   BHL 4 continued to be campaigned in the 1960s and '70s until it was retired from racing in the early 1980s. In more recent years, it has been displayed at historic meetings after careful preparation by Lynx Engineering.

8. LOTUS

   In the early days of Lotus, the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Plastics Division) Ltd also provided plastic moulding and pressing technology, actually producing to order the shells (numbered in hundreds) for the Lotus Élite — fitted with the Coventry Climax engine the FWE.

   Small numbers of Lotus Mk.X models were fitted with Bristol Sports Engines. One such car, registration NOY 1, was campaigned by Cliff Davis.

   Finally, a single Lotus XI was campaigned: this was fitted with a Bristol 2 Litre Sports engine.

9. TOJEIRO

   

   In 1996 this (then unfinished) example of a Tojeiro chassis based Special, fitted with a Bristol 2 Litre engine and gearbox, turned up at the Borders Rally, held annually at Mellerstain House. The Bristol Owners' Club, Scottish Section – with the assistance of many friends from South o' the Border – were there celebrating the passing of half a century since the original production of the Type 400 2 Litre Saloon.

Sporting Success

Many trophies were gained in road racing by the models of the AC and Frazer-Nash cars, and of course by Cooper, Lister and Lotus in the more specialized track events.

Here is a nice example of an AC Ace taking part in the 1996 Centenary Rally sponsored by the Rover Group to celebrate 100 years of the Motor industry in the UK. It is being driven from the World Heritage Site of the Village and Mills of New Lanark in Scotland by a well known BOC member, accompanied by his wife as trusted Timekeeper and Navigator. Four Bristol engined cars were allowed to take part, and all finished. The highest placed of these was a South African entry driven by Rudi De Groot and his wife. They finished well in their class and were placed in 4th position overall — this from an entry of several hundred vehicles collected from all over the world.

Specials

Small numbers of engines and / or gearboxes were also fitted by individuals to other manufacturers' chassis frames, as well as a number of specials, examples being:

1. Brabham Bobtail

   Campaigned by the Jack Brabham racing team, this specially modified Cooper-Bristol had a chopped rear end — hence the nickname.

2. BG (Bob Gerrard) Special

   It is claimed by some that Bob Gerrard extracted more power from the Bristol Six engine in his car than even the works cars achieved. Whether or not this was true, the fuel and technical adjustments he made were not allowed in Le Mans race regulations. They certainly powered his car to some most spectacular successes — and a few equally spectacular engine failures.

3. Irish Racing Automobiles

   Joe Kelly developed a racing team of 4 Bristol Sports engined cars, which enjoyed some success.

4. Pile Special

   This was a pre-war Ulster TT model Aston Martin that for a time was fitted with an 85C Bristol engine. Now restored to its former condition.

5. Warrior

   
   

   Built in 1954 to compete in the 2-litre sports car class, it was later exported to Singapore where its Bristol engine was replaced by a Jaguar for a time; it found its way to Australia, was restored, and now regularly participates in vintage race meetings in California. Further and better particulars in Bob Campbell's article. It is most interesting to compare the design of the 1954 Warrior with that of the 1955 type 450. Did the 1955 open-top restyling of the 450 draw any inspiration from the Warrior?

6. Willis Special

   A Frazer-Nash-BMW type 40 open sports two-seater that variously took a 1.5 litre pre-war FNS with a Type A Bristol head, and a BMW type 328 2-litre with Bristol head — in which guise it achieved 152.4 mph over the Thillos straight at Rheims.

7. Wingfield Special

   Specially constructed by Brian Wingfield on a chassis of his own design, with suspension by Lister, fitted with 100D2 Bristol engine and gearbox, this was a small open 2-seater. It was raced 1960-1 by Miss Jill Hutchinson.

8. Veritas Meteor

   Was the Meteor another Bristol-engined special?

9. Mitchell 401 Special

   Scrapyard 401 Reborn — story and pictures

No doubt there were others. If you know of any which are not listed above, please advise the BOC Registrar.

More unusual uses of the Bristol Six

In New Zealand, one engine and its gearbox was reported to have been effectively fitted inboard to a Speedboat and used to achieve some spectacular improvements in performance, until unfortunately the boat struck a rock and sank. It has never been recovered... or so the story goes.

Another engine, hopefully beyond its useful condition as vehicle propulsion unit, is also underwater – this one serving as anchor for a mooring buoy at a marina in the USA.

Much, much, closer to its original home at Filton, Bristol, the Engine Starter Unit for the Bristol Brabazon Airliner was created from a Bristol 2 Litre 6 mounted into a frame on the back of a flatbed lorry. It was geared up to drive an Alternator and Exciter Generator. It proved very reliable. The Bristol Brabazon's engines never failed to start due to the reliability of this mobile starter unit.

But what about where you'd least expect it! Fully blown powering a dragster — well hardly! But the exhaust is certainly textbook straight 6.

The image on the right depicts a Slingshot Lightweight in the paddock at Santa Pod taken ca 1966. The owner/driver was Colin Glass. This projectile is reported to have been powered by a Bristol 2.2 litre 6, undoubtedly liberated from a donor car. Alas we have no details of its success or lack of on the day. — Nor exactly what fuel was being added to the air delivered by the large ram box on top. Perhaps not 4 Star Leaded Petrol...