Other Manufacturers and the Bristol Six

Production: 1945 - 1960

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:

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