Bristol 400 DHC

Chassis 400/1/04 is the fourth Bristol ever built and one of only two factory-built 400 Drophead Coupés completed in 1946. The 400 was Bristol's first production car after the war, and this one was shown by the factory at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show. Later open cars were left to Farina, which makes these early dropheads especially scarce.

The car is well known among Bristol enthusiasts for its long association with Andrew Blow, a recognised authority on the 2-Litre cars. He owned it from 1972 to 1975 and again from 1988 to 2015, restoring it during the second spell. It is finished in cream with a dark hood and a light interior.

Mechanically it has been developed for touring. It has an overdrive gearbox and a Spencer Lane Jones front disc brake conversion. The engine, long since upgraded from the original 85bhp unit to the 100A specification, was rebuilt in 2023/24 by Lee Keller at Spencer Lane Jones with the usual Bristol performance upgrades. A history file covers both Blow ownership periods and the recent engine work.