Bristol 401

This 1952 Bristol 401 is a restoration project, offered part-finished. The 401 was Bristol's aerodynamic post-war saloon, built with aircraft-industry thinking and powered by the company's 2.0-litre six derived from pre-war BMW designs. The car is currently in bare metal.

The work so far is substantial. The car has been fully stripped, the front suspension and steering rack rebuilt, and the rear axle assembly cleaned, rebuilt and painted. Rear suspension rebuilding had begun when the restoration stopped. Around £15,000 is said to have been spent.

The engine was rebuilt by TT Workshops in 1994 and has covered little since because of long periods in storage. It has been run on a test bed, though the cooling system needs flushing. The car ran as a complete vehicle before work began, and all the parts needed to finish it are said to be present. Chassis number 4011122.