August 9: What's a Bristol?

Prince Charles drove one.

Good for him, but what are we talking about? Surprising that at the Creemore old car show I recently attended, there were these two old Brit cars. Surprising, since they were cars that usually turned up at a British Car Day and unusual in that there can't be that many in Canada. But there they were at Creemore, two of them. Two Bristols.

Bristol was and (maybe is) a car company that has been around since the the late '40's. Never making too many cars each year, usually a couple of hundred or less, pretty much handmade. And in its exiastence, Bristol only made eighteeen different models. Talk about restrained output. At Creemore there was an old one and one from the '70's. The company ground to a halt about 2003 and then worked on the older cars until finally closing in 2011.

A trait of Bristol cars was their design, which was usually just a touch off kilter........

Not quite right in their proportions, you might say. Like that girl in high school, with the beautiful hair, great complexion, a figure to die for and one eye higher than the other. Basically nice, but just a touch off.

Even the cars that they ran at Le Mans were distinctly Bristols.......

Just a little different and slightly off. In my younger years, I had a Dinky Toy of this car in British Racing Green. Didn't know what a Bristol was, but it was always one of my favorites.

Back to quirky........

Something distinctly "Bristol" about these two back ends? Yeah, I agree, but take a look at this Bristol plane from WW 2 and tell me that you don't find something a little off on it as well.........

So, they come by their design quirks honestly. Back to the cars.........

.......where else would you think a spare tire should or could go? There's that word quirky again. Good old Bristol.

Famous old car names never seem to die and in 2013 Bristol was resurrected again with the promise of a new and improved car for the 2000's. Like alliterations? Ok, so how does the Bristol Bullet roll off your tongue? Here is that car shown for the first time late last year........

Do you see what I see? How can this be a true Bristol, since there is not a line out of place. Now, maybe the fact that it has no roof or a provision for one makes up for it. How much is an old name worth? In this case slightly more than $400k Canadian. All you tweed blazer wearing high rollers line up over here, please. And be patient, as they won't be coming off the production line like Toyotas.

And now the question everyone will be asking, "Will the Prince be driving one?"

Until next time........