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We do like bringing you fantastic rare handbuilt vehicles at great prices and this is no exception! It is a 1977 Bristol 412 Cabriolet by Zagato. The car is now showing 106,000 miles and was driven 150 miles to our showroom. It is an Automatic car fitted with Air Conditioning and is Light Metallic Blue with dark Blue Leather interior. It has a long MOT and current Tax. This car really should be considered as a running and drivign project as it is quite scrappy in many areas and would benefit from a program of improvements.

The car is finished in blue with contrasting black interior and is equipped with the 5.9 litre, fuel injected V8 and is mated to a Torqueflite automatic transmission.

The first Bristol car, the 1947 Bristol 400, was heavily based on pre-WW2 BMWs. The body looked very like the BMW 327, while its engine and suspension were also based on BMW designs. Even the famous double-kidney grille was carried over onto the Bristol.

Bristol cars used the same, 6 cylinder, BMW based engine up until 196. This very well regarded engine also powered a number of sports and racing cars, including all post-war Frazer Nash cars (apart from a few prototypes), some AC's, some Lotus and Cooper racing cars, and several others. However, in 1961 Bristol Cars launched the 407, which was powered by a Chrysler V8 engines, which were more suitable for the increasingly heavy cars. All post-1961 Bristol's including the current Blenheim and Fighter models continue to use Chrysler engines.

From 1960, the company was owned by former racing driver Tony Crook, who took over the share of his partner Sir George White in 1973. In 1997, Toby Silverton came on board, which explains the greater level of development in recent years (particularly, the new Bristol Fighter). Tony Crook eventually sold the company to Silverton in 2001.

First appearing in 1975, the 412 was to be Bristol's first convertible model since the drophead variant of the 405 of 1954-1956. The striking design was by Zagato and featured a targa top with rollover bar giving immense rigidity. As with all models from this revered manufacturer, appointments and fittings were of the highest order whilst power came from the well-established 6.6-litre V-8 Chrysler unit fitted with TorqueFlite transmission. As always, limited production numbers were to guarantee exclusivity and, as with all Bristols, the 412 had a considerable presence on the road, as well as being possessed of phenomenal performance

Interior:
Our car is finished in Black Leather piped in light blue and it is in an average condition. It is a wonderfully luxurious place to sit with acres of leather everywhere! The seats are showing signs of wear commensurate with the mileage and there is a large tear on the rear seat. All the dials and instrruments work as they should but the Aircon would benefit from attention or re-gassing.

Exterior:
Our car is finished in Light Metallic Blue and is quite presentable. The wheels and tyres are all good and apart from a couple of little bubbly areas on the rear pillar and doors. There are numerous imperfections on the body and the car is quite untidy in appearance.

Mechanical:
The car has driven 150 miles here and starts and drives very nicely although the car would benefit from attention in a few areas as the exhaust is blowing a little, the handbrake is not great etc. It is a car you can use whilst improving.There was a top end rebuild in 1994 and the car has been converted to unleaded petrol.

Summary:
This is a handbuilt luxury car in an average condition, at a ridiculously low price, and it is Taxed and Mot'd and ready for its next owner. The car is honest in its description and would form the basis of a very good example. Even though we are selling the car as a project the car has a new MOT and Long Tax so please be quick at this price!

As with all our cars, we have priced her for an immediate sale. If you have seen the cars that are out there, come and see ours and your search will be over.

Please click on the links on the left to view over 50 Photographs of the cars.

If you are interested in this car you can contact us by clicking on the following link:

sales@justinbanks.com