My relationship with Bristol cars came about as a complete surprise to me. It’s a long story and I will gladly recount the whole story to anybody who is interested. Suffice to say I was ‘forced’ into inheriting a group of workmen in around 2015 who were time served Bristol Cars engineers and they were accompanied by a true Bristol Cars legend Mr S T Lovesey (Sid). That day my love hate love relationship began. To that point I just didn’t get it with Bristol cars. Why would you have Bristol when you could have a Jaguar for a fraction of the price?

The story of Bristol Cars Ltd is well documented and over several years from 2015 I became familiar with a lot of the cars and a lot of the people who owned them. I grew to become respectful admirers of Bristol owners for their dedication and unwavering affection for these cars. Some of the cars I still don’t get. But some of them are true jewels of the our motoring heritage. The Bristol 404 is such a car. Incredibly rare today and in the day. Exclusive in the day and equally exclusive today. Referred to in the day as ‘The businessman’s express’ and ‘the doctors car’ it’s a stunning car in all respects.

It was my privilege to sit down with Sid Lovesey and talk all things Bristol Cars. He joined in 1947 at the very outset of Bristol Cars a division of the aviation group and was ever present right through to the ultimate demise in 2011. We would have a cuppa and he would talk through those 7 decades giving service to the same employer and believing passionately in the marque. He was an amazing man and the Bristol Cars story is well documented.

This 404 is accompanied by its original build sheet record signed off by Sid, and then again its restoration in 1989 signed off by Sid. There is also a commentary on the cars history written by the legendary T A D Crook (Tony) Chairman and MD of Bristol Cars. There is also a photographed record to accompany an exhaustive documented hand written ledger of that restoration. The photographs feature many of the employees who were ‘forced’ upon me back in 2015. They were artisans of shaping metal and it was a privilege to see them wheeling and shaping metal under my hopelessly inadequate management!

More recently the mechanical side of the car was attended to by a more current artisan of British engineering. INRACING are the go to experts with the Bristol 100 6 cylinder engine and there is a documented by photo and ledger record of some £30,000 spent on a thorough engine, gearbox and associated ancillary refurbishment in 2019 and only a 1000 or so miles ago.

So, for the sake of brevity, I hope you can see that I am delighted to be offering this amazing car for sale from a great and highly respected home. One of only 2 built with the ‘small rear access hatch’. Retaining its original registration number and presented in perfect running order with nothing to spend on the car. The history file is an amazing read and speaks volumes for the care and attention invested in the car. Over meeting these Bristol car owners for several years I grew to believe and say :-

‘Bristol owners are eccentric and wealthy. If you weren’t eccentric you wouldn’t and if you weren’t wealthy you couldn’t!’

This is not a cheap car and very few people can afford this car. Anybody that admires classic cars would want to own this car. It is that good. Yes, you can buy a faster car, you can buy a rarer car. But for the Lady or Gentleman that just wants to be that bit ‘different’ I give you the Bristol 404. When you see it and drive it I am pretty sure you will understand why this super rare car should be part of the true classic car enthusiasts wish list.