Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire!

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Fri 17 Sep 2021 21:00
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - badbusdriver

About 11 or 12 years ago I was lucky enough to view a Gordon Keeble (100 were made in total) in the mirrors of my van as I made my way along some country roads near the Aberdenshire village my parents live in. I was very excited, but as it is such an obscure car, there wasn't anyone I knew with who I could share my excitement. Even my Dad had no idea what a Gordon Keeble was!.

Today, after having lunch with them, I set off home. Got about half a mile along the road and noticed a small old red sports car coming towards me. As it got closer I guessed it was a Bristol, and as it passed, I confirmed it to be a 404. A total of 52 of these very advanced (for the time) coupes were made between 1953 and 1958!. Again I found myself being excited at seeing one but wondering who I knew who would know what a Bristol 404 was, the answer of course being nobody!.

But maybe someone on here will appreciate the sighting!.

Here are a couple of pics of a Bristol 404

DSC_6379-WEB-1500x1001.jpg

1955-Bristol-404-Coupe-for-sale-3.jpg

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Fri 17 Sep 2021 21:23
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - RT

As a youngster, I drooled over pictures of the Gordon Keeble, it's always been one of my dream cars.

Bristol Cars was a subsidiary of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, the first car being the 400 which was an amalgam of various pre-war BMW models using plans "liberated" from BMW's bombed out factory

Edited by RT on 17/09/2021 at 21:55

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Sat 18 Sep 2021 07:57
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - craig-pd130

Very nice. Someone local had a Bristol 408 which I often saw (and heard) woofling along the main road through town, it wasn't a gleaming garage queen either but a slightly dog-eared daily driver. A real gentleman's express. Haven't laid eyes on it for over a decade though.

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Sat 18 Sep 2021 09:55
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - John F

Lovely cars. Favourites of the legendary L.J.K. Setright, well known to backroomers of a certain vintage as the quintessential motoring journalist.

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Sat 18 Sep 2021 12:20
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - Alby Back
For many years, I had occasion to be in London regularly, and often chose to stay in the Kensington Hilton. The hotel was above the old Bristol showroom but also has an underground car park. One section of the car park was always occupied by a selection of Bristol cars. Beautiful things.

I do though remember a slightly tricky conversation with my wife, when she phoned me on one occasion, asking where I was, and I innocently remarked that I was in an underground car park in London admiring a magnificent pair of Bristols...
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Sat 18 Sep 2021 16:56
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - craig-pd130

Lovely cars. Favourites of the legendary L.J.K. Setright, well known to backroomers of a certain vintage as the quintessential motoring journalist.

Indeed. I remember Car Magazine's "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" review summarising the later Bristol 603 Blenheims as follows:

Good: Eccentric

Bad: Eccentric

Verdict: Suits eccentrics

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Sat 18 Sep 2021 17:59
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - badbusdriver

While working at the Aberdeen SAAB dealer in the early 90's, I remember going to the airport to pick up a customers car. When we found it I was much more interested in the Bristol 411 parked next to it. Needless to say the chap I came with couldn't understand my interest in it this odd looking machine.

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Sat 18 Sep 2021 18:39
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - Andrew-T

Rare bird, maybe. I was on my regular journey to N.Wales on the M56 this morning when I found myself behind a red A-reg Metro (1984). I didn't think there were many left able and willing to do 55mph. A few miles further on (A55 now, not M56) I noticed an F-reg Mini (1967). I felt quite up to date in my M-reg 306 (1994) :-)

Needed fuel on return journey, hoped to get super E5. Garage had 5 pumps with E10, the only E5 was 'out of use' - counter staff said they hadn't been given any :-(

Edited by Andrew-T on 18/09/2021 at 18:46

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Sat 18 Sep 2021 19:21
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - bathtub tom

Found myself alongside an Aston Martin on the M1 last weekend. It was green and at first I thought it was a Ferrari until I recognised the badge. Think it may have been a Zagato. Sort of Lagonda looking, but without that very '70s front end.

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Sun 19 Sep 2021 10:08
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - badbusdriver

Been having a look on 'Car and Classic', found one Bristol 404 for sale (C1383502) at £189,500!. Interesting because it is the same colour as the one I saw, though I can't imagine it was the same car despite their rarity. The advert and link to the sellers website show the car is still for sale and the seller is based in Wiltshire, some distance from Aberdeenshire (a bit far for a test-drive methinks!).

Found myself alongside an Aston Martin on the M1 last weekend. It was green and at first I thought it was a Ferrari until I recognised the badge. Think it may have been a Zagato. Sort of Lagonda looking, but without that very '70s front end.

Not sure what that could have been Tom, but until the V8 Zagato of 1986, Zagato had only collaborated with Aston Martin once. That was of course the sublime DB4 Zagato of 1960 and to get your hands on one of them is going to set you back at least £10 million!. There have been a handful of Zagato Aston's since then (1986) but no many have been (IMO) aesthetically pleasing!.

I do remember seeing a DB2 (split windscreen) years ago at a 'normal' garage in Aberdeenshire. A lovely old thing which I'd much sooner have than a boring old silver birch DB5.....!

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Sun 19 Sep 2021 19:42
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - Engineer Andy

What a nice pair of Bristols! A rare bird these days indeed. ;-)

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Sun 19 Sep 2021 20:51
Rare 'bird' spotted in Aberdeenshire! - dan86

What a nice pair of Bristols! A rare bird these days indeed. ;-)

I remember working in a garage that did all the work for a high end luxury car dealers I remember a lady brought her Bristol fighter down for some new tyres never called them Bristols but she had a cracking pair or Charlies.

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