1977 Bristol 603

Owned for the past 17 years by a long-time Bristol enthusiast and the owner of renowned Citroen SM specialists Andrew Brodie Engineering, this delightful Bristol 603 benefits from a number of subtle upgrades that have turned a great car into a fantastic one. 

How good is it? Well, of the 11 Bristol models Stuart has owned in the past 20 years, this is the one he has kept for the longest. It is, he says, much better than even the iconic Bristol 411, a car he found to be both noisier at speed and worse handling than this 603. This is because the 603 is more aerodynamic than the older car, which cuts down wind noise, and also has a lighter engine under the bonnet, which aids handling. 

He says the 603 is “almost silent at 100mph, with next to no wind- or engine-noise, and it is surprisingly economical, giving 25mpg at motorway speeds.” He went on to say: “I’ve had it for 17 years, and it has never broken down on me.” This level of reliability is due to the ongoing, planned preventative maintenance that he has carried out religiously, replacing components on an aircraft-style time-bounded basis rather than waiting for a component to fail.

He’s also owned a late Blenheim, and says the 603 is a better car than that too; he rates the 603 so highly that he says it is “the best car Bristol ever made” and is only for sale because he’s just taken on an Aston Martin Lagonda; you know, the wedge-shaped that only the truly talented (and slightly bonkers) would consider owning…

The metallic burgundy aluminium coachwork is in great condition, showing the sort of panel gaps and precision fitment that only a hand-crafted car can have. It’s weathered the years very well, had a simple respray in around 2006, and the black lower body endows the car with a lithe look that belies its size. 

The chromework is good, but does show some pitting in places. The paint quality itself is probably the weakest area of the car, as the photos show, it's good from 10 yards but there are a few minor stonechips, significant micro-blistering (paint 'rejection', not corrosion), some orange peel and slightly faded sections. There are also a few small cracks on the old girl’s paintwork, but a car like this wears its years as patina rather than damage; the aluminium panels were formed as a series of smaller units and then welded together in the Bristol factory, followed by a thin skim of filler to smooth it all out. This means that most 603s will have occasional fine cracks in the paintwork, and while it isn’t pretty, it’s absolutely nothing to worry about and is completely normal.

The storage areas in the front wings, which hold the battery on one side and the spare wheel on the other, are free of the sort of rot that plagues the model. While the bodywork is aluminium, the underside is steel and these areas are known to rust through. Not on this example though, because they’re solid and in great shape, even if they aren’t as pretty as you might like.

Delightful touches abound, like the fuel filler cap, which is hidden behind a body-coloured flap that is secreted in the car’s rear quarter behind the window. And Dunlop safety wheels that help the driver sustain a blow-out at three-figure speeds without losing control. Plus that achingly cool rear GB plate…

The alloy wheels are showing mild corrosion and will probably need refurbishing at some point but they’re in good order now and shod with good, recent Pirelli tyres that still have plenty of tread. (The old Pirelli tyres were replaced on the basis of their age rather than any lack of tread because that’s how Stuart maintains his cars.)

The electrically adjustable cream leather seats show only the mildest of creasing and certainly nothing so vulgar as damage, scuffs or even minor wear. They’re squat, square and supremely comfortable because that’s the way Bristol rolls, and were re-connolised in June 2008. Only mildly grubby, an hour or so with some leather cleaner would almost certainly see them brought back to almost as-new condition.

The dashboard might not look especially ergonomic but that’s because Bristol, as ever, did things its own way. So, while other manufacturers insisted on grouping like-minded controls together, Bristol took its lead from the aircraft industry and made them identifiable by feel. It argued that a few minutes-worth of familiarisation would be enough for an owner to remember their rough location, after which they could identify the correct control by feel alone.

That aside, the switches are, like everything else in and on the 603, beautifully made and a joy to look at and touch. They’re all individually engraved; we’d hate to even hazard a guess at the tooling cost, even back then. 

And, just like the exterior, there are a myriad of thoughtful touches that elevate this car above even contemporaries from manufacturers like Rolls-Royce and Bentley. So, you’ll find a fuel reserve switch, braided leather pulls for the lockable rear storage cubbies and glovebox, four door-mounted ashtrays, and an engraved sign on the steering column for the cruise control. And you know the switch that is labelled ‘Rear Guard’? That operates the rear fog lights.

Best of all, the interior lights are believed to be the same as those used on Concorde. Bet you didn’t know that, did you? 

Seriously, this car will delight you every single time you use it. It’s utterly joyful and a throwback to a time when every detail was important. It really is a wonderful place to be and is in marvellous condition for a car that is well into its fifth decade.

The air-conditioning system has been over-hauled, upgraded and recharged, and so blows ice cold. Everything else works too, with the exception of the interior light (which works off the interior switch but not the doors) and the nearside outside door lock, which seems very stiff.

The headlining is a bit grubby and torn at the offside rear corner, so we can see that this might be a job the new owner might want to carry out sooner rather than later simply because the rest of the interior is so good.

The black-painted engine bay – they were all like that to save on production costs – is neat and clean and plays home to the mighty 5.9-litre Chrysler V8 engine. During a recent full rebuild, this was fitted with high-compression EdelBrook cylinder heads, an uprated carburettor and an Edelbrook intake manifold. Full-length, twin stainless steel exhausts and stainless steel headers help ease the flow of exhaust gases. 

The old three-speed automatic gearbox has been junked in favour of a four-speed unit, which helps performance and fuel economy alike. 

The engine was rebuilt in 2008, with new pistons, bearings and an oil pump, along with a new, upgraded air-conditioning compressor, and a water pump. All-in-all, the owner spent nearly £15,000 at the American Car Care Centre in 2007/08.  

New brake servos and a master cylinder were fitted in 2010, along with a Bosch ignition coil in 2011, front brake flexible hoses and metal pipes in 2012, a new battery and upgraded alternator in 2016, and four new tyres, rear metal brake pipes, and a new engine oil cooler in 2017. Upgraded oil coolers keep things nice and cool, and they’re believed to be the same specification as those used on the later turbocharged cars. 

Other features include two fuel pumps, one electric and one mechanical. The owner’s thinking is that the electric one can be used if the original mechanical pump ever fails. That’s sheer genius, isn’t it? 

It goes without saying that fresh oil and oil filters have been fitted at regular intervals.

It runs well, starts on the button, and gives the sort of effortless performance that only a proper Yank engine can. The new four-speed gearbox means that the engine is just ticking over below 2,000rpm at an indicated 70mph, making it more economical than you might think. The owner drove it the 100 miles to The Market headquarters without a hitch, just as he has completed every single other journey in the past 20,000 miles and 17 years. Our test drive revealed a very well-built car whose mechanical components felt tight and assured - expected given the kind of ownership and maintenance it has had in the last couple of decades.

The chassis, which looks to have been constructed from the same girders as the Forth Bridge, is in great shape and is confirmed by the vendor as very solid.

The boot contains two small boxes of essential spares, things like a distributor cap, rotor arm and ignition pick up. The owner has kept them there on the off-chance they’ll be needed - but they never were, so it’s probably safe to view them as more of a good luck talisman rather than anything you’ll ever actually need to use. 

The online MOT history check (using its old registration number of UMK 1M) shows absolutely nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s mileage.

Stuart tells us he has his classics MOT'd approximately every 3 years, which usually equates to about 1,500 miles,and whilst the MOT certificate has expired, this Bristol has only covered 500 miles since, and is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 

The car comes with a huge number of expired MOT certificates plus a thick sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it. It also has a folder full of charming period wiring and circuit diagrams, along with a hand-written record of its early service history. Later hand-written notes show the work that the owner had carried out by his own company, while the printed invoices show the work he commissioned externally.

The Bristol also has its agreeably-retro original instruction manual, wrapped, as they were, in an offcut of the original hide from when they covered the seats. Marvellous.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been restored and maintained to the very highest standard.

The Bristol 603 is a very rare car, with far fewer remaining than you might expect given how well they’re constructed and the obsessive nature of the average owner. That this one is still around is something to celebrate.

The mechanical specification has been upgraded to what is effectively that of the legendary Bristol 411 MK6, so if you’ve ever lusted after one – and if you haven’t then that’s probably only because you’ve never seen one – then this is your chance to get your hands on one for peanuts.

Because, while the (admittedly prettier) Bristol 411 sells for £50/60,000 and more, we expect this 603 to sell for £17,000 to £25,000, a figure that takes full account of the bodywork, and the understanding that the new owner will almost certainly want to tidy it up at some point.

That’s a staggeringly low sum for a car with this level of engineering integrity, history, and provenance. Reliability and economy too, which aren’t words that are always associated with the marque…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive. 

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.