1972 Bristol 411

411 Series III

Recently refurbished interior

Uprated rear axel with LSD

This Bristol 411 is a really super example of the marque, we owned quite a few ranging from series 1's to 5's and enjoyed them all, this however is the first series 3 we've had and are very impressed with her charms

As is often the case with cars such as these each new series features some minor changes from that which came before, most often improvements although that's not always a guarantee

The series 3 sits right in the middle of the Bristol 411 production line, which ran from the series 1 to the series 6, and in our humble opinions does benefit for doing so as it is the first point that the quad headlamps were installed however the much prettier rear lights still feature, so ascetically she's right in the sweet spot

Our car here, showing 99,209 miles, is in really super condition with an almost brand new interior trimmed in Bentley Beluga Black leather

Immaculate wood with a stunning veneer, lovely supple hides soft to the touch & finely laid carpets bound in the same leather upholstery as the rest of the interior joining squarely at all edges

The refurbished interior did cost the previous owner rather a lot...

Brilliant too she has a Becker Mexico radio, which has all the benefits of a modern unit whilst maintaining a stylish period look, plumbed in to some very impressive speakers that carry the sound extremely well

She has a wonderful history folder dating back to her first MoT which was done at 26,000 miles together with her original instruction manual and service invoices dating back to 1987, showing a continuous record of her life, mileage & maintenance

The servicing has never once been skimmed on with many bills totally many thousands detailing exactly the work that has been done, one can easily consume 3 cups of tea and half a pack of biscuits going through it

Most recently she was serviced by our friends at AC Automotive in September of 2023, at which point she also had a new alternator fitted

The 411 is infamous for their fantastic long distance characteristics, I have used one in the past for a European tour through France & Switzerland and I know Dad has for a similar trip too

All 411's in this respect are equal however some are more equal than others and this car certainly fits into the latter category with a fully overhauled rear axel upgraded to 3.06 crown & pinion ratio & fitted with a limited slip differential not only improving her long distance cruising ability but making her more agile on the mountain passes

The 411 is surely the best looking of all the V8 Bristols, especially in this guise with the best light options front and rear, yet whilst their values do not reflect how brilliant they really are represent superb value for money