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Jim Latoff: Anyone know of an Arnolt-Bristol for sale. I am looking for
something to restore for vintage racing when I retire in several years and
could be drivable on the street sooner.
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Jim and anyone else: This might help put you in the driver's seat. NADA*
shows the Arnolt-Bristol Deluxe Roadster, Bolide and Coupe with High , Avg,
Low sale prices. The year doesn't actually matter. They all had 1954 VIN
registrations when shipped from Filton, UK to Turin, Italy for bodies
...where production was strung out for 5+ years by Bertone.
A total of 142 A-Bs were produced ( 13 destroyed in a Chicago warehouse fire)
and were sold exclusively in the US market...mostly the Bolide (race
oriented version roadster)...with 5 or possibly 6 coupes. Contrary to
misinformation being copied over and over in publications....NO A-Bs were
produced with small block Chevy engines. This is very important to note
..if you plan on racing with most U.S. vintage/historic clubs...VSCCA, SVRA,
VDCA....that may be looking for authenticity.
A-B's do show up occasionally in the market place in various conditions and
sizes ( some with highly modified fenders and grills). Solid, original ones
are expensive with the Bristol six cyl. engines. The asking prices range
from $23,700 to $54,300 for complete cars...and around $15,500 for a roller
w/o an engine/trany. An A-B which survived in the S.W. or West will be
worth considerably more before restoration.....as compared to an A-B in the
Midwest or N.E....which will require lots of expensive "ru$toration" before
it is race worthy. A few A-Bs have been recently advertised as high as
$75,000 for completely restored show quality cars.
Mechanical and body trim parts are very scarce..deep pocket$ will find most
parts that you are looking for within the UK from Bristol devotees.
I suspect there are a still a few "barn cars" out there...but most owners
haven't been totally asleep at the wheel...and know what the 2001 values are.
The A-B is a "wacky" but lovely car.....for vintage racing, it is always the
favorite of the spectators...despite that fact that it is now a back marker
in a tweaked race grid.
Best of luck....
Lee Raskin
Brooklandville, MD
Arnolt-Bristol and 356ers.
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