Type 406

Above a younger Harry in a younger 406, both in an old world setting

The 406 has the distinction of being the first model produced as the Car Division parted company with the Aircraft Company to become Bristol Cars Limited. It has been claimed that it was also the first Bristol to have no timber in the body frame, but the rosette for this went of course to the 401 many years before.

This type was altered very early in production after a few cars acquired a reputation for running hot. This heat build up derived, not on the highways and byways, but whilst stuck in traffic jams, and entailed stop start motoring then as now to be found in all of our major city centres. A contributing factor might have been interference to the airflow through the radiator grille caused by the location of auxiliary lamps within the cowling venting the radiator. A number of changes were instituted by the company. The auxiliary lamp positions were certainly changed and placed thereafter to flank the radiator air intake cowl. The radiator grille was also changed from cranked vertical chromed bars on the early models to woven styled square mesh, partly, it is believed, to reduce wind induced noise as well. Finally, the four bladed fan replaced the hitherto used two bladed unit. The complement of these measures appears to have entirely cured the problems to the satisfaction of both company and customers.

Sub-contracted bodywork

It was the first Type to have the body panels for the production series manufactured outwith the factory. Bodies were made by Jones Brothers of Willesden. Later, at or about the onset of production of the 407, Park Royal Vehicles Ltd of Acton were awarded the contract for the production of the 407. This association was to continue for a number of years. Park Royal Vehicles Ltd dealt with not only the fabrication of the body panels to the shape of the body bucks but also welded the panels together and fitted them to the chassis provided from the makers from the 407 to the 411 standard production series, covering the period 1961-1976. Bodies were all produced by hand. When British Leyland acquired Park Royal Vehicles Ltd in the course of a larger takeover bid, they decided to rationalise their organization and closed them down. Bodies are now once again built "in house".

In the light of further information, the balance of this section has been substantially revised.

The Production Series

This model was introduced in 1958. The standard engine for the 406 was the 110 series, a 2.2 litre unit and the largest capacity Bristol 6 cylinder engine fitted to any of the production series.

• The most striking technical feature of this car was the fitting as standard of Lockheed Servo assisted Dunlop Mk.II disc brakes on all wheels — this at a time when it was a luxury to have discs fitted only on the front. The handbrake also operated the rear set. Easily spotted through the wheel perforations.
• Unlike the 405/100B2 engine, the cooling fan is a 4 bladed unit in the form of a flattened X, not cruciform. This again reduces noise and provides different levels of air flow profile at low and high speeds. This departure from the historical norm is not capable of being seen unless the bonnet is up.
• The bonnet lid on this car lifts up from the back, the antithesis of the later 407. The alternate side tilt option of the preceding models was abandoned.
• A new suspension was employed which had been developed on the 220 project chassis, having previously been tried on the prototype 404. A transverse Watt linkage was provided on a new Salisbury rear axle and a single central link arm used to eliminate rotational movement in place of the by then familiar swinging A-frame.
• An external trafficator repeater light is mounted on the roof above the rear door post on each side — the first model to have this feature.
• Another most useful device was the screen wash wipe facility from a single button — commonplace these days but an innovation then.
• Marchal biflex headlights with curved lenses were fitted as standard.
• All models incorporated an Enots one shot hydraulic chassis lubrication system at the front and a splash activated gravity drip feed system at the rear suspension from the differential.
• The badges were changed on the naveplates to the wheels, the by now familiar roundel marked Bristol 2 Litre surrounding the City of Bristol coat of arms with a yellow inlay being replaced on these and the bonnet lid by a finished metal unit consisting of a raised moulding of the City of Bristol coat of arms on a scalloped ground, set into a textured circular surface containing at the top the word ‘Bristol’ and the surplus space at the bottom embellished with two six pointed stars, the letters and stars being set at the same pitch centres. House badges continued to adorn the flanks of the wings, surmounted by the Pegasus head, harking back to the Bristol Pegasus aero engine, reading ‘Bristol’ on the field of the shield and a small scroll badge is applied directly below the house badge reading ‘406’. There is no Type or maker's identification on the rear of the car.

A feature of the rear body is that the number plate set into a recess, requiring the use of a squarer type of number plate. As can be seen, the number plate recess is flanked by two reversing lights.

Paint Colours

The standard body colours are described in the brochure as Bristol Red, Dark Green, Black. TwoTone colours available are described as Sable/Light Beige, Cambridge Grey/Silver Grey, Dark Grey/Silver Grey, Midnight Blue/Pastel Blue.

406 Prototypes

There were a number of prototypes on various chassis lengths configured as 2+2 and full four seat bodies. These differed quite markedly in detail to the production models.

406/1/P1

The most significant prototype was described in Bulletin 86 and was the four seat body to be adopted as the basis of the production series. It was built by Bristol on a 114 inch wheelbase.

406/S/P1

406/S/P1 pictured when built. Note early vertical bar grille.	406/S/PI as refurbished in 1993. Note later style mesh grille.

One short chassis prototype, a 2+2 coupé on a 102 inch wheelbase, was produced by Bristol themselves. Tony Crook has told me that he did over 80 thousand miles in this car before it was released into general circulation. This car has been recently rebuilt by the company involving over two thousand hours of work.

406 ZAGATO

There were six 4 seat cars bodied by Zagato as styling exercises. All of these appear to differ in some detail, but since they have never been gathered together, there is little information and therefore 1 am unable to describe the significant difference here. They were executed on the 406 rolling chassis frames and designated the 406-Z or 406 Zagato. These cars were stated by L.J.K. Setright in his book Bristol Cars and Engines to be on chassis numbers 5255, 5256, 5284, 5298, 5299 and 5300. I admit to some confusion over chassis 5284. It has since been reported that the body on chassis 5284 was dismantled after major accident damage. The same chassis number has also been reported on a car which is now clad as a 406 saloon, so if there is no error, the chassis may have been rebodied as a standard car at a later date. Incidentally the Setright book is well worth a read if you can lay hands on a copy. It has unfortunately been out of print for some years now.

The Zagato car in New Zealand has also been in the wars and is reported to have been damaged more than once prior to reaching that country. The current owner is in process of rebuilding it once more. He has already had a replacement engine supplied as a special order and I am assured by the NZ Registrar, Lane Smytheman, that the number shown in the chassis list is correct. One other Zagato bodied car not traced was reported very badly damaged. It was chassis no. 5255.

406/S/P2

Another prototype 2+2 coupé, also on a 102 inch wheelbase, was finally produced circa 1960 by Zagato, illustrated here charging up the Prescott hill. It was the last of the 406 versions to be delivered by Zagato and because it was the second produced on a short chassis, it was designated the 406/S/P2. These contracts with the design house did lead to further commissions to Zagato, not least of which was the 412 series body styling. If you take a look at the 407 Zagato illustrated in Section Two you will see quite a family resemblance to this car.

406 Beutler

Research by club member Hubert Patthey has confirmed, from Ernst Beutler no less, that there was only one 406 bodied by his company, Gebr. Beutler of Thun, Switzerland. This car was described as 406E or Export model. It might therefore be more accurate to call it the 406 Beutler. This car was first shown in October 1957. It is pictured arriving in the UK, presumably for display at the Earls' Court show, from the ramp of a Bristol Freighter.

N.B. Beutler* See also 401 and 402 descriptions of special bodied cars for the other three Bristol chassis bodied by this coachbuilder.