Type 412, including Beaufighter & Beaufort

The 412 was introduced in 1975. Its appearance was so radically different because it came from another design house. Unlike the 411 series, the design and body panels were produced by the Milanese coachbuilders Carrozzeria La Zagata — the Zagato connection, not displayed since the 407 Z, was revived. The 412 is a car with a performance that its appearance belies. Chassis codes are suffixed with the letter ‘Z’, with the exception of the Beaufort which is suffixed with the letter ‘B’. These cars did not immediately supersede the 411 s5 but were available for about a year in parallel production.

The car was released, described as a Type 412 Convertible. It has previously been described as “the first Bristol with convertible body since the Type 405”. It was in fact the first Bristol convertible after the special bodied 407 convertible designed and built by Viotti.

The body panels, originally produced by Zagato in Milan, are now all produced by Bristol Cars.

As with the 411, the car was developed as a number of different series; four variants have been available to December 1990. Features are as follows:

412 Prototype

Early literature features a car differing in several respects from the main series. Not therefore a special, but worthy of comment in this section.

• It has bumpers which do not wrap around the body, and lack a stainless steel strip.
• The rear has no badge.
• The bonnet catch is not recessed.
• The fuel filler cap is mounted on top of the rear body.
• There are no speakers on the door panels.

The car must be a prototype supplied by Zagato. It is not chassis 7725. It is not known how many prototypes were made though the figure of three has been mentioned.

412 Convertible (or s1)

In this case the car was not designated the s1 by the manufacturer but by the owners. This type is fitted with the 400 cu.in. or 6,556c.c. engine with Torqueflite 3 speed automatic transmission.

1. Two rectangular headlights are fitted as standard, a departure from the circular types fitted to the 411 series of cars.
2. A cast metal Pegasus badge is installed on the black front grille which fields concentric rectilinear brightwork.
3. There is a flat bright metal strip insert on black wrap around bumpers.
4. The fuel filler cap was initially mounted on top of rear body panel, possibly on only the first few cars. Then early in production it was changed to the top flank of the nearside rear wing.
5. A grille insert is reported on the roll bar.
6. The central section of the roof is completely removable.
7. The folding roof covering is in a vinyl type material.
8. The rear light clusters are mounted horizontally.
9. Avon Safety wheels were available.

412 Convertible Saloon (or s2)

Introduced in mid 1978, this type was described by the company as the Convertible Saloon.

It is fitted with the 360 cu.in. or 5,899c.c. Chrysler V8 engine, with ‘Torqueflite’ 3 speed automatic transmission.

1. A new multi coloured enamelled radiator badge is fitted in place of the cast Pegasus emblem which had been carried forward progressively from the 406.
2. The grille insert is deleted from the roll bar frame.
3. Petrol filler cap is on the top of the left rear flank of the car.
4. Boot catch is recessed.
5. Front Seats are redesigned, incorporating headrests.
6. Headrests are introduced on the back seats.
7. Additional longitudinal frames remain at the flanks when the roof panel is removed, which protect the top edge of the electric windows.
8. The rear folding roof covering is treated Cloth
9. Tyres are Avon 205VR15.

412 USA (a variation of the s2)

This was essentially the export version of the s2 directed at the United States circa 1980.

1. Unlike the British version, it was not supplied with a removable rear hardtop.
2. It was fitted with twinned quadruple rectangular headlights.
3. It has large lensed side repeater running and flasher lights on all four quarters in addition to those on front and rear of the car, purely to comply with the American legislative requirements. See comments vis-à-vis 410.
4. To comply with the American legislative requirements, the engine is fitted with the Catalytic exhaust system.

412 s3 or Beaufighter

Introduced in 1980 and fitted with the 360 cu.in. or 5,899c.c. Chrysler V8 engine, ‘Rotomaster’ turbocharger and with ‘Torqueflite’ 3 speed automatic transmission, but fitted with the torque converter and internal clutches from the 440 cu.in. Chrysler to compensate for the power increase. A stronger propeller shaft is also fitted with larger than standard universal joints.

1. The 225-70 VR 15 Avon tyres were standard on this variation.
2. Bulge on bonnet lid, to accommodate the additional plumbing of the Rotomaster turbocharger.
3. Headlamps are changed to twinned rectangular quartz halogen units, as fitted on the 412/USA.
4. New fully adjustable electric front seat.
5. The roof panel is not removable but has an opening glass panel.
6. The gear shift lever is straight.
7. LPG conversion available to order.
8. Some Beaufighters feature the American style flasher repeater lights on the wing flanks.

Beaufort

This is not a variation of the s3, even though the only example of this model remaining in the UK has the code s3 included in the full chassis number. If a single unit, it might have been described as a prototype or even a non standard body. The design was introduced in 1984 at the Birmingham motor show some four years after the launch of the s3. It has been stated previously that type approval was difficult to achieve because of the method of attaching the seat belts to the chassis/‌body/‌seat frame at shoulder level and as such it was originally restricted as an export only model. It is therefore extremely rare in the UK, though one was seen advertised for sale in 1990. The balance I am told were exported. Thanks to the assistance of Tony Crook, some not so obvious alterations are described in this section though unfortunately our conversation was not long enough to go into great detail. These are points to observe if you are lucky enough to see this type in your travels.

1. This model is not fitted with the protective roll bar.
2. The entire body from the doors back is constructed differently to the Beaufighter: for visual and practical reasons the body sweeps up more to the rear. This allows the concealment of the full power hood operating mechanism, but of equal importance it conceals additional body stiffening necessary after the deletion of the roll-bar.
3. When viewed from the front adjacent to the Beaufighter, there is a distinct difference in the height and section of the windscreen frame, also the curvature and the angle at which it is placed.
4. The side windows are more curved to meet the screen frame.
5. The door is changed in size and shape.
6. The door mechanism is different because of the above.
7. The Beaufort rear seat does not fold down as does the rear seat of the Beaufighter because this would only expose the electric hood operating mechanism, and this could also be a danger should the mechanism be inadvertently operated whilst limbs or fingers were in the area.
8. The instrumentation is different.
9. The interior treatment is also different. These cars according to Autocar in September 93 have been withdrawn from production in favour of a new model, the Blenheim.

412 Special or Non Standard Body cars

• One other car, a 412 sl, has been seen fitted with four circular Bosch headlights in two pairs per side, after the fashion of the later 603. The car is pictured in the Club video. Thought to be chassis 7755551
• One club member has produced his own version of the Beaufort, producing a non standard car, by modifying the Roll Bar attachment to his 412 s3s1 to make it removable. The hood is of course manually operated

No other `specials' are known at this time.