1954 Arnolt-Bristol Bolide Roadster

Arnolt-Bristol Bolide Roadster

The history of this car begins with a chance encounter at the 1953 Turin Motor Show, where American importer Stanley "Wacky" Arnolt spotted the elegant Bertone body on a Bristol chassis and closed a deal within a day for two hundred chassis, delivered from Filton to Bertone in Turin. Ultimately, only 130 examples of this version left the production line; this chassis, number 404/ X/ 3065, is one of them.

The car carries the original Bristol BS1 Mk2 engine, No. 269, a 1971cc six-cylinder unit, and was fitted with Bertone coachwork, body number 404/ 3065. On April 15, 1954, the car left the Bristol factory in Filton and was shipped to Bristol Cars USA, where it spent its first years. Later, it returned to the United Kingdom, where the car is still registered today as a historic vehicle under UK registration, and where a Heritage Certificate issued by Bristol Cars Limited confirms chassis, engine, and factory data.

Between 2015 and 2017, the car underwent a thorough restoration to concours standards. The accompanying documentation, including workshop photos ranging from bare sheet metal to the fully assembled body, and invoices from specialized restorers for the front suspension, among other components, demonstrates a restoration that went back to the frame and left nothing to chance.

This Bolide Roadster, one of only 130 built and documented in Octane magazine, represents a rare opportunity for the collector seeking an early post-war collaborative project between British engineering and Italian coachwork. Built in 1954, this Arnolt-Bristol also falls within the period used by the modern Mille Miglia for admission, making participation in one of the world's most renowned regularity rallies a possibility for this car.

Interested in or have questions about this Arnolt-Bristol? Feel free to contact us for additional documentation, photos, or a viewing.