Page 2 - Collecting Bristol scale model cars

THE STORY SO FAR
THE STORY SO FAR
The following is the basic story of scale models of Bristol and Bris-
tol engined cars. It is fairly comprehensive but certainly not ex-
haustive. it gives the lowdown on most of the models that have
been produced I have done my best with the Chronology but
some of the production periods are lost in the mists of time.
If you are or want to become a collector, the following is a
general guide of what is and what was previously available. For
more pictures and further information, visit my Fire Engine site
and click on the Bristol picture at www.firstgearcollector.com.
The first Bristol models were made in the 1950’s, with the
Bristol 450 of the 1954 race car and the Cooper Bristol, both of
which were made by Triang under the Dinky name. By modern
standards the windowless and seatless 450 was quite crude but
the cooper Bristol did at least have a driver. Charbens also made
a Cooper Bristol model from 1955 to 1962, which appears to be
a direct copy of the Dinky, including the colour scheme. These are
scarce and very hard to find.
Tomte Laerdal, a Norwegian model company made a larger
scale plastic Cooper Bristol in Red, Orange, Yellow and Blue,
often with contrasting coloured wheels, about 1:15 scale. They
are now almost impossible to find. A plastic Cooper Bristol in
several colours, Yellow, Green, Blue and Red, was apparently
made in Hong Kong, including a squeeze the body water pistol.
The first road going model of a Bristol was a 406 produced
in the early 1960’s in 5 different colours, Green, Red, Grey, Yellow
and mid-Blue, all with windows and seats. These were Spot-on
models, a company later bought out by Triang. Curiously, there
was also a give-away, small crude plastic Bristol 406 apparently
in Kellogs Cornflakes packets. The colours seen so far are Blue,
Cream and Grey. My favourite, for those who remember the
many Kellogs giveaways was the Frogman that went up and down
in a screw top pop bottle as you tightened and loosened the top..
From 1973 - 1979 Mike and Sue Richardson produced 154
Mikansue branded white metal kits. Again somewhat crude by
today’s standards and the colours were the choice of the kit as-
sembler. they made a 400, an Arnolt Roadster, a 1958 Le Mans
AC Bristol, a 1959 AC Ace Bristol and a Cooper Bristol sports..
Next came white metal kits by Trevor Wright (TW Kits
1980’s?), who retired and cast these gems as a hobby in small
quantities. Although the kits are not up to today’s fine art models,
he produced some rare and unusual vehicles. They included a
400, 400 Drophead, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, Arnolt Roadster and
Coupe. In addition, a Lister Bristol and a Bristol Warrier.
It is hard to trace the dates but Merlyn Models and Rae Mod-
els also made 400’s complete and painted, possibly from the
Mikansue moulds. Cheshire Models made a genuine 403 with the
numbers on the bonnet, which no-one else has done. Next came
a 401 in either Red or Blue/Green from Pathfinder. Their produc-
tion run was just of 300 each and the Red ones are relatively eas-
ier to find and can be quite expensive as models go.