Page 4 - Collecting Bristol scale model cars

Coming back to the 450, there have been other makers of 450’s
like Sun, V de C Replicas and kits from Provence, LM Replicas,
TW Collectables and John Day LM Replicas. A slot car in two
versions in Scalextric 1:32 scale came from MMK Models and
BUM Slot Cars.. However, most Bristol models have been 1:43
scale, with the Spot-on’s at 1:42.
A larger 450 and Cooper Bristol was made by Jeff Luff in
1:12 scale. KRR Replicas make 1;43 scale Cooper Bristol’s in
Kits or finished models in a variety of liveries. Older makers were
Crescent, Copycat, Replicars, Budgie (Small), ASC Racing,
John Haynes and More & Stone, a smaller Cooper Bristol that
was an ESSO giveaway in the 1950’s. A relatively large number
of AC Bristol engined models are available from a number of dif-
ferent makers and you can go on endlessly collecting these. I fi-
nally gave up on collecting AC’s.
Starting a collection from scratch today is a big task. I have
been collecting for many years and have amassed over 450 ve-
hicles including some kits and a number of AC models. Not all
of my models are Bristols as I have a number of Le Mans related
vehicles as I am planning to build three Diorama’s, Le Mans
1950’s, A Cooper Bristol race day and a Bristol cars sales lot. I
also have over 450 1:43 scale figures for the three dioramas.
This assumes of course I ever find the time!
There are of course the other bristol engined models, a
hand built Bristol Zagato in 3 colours from Rialto Models in the
Netherlands. A Le Mans Spyder, a Lister Bristol, a Tojiero Bristol
of which only two have appeared on EBAY in the last 10 years
from two different “makers”, one of whom was recent.
For anyone starting a collection or looking for specific mod-
els, EBAY is certainly your best bet by far. Most of the laters
models are on there and some earlier ones as well. I would sug-
gest for those unfamiliar with EBAY that you add your desired
models to ebay’s notification/emailing list and you get notified
when anything is listed.
I have not listed all that has been available and my full col-
lection is listed on www.firstgearcollector.com and amounts to
over 100 Bristol models, not including AC’s. See the Bristol Sec-
tion, which, like my Fire Engines is sadly not fully up-to-date...
Lledo-Vanguards, who went bust in 1999 had also intended
to produce a Bristol 405 in 1:48 or 1:50 th scale. The very rare
pre-production model I have is in Silver by designer George
Turner, who said “I made this prototype for Lledo many
many years ago. Unfortunately it never went ahead into
production, I do not know why.
We did make a rubber mould and a couple of resins.
and then it just disappeared. I do not know of any other Bris-
tol models that were being considered at the time. This was
a bit of a one off.”
It certainly looks great but without the finesse of the Lans-
downe version, although it would have been consideraly cheaper
and produced in much larger quantities. Nevertheless it takes
pride of place with my other “special one-off” Bristol models,