Bristol 409
Encyclopedia
The Bristol 409 was the third series of cars from British manufacturer Bristol Cars
powered by Chrysler
V8 engine
s. It was actually introduced before the older Bristol 408
went out of production and only gradually supplanted that model after a year.
There were a number of major changes to the chassis of the 409 compared to earlier Bristols. The springs were much softer than of the 408 or 407
, so that the ride quality was much better. Following on from Chrysler's pioneering work in the early 1960s, Bristol fitted an alternating current
alternator
in place of the traditional direct current
dynamo
, which had proven difficult to drive at high engine speeds. Also a follow-up to previous work on the 408 was an improved safety lever to prevent anyone from putting the automatic transmission
in gear accidentally. There was also an altered differential fitted with a slightly higher (i.e. numerically lower) ratio.
The styling was almost unchanged from the 408, though the radiator grille
was now altered into a trapezoid
al shape rather than the precise rectangle of the 408.
The engine was also altered slightly — remaining at 5211 cc but providing slightly increased power and torque. The 409 was the first Bristol to be offered with power steering
, initially as an optional extra but after June 1967 as a standard feature.
The 409 was the last Bristol V8 to feature dashboard transmission selector buttons. The subsequent Bristol 410
sported a central transmission shift lever, as well as a more streamlined frontal design.
Bristol Cars
Bristol Cars is a manufacturer of hand-built luxury cars headquartered in Patchway, near Bristol, United Kingdom. Bristol have always been a low-volume manufacturer; the most recent published official production figures were for 1982, which stated that 104 cars were produced in that year...
powered by Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
s. It was actually introduced before the older Bristol 408
Bristol 408
The Bristol 408 is a British luxury car made by Bristol Cars between 1963 and 1966. Unusually for Bristol, a slightly revised version was launched during the middle of the model's production run in 1965 and known as the 408 Mark II....
went out of production and only gradually supplanted that model after a year.
There were a number of major changes to the chassis of the 409 compared to earlier Bristols. The springs were much softer than of the 408 or 407
Bristol 407
The Bristol 407 was a luxury car produced by British manufacturer Bristol Cars between 1961 and 1963. It was the first Bristol model to be made under the present administration after their separation from Bristol Aeroplane Co., which had built all previous Bristol models.Outwardly it resembled the...
, so that the ride quality was much better. Following on from Chrysler's pioneering work in the early 1960s, Bristol fitted an alternating current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
alternator
Alternator
An alternator is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current.Most alternators use a rotating magnetic field but linear alternators are occasionally used...
in place of the traditional direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
dynamo
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
, which had proven difficult to drive at high engine speeds. Also a follow-up to previous work on the 408 was an improved safety lever to prevent anyone from putting the automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
in gear accidentally. There was also an altered differential fitted with a slightly higher (i.e. numerically lower) ratio.
The styling was almost unchanged from the 408, though the radiator grille
Grille
A grille or grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal sheet or other barrier, usually to let air or water enter and/or leave but keep larger objects including people and animals in or out.-Spelling:In the United States, "grille" is used to differentiate the automotive...
was now altered into a trapezoid
Trapezoid
In Euclidean geometry, a convex quadrilateral with one pair of parallel sides is referred to as a trapezoid in American English and as a trapezium in English outside North America. A trapezoid with vertices ABCD is denoted...
al shape rather than the precise rectangle of the 408.
The engine was also altered slightly — remaining at 5211 cc but providing slightly increased power and torque. The 409 was the first Bristol to be offered with power steering
Power steering
Power steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...
, initially as an optional extra but after June 1967 as a standard feature.
The 409 was the last Bristol V8 to feature dashboard transmission selector buttons. The subsequent Bristol 410
Bristol 410
The Bristol 410 was the fourth series of Chrysler V8-engined models from British manufacturer Bristol Cars. It was the last Bristol to use the 5.2 litre engine originally found in the Bristol 407....
sported a central transmission shift lever, as well as a more streamlined frontal design.