I think you could be looking at an engine rebuild.” That wasn’t what I wanted to hear while sitting by the roadside, 2500 miles into a 6000-mile expedition to the Syrian border and back. My sixth sense, finely honed after 20 years of marriage, told me it wasn't the sort of news that would be entirely welcomed by my wife, either.
“What was that?” she asked suspiciously.
“Nothing serious, darling,” I replied. We'll just keep an eye on the spark plugs.”
Welcome to the Bristol Owners’ Club Turkey Tour 2022, an innocent-sounding expedition that, halfway in, we had already renamed the Bristol Endurance Rally. Our route, designed by Geoffrey and Hilary Herdman marque trailblazers and owners of a 1956 405 drophead that has driven around the world took us across Europe to Istanbul, then south-east to Cappadocia and on across the broiling Anatolian plain to Gaziantep, close to the boundary with wartorn Syria. From there, if we made it that far, it was back down the Antalyan coast, north along the Aegean shore and thena different route through Europe, retracing some of the footsteps of Paddy Leigh Fermor, the war hero, travel writer and bon viveur.
Our convoy consisted of eight Bristols and one Bristol-powered AC Greyhound. All the Bristols, bar a 1969 Chrysler V8-powered 410, were 2-litre, six-cylinder cars: a 1954 403, three 406s, the Herdman drophead and a couple of 1956 405 saloons, including Frieda’, our car. Technical know-how and ability ranged from extremely high a couple of the team were accomplished spanner-wielders, one of whom has rebuilt Bristol engines) to non-existent in 13 years of ownership and a few forays on the Continent, I had yet to change a spark plug).
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 2023 من Classic & Sports Car.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 2023 من Classic & Sports Car.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison