Thanks to all who responded to my call for info....
I really don't know where to start with this story. I'll try 1963.
I was 16 and the ink wasn't dry on my driver's license yet. I
managed to get my first introduction to British cars in the
form of a 1961 AH Sprite. It took me a week to wipe the grin off.
It so happened that Arnolt kept his racing stable in the town
of Warsaw Indiana, about 20 miles from where I lived at the
time. I became familiar with the mechanics and the machines of
the day. This included a new A-B that could be had for the
modest sum of $3500. My father's reaction was; no son of mine
is going to drive a car like that....Strike one.
Fast forward to 1972. I had owned a 1967 MG Midget for 4 years
at that time, and it was eating me out of house and home.
It was new car time. I had completed the financial arrangements
for the purchase and was returning to Ft.Wayne, via Warsaw.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear but an A-B; it
was blue and it looked like someone had painted it with a
brush. After the dust and smoke cleared I found that it was
for sale and the price was $800. Upon inspection I found
that it had a chevy engine. At the time I didn't know of the
conversion and concluded that some backyard mechanic had done
a hack job; it sure looked like it. I told the guy that I'd
have to think about it. On the way back to Ft. Wayne the right
front shock let go on the Midget. Real pause to reflect;
pucker factor goes to infinity.. Needless to say by the time
I got back to the A-B it was gone...Strike Two.
Forward to 1978. Warm summer afternoon, on a back road, late
for an appointment, a few miles north of Warsaw. A blue A-B
goes by in the opposite direction. was gone by the time I
could turn around, but I do remember a V-8 exhaust note. Strike Three
Fall 1992: My father-in-law dies in Wabash Indiana. At the funeral
I got to talking to one of his friends; the subject turns to
cars and I mention the A-B. He tells me that the car has been
setting in some guys front lawn for the entire summer of '91 with a
for sale sign on it. I go to the area; my late father-in-law's
friend isn't too sure which state road it was on, all he could
remember was it was between Warsaw and Wabash, at the first
opportunity. I have driven the routes several times. No luck
My wife thinks that I'm insane.
I now have ads in the local papers. Somewhere west of Ft. Wayne
there sets in a barn a blue A-B with a chevy engine that is
laughing at me. Most likely I'll have to deplete my bank account
on newspaper ads before the demon comes up for air. Is it possible
for a car to haunt a person; or is this whole thing just a fantasy,
could I be seeing phantoms?
From: mwilson@max.arc.nasa.gov (Michael A. Wilson)
>Someone where I work has one of these things. I've seen it parked
>a number of times. Never met the owner.
>There is a short entry for the 1954-1961 Arnolt-Bristol in
>"New Complete Book of Collectible Cars 1930-90", by R. M. Langworth,
>(Publications International, Ltd., Lincolnwood, Il, 1992).
>ISBN 1-56173-303-2.
>142 were built, 12 were lost in a warehouse fire. It was created by
>Stanley H. Arnolt for the US Market using the Bristol 404 chassis and
>a 2-seater body designed by Nuccio Bertone. The transmission and
>brakes were from the Bristol 403, and the engine was a tuned
>BS1 Mark II Bristol engine (more HP than a straight 404).
>There were 3 versions: a basic "Bolide" roadster, a DeLuxe roadster,
>and a coupe. Three coupes were built. Five of the A-B's were aluminum
>bodied semi-racers, four others were fitted with the 283 cid Corvette
>V8. They were raced at Sebring in 1955 and 1956. The book says "with
>distinction" but doesn't say how well they performed.
Autoweek May 23 1988 page 76: Three car team, first, second,
and fourth in class.
>engine: 1971cc ohv I-6 66x96mm 130 bhp
>plusses: high-quality engineering, great handling and roadability.
>problems: engine parts rare, rust-prone, expensive to repair and
>maintain, spartan furnishings.
>1990 pricing was: fair $7500-$15000; good $15,000-25,000;
> fine $25,000-35,000
From the same reference, 1930-1980 version: Prices/Projections
Restorable $2500-4000; Good $4000-7000; Excellent $7000-11000
5 year projection +10%.
What is the definition of 'fair'?
From: Ron Tewksbury <ront@twg.com>
>car. His first attempt was a custom bodied MGTC or TD, which he imported
>to the US in limited numbers. Later, he hitched up with Bristol and
As far as I know there were 100 of them built. According to
Autoweek May 23 1988 page 76; Arnolt's purchase from N. Bertone
saved the house of Bertone from bankruptcy. About 3 years
ago I saw one for sale in Road and Track.. There by hangs
a tail: I try to attend the ACD (Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg)
festival every year. 3 years ago I encountered a man that
raced against Arnolt and wanted an Arnolt-MG, Not 2 months
later I saw the Road and Track ad......and have no idea
about how to get in touch with the man I met at Auburn
From: Yoshiaki_Ohshima@SPEECH1.CS.CMU.EDU
>I don't know anything about the A-B, but recall I saw it racing
So, there are some in racing even yet today; that's encouraging.
From: Garry Archer <yale!hsi!archer%harvard@harvunxw.BITNET>
>1953 Bristol 404 Arnott sports car:
> 6 cyls, 66 mm bore 96 mm stroke, 1971 cc capacity, ohv valves.
> Compression Ration 9.0, 130 bhp @ 5500 rpm. Water cooled.
> 3 Solex carburettors.
> Wheelbase 8' 0.25". Track 4' 6". Length 13' 8". Width 5' 3.5"
> Suspension: Front; independent transverse leaf. Rear; torsion bar.
> Weight 18 cwt (2016 lbs). Top Gear Ratio 3.9. Tyre Size 5.50x16.
> Maximum Speed 110 mph.
Here in lays a point of confusion; is it 1953 or 1954. I have
seen in Hemmings 1953 A-B's for sale, I have concluded that this
citation must be in error, even thought the dimensions are right
and appear to come from the sales promotion literature. I have
a copy of the promo brochure. Unless the citation considers
the first ones built in England. As I understand it, Arnolt
shipped the bodies from Italy and the chassis from England
and assembled them in Chicago. BTW: any of this may be wrong.
The Autoweek article mentions that the author is/was working
on a biography of Arnolt. I wrote to Autoweek about two months
ago about this and have received no reply. Sorry to be soooo
long-winded.... But, hey, this is becomming an obsession...
| / MI What do I know, I'm a geology major.
\ /___________________ Sam
\_____/ Auburn* | IBM Systems Programmer
Chicago/ | Warsaw* * | O Indiana University -
I | Wabash* Ft. Wayne | H Purdue University at Fort Wayne
L | 1794-1994 | Fort Wayne, Indiana USA
|