1953 Arnolt-Bristol DeLuxe

Arnolt-Bristols were available as the Bolide, Deluxe, and the Coupe. The Bolide was essentially a race-trimmed vehicle, while the Deluxe was closer to a road-friendly vehicle equipped with bumpers and a folding top.

Chicago-based industrialist Stanley 'Wacky' Arnolt earned his nickname when he crossed Lake Michigan alone in a 14-foot boat in heavy fog, a distance of some ninety miles in open water. During World War II, he sold boat motors which earned him a fortune, allowing him to venture into the world of automobiles, and by 1952 was a regional BMC distributor and US distributor for Bristol cars.

The first Arnolt was a four-seater Bertone-bodied car built on top of an MG TD chassis and powered by an XPAG 54 horsepower engine. Its design was penned by Giovanni Bertone, his son Nuccio, and Giovanni Michelotti. An intended production run of 200 units failed to meet its mark, partly due to MG ceasing supply of its chassis and engines after demand for its own complete cars escalated.

Arnolt's next venture used Aston Martin componentry with Bertone coachwork to a design penned by Franco Scaglione. The 2,580cc Aston Martin engine produced 125 horsepower, a significant increase over the MG unit. Only three 'Arnolt-Aston' Spyders were built before production was stopped by Aston Martin. S.H. Arnolt commissioned a personal car built on the 1953 Bentley R-Type Continental chassis and given a design similar to the Arnolt-MG Coupe. Its design was by Giovanni Michelotti, who was working for Bertone at the time.

The Arnolt-Bristol

Arnolt had made obligations to Bertone for 200 cars, but when MG had withdrawn its supply of chassis, Arnolt was in jeopardy of ruining his working relationship with Bertone. More than just reputation, Arnolt had acquired a stake in the Italian company. Having worked with many British automakers in the past, it was - perhaps - of little surprise when Arnolt's next venture was with Bristol Cars Ltd. He negotiated the purchase of 200 examples of their 404-series chassis and the 1,971cc six-cylinder, 130 horsepower engines from the earlier 403 model.

With the Bristol chassis, Carrozzeria Bertone created the bodies to a design created by the company's new designer/aerodynamicist, Franco Scaglione. The shape was aerodynamic, curvaceous, and muscular with sharply creased fender lines and a hood scoop to accommodate the three single-barrel Solex 32 carburetors. Its sporty design complimented the Bristol underpinnings, despite them being based on a pre-war BMW design (the 328), it was one of the finest chassis of its era and the 2.0-liter six-cylinder engine was both potent and efficient. In D2 tune it developed in excess of 150 horsepower.

Competition
To prove it had 'go' to match its 'show,' Arnolt created a racing team and entered special lightweight versions of the Arnolt-Bristol in the 1955 Sebring 12-hour race. The team finished first, second and fourth in the Sports 2000 class and won the Team Trophy, a feat they repeated in 1956 and 1960. In 1956 they placed third in class, and the following year, they withdrew after Bob Goldich was killed on the first lap of his first stint in the car co-driven by Wacky Arnolt. A privately entered Arnolt Bristol secured fifth in class. The car's final class win occurred in 1960 when it placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd in class, and placing 14th, 22nd and 39th overall.

Specification
The Arnolt-Bristol had a 96.2-inch wheelbase, an overall length of 167 inches, a width of 68 inches, and stood 44 inches tall. The ladder frame had a rigid rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs and hydraulic shock absorbers all around, with torsion bars in the back and anti-roll bars at the front. Stopping power was by drum brakes, and the transmission was a four-speed unit.

The Bristol (BMW BS1MK2) straight-six engine had overhead valves, displaced 1971cc (120.3 cubic inches), and had a 2.6-inch bore and 3.8-inch stroke. With three Solex 32 BI carburetors, it produced approximately 132 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 128 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 RPM.

The BMW-based Bristol six-cylinder engine was a popular choice among British racing car constructors, as it was tuneable, durable, and efficient. It had a cylinder head designed by Rudolf Schleicher, incorporating hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined valves. Rather than incurring the expense of a redesign, it used the single block-mounted camshaft and pushrod valve actuation from the earlier BMW Type 319. One rocker shaft was located above each bank of valves, giving it the appearance of having a twin-overhead camshaft design. It had downdraft inlet ports and SU carburetors (instead of Solex), the latter contributing to the engine's drawback - its height.

Production
Production was intended to reach 200 units, with production beginning on January 14, 1953, and continuing through December 12, 1959. During that time, a total of 142 cars were built, with 12 being written off due to a factory fire. The cars damaged by the fire were later used as a source of spares by Arnolt in later years. The majority had left-hand drive configuration; just one car left the factory with right-hand drive. One of the cars never received factory coachwork and remains in the possession of the Arnolt family. Six examples were coupes, and two examples received aluminum alloy bodies.

The competition model cost approximately $3,995, the Bolide listed around $4,245, $4,995 for the Bolide Deluxe, and $5,995 for the coupé.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2023