When Bristol replaced it’s faithful 411 models in 1976 it came out with all guns blazing launching the Targa topped 412 and today’s featured model the 603 which owed little to it’s older sister apart from a familial face with four round head lights.

The 603 was launched in E and S form’s, the E like the 1977 example seen here was supplied with a 145 hp 5.2 litre / 318 cui Chrysler V8 while the S was fitted with the 170 hp 5.8 litre / 360 cui motor.

Since it left the factory today’s featured car has been fitted with a stroked 360 Mopar to bring it up to 375 hp 6.6 litre / 408 cui spec. An Edelbrock carburetor and special inlet manifolds helping to more than double the cars original horsepower numbers.

The official rest to 60 mph time for the more powerful S variant was a sprightly, for 1976, 7.6s with a 1/4 mile time of 18.2 seconds, one would imagine with double the horsepower these numbers would take a significant dive.

The 603 is noted for it’s slim window pillars which offered unparalleled vision, and yet this did not give the car in anyway an overly futuristic glass house look, the 603 was very much of it’s time and it’s variants remained in production until the one off Blenheim S4 was built in 2009.

Thanks for joining me on this “Unparalleled View” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at an agricultural pick up. Don’t forget to come back now !

Tony Crook RIP.

It was with sadness that the motoring fraternity learned of the death of Tony Crook earlier this week.

Tony had a long and successful racing career which included driving two Bristol powered cars in the 1952 and 1953 British Grand Prix, run to Formula 2 regulations.

Tony went on to become an agent and later the sole agent for Bristol Cars in which he took a 40% stake when Bristol Cars became independent of it’s parent the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1960.

In 1973 Tony bought out Bristol Cars founder Sir George White to become sole proprietor and distributor of Bristol Cars until 1997, when he sold a 50% stake to Toby Silverton which became 100% in 2001.

Tony continued working for Bristol until 2007.

We offer sincerest condolences to Mr Crooks family and friends.