Wooden replicas used to make Bristol Cars are saved from scrapheap

They were known for their elegant style, their smooth curves and luxury designs, but you would never know it from looking at these dust-covered models. 

An extraordinary collection of life-sized wooden models from the manufacturing heydey of the iconic British motoring brand Bristol Cars Ltd. have been discovered.

It comes months after it was announced earlier this year that the world-famous car company was going into liquidation after 74 years. 

The wooden models, known as styling ‘bucks’, were found in an abandoned factory in Surrey.

They were once used as large design models for the bodywork of the famous cars, and would have been used by expert craftsmen to construct and form handmade body panels for the exclusive vehicles.  

An extraordinary collection of life-sized wooden models from the manufacturing heydey of the iconic British motoring brand Bristol Cars Ltd. have been discovered

The wooden models, known as styling 'bucks', were found in an abandoned Bristol Cars factory in Windlesham, Surrey

The wooden models, known as styling ‘bucks’, were found in an abandoned Bristol Cars factory in Windlesham, Surrey

The shape of the iconic cars can clearly be seen in the ghostly wooden frames found propped up in the dusty factory

The shape of the iconic cars can clearly be seen in the ghostly wooden frames found propped up in the dusty factory

They were once used as large design models for the bodywork of the famous cars, and would have been used by expert craftsmen to construct and form handmade body panels for the exclusive vehicles

They were once used as large design models for the bodywork of the famous cars, and would have been used by expert craftsmen to construct and form handmade body panels for the exclusive vehicles

Stacks of the hand-crafted metal body panels were also found piled up on wooden palletes in the Surrey factory

Stacks of the hand-crafted metal body panels were also found piled up on wooden palletes in the Surrey factory

The Bristol Blenheim Speedster was a model released in the early 90s, and the shape closely resembles the wooden forms

The Bristol Blenheim Speedster was a model released in the early 90s, and the shape closely resembles the wooden forms

Stacks of the hand-crafted metal body panels were also found piled up on wooden palletes.

The shape of the iconic cars can clearly be seen in the ghostly wooden frames found propped up in the dusty factory.

Some were even scrawled with messages, including one wooden model with ‘Good-bye Dolly’ written in white chalk along one side.  

But now the ghostly models from the Bristol Cars site at Windlesham have been saved from the scrapheap in a nod to the company’s illustrious past.

Bono, Liam Gallagher and Sir Richard Branson are all amongst the roll-call of famous owners of these luxury vehicles. 

Tina Turner and fashion designer Paul Smith were also fans of the iconic Bristol brand.

But car enthusiasts were devastated to learn earlier this year that the world-famous car company was going into liquidation after 74 years.

It was the demise of an iconic British company, which to the end maintained a loyal customer base and drew admiring eyes through the windows of its one showroom on High Street Kensington in London- the start of the A4 road back to Bristol.

The old wooden models look worn and were likely used by expert craftsmen to craft luxury cars for decades

The old wooden models look worn and were likely used by expert craftsmen to craft luxury cars for decades 

The life-sized models look so realistic that you can imagine the many vehicles that were hammered into shape over its form

The life-sized models look so realistic that you can imagine the many vehicles that were hammered into shape over its form

It is not known what will happen now to the wooden models after they have been saved from the scrapheap

It is not known what will happen now to the wooden models after they have been saved from the scrapheap

Some models were even scrawled with messages, including one wooden model with 'Good-bye Dolly' written in white chalk along one side

Some models were even scrawled with messages, including one wooden model with ‘Good-bye Dolly’ written in white chalk along one side

The stunning collection was found in an abandoned factory, with all the car models stacked neatly on one side of the warehouse

The stunning collection was found in an abandoned factory, with all the car models stacked neatly on one side of the warehouse

The abandoned factory was also filled with other relics from the long history of these once-sought after cars

The abandoned factory was also filled with other relics from the long history of these once-sought after cars 

The ghostly models from the Bristol Cars site at Windlesham have been saved from the scrapheap in a nod to the company's illustrious past

The ghostly models from the Bristol Cars site at Windlesham have been saved from the scrapheap in a nod to the company’s illustrious past

The dusty relics are symbolic of the demise of the British car manufacturer which announced earlier this year that were  going into liquidation after 74 years

The dusty relics are symbolic of the demise of the British car manufacturer which announced earlier this year that were  going into liquidation after 74 years

The factory appears to have lain untouched for years as dust covers the floor as the relics of the car inststry stand alongside

The factory appears to have lain untouched for years as dust covers the floor as the relics of the car inststry stand alongside

Bristol Cars Ltd. was widely understood to have been formed in 1946 as an offshoot of the wartime Bristol Aeroplane Company.  

Going back even further in the company’s history, it becomes apparents that its true origins lie in trams. 

The Bristol Tramways company, founded in 1875 was run by a junior solicitor named George White.  

After the power supply powering the city’s trams was destroyed by Hitler’s World War II airforce, the Luftwaffe, Mr White travelled to France where he saw the Wright Brothers fly.

The two American aviation pioneers are generally credited with inventing, building, and flying the world’s first successful motor-operated plane.

The 1946 Bristol 400 (left) faces off with the 2006 Bristol Fighter. Bristol Cars has been in operation for 73 years but was forced to close down and has been taken into administration despite court bids to save the flagging car manufacturer

The 1946 Bristol 400 (left) faces off with the 2006 Bristol Fighter. Bristol Cars has been in operation for 73 years but was forced to close down and has been taken into administration despite court bids to save the flagging car manufacturer

A 1959 Bristol 406 motor car with its owner catering manager Brian Davis. Fans of Bristol Cars ranged from businessmen to celebrities. The car gained a cult following over seven decades but has released no new models since 2016

A 1959 Bristol 406 motor car with its owner catering manager Brian Davis. Fans of Bristol Cars ranged from businessmen to celebrities. The car gained a cult following over seven decades but has released no new models since 2016

In its heyday, Bristol Cars, with their effortlessly chic, seamless designs were sought after by business leaders and celebrities alike. A red AC Ace Bristol is pictured driving around Silverstone circuit in 2010

In its heyday, Bristol Cars, with their effortlessly chic, seamless designs were sought after by business leaders and celebrities alike. A red AC Ace Bristol is pictured driving around Silverstone circuit in 2010

Mr White was enthralled and used his experience running a transport business to launch his own aeroplane manufacturing company.    

In 1910, after six months of planning, the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company was founded. The first plane was the Bristol Zodiac, a copy of similar Voisin box planes designed and manufactured under license. 

During WWI, Bristol planes gained a reputation for speed and agility. The Bristol Scout was nicknamed the Bristol ‘Bullet’ and soon became a vital part of the war effort. 

But, in 1918, the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, which had since been re-branded as the Bristol Aircraft Corporation, created its sister-company Bristol Cars.

The off-shoot was founded when orders for planes disappeared overnight in the in the aftermath of the war. 

The 2014 Bristol Fighter. Despite winning acclaim for its design, it is rumoured that as few as 9 were ever actually manufactured and the model's lack of success was a devastating blow for the company's owner Anthony Crook

The 2014 Bristol Fighter. Despite winning acclaim for its design, it is rumoured that as few as 9 were ever actually manufactured and the model’s lack of success was a devastating blow for the company’s owner Anthony Crook

In a historical image that captures  car being loaded onto a Bristol Aeroplane Company freighter plane at Liverpool airport in 1960 for a flight to Dublin

Ahistorical image captures a car being loaded onto a Bristol Aeroplane Company freighter plane at Liverpool airport in 1960 for a flight to Dublin

A Cooper Bristol Mk II is pictured being driven around Silverstone in 2010. As a result of government policy in the 1950s, the Bristol's plane and car divisions were split. This left the company without the means to develop their own engines and without a clear raison d'etre

A Cooper Bristol Mk II is pictured being driven around Silverstone in 2010. As a result of government policy in the 1950s, the Bristol’s plane and car divisions were split. This left the company without the means to develop their own engines and without a clear raison d’etre

The Bristol 412 was considered a flop. Fans of Bristol cars were put off by its awkward proportions that also failed to attract new customers. The 70s proved to be the beginning of the end for Bristol Cars - the once innovative company lost momentum

The Bristol 412 was considered a flop. Fans of Bristol cars were put off by its awkward proportions that also failed to attract new customers. The 70s proved to be the beginning of the end for Bristol Cars – the once innovative company lost momentum

The move saved 70,000 jobs as the company began to build car bodies and bus bodies for the then still operational tram arm of the company. 

The company also started to manufacture the Bristol Monocar – its first private passenger vehicle.

The Bristol Cars iconic logo. The demise of the company represents a loss of British industrial and business prowess

The Bristol Cars iconic logo. The demise of the company represents a loss of British industrial and business prowess

As the years progressed, Bristol Cars built a reputation as a maker of extraordinary fine and fast cars. 

A Bristol 450 won the two litre class at Reims in 1953 with star drivers such as Jack Brabham, Mike Hawthorn and Stirling Moss all working for Bristol. 

As a result of government policy in the 1950s, the Bristol’s plane and car divisions were split. 

This left the company without the means to develop their own engines and without a clear raison d’etre. 

In the 1970s, long-time fans of the brand began to sour on the brand’s designs. The Bristol 412’s awkward proportions meant the car failed to attract new customers. 

In a cruel twist of fate, Bristol Car’s founder Sir George White crashed his Bristol 410 and resigned from the company and sold his stake to Anthony Crook who became Bristol Car’s sole distributor. 

Bristol’s designs in the 80s failed to win new fans. The designs of the 1980 Beaufighter, 1982 Britannia and the 1993 Blenheim have been described as ‘dated’. 

Former racing driver and RAF pilot Mr Crook also allegedly old sold the cars to people he liked. 

It was throughout this decade the company’s once sterling reputation was lost for good. 

Sir Richard Branson, Liam Gallagher, Tina Turner and fashion designer Paul Smith were all said to be fans of the brand

Bristol Cars were sought after by business leaders and celebrities alike Sir Richard Branson, Liam Gallagher (pictured), Tina Turner and fashion designer Paul Smith were all fans of the iconic Bristol brand

A Bristol being featured on the Top Gear TV show

A Bristol Car featured on the Top Gear TV show in the 1990s but the British brand never made the comeback it hoped for

Classic cars get together at Bristol Cars showroom at High Street Kensington. Bristol Cars went into liquidation this year

Classic cars get together at Bristol Cars showroom at High Street Kensington. Bristol Cars went into liquidation this year

A Bristol Car featured on the Top Gear TV show in the 1990s but the British brand never made the comeback it hoped for. 

Desperate to breathe life back into his flagging business, Anthony Crook sold 50% of Bristol Cars to Toby Silverton. The two men designed what they thought would be the company’s saviour. 

The ambitiously named Bristol Fighter was a nod to the company’s aeronautical past. It was manufactured from 2004 until the company went into administration in 2011. 

Visually it won acclaim and was widely considered a design ‘masterpiece’ with top speeds of 210mph.  

But the car didn’t sell. The reputation of Bristol Cars was long gone and other car manufacturers were offering stronger vehicles in the niche sport car market.  

It’s unclear how many Fighters were actually ordered, it has been rumoured that a total of 13 were manufactured according to Car and Classic Magazine, but the true number is speculated to be lower. Some estimates put the number as low as 9. 

The Bristol Bullet was unveiled in 2016, 12 years after the Bristol Fighter was released, to celebrate the founding of the company 70 years before. The car never made it to production despite interest from prospective buyers

The Bristol Bullet was unveiled in 2016, 12 years after the Bristol Fighter was released, to celebrate the founding of the company 70 years before. The car never made it to production despite interest from prospective buyers

A man looks at a Bristol Bullet in central London in 2016. The Bullet was the first new model Bristol Cars unveiled since 2004 when they released the 'visually stunning' Bristol Fighter and would have cost £250,000 had it made it to market

A man looks at a Bristol Bullet in central London in 2016. The Bullet was the first new model Bristol Cars unveiled since 2004 when they released the ‘visually stunning’ Bristol Fighter and would have cost £250,000 had it made it to market

In 2011 Bristol Cars went out of business with the loss of 22 jobs at the factory, only to be resurrected in a rescue package. 

The Bristol Bullet was unveiled in 2016, 12 years after the Bristol Fighter was released, to celebrate the founding of the company 70 years before. 

The car never made it to production despite interest from prospective buyers. It would have cost £250,000 had it made it to market.

The car manufacturer was always a low-volume car-maker, its luxury and upmarket vehicles were hand-built without any kind of mass production conveyor belt. 

But toward the end of the company’s demise, it is rumoured that Bristol Cars Ltd. was shifting just 20 vehicles a year. 

One of these luxurious vehicles would set a new owner back by somewhere between £150,000 and £250,000. 

In March this year, the company again went into administration and during lockdown in May, Bristol Cars was put into liquidation.

Part of the company will continue to trade under the name of ‘Bristol Superlight’. 

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