Arnolt-bristol History:
Arnolt-Bristol was a result of a partnership between two car manufacturers, SH Arnolt Inc. and Bristol Cars. Situated in Chicago and Indiana, SH Arnolt Inc. was the brainchild of Stanley H. Arnolt, a Chicago industrialist, who made a living importing foreign vehicles during the 1950s to the United States. His company would go on to sell four different cars that showcased Bertone bodies (highly unique Italian style) between 1953 and 1968. SH Arnolt Inc. capitalized off of an international patchwork of car manufacturing with vehicles that showcased British mechanics and Italian bodywork, coupled with U.S. sales and distribution. Bristol Cars Ltd became a manufacturer of hand-built luxury cars that were produced close to Bristol, England. With a history of eliminating the distributors and car dealers, the company is known to directly wheel and deal with their customers. A showroom in Kensington, London displays their wares. Only a small number of cars have come from the company, often hovering around a little more than 100 cars produced on a yearly basis. During the 1950s, Arnolt made a deal with Bristol Cars to purchase 200 of their 404 series chassis and 1971 cc, six-cylinder 130 hp engines. Soon after, the chassis were delivered to Carroszzeria Bertone, where a high-quality aerodynamic body with impressive design was added. Additionally, the hood height was adjusted to accommodate three two-barrel Solex 34 carburetors. SH Arnolt also facilitated a couple of design modifications.

Arnolt-bristol Overview:
The Arnolt-Bristol is an American/British amalgam. In the 1950s, S.H. "Wacky" Arnolt operated a profitable Windy City foreign-car dealership and was also vice-president of Bertone, the renowned Italian coach building firm. Having already built a little-known Bertone-bodied sports car based on the T-series MG (the Arnolt-MG), Wacky conceived the idea of a similar hybrid using the British Bristol chassis. To that end, he visited the London Motor Show in October 1953 and talked to Bristol executives. Following these discussions, Arnolt visited the Bristol factory, acquired a Bristol 404 rolling chassis, and shipped it to Italy so that Bertone could design a two-seat body to suit. The result was the Arnolt-Bristol, which went on sale in 1954 through another of Wacky’s many enterprises.

Other Arnolt-bristol Details:
The Arnolt-Bristol cars came in four different body styles. The first model was geared towards competition and appeared as a striped road racer. The bolide offered a slightly more satisfying road racer. The deluxe was an extension of the bolide, which illuminated side windows and a convertible top. The car also carried instruments located in front of the driver. An inset glove box in the dash was another attractive feature. The fixed roof coupe was equipped with headlights that popped up.All Arnolt-Bristol cars were built between 1953 and 1959 with a total of 142 final products (12 of which were destroyed after a factory fire). The last time a record was made of existing Arnolt-Bristol cars, close to 85 of the models were located, varying in conditions, such as requiring complete restoration to showcasing an impressive appearance. Although the cars faired well on the racetrack, the vehicle models did not sell very well. The market for the cars was so slow that some were not sold until after 1960. The last car to sell showcased four headlights, but wasn"t purchased until 1968.