Stanley Howard 'Wacky' Arnolt started out as a football star and became a hugely successful industrialist who liked to race as a hobby.  In 1952 he was taken by a pair of styling exercises on the Bertone stand at the Turin show, placed a large order and saved the carrozzeria from impending bankruptcy.  Since the exercises were on MG TD chassis, Arnolt arranged for nude TDs to be shipped from Abingdon to Turin and they were then sold in the States as Arnolt-MGs.

About 100 MG-based cars had been made when, the following year, Arnolt was struck by the Bristol 404 chassis and the Arnolt-Bristol sold in the States at half the price of a 404.  While the Arnolt-MG was a pretty car, the Bristol-based car was an outstanding dual-purpose machine.  This was a fine road car which could be parked with pride in any company, and, without modification, was very successful in SCCA racing.  In 1955 and 1956, Arnolt-Bristols won their class in the Sebring 12 Hour race and competition success continued into the 1960s.  Open cars came either as the 'Bolide' (stripped down, no hood) or 'Deluxe' (family trimmed).  Three coupe versions were made in 1955 but 12 cars of the total of 142 were destroyed in a fire.  Production only ended when Bristol stopped supplying basis in 1960.