Glove box lock

Glove box locks can be obtained from AH Spares for £88 each but reported to be very good quality
Click Lock to order

Cylinder Head Gaskets for 6 Cylinder Engines

Your first port of call for these is of course Pegasus Parts

Other suppliers are:

  • Johnson Gaskets – contact Robert (Bob ) Johnson – +44 (0)1274 682298

Bristol 400 indicator switch lever

Mitchell Motors can supply Bristol 400 indicator switch levers

Contact

Mitchell Motors, 
Chicklade, Hindon, 
Salisbury, 
Wiltshire SP3 5SS
Telephone: 01747 820223
Email: andrew.mitchell@mitchellmotors.co.uk

401/403 Wooden support frame for rear window

These are now available made to order from Dave Ralls who is based in West Wales. They are being made on a jig produced from an original frame purchased from Bristol cars many years ago.

The original frames were made oversize on their external and internal faces, more so on the latter where there can be significant variations in not only size but shape of the alloy trim finisher which sits inside this frame. There are also variations between cars in the shape and size of the actual external opening in the roof but not as much as there was on the alloy trim finishers, obviously being hand built it is necessary to hand finish the wood frame to the individual car. To make this task a bit easier the frames will be made with the last internal lamination separate from the rest of the frame to be used or not as the case may be. The price of the frames (12/2017) is £110 each plus post and packing, they will be made to order and if you are interested give Dave a ring on 07786 942106 or drop him an email to rallsdc@gmail.com .
Dave also does leather work  from repairs to partial re-trims.

(Adapted from a post in the Old Forum)

Dashboards

There are some wonderfully glossy dashboards around on some early Bristol’s but probably few if any came out of the factory like that, the same being true for a lot on other quality cars of that period but they do look rather nice so if that is what you fancy go for it.

If you want a more toned down finish however Antique Oil produces very good results especially if you give it five or six coats applied with a soft cloth, it gives more of a satin finish and is very easy to refresh every few years.

If you want to go the gloss route some of the finishes designed for boats are very durable and easy to apply.

(Adapted from a post in the Old Forum)

Alfin Brake drums

If you wish to improve the brakes on your 400, 401 or 403 by fitting Alfin drums then this company can supply


Typecast Engineering Ltd
Unit 9 Leeside
Merrylees Industrial Estate
Merrylees
Leicestershire
LE9 9FS

T: +44 (0) 1455 822440
F: +44 (0) 1455 822191
E: admin@brakedrum.co.uk

(Adapted from a post in the Old Forum)

 

 

Wiper upgrade on 2-litre cars

The problem with existing systems is often the poor state of the rack and wheel boxes as well as a tired motor.  Modern wiper systems for kit cars are readily available and transform the original system on the 2-litre cars.  Stick with the existing wipers or, if you are serious, fit a modern system. 
Such a system comes from Stafford Vehicle Components.  It can be adapted to use modified original wheel boxes so no changes to the holes in the scuttle.  A fair amount of fettling required.  It’s not a direct swap.  Once set up it is superb.
Holden’s and J&L Spares who recondition wiper motors may offer alternative approaches.

On the other hand, just disassembling, degreasing and re-greasing the various parts of the Lucas system will often speed things up and make the mechanism more vigorous.  Motors also often need their commutators polished and the grooves between commutator segments deepened so the brushes make good contact with the brass segments.  Relubrication of the motor bearings almost always helps speed them up.

Useful information on the Lucas DR1 and DR3 wiper motors as installed on the 2-litre and Jaguar XK 140 cars is contained here.

Steve Hunt often has reconditioned motors and parts for sale. He has a shop on ebay and his contact details are

15 Southam Close
Hall Green
Birmingham
West Midlands
B28 0AE
United Kingdom
 
Telefon:07885186111
E-Mail:stevehuntwipermotors@gmail.com

Lever arm shock absorbers

A company which reconditions these shock absorbers is;

Stevson Motors Ltd (Specialist classic car hydraulic component manufacturers and recoditioners of lever arm and telescopic shock absorbers)
Unit 1, 2a Harrow Road
Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 7DN
Tel: 0121 472 1702   
Email: stevsonmotors1@aol.com

406 Disk Brakes

Disc Brakes

One of the features of age is that I can remember many things from a long time ago – but not always accurately. My first memory of disc brakes was in the 50s as a young apprentice mechanic in the nearest Morris/MG Distributor to Fort Dunlop in Birmingham. Their development department used us as a fitting service for their test cars. In particular they had an MGA 1600 to which I fitted more sets of hydraulic cylinders than I care to remember as they attempted to make the pull back mechanism work (they never did). I well remember the constant exasperation of the Dunlop engineers, their cynicism and their bad opinion of their own product.

Even though in recent years I have fitted Dunlop brakes to four Jaguar XKs and my own 406 my prejudice has stayed with me to this day and I have never felt comfortable with their performance or durability. Imagine my joy to discover that there is now an answer. Zeus Engineering now makes front calliper sets and rear cylinders to modern standards and high quality.

Their product fits with little complication and additional pipework plus adjustment shims and instructions are included. One small point is to be careful to centre the calliper over the disc; my car had significant variance side to side.

I have now bedded in the pads and find the brakes to be powerful and progressive in the manner of a modern car. Beyond that I no longer have the comments of disgruntled Dunlop engineers ringing in my ears.

Roger Charlton

Supplier

Zeus Engineering
Unit J2, Dunkeswell Airfield
Honiton
Devon, EX14 4LE

Tel 01297300010
www.Zeus.uk.com

Wheel Bearings

bearings

Manufacturers do not want to make replacement from other sources that easy, regularly mixing two standard bearings into one assembly, although I doubt that Bristols went this far.

Take off one complete set of bearings (2 sets of bearings per hub; the inner bearing is usually larger than the outer; both will be tapered roller bearings) and find yourself a local  machine tool service company.   Take your bearings in and they will measure them while you wait (about 5 minutes).  There are 3 grades of bearings used classed  A, B and C.  The tolerances in manufacture are, of course, extremely tight so they employ an automatic grading system – A being the best and that’s what you want.  C are the poorest and probably go into washing machines and the like.   I think the classification system may have changed possibly 1 – 3.  If the numbers on the bearings are visible you should be able to quote these to any bearing company and avoid the need to go to a machine tool service company.

Valid at time of writing in October 2016:

There are a number of good bearing suppliers eg Seager Bearings, Kings Heath, Birmingham (0121 444 5391) who will supply at trade prices.