412 front suspension

[Andy G]

hi folks i'm new here & to Bristol , i am restoring a 412 rolling chassis and have got to the front suspension and im trying to work out where Bristol got there parts from? i find it hard to believe its all one off parts . i can see some of it is jag xj but the bottom ball joints have stumped me . can anyone tell me what fits or where i can get them please . the chassis was completely shot on the one side and had to be reproduced based from measurements i took from the other side ,but that is all done and i have got the engine up and running nice after many years . lot of work in this project but it is moving forward.
thanks
Andy Gough

[Thomas591]

Hi Andy,

I assume that these lower ball joints are similar to the ones used on the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. But I need someone to confirm this.

Check Flying Spares
https://www.flyingspares.com/bottom-...t-ur73256.html

Regards
Thomas

[Andy G]

Hi yes that's what I thought. Don't understand why they are so expensive

[Thomas591]

…and you will really need that special Socket for it.

[Kevin H]

This is the first time I have ever seen a replacement for that ball joint.

Is this the same? https://www.introcar.com/assy-ball-j...r-susp-ur73256
.

[Geoff Kingston]

There is also an overhaul kit available for these joints.

https://www.flyingspares.com/bottom-...-ur73256k.html

The correct tool to remove it can be hired from flying spares or purchased from British Tool Works in the US.

https://www.britishtoolworks.com/pro...alljointsocket

Kelly is a great guy to deal with and his service is incredibly quick the last tool I ordered from him was invoiced and paid for on a Tuesday afternoon and was with me on the Thursday of the same week before lunch time.

I bought the ball joint socket specifically to work on my 1992 Bentley Brooklands so it is a bonus that I have it to work on my Bristol 603's should the joints ever need attention on those.

We had already replaced the ball joint on the Bentley but did not have the socket then with the result that my mechanic wrecked the old one getting it out so an overhaul kit was out of the question.

Kevin the link to the Introcar site is for the same part but to a rebuilt joint which at the moment they don't appear to have in stock , they do have a pattern part listed at £197.50 which is cheaper than the OE part, Flying Spares may have a similar option.

It was Bill Lawson in BODA who alerted me to the fact that these joints were the same as the ones Bristol used on the later V8's.

[Andy G]

Hi folks
Thanks for your input. I can make the tool ,I'm an engineer so not a problem. What I'm finding is that apart from the rotten chassis that is now solid again a lot of the parts like these joints / on a modern car I would replace just as a matter of course,on this I clean them up and re- grease and good to go . They did get some things very good . Some not so much the shelf leaving thing ? Well that's coming off lol .
It's coming along slowly. And as some of you already know this is going to have a 1950 A40 Devon pick up cab on it built as a hot rod but with a Bristol chassis and running gear . I am staying at close as possible to original on the run gear so it's just a coach built as the ewere in affect. Thanks for your time . If you need anything machining as one of let me know . Cheers Andy

[Kevin H]

Andy, what's the "shelf leaving thing" ?

[Andy G]

Sorry I meant self leveling lol