workshop manual
 

I am fitting a 603E engine and box to my 408 as the origonal engine is porous.
Does any-one have a manual for the Engine/gearbox for a 603 I could purchase, have copied or copy myself?
Thank you.
David

You could try this Haynes

HAYNES REPAIR MANUAL DODGE PLYMOUTH CHRYSLER 1971-1989 AUTOMOTIE REPAIR 30050 | eBay

Why a 603 motor ? will you be able to keep the push button gear change ?
One of my favourite features !

Or this does as well

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Haynes-Chr...item483d2deb48

Is the 408's 488 cast iron gearbox the same length as the 727 ? if not, could be a pain in the arse ! new prop etc

I don't see the advantage over a rebuild unless you got it for a bargain price -- I guess you can rebuild the original at leisure.

Sorry for being so nosey :-)

I do. It's much easier to get get spares for the LA series than it is for the old A series. Also the LA engine is eminently tunable compared to the old A series and there is a plethora of after market performance parts available for the LA.

Like Greg, I also thought that this was one of the most endearing features of the old iron-box. Perhaps it would be possible to use the extra lever that was added below the push-buttons on the 409 to activate the transmission brake?

George

The old, pushbutton drive selector
 

That system was cable operated, and requires that transmission to work. Later cars went to a more conventional shift lever, so if you wish to keep the pushbuttons, you will need to keep that transmission and have it rebuilt. The internals are garden variety(cheap),and the transmission can be built to shift smoothly or harsh for longer life. Slippage is bad on anything. Good luck.

Then you don't understand the charm of the 407 / 408. It certainly doesn't need tuning ! In fact Alan Blackwood owned my 408 back in the 60's and moved it on from fear of the speed and the law !! Alan is a fast driver and has been involved in motor sport / rally driving for a large part of his life.

The engine and gear box kits are readily available and I don't think people would be so keen on the idea if it was a Bentley or an Aston ! There are a lot less 408's runing than either of those marques.

We can all do what we want to our own cars. I guess it depends on the motivation and the circumstances and if there is anyway back for the next owner.

If you want a tuned 406 , get a 407 , If you want a tuned 408 , get a 411 S1

I guess there is a very blurred fine line between sensible upgrades and .........

I love the buttons :-)

reasons
 

As I stated the block is porous at No7 cylinder.
To resolve that is not such a simple, or cheap task! Added to this is that my cast Iron box is leaking and will also need to be rebuilt.
As newer 318 engines are not compatible with the older cast iron box, things just compound themselves. I have a Chilterns' manual for the engine/ box, but there are nuances when installed in a Bristol, this is why I asked for a copy or loan of a Bristol manual.
I don't intend disposing of the origonal engine box, but will investigate rebuilding them.
I agree that the push button change is great, I will look at retaining, but have my doubts initially.
David

I think I remember seeing something on the Imperial owners website about making newer boxes work with the push buttons and fairly sure ACCS have some experience.

I will let you know if I find the relevent info

My comments are certainly not meant as a critisism. Hope it all goes well.

Somewhere in this load of info ! Hope it helps

Transmission and Clutch Repair Information for Imperials and Chrysler Imperials

Transmission Interchange On Chrysler Imperials

found the place to start -- it can be done if wanted

Phew , found a conversion supply company to keep the buttons

Imperial Services - '60-'76 A-Body Parts

No offence taken, ordered the engine mounting brackets today from Brian M.
Thanks for the website.
On looking at the conversion kit, the key seems to be the length of the bracket attached to the gearbox, to match the travel with the dedent positions.
I'll look at the gearbox and see what I can work out.
I agree that the push buttons are nice and neat compared with that hulking great lever
David

workshop manual
 

Tank you for all your comments, however, I still can't find a manual!
Can no-one help?
David

Finding a shop manual
 

David, a shop manual shows scarce little about the car and its workings, as it is intended for the informed and experienced mechanic to point out certain aspects that are different from other makes. The Bristol is a combination of a number of different cars, like the Chrysler sourced engine and transmission and other operating pieces from other British and even other country manufacturers.
There is nothing unique about the cars. The hand built body being the exception. Now, if you just want a manual to read at your leisure to better inform yourself of the car, then by all means buy one. My shelves are full of manuals for many makes. I seldom ever go to them as reference.

David,

As far as I am aware Bristol stopped producing workshop manuals long before the 603. I don't know what the last workshop manual was, maybe for the 408? You certainly can't get one for the 411, in fact you can't even get a parts list for the 411, or probably any Bristol later than that.

This was probably a Tony Crook "initiative" to protect BCLs service business.

So the best you will get is a workshop manual for another car which used the LA series Chrysler small block and the same transmission. That should be very easy to find.

Regards,
Kevin

I don't know what manuals you have Ronald, but maybe you are confusing "owners" manuals with "workshop" manuals.

I have original workshop manuals from Jaguar, Aston Martin, Triumph and MG, among others, and they contain considerable detail about the car, including detailed instructions on servicing, dis-assembly/assembly, adjustment and repair of all major components of the power train. This includes diagrams, measurements and tolerances pertaining to clearances, torque settings, pressures, back lash, run out, pre load, end float, temperature, timing, sizes, fixing types and specification and special tools required.

Some are more detailed than others, but they are all very useful to both novices and engineers like David.

I have the Technical Service Data manual for the Bristol 603 S2 / 412 for 1981 - published by the Palgrave Publishing Co LTD in 1981

This contains a lot of the info that Kevin mentions : I will try attach a photo, or you could borrow it, if you think it will be of use.

Can't upload so have sent to Kevin !

603 technical specs
 

Thanks for that Greg.

Unfortunately I have to impose some limits on publicly accessible file sizes that can be uploaded to the server, and at 14.4Mb your image was way over that limit. That's why you couldn't upload it :)

I have managed to reduce the file size and it is still readable. It's available in the Resources section here Resources - 603 (E & S) - Bristol Cars - Owners and Enthusiasts Forum

Regards,
Kevin

I'm amazed it came out as well as it did considering I don't know what a mb is !!

I think I have some other bits of info to add -- will try later.

David - what info do you actually need ?

Shop Manuals and Owner's manuals-attn: Kevin
 

I have mostly shop manuals, and it is amazing how much is missing at times. An excellent example is the near 650-page shop manual from Chrysler, and an important item I needed information on could not be sourced, even through the various enthusiast sites, so I felt I had to buy the manual. Sure enough, no info there either. Many problems come up due to running changes in the cars, even several times in a single model year. The specialist, like Bristol, is at the mercy of the vendors. Having owned many of the cars you listed, I have learned that close observation and trusted friends in the machine shop business goes a long way toward dealing with older cars. As for Bristol, when you make only 40 cars in a good year, it is really hard to justify much beyond an owner's manual.

Shop manuals and other good sources
 

I have found that perhaps the most practical manuals are put out by Haynes, and they have offered their books on a wide variety of cars. They take a car completely apart and re-asemble for great pictures and step by step assemble-disassembly procedures along with good specs. Of course, before they put a book together, the make has to have sufficient production figures to justify the effort. Just a thought in case some menber, like myself, tinker with many makes.

-------- Wtf !

Appropriateness
 

I son't think abreviations like wtf belong on a site like this.

Well ," what thorough frustration " is what this manual business can be !

Service manuals, shop manuals and owner's manuals
 

About 90% of what needs to be done to any car is best taken care of by the best and most experienced mechanic on that marque you can locate. Best to pay the expert than break more things on your own. That gets expensive. I have lived too long, and much of that time was taken up learning my limitations. I now know them. Good luck finding the mechanic you can trust.

Don't believe in limitations !

Be British and never give in until the job is done :-)

Real help is there if we ask -- or we can give 10 % !

Fixing things on our own, at our peril...
 

I hear that, and am half Brittish and half German. I don't give in and I am stubborn as Hell. I have managed to get people to do things for me and make the things that don't exist. Most times, I have to draw them a picture or establish dimensions, but I get what I want. Why do you suppose that is? Gad, I'm American on top of all this! Little wonder.

Full of s urprises I guess !