Tow bar and capacity

[MYTA21]

Does anyone have knowledge of tow bar capacity/ suitability of a tow bar on the 409? Obviously the car runs out of chassis before the axle, so not a job to consider lightly!
Thanks

[Claude]

Originally Posted by MYTA21

Does anyone have knowledge of tow bar capacity/ suitability of a tow bar on the 409? Obviously the car runs out of chassis before the axle, so not a job to consider lightly!
Thanks

Insofar as Bristols are hand made, there is no standard. You have several choices. If you are towing a garden trailer with very little capacity on local roads, and if your steel underneath has absolutely no rust, you may get by with a ball mounted to a typical tow bar mount affixed to the bumper mounts with a torsion resisting plate mounted to the bottom of the boot (provided you have no legal issues that might void insurance... in NZ certain changes require an engineer's certificate). Of course, when you go to sell the car the ball and mount should be removed, lest a future user thinks it has a mount of substance.

However, if you seek a serious mount to do proper towing, you need to fabricate a mount that affixes to the chassis in front of the rear axle (or to where the chassis terminates at the rear if an engineer can work that one out). This means either making a strong arch formed I-beam (or at least angle-iron) that runs over the axle, or that you use relatively flat steel (low profile U-beam on both sides) that goes under the axle, potentially restricting its movement.

This would be an engineering job requiring both calculation and design where you specify your towing capacity. The chassis is strong enough and the engine capable. Again, however, note the 409 is ancient, and a complete inspection for corrosion is essential. The areas of interest happen to be the most prone to rust in a 409. Also you may need to upgrade the cooling system for the engine and the transmission, and if the powertrain is of a similar vintage with no recent rebuilds, the extra burden may cause parts to fail.

Finally, it would be worth calling Bristol Cars to ask. I doubt you are the first, and if anyone would know, it would be Brian Marelli.

Claude

[MYTA21]

Many thanks Claude. It is as I suspected, ie not sounding advisable and a
pity to spoil a good car.
Mike O

[irienz]

I made several inquiries about this issue previously, including of Brian Marelli. BCL have towbar (or design) for these cars which uses a plate for the boot floor and attaches to the rear bumper irons. This would work for a garden trailer (no more than 300kg, if that). What is clear is that the lack of any load bearing structure behind the rear axle means that the prospect of using my 411 to tow a Alfasud race car on a single axle transporter (1100 kg) was completely out of the question. I bought a series 1 Land Rover Discovery instead. Bristols are not suitable as tow cars.

[John Keighley]

Someone in the BOCA told me about a 410 that is used to tow a race car in California. One would imagine that the rear end must have been extensively modified to do this as there's very little structure aft of the back axle. John Keighley.

[lansdownplace]

Why would you want to put a towhook on a Bristol? To me it makes as
much sense as marrying Kelly Brook for her conversational abilities l.

Am I missing something?

Paul

[MYTA21]

As regards the reasons for the tow bar enquiry on the 409, it was prompted
by seeing a photo of a Bristol rear end with a pretty basic angle iron
across the back, Also, back over here in rural Oz, our local club does
campouts with small trailers/tents- probably not a popular thing is some
areas -especially the UK - where a boat might might be more appropriate!
Should I ever be lucky to take someone likeKelly Brook on such a trip,
she'll just have to happy with the reclining seats in the car....
BR

[Kevin H]

I remember we discussed fitting a towbar at length several years ago on the old BEEF mail list and I don't think there was a positive conclusion.

Originally Posted by lansdownplace

Why would you want to put a towhook on a Bristol?

I guess it depends on how you view your (V8) Bristol - as an old car to be driven on sunny Sundays, or a practical car to be used regularly.

If it's the latter, then it's big torquey V8 and massive chassis would make it a great tow car, if only the chassis was long enough. (or should that be 'were long enough'? - getting paranoid about my grammar!)

[Claude]

Originally Posted by John Keighley

Someone in the BOCA told me about a 410 that is used to tow a race car in California. One would imagine that the rear end must have been extensively modified to do this as there's very little structure aft of the back axle. John Keighley.

Anatoly (Toly) Arutunoff owned the LHD 410 and when I interviewed him as part of the BOC N.A. Registrar tracking project back in the mid 1990's, he said that he used his 410 as a tow car towing to the track something else he raced - can't recall now the race car. He also used the 410 in the Cannonball race across America, which he described in rather ribald terms. The last I heard, the 410 was resting in a field in Tulsa Oklahama where Rolling Art, the car-restoration company owner who bartered it off Toly was asking $35,000 (in 1995) in its unrestored state. At the time, that was about four times the market price, but maybe the Cannonball status adds value.

If you want to learn more, he is listed on line in the white pages. Write him or give him a call.

Anatoly Arutunoff
1329 E 29th St
Tulsa, OK 74114
(918) 743-0888
AnatolyArutunoff@webtv.net

As to what he did, I doubt it requires extensive modification. Think of it more the way an exhaust pipe goes over the rear axle, only instead of using tubular steel, make the same shape out of unbendable steel. Mount a fabricated towing frame on the diagonal chassis member just in front of the axle and on the horizontal frame and you have all the strength you need.

Claude

[MYTA21]

Just an update on tow bars for Bristols, a UK company, Watling Engineering,
Park Street, near St Albans, lists and even stocks bars for the later models, should anyone want to tow a relatively modest trailer.

[jimfoz]

Originally Posted by Claude

Anatoly (Toly) Arutunoff owned the LHD 410 and when I interviewed him as part of the BOC N.A. Registrar tracking project back in the mid 1990's, he said that he used his 410 as a tow car towing to the track something else he raced - can't recall now the race car. He also used the 410 in the Cannonball race across America, which he described in rather ribald terms. The last I heard, the 410 was resting in a field in Tulsa Oklahama where Rolling Art, the car-restoration company owner who bartered it off Toly was asking $35,000 (in 1995) in its unrestored state. At the time, that was about four times the market price, but maybe the Cannonball status adds value.

Claude

I think I remember seeing the car (looking slightly out of place) on the front cover of a 1970's Road & Track magazine amongst Daytona's and Countach's as part of a celebration of the Cannonball. I read it was in a pretty well used state then.