402 drophead...doorlocks..

[Griebel]

Hallo Sir's...

I'm totally new in this Bristol game, so please be gentle

We are in the process of a complete 402 restore, and right now we are looking for some info/pictures of the door-lock mecanism...there are supposed to be some kind of rubber device and an aluminium ring attatched to the double doorskins ? I can see the sorry remains of the rubber,but I am not shure how this is supposed to look...(both inside and outside the door)

Can anybody help me please ?

Hope that you can understand my english !

Best Regards from,

Griebel,Denmark

[Des]

I have my 403 doors apart / locks out, at the moment, so will take
pictures and post here, there is indeed a rubber diaphragm held into the doorskin
with a very big circlip. Do be careful with the lock barrel, if it comes
apart it's quite a fiddle to get back together.

[Griebel]

Thank you very much !!

[Des]

I had a fleeting visit to the workshop today, managed a few quick pics, the rubber diaphragm in situ has deteriorated / shrunk, and is not secured around its periphery, and is obscuring the bottom half of the big rusty retaining circlip, which should be in front. The lock assembly sitting on a paint can has a rubber which I made for it, it's a pleat cut from an Austin Mini driveshaft boot, a circle of stiff wire popped inside to give the periphery enough meat to be retained in its housing. If you go this route do select a boot made from a soft rubber otherwise the lock button return springs may struggle with their task.
Since making mine I found a pair of unused rubbers mounted elsewhere on the car, that's Bristols for you.

[Griebel]

Thank you for the pictures ! I'll try to find some suitable rubber...

[Des]

I came upon my doorlock rubbers today, these are original ones, the pics may help with sourcing / manufacturing your own.

[Max Tone]

The concentric mouldings between ID & OD may be original, but just as
likely/easy to be formed by shape of relative components in situ under
compression.

I'd suggest going to local tyre shop & begging scrap inner-tube of approx
right thickness, then cut to size! A kitchen apple-corer might provide
internal hole dia. used as stamp, whilst pastry-cutter might do OD.

Rob

[GREG]

Or make new ones.

Hard Rubber Moulding Kit (500g).(R101) - Miscellaneous - Frost Auto Restoration Techniques

Greg

[Griebel]

Thanks to all of you for pictures and advise ! Very much appriciated

Griebel

[GREG]

I was just talking to Brian May and he has stock of these rubbers. Sorry but I always assume that people talk to Bristol Cars, ACCS and Brian May first.

Brian May

497 Petersbrook Road
Shirley
West Midlands
B90 1HZ

Telephone 0121 430 3767

E-mail bristols@btinternet.com

Hope this is not too late

Greg