Plugged In – Changing Spark Plugs on the 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible
October 14, 2021
This 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible is having a list of things done to it by Bridge Classic Cars in Suffolk, UK but next up on
October 14, 2021
Coming Soon – 1969 Mercedes Benz 250SE Automatic W111 Coupe
October 14, 2021
Coming soon to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this stunning 1969 Mercedes Benz 250SE Automatic W111 Coupe! This will be making its way into
In Plain View – Cleaning up the Dash and Centre Console of the 1970 Dodge Charger
October 14, 2021
The 1970 Dodge Charger is in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop to be fitted out with its interior. Brian, one of our in-house
Not Quite Lining Up – Alignment on the 1930 Packard 740 Waterfield Convertible
October 14, 2021
This 1930 Packard 740 Series Waterfield Convertible has been in at Bridge Classic Cars recently for a check over and service. Currently, our Workshop Manager
Finding the Source – Investigating an Oil Leak on the 1963 Jaguar MkII 3.4
October 14, 2021
This 1963 Jaguar MkII 3.4 is back in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop after its recent overhaul to investigate an oil leak from underneath this
It’s Got To Be Right – Bodywork and Paint on the 1984 BMW 635CSi
October 14, 2021
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body specialists need to know they’ve done a job absolutely right. So, once the 1984 BMW 635CSi came in
This Just In – 1977 MG B Roadster for Restoration
October 14, 2021
New to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this 1977 MG B Roadster. It is in with us for a full aesthetic restoration which will
Take a Seat – Repairing the Seat on the 1971 Morris Traveller
October 14, 2021
This is one of the seats from the 1971 Morris Traveller 1000 which has been announced as the latest car to be won on Bridge
Building Update – Brickwork on the Bridge Classic Cars Extension
October 14, 2021
The extension to the restoration workshop here at Bridge Classic Cars in Suffolk, UK goes full steam ahead. Now with the roof on the framework,
Best Port of Call – Results of the Wiring Checks on the 1974 Triumph TR6
October 14, 2021
This 1974 Triumph was in with us to have a look into a wiring issue caused by a mouse while being stored in a customer’s
Following Along – Diagnosing a Head Gasket Issue on the 1971 Jaguar XJ6
October 14, 2021
As with any classic car, you want to try and exercise a certain amount of reserve and caution when working on them. Try to be
Plugged In – Changing Spark Plugs on the 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible
October 14, 2021
This 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible is having a list of things done to it by Bridge Classic Cars in Suffolk, UK but next up on the jobs is a spark plug change.
Mauro, our in-house restoration technician, has been working deep in the engine bay of the Mustang. As you can see by the photos, the sparkplugs that were in the Mustang had been in there for quite some time. With that, it was decided to renew them as part of the refresh being done on the car. As with all old spark plugs, you need to be very careful as they can be quite fragile.
So, Mauro gently eased the plugs out of the cylinder head ready to be inspected. They were heavily corroded on the mounts and also the ground straps and electrodes were covered in carbon. New plugs it was for this unique muscle car. Mauro also decided to inspect and clean up the threads in the cylinder head ready for the new spark plugs.
With the new spark plugs in the car, it was just a case of getting the leads back on the car according to its firing order ready for when we first fire up the V8.
Coming Soon – 1969 Mercedes Benz 250SE Automatic W111 Coupe
October 14, 2021
Coming soon to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this stunning 1969 Mercedes Benz 250SE Automatic W111 Coupe!
This will be making its way into us for assessment ahead of the plans that are being considered for its future. This is an incredible example of the W111 and 1960s German luxury which Mercedes were renowned for from its earliest days all the way to the present day.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for any updates on this gorgeous example.
In Plain View – Cleaning up the Dash and Centre Console of the 1970 Dodge Charger
October 14, 2021
The 1970 Dodge Charger is in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop to be fitted out with its interior.
Brian, one of our in-house trim experts, has been cleaning up the Dashboard and Centre Console ready to be put into the car when that point comes. With such effort being put into the fit and finish of the pieces for the rest of the interior, Brian got to work getting the dash and console up to the same standard.
Now with these and the kick panels all up to the same standard as the rest of the car, it was time to safely store these pieces away for when the time comes to install them into the car.
Not Quite Lining Up – Alignment on the 1930 Packard 740 Waterfield Convertible
October 14, 2021
This 1930 Packard 740 Series Waterfield Convertible has been in at Bridge Classic Cars recently for a check over and service.
Currently, our Workshop Manager John has been looking into an issue with the alignment of the front end. The front end of the car isn’t quite right, so some adjustment is needed on the car to make sure it tracks straight and true. Normally this can be done quite easily but with the Packard, everything is slightly different.
The steering arm located under the front axle won’t rotate enough for John to adjust the alignment on the car. For that, John tried to remove the ball joint on one side in order to unscrew one side and then adjust it out that way. Except the ball joint won’t come loose.
These pre-war cars carry a lot of weight on the front axle so their alignment is very important. John is trying several different ways to get the steering arm loose to make sure this beautiful piece of 1930s American luxury, tracks absolutely straight.
Finding the Source – Investigating an Oil Leak on the 1963 Jaguar MkII 3.4
October 14, 2021
This 1963 Jaguar MkII 3.4 is back in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop after its recent overhaul to investigate an oil leak from underneath this impressive tourer.
Our workshop manager John and in-house engine builder are on hand to look into the issue and will advise on the next steps to take to resolve the issue.
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more
It’s Got To Be Right – Bodywork and Paint on the 1984 BMW 635CSi
October 14, 2021
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body specialists need to know they’ve done a job absolutely right. So, once the 1984 BMW 635CSi came in to be assessed it was clear its first stop was going to be with Chris.
Chris carefully stripped back the paint in very specific sections to expose a series of questionable body repairs as well as addressing some very light rust bubbles beneath the rear lights. Behind the rear lights, a lot of damage had been done by the rust. So, a new section of the light cluster housing had to be made and out into the bodywork of this 1980s icon.
After the rust repair section was in, Chris turned his attention to the areas that stood out to him. Mainly where large amounts of body filler had been packed in previous damage. Painstakingly and slowly, Chris removed the filler in order to work the panels back into shape with only the most minimal amount of filler to be used.
Then it was time to tape and mask up the car in the booth. The results are incredible. But, you’ll have to wait for the next update to get a look at the makeover on the 1984 BMW 635CSi at Bridge Classic Cars.
This Just In – 1977 MG B Roadster for Restoration
October 14, 2021
New to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this 1977 MG B Roadster. It is in with us for a full aesthetic restoration which will include a brand new paint job along with a full interior, a new convertible hood and a new radio.
Work will begin shortly and getting this iconic sportscar stripped down and ready for our in-house paint team to work their magic on the car.
Expect to see much more on this MG B Roadster on the news page on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
Take a Seat – Repairing the Seat on the 1971 Morris Traveller
October 14, 2021
This is one of the seats from the 1971 Morris Traveller 1000 which has been announced as the latest car to be won on Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.
Before then, this seat is going to need to visit our in-house trim shop where Kath will work her magic.
After assessing the damage to the top part of the seat, Kath said it could be repaired. Carefully, Kath removed the seat cover in order to have it laid out flat to come up with a plan to fix the tear.
Each of the pieces was removed one by one and labelled for the reassembly. The tear was skillfully repaired by Kath, whose experience and knowledge of trim work meant that there is almost no evidence that it was ever there.
Then, it was time to start putting everything back together. Kath gathered the closest thread to the original and began to reseam the seat to match the rest of the seats.
And here is the end result! Every part of the seat has been checked by Kath before its reassembly and all seemed to be ok. The finish on the repaired seat is fitting for the Traveller. It’s still original and perfectly useable for such a fun and quirky little car.
You can enter the draw for the 1971 Morris Traveller by clicking the link below!
Building Update – Brickwork on the Bridge Classic Cars Extension
October 14, 2021
The extension to the restoration workshop here at Bridge Classic Cars in Suffolk, UK goes full steam ahead. Now with the roof on the framework, the walls and interiors can start to be put in.
The first few courses of brickwork around the edges of the extension are in place and along with that is the rebar and membrane are set.
The extension is really starting to come along!
Best Port of Call – Results of the Wiring Checks on the 1974 Triumph TR6
October 14, 2021
This 1974 Triumph was in with us to have a look into a wiring issue caused by a mouse while being stored in a customer’s Carcoon.
Well, after careful inspection and checks by our Workshop Manager and electrical specialist John, he found that nearly half the wiring loom behind the dashboard was affected. Because of this, it is best practice to replace the entire loom. Both for the sake of time to the customer and for peace of mind when it comes to the electrical system of the car.
The loom is now on order from a specialist in TR6 wiring looms and will be fitted and tested once it arrives with us here at Bridge Classic Cars.
Following Along – Diagnosing a Head Gasket Issue on the 1971 Jaguar XJ6
October 14, 2021
As with any classic car, you want to try and exercise a certain amount of reserve and caution when working on them. Try to be sympathetic to their age and their condition. So, when the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 that we have had in at Bridge Classic Cars developed a misfire our in-house restoration team did everything they could before having to dive deep.
The XJ6 has had its fuel tanks replaced, new fuel lines and was tested by our technicians. Before the tanks were replaced this classic Jaguar had real trouble staying running. Now though, it will run for as long as there is fuel in it. However, now that it was running long enough, Dave noticed a misfire on the big straight-six.
Originally Dave thought it to be connected to the ignition system. It would arc out to the nearest metal point. We also discovered exposed wires in the connectors that join the condenser. Those were all then replaced along with the HT leads but to no avail. It had got marginally better but the misfire was still rather prominent.
With that, our in-house engine guru Ady was called in to take a look at the straight-six. The only thing left to do was to gently remove the cylinder head. Carefully and patiently, Ady eased the head from the block to expose the pistons but more importantly the head gasket. On the cylinder closest to the firewall, the gasket was in tatters. The XJ6 had blown a head gasket. Also, Ady had noticed coolant marks down the side of the block. Another sign that the gasket is not sitting correctly between the cylinder head and the engine block.
With that, it also damaged the chamber of the corresponding cylinder in the head. A large chunk of material is missing from between the leading edges of the valve. But, all may not be lost. The head is currently in the process of being stripped down and assessed so that a plan can be made to get this wonderful straight-six back in action.
Once the plan for the XJ6 engine has been confirmed, work will begin to get the car back to its former glory.
