Progress – Working on the 1973 Volvo 1800ES
April 19, 2022
The 1973 Volvo 1800ES has been in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for our restoration team to begin working through the jobs requested by the
April 19, 2022
In-Place – Reinstalling the Engine and Gearbox of the 1933 Austin 7
April 19, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop has been working on getting the engine back into the front of the 1933 Austin 7. Our restoration technician,
Back Together – Reassembling the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible Engine
April 19, 2022
The refinished engine of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible has begun to be reassembled by the Bridge Classic Cars restoration team. Rob, one of our
Up and Over – New Headliner on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona
April 19, 2022
The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on getting the headliner sorted on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona. The team began
Finishing Up – Paintwork Complete on the 1969 Bentley T1
April 19, 2022
The 1969 Bentley T1 which has been in with the Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team has now been completed! What started as a
In Print – Our 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo in Modern Classics April 2017
April 19, 2022
As part of the giant history across three A4 ring binders that accompany our 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo, is a magazine. The April 2017 issue
This Just In – 1964 Morgan 4/4
April 19, 2022
This beautiful 1964 Morgan 4/4 has just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ. We’ve previously worked on this classic
Progress – Working On the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Carpets and Centre Console
April 19, 2022
The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on fitting out the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona. The team have handmade each piece
Behind the Scenes – Photoshoot with the 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo
April 19, 2022
The beautiful and mechanically superb 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo has been fully inspected, tested and assessed by the restoration workshop at Bridge Classic Cars. And,
To The Core – Repairing the Arch and Sills of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible
April 19, 2022
The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars have been continuing their work on getting the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible back into the best shape possible.
Progress – Working on the 1973 Volvo 1800ES
April 19, 2022
The 1973 Volvo 1800ES has been in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for our restoration team to begin working through the jobs requested by the classic Volvo’s owner.
Our technician Dave has worked on replacing the air filter as part of its service along with a full oil change. The team also inspected and adjusted the valves while the rocker cover was taken into our paint and body shop to be refinished.
The team also drained the car of both oil and coolant as part of the service and while the engine was empty replaced both the oil temperature sensor and the coolant temperature sensor for the customer. After these had been fitted, Dave could refill both the oil and coolant in the engine to spec.
Dave also worked on replacing a ball joint on the classic Volvo due to excessive play in the component which can affect both the handling and tyre wear but is deemed to be a safety component for the car.
In-Place – Reinstalling the Engine and Gearbox of the 1933 Austin 7
April 19, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop has been working on getting the engine back into the front of the 1933 Austin 7.
Our restoration technician, Tom, has been working on refitting the new clutch and ring gear onto the engine and gearbox of the classic Austin before carefully putting it into place between the frame of the car and making sure everything cleared without fear of damaging any other component. With the engine in place, the team could begin hooking up the various cables and wires that have to be hooked up in order for the team to begin testing the pre-war Austin.
Back Together – Reassembling the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible Engine
April 19, 2022
The refinished engine of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible has begun to be reassembled by the Bridge Classic Cars restoration team.
Rob, one of our restoration technicians, has been working on refitting the rebuilt and refinished pieces to the newly painted engine block in our workshop. Each piece before it is put back on the car has been inspected, rebuilt and then reinstalled with new seals or gaskets.
Up and Over – New Headliner on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona
April 19, 2022
The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on getting the headliner sorted on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.
The team began with a basic paper template so they could make sure the final piece had the best possible fit and finish to match the rest of the bespoke interior going into the classic Daytona replica. From there, the whole piece was transferred to fabric. The original headliner was used as inspiration as it had metal strips welded in to give the vertical lines in the padding, this new headliner has the same pattern but is stitched.
We’re excited about the progress on the Arrow Daytona and look forward to showing you what’s happening next on the classic Ferrari replica.
Finishing Up – Paintwork Complete on the 1969 Bentley T1
April 19, 2022
The 1969 Bentley T1 which has been in with the Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team has now been completed!
What started as a pretty standard respray on the classic Bentley quickly evolved into repairing and perfecting some previous repairs to the car which did not have the car’s best interests at heart. So, the team got to work.
After stripping down the classic Bentley in our preparation area, the team discovered a huge amount of body filler had been used on the rear quarter panels of the car to regain the shapes needed for the panel. Chris, one of our technicians, spent multiple hours just getting rid of the layers of filler to expose the raw metal buried underneath. Then, as they moved forward on the car, the front driver’s wing gave up its secret. An enormous dent/crack in the metal itself had been hidden under thick layers of filler. Before the car could be repainted, this had to be addressed.
The team managed to source a replacement wing for the iconic car. This needed some finessing and repairs but was a better starting point than the original. With this now on the car and lined up, it was back over to the paint and body team to finesse and perfect the panels and lines of the car before heading into our in-house paint booth for its first coats of primer.
Several rounds of primer, minimal filler and sanding work were done over several weeks to get the glorious Bentley back into shape. Then, it was time for colour.
The paint team perfectly matched the original Sage Green colour of the car in our mixing shop before laying it carefully and precisely across the body as it would have been done when the car was originally built. Taking the same care and attention to detail, if not more, than her original builders to ensure this T1 looked perfect. Colour sanding, polishing, more sanding, more polishing. All necessary to give the deep richness needed for a colour as synonymous with a classic Bentley as Sage Green.
Then, the team began the meticulous and precise task of masking up the Bentley to have its signature Coach Line applied down the lengths of the car. With that final piece done and the car put back together, it will soon be time for her to head home.
So, we’ve put together a gallery to show the evolution of the project in the Bridge Classic Cars paint and body shop:
In Print – Our 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo in Modern Classics April 2017
April 19, 2022
As part of the giant history across three A4 ring binders that accompany our 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo, is a magazine. The April 2017 issue of Modern Classics features our very own 1990 944 Turbo!
The well-written and complimentary article regarding the underrated 1990s GT car is a lovely thing to read and features a lot of details about what had been done on the car in regards to its engine and running gear and how that added to the experience of the car. The write up on the car is based on whether or not the 944 (and 944 Turbo) were at the time a good investment for enthusiasts, to which we can confirm that this one especially is very much a drivers car!
They noted the handling on our 944 Turbo was made all the better by the M030 handling pack retrofitted onto the 944 and the wider Design 90 wheels allowing more grip in the corners than was achievable of standard S2 wheels.
The photos are also stunning taken for the article, they show just how vibrant the Guards Red paintwork is across the arrow-straight bodywork of the car and compliment the dark black interior.
We’re always interested to hear what writers in the industry have to say about our cars and especially when it’s a car that will soon be heading to its new owner through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.
This Just In – 1964 Morgan 4/4
April 19, 2022
This beautiful 1964 Morgan 4/4 has just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ. We’ve previously worked on this classic Morgan late last year, fitting a new exhaust manifold and before that fitted a new wiring harness to the car.
This time, the car has come to our technicians for them to complete a list of jobs on the classic sportscar. Firstly, the team will complete a service on the car whilst looking into a couple of issues. The owner has noted the car has been struggling to start occasionally and the temperature gauge seems to not be working correctly either. The team will get this completed to make sure this stunning classic Morgan is in the best shape possible.
Progress – Working On the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Carpets and Centre Console
April 19, 2022
The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on fitting out the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona. The team have handmade each piece for the car and that includes every section of the carpet set of the classic Ferrari replica and the newly modified centre console.
The team used original pieces removed from the car at the start of its restoration process to use as templates to create tight-fitting and neat pieces which will make up the driver’s footwell.
The centre console, which has recently been lengthened by the team, has also begun its journey to be finished in matching material to the rest of the classic Ferrari tribute. Firstly, a pattern was made from black fabric for our trim team to refine and place out any seams or edges that will need to be made for the piece. Once this template was made, the team could then begin transferring the template onto the lush green leather.
Behind the Scenes – Photoshoot with the 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo
April 19, 2022
The beautiful and mechanically superb 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo has been fully inspected, tested and assessed by the restoration workshop at Bridge Classic Cars. And, with a clean bill of health, it was time for the car to head out for its photoshoot.
The team took the 944 Turbo to our secure vehicle storage facility, The Hangar, to begin the shoot of the iconic 1990s GT car. This 944, is not like others. With a beautifully upgraded and rebuilt 2.5 litre turbocharged 4 cylinder engine, it now makes 320BHP and 380lbs/ft of torque! A serious jump in performance is complemented with upgraded running gear, brakes and suspension to make the car more usable and reliable.
The car is finished in quintessential Guards Red with black interior, and the bodywork along with its interior looked stunning in the early spring sun. The noise from the beautifully built engine found any stiff surface to bounce off and find its way back to the joy of the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions team. The car and the experience it gave was addictive.
And now, we want you to experience this car for yourself. The 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo is the latest classic car on offer from Bridge Classic Cars launching today!
Head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website to enter this unique opportunity to be the lucky new owner of this wonderful classic GT/sports car.
To The Core – Repairing the Arch and Sills of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible
April 19, 2022
The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars have been continuing their work on getting the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible back into the best shape possible.
Our fabricators have begun working on removing the heavily corroded pieces from the inner wheel arch that have caused corrosion to flow into the sill. For this, our team carefully and sympathetically removed the root causes of the corrosion to ensure it cannot spread. After that, the team began the world of remaking the crucial part of the sill which ties the pieces together.
