Saying Goodbye To Bentwaters
After many memorable years at our hangar at Bentwaters Parks, Bridge Classic Cars is excited to announce our departure from this iconic location as we
After many memorable years at our hangar at Bentwaters Parks, Bridge Classic Cars is excited to announce our departure from this iconic location as we
Our collection of vintage motorcycles has been transferred up to our safe and secure storage facility, the hangar. After being recommissioned by the Bridge Classic
With our C-Type project coming to an end and the car due to begin road testing imminently, it was time to get the cars very
Jon has been working on getting our 2003 MG ZT V8 finished up here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ. He has replaced the
The paint team here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on repairing a small section of paint on our 1981 Austin
With part of the Bridge Classic Cars being at the Suffolk Show for the last couple of days, it was only right we had a
Our workshop manager John has been working on getting the 1955 MG TF back on the road with a few jobs. He replaced the old
The 246GTS has been in the fabrication bay of the Bridge Classic Cars HQ under the care of our fabricator Christian. There are a few
Our technician Jon has been making progress on the resurrection of the 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe. The next stage of the cars journey
At a time when investments come in various forms – from property to cryptocurrency and everything in between – one often overlooked, but potentially lucrative
Paul has been working on assembly and refit of our 1956 Jensen 541 which has had a full ground up restoration by the Bridge Classic
Our technician Paul has been working his magic on our 1960 BSA 10 we have in our private collection of vintage motorcycles. During the bikes
After many memorable years at our hangar at Bentwaters Parks, Bridge Classic Cars is excited to announce our departure from this iconic location as we expand our secure vehicle storage offerings. This transition marks the beginning of a new chapter for us, but before we move forward, we want to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve had at Bentwaters – a place that has been instrumental in our growth and success.
Our hangar at Bentwaters was more than just a storage facility; it was a hub for classic car enthusiasts from all over the area. The huge space allowed us to house an impressive collection of classic cars. Not only that, but we were able to host some incredible events there too.
The highlight was our classic car show in July 2023. This event saw around 1000 people attend to admire the 800 or so cars on display. This has been our biggest event to date and the entire team enjoyed it as much as the visitors and it has formed a fond memory of our time at Bentwaters.
Another highlight of our time at Bentwaters was the live draws for Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. When the competitions aspect of the business first launched, we didn’t know what to expect and we certainly didn’t expect the huge growth that has happened since.
The live draws are a massive part of the competitions and the ones held at Bentwaters will always be special ones to look back on.
Bentwaters also served as the backdrop for most of our classic car photoshoots and filming sessions. The vast, open space provided a perfect setting to capture the beauty of the wide range of cars we shot. Bentwaters became an instantly recognisable part of our photos and videos and it was a lot of fun driving classic cars around an old military air base!
While Bentwaters has been a fantastic part of Bridge Classic Cars, the decision to move was driven by our continued growth. Our new location offers even greater security, more space, and improved facilities for vehicle storage. This move is part of our ongoing effort to continually improve our storage solutions for all of our current and future clients.
Leaving Bentwaters is bittersweet. We look back with fondness on all the incredible moments we’ve shared there. From the excitement of live draws to the stunning photoshoots, every one of these things has contributed their part of the Bridge Classic Cars story.
All that is left to say is “Goodbye Bentwaters” and thank you to the owners, staff, and everyone who helped make it such a successful location for us.
Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars is extremely grateful and hopes the new custodians of our Hangar make the most of it as we did.
Our collection of vintage motorcycles has been transferred up to our safe and secure storage facility, the hangar.
After being recommissioned by the Bridge Classic Cars workshop team, they were transported by our team to be kept safe and dry.
With our C-Type project coming to an end and the car due to begin road testing imminently, it was time to get the cars very special and personal registration onto the car.
This numberplate is holds a special place in our director Gordons heart so its only fitting it is fitted to the latest ‘special’ built by the team here at our Suffolk HQ. Our technician Jon did the honours of fitting the registration to the car. This was challenging due to the shape of the front end of the C-Type, so the sticker actually had to be sectioned into 2 in order to be fitted cleanly to the front of the C-Type.
Jon has been working on getting our 2003 MG ZT V8 finished up here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ.
He has replaced the front pads and discs on the V8 saloon and painted the offside front before fitting it back onto the car. Then removing the under-shield, he could carry out the oil and filter change on the car before topping up all fluids and testing the car.
The paint team here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on repairing a small section of paint on our 1981 Austin Vanden Plas.
Alan, one of our painters, has carefully worked on the area to mask up, prime and respray the gold paintwork on the iconic 1980s British saloon car to get it looking as good as new.
With part of the Bridge Classic Cars being at the Suffolk Show for the last couple of days, it was only right we had a set of classic cars there along with our 2011 Morgan 4/4.
The team took over our 1977 Triumph TR7 along with our 1954 Daimler Conquest to be displayed on our stand.
Our workshop manager John has been working on getting the 1955 MG TF back on the road with a few jobs.
He replaced the old starter motor with a new high-torque unit to make sure the car had enough force to turn over strong and fire up. Alongside that, he also replaced the fuel pump on the classic sports car.
The 246GTS has been in the fabrication bay of the Bridge Classic Cars HQ under the care of our fabricator Christian.
There are a few areas of corrosion on the classic sports car which are being addressed by the team. After Chris had repaired the chassis gussets on the underside of the car, he could turn his attention to the body of the car. After stripping back the paint and other materials in the rear valance, he could see how deep and far the problem had spread to. Carefully cutting back the piece, it exposed the inner skin which had also begun to corrode so Christian began to prepare for the repairs to that too. One of the first steps was to remove anything flamable nearby to the area he was working in which was the rear storage area, and after pulling up the carpet to check for any more corrosion (which wasn’t there) he noticed that there had been a mouse living in there for quite some time… After hoovering out the area and making sure it was ok to begin the repairs he could begin to fit up and shape the new metal into place making small adjustments as he went to get the best fit and finish.
Our technician Jon has been making progress on the resurrection of the 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe.
The next stage of the cars journey back onto the open road begins with Jon fitting a new rear brake master cylinder. Having the old unit and new unit next to each other, the positions are slightly different from the original to the new unit, so Jon had to make up new brake lines from the master cylinder to the the join in the offside front floor area. Then, he could fit the new flexi hoses to the front and rear of the car before bleeding the entire system. However, the front of the system bled without issue but the rear we were unable to bleed at this point.
Carrying on with recommissioning the hydraulic system in the car, Jon began work on the clutch. This involved removing the old clutch slave cylinder from the classic Jaguar and the pipework. After fitting up the new system and pipes, he could fill up the circuit and begin to bleed them after securing down the new brake pipes at the same time and then cleaning down/tidying up the work area.
Next up, Jon blew out all of the fuel lines and pipework to make sure that any dust or debris from the workshop wasn’t sat in the lines while the car has been on the ramp before securing them all down to the car.
This is when he could turn his attention to the steering of the car. The steering column support in the lower part of the bulkhead was excessively moving (see video) even after Jon had drilled out the lower universal joint and replacement the worn bolt which connects the two pieces with a new nyloc piece, which improved the movement but was still not clamping fully on the piece. So, he removed the upper part of the steering column first to upgrade the component with new elastin bushes and then begin to refit the piece, however the column still moved excessively in Jon’s professional opinion. The bulkhead column support was then put on order to be refitted into the car.
Whilst the steering column was out of the car, Jon could drain the coolant and remove the radiator from the car after the cars initial fire up and testing, to remove the offside steering rack mount and the lower steering column mount from the engine bay, and fully drill out the universal joint better to clean down all the surfaces and refinish it in a new hard wearing coat of black paint.
With the new bulkhead support on order, Jon turned his attention back to the hydraulics of the car. After topping off all the fluid reservoirs, Jon along with the help of our workshop manager John managed to complete bleed each individual system.
After that, Jon began to put petrol in the new fuel tank for the first time in order to check for leaks in the tank – all was ok. He also swapped over the fuse for the fuel pump to a more suitable and durable unit for the needs of the system. After that, he connected up the battery in order to get fuel pressure from the engine on turn over to prime the system all the way to the pre-filter sight bowl. Then, he disconnected the battery.
Finally, Jon moved onwards to getting the carburettors ready to accept the fresh fuel now in the new fuel tank. He carefully tightened down and inspected all connections from the filter to the carburettors before connecting the battery back up again and the turning on the ignition to prime the fuel system and test. Jon found there was a slight leak from the sight glass under the higher pressure and from the number 1 carburettor. This was found to be an issue with the washers used in the connection to carburettor 1 and fitted a new rubber seal to the sight glass sediment bowl. After that, all of the leaks were sorted and he could the refit and secure the boot floor and all necessary trims.
At a time when investments come in various forms – from property to cryptocurrency and everything in between – one often overlooked, but potentially lucrative investment is the low mileage car. While most cars are usually seen as depreciating assets, certain low-mileage vehicles can go against this norm, providing both value retention and potential appreciation.
Low mileage cars are vehicles that have been driven significantly less than average for their age. Typically, an average car covers around 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year. A car with significantly fewer miles than this could be considered low mileage. These cars are often in better condition, have less wear and tear, and can offer a longer lifespan compared to their high-mileage counterparts.
Buying your own low mileage car as an investment might not be feasible right now. However, for just £20, you could be in with a chance of winning our 2011 Morgan 4/4 with just over 1000 miles on the clock. If that wasn’t appealing enough, we will also keep the car in our climate-controlled secure storage facility for 12 months completely free.
This car looks incredible and drives fantastically, and the hope is that it appreciates significantly for the lucky new owner.
All the information about the car can be seen here.
As the automotive industry evolves, so too does the investment potential of certain vehicles. With the advent of autonomous driving technology, EVs, and changes in consumer preferences, the cars that hold or increase in value may shift. However, the principle remains: low mileage, well-maintained vehicles will always be in demand for their promise of reliability and extended lifespan.
Investing in low mileage cars can be a rewarding strategy if done right. By focusing on well-maintained, rare, or desirable models and keeping them in excellent condition, investors can potentially see significant returns.
Paul has been working on assembly and refit of our 1956 Jensen 541 which has had a full ground up restoration by the Bridge Classic Cars team here at our Suffolk HQ.
Paul worked on getting the front clam shell onto the car to begin getting the wiring harness fed through and to check for correct fitment onto the car. Whilst on the car, Paul could then get the bonnet catches mounted into position to make sure that when secured the bonnet sits square and true to the body lines of the car.
At this stage, he has been working on the front end of the classic British GT car. Next Paul has got the radiator fitted into the car with new mounts fabricated to fit the chassis, with each of these cars being entirely handbuilt there are variations which means that many of the mounts and fixings have to be fabricated bespoke to each car. Like the radiator mounts, the cars bonnet stays have also been made bespoke for this particular chassis before heading off to the paint team to be finished in gloss black and the radiator sent out to a local specialist to be rebuilt.
Our technician Paul has been working his magic on our 1960 BSA 10 we have in our private collection of vintage motorcycles.
During the bikes assessment, Paul noticed that the brake light switch wasn’t working so the team sourced a replacement for the classic British bike and fitted it to the bike, before testing everything worked correctly. With work complete, the bike will be transferred to The Hangar to be safely and securely stored along with the other pieces in the collection.
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