Pete removed the very tired old shocks on our 1977 Ford Granada and replaced them with new Gaz adjustable units. The old shocks had very little damping effect and could easily be compressed by hand, while the new units should significantly improve the car’s ride quality.
He also removed the power steering rack for refurbishment, as it was tight when turning in one direction and leaking at both rack boots. Upon refitting, the track rod ends will also be replaced. This was a fairly involved job on the old Ford, requiring the engine mounts to be slackened and the engine raised by a couple of inches to create enough clearance to remove the rack.
Fresh number plates were also put on the car.
More Corrosion On Our P4
Rob has been repairing some of the corrosion on our 1963 Rover P4. He welded in the front wheel arch closing panel before removing the front chassis outrigger. He then repaired the chassis behind the outrigger and fitted a new one.
Next, he cut away corrosion from the rear wheel arch and C-post area to address the damage.
Lotus Cortina Road Test
Jonn removed the fuel filter of our 1968 Lotus Cortina and cleaned it thoroughly before refitting and securing it. He turned on the ignition to check for leaks and discovered that the rear carburettor was leaking at the fuel union. After tightening and retesting, the issue was resolved.
He then fitted a new wheel trim to the nearside rear. Taking the vehicle outside, Jonn ran it up and carried out a road test. Upon returning to the workshop, he adjusted the mixture and idle, retested, and found everything seemed fine. He planned to let workshop manager, John take it later to confirm the results.
VW Beetle Repairs
Jonn has been working on our 1975 Volkswagen Beetle. He started by stripping and removing the nearside window regulator, which was found to be worn out. He fitted a larger washer to secure the nearside seat trim and painted it black for a clean finish. He also secured the nearside door mirror.
Jonn then undid both front seatbelts, untwisted them, and resecured them. He burned off the frayed edges and lubricated the belts with silicon spray to improve retraction. Next, he fitted the front number plate to the bumper, removing the old fixing plate, measuring and drilling for the new plate, and securing it in place. Any exposed bolts were painted as needed.
He fabricated a custom bracket to secure the battery, painted it black, and fitted it securely. Wiring hanging near the pedals, identified as speaker wires with no front speakers installed, was tucked neatly behind the dashboard. Jonn inflated the spare tyre before looking at the washers, but the washers did not work upon testing.
To resolve the issue, Jonn traced the pipe to the column switch, which appeared fine. He removed the steering wheel, bent the contact at the switch slightly for better functionality, and retested. Afterwards, the washers worked as intended. He then refitted and secured the steering wheel. Final checks confirmed that both the horn and washers were working correctly.
XJS AC Condenser
Pete has been removing the AC condenser on our 1993 Jagura XJS. It proved to be quite tricky getting the old collapsed unit from the car and freeing all the seized pipes and fittings
The new part was incorrect so we have now sourced the correct one. While Pete was working, he swapped the auxiliary belts for new ones, again freeing off a lot of stuck mounts and adjusting parts along the way.
Everything removed has been lightly cleaned up and a coat of satin black added.
Bridge Classic Cars Kids
At Bridge Classic Cars, we want our love of classic cars to continue through future generations. That’s why we’ve launched a new project just for kids!
We’re introducing a dedicated Kids’ YouTube Channel, where classic cars come to life in a way children will love. Imagine bedtime stories about classic cars, their journeys through restoration, and their dreams for the future. Each story and every piece of content will be aimed at sparking interest and passion for cars, sustainability, and the history of the automotive industry.
Through this project, we aim to make classic cars more accessible and relatable to children, showing them how the past and the future of motoring can coexist. We want to help nurture the next generation of enthusiasts who will love these incredible machines as much as we do.
Our Kids’ YouTube Channel went live earlier today and we’d love it if you could subscribe and share it with the children in your life.
2025 Hagerty Bull Market List: Ten Cars to Watch This Year
Hagerty UK has released its 2025 Bull Market List. This is a list of ten cars that look like they will be good buys this year. Some of the cars listed are predicted to rise in value while others have been selected for their value for money and overall ownership experience.
The list is based on detailed research and market trends analysed by Hagerty’s valuation experts.
“The 2025 cohort is, I think, my favourite yet. The models span nearly every era of motoring and range from up-and-coming classics to those that were once top dog and now maybe offer a huge amount of car for the money.”
John Mayhead, editor of the Hagerty Price Guide
1. 2001-2005 Alfa Romeo 147 GTA The Alfa Romeo 147 GTA takes the Hagerty Hot Hatch Pick for its understated looks and incredible performance. Values have risen steadily in recent years with the very best examples fetching well over £20,000.
The 147 GTA has a 3.2-litre six-cylinder Busso engine which is now considered to be one of the finest engines ever produced. This hot hatch continues to increase in popularity, with many younger buyers seeking it out in order to enjoy one of the best Alfa Romeo experiences.
What the Hagerty Valuation Team says: The main reason the 147 GTA was chosen for this year’s Bull Market is that it offers an extraordinary driving experience for a relatively sensible price. It’s the spiritual successor to the 105 series Alfa Romeo GTA coupes that made such an impact on both road and racetrack back in the 1960s and ‘70s.
Hagerty Price Guide valuation – £8,500 to £20,500
2. 1959-1967 Austin-Healey 3000 The Austin-Healey 3000 is the Hagerty Bull Market Best of British Index Pick, a quintessentially British sports car, loved by multiple generations since it first entered production in 1959. One of the most popular big Healey models, it continued in production until 1967, with four major model variations during that time.
What the Hagerty Valuation Team says: In value terms, the Austin-Healey 3000 has been very flat over a long period of time: since May 2015, UK Hagerty Price Guide values for an excellent example have varied by less than ten percent, and currently sit at £45,400, although it’s recently dipped. In real terms, accounting for inflation, that means the model is much more affordable than it was a few years ago.
Hagerty Price Guide valuation – £22,900 to £87,500
3. 1994-1999 Ferrari F355 This mid-90s Ferrari is a masterpiece of design and performance, with rising values reflecting its desirability. Expect to pay between £50,600 and £105,000 for this sought-after model.
What the Hagerty Valuation Team says: Some consider the F355 to be a peak driver’s Ferrari, mixing 1980s-inspired design and analogue engineering. A relatively new addition to the UK Hagerty Price Guide, values have risen recently, up 6.2 per cent in the past three years to £73,300 for a standard Berlinetta in excellent condition. In the US, growth has been even more extreme, and the Guide price for the same model there is now $196,000 (£152,000) although this includes a 25 percent premium for manual gearbox examples.
Hagerty Price Guide valuation – £50,600 to £105,000
4. 1992-1998 Maserati Ghibli (AM336) This Italian coupe, designed by Marcello Gandini, offers a range of price points and impressive performance with twin-turbocharged engines.
What the Hagerty Valuation Team says: The attraction of the Maserati Ghibli model range is that there’s a car for many different price points. Standard, base Biturbos with middling miles are still for sale for under £10,000, a good Spyder is double that, all the way up to the Shamal, currently valued at £53,000 in excellent condition in the UK Hagerty Price Guide. Those with the cheapest price on the windscreen may be more expensive to maintain though, and for a 1980s/ 1990s-era Maserati, the bills may be significant.
Hagerty Price Guide valuation £9,400 to £54,900
5. 1991-2003 Peugeot 106 The Peugeot 106 has often been overshadowed by its sibling 1990s boy racer favourite, the Citroen Saxo. Produced between 1991-2003, the Hagerty Quirky Pick was available in anything from a very basic 1.0-litre petrol version to the entertaining GTi and Rallye variants.
Many people have a story to tell of their experience with a Peugeot 106, either as the car they learned to drive in, their first car or a rental that took them on holiday with their friends. It might be a small car, but it had a big personality with an interior that combined French quirkiness with practical simplicity. They were also easy to work on and many were the subject of extensive modifications, making pristine original examples increasingly sought after today.
What the Hagerty Valuation Team says: Hagerty considers the Peugeot 106 to be great value compared with some of its rivals. The Series 1 106 Rallye in excellent condition is listed in the Hagerty Price Guide at £12,400, around 32 percent less than its older relative the Peugeot 205 Rallye. With their homologation credentials, limited numbers and instantly recognisable looks, they tick many of the requirements of a collectable car, although originality is critical.
Hagerty Price Guide valuation – £8,900 to £16,400
6. 1965-1969 Porsche 912 In the 1960s Porsche wanted a car that fitted between the 356 and the 911. That car was the 912, a sports car that had all the looks of the 911 and the same level of build quality and comfort, but at a much lower price. It was also cheaper to run, thanks in part to the use of the four-cylinder 616 engine from the 356.
Today the 912 is becoming more sought after, not just for its great value but because it is both dynamic and usable, with easier to manage handling and performance compared to the 911. Prices for the 912, which is the Hagerty 2025 Classic Pick, remain stable and are not expected to rise dramatically. The UK Hagerty Price Guide values excellent left-hand drive examples at £57,800 with right-hand drive models attracting a large premium.
What the Hagerty Valuation Team says: With a Porsche 912 you get the early 911 experience for a fraction of the price. Other than very early 912s, the vast majority of the car is identical to its six-cylinder sibling, sharing the same interiors, bodywork, suspension and electrics, only the engine is different.
Hagerty Price Guide values – £26,900 to £90,100
7. 1994-2001 Range Rover P38 The Range Rover P38 arrived in 1994 as the successor to the original classic model.
The P38 was available with an updated version of the traditional Rover V8 or a turbo-diesel engine from BMW. The combination of luxury and legendary off-road capability made it a popular choice.
What the Hagerty Valuation Team says: The P38 Range Rover is a car that is currently extremely affordable, with the cheapest runners advertised for under £1000 and even top-spec, limited edition models with extremely low mileage in concours condition rarely reaching over £15,000. Plus, they are getting rarer: social media groups are full of cars being broken for parts or heavily modified for off-road use. Find an original, well-maintained example, and it could offer a lot of value for money.
Hagerty Price Guide values – £800 to £15,800
8. 1977-1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II Rolls-Royce introduced the Silver Shadow in 1965 but then it updated the model for the final few years of its life, creating the Silver Shadow II in 1977.
Values vary immensely but so too do the maintenance costs, making the Hagerty 2025 Luxury Pick one to choose carefully.
What the Hagerty Valuation Team says: Prices for the Silver Shadow II have been relatively static, only £100 higher today for an excellent example than in December 2021. The big difference has been in the top examples, with a concours condition value up over 20 per centduring the same period to £31,900. This is a good sign as a rise in top examples often encourages more to be spent on maintaining other, less pristine cars
Hagerty Price Guide values – £5,700 to £28,700
9. 2000-2001 Subaru Impreza P1 The P1 was only available in Sonic Blue and its chassis and suspension were specifically tailored for British roads while ABS was added for the first time. Electrically adjustable Recaro seats sported the P1 logo, which also adorned the iconic rear wing. Compared to prices for the 22B, the P1 represents a great value way to get into a legendary rally-bred sports saloon.
What the Hagerty Valuation Team says: Prices have risen a lot in the last few years – the UK Hagerty Price Guide ‘Excellent’ value was £32,000 in September 2022 and two years later was £50,500 but Hagerty believes that prices may well increase further still. Many of these cars have been driven hard, and the gulf between top and bottom values is huge: Hagerty’s ‘fair’ price is 61 percent lower than its top concours’value. Pristine, low mileage cars will probably increase most, but regularly driven cars that are a little rough around the edges will be much more affordable and great fun.
Hagerty Price Guide values – £25,000 to £72,500
10. 1994-2000 Toyota RAV4 The Toyota RAV4 is the model that started the modern era of compact crossovers and small SUVs. Introduced in 1994, over ten million have since been sold.
What the Hagerty Valuation Team says: Legendary Toyota build quality, combined with an instantly recognisable design and very low current prices mean that Hagerty believes the RAV4 is a great entry-level classic, plus you’ll be welcome at any future edition of Hagerty’s Festival of the Unexceptional. Even in top GX spec, a Concours-ready example should set you back under £5,000 – if you can find one, these early cars are now very rare.
Hagerty Price Guide valuation – £600 to £5,100
Bull Market List 2025
The 2025 Hagerty Bull Market List reflects the latest trends in the car market, where both nostalgic appeal and investment potential shape demand.
Jonn has been completing some repair work on our 1977 Triumph 2500TC. He began by getting the car onto the ramp and raising it up so he could get a detailed look at the work that needed to be done. After removing the rear wheels, he connected the offside rear brake pipe to the flexi hose and secured it in place. Upon inspection though, Jonn discovered the nearside rear flexi hose was damaged, so a new one has been ordered.
Next, he remounted the fuel pipe and drilled a hole to fit a P-clip, ensuring it was securely fastened. A new jubilee clip was fitted to the fuel pipe at the filter end before refitting it to the lift pump and securing it firmly. Fuel was then poured in to check for leaks, revealing a split in the pipe from the tank.
To address this, Jonn drained the fuel, replaced the damaged pipe from the tank, and secured it properly. After pouring fuel back into the system and conducting another leak check, no further issues were found. He then proceeded to add 10 litres of petrol to the tank, primed the lift pump, and attempted to start the engine. It fired up on the first flick of the key.
Jonn also fitted new gaskets to the carb intake pipes before he stripped and fitted a new master cylinder. He filled the reservoir with new DOT 4 fluid and bled the master cylinder. The full system was bled successfully, and Jonn checked for leaks under pressure – everything was fine. He topped up the reservoir, adjusted the rear brakes, refitted the wheels, and torqued them up. Jonn then adjusted the handbrake.
He took the car outside to warm it up and added 5 litres of petrol to extinguish the low-level light. After driving around the yard, Jonn returned the vehicle to the workshop and checked the automatic gearbox level, which was confirmed to be fine.
Kingpin And Welding
Steve has fitted a new kingpin to the assembly on our 1964 Mercedes 230SL. He also fitted new top and bottom joints, and new bushes too.
He also made some welding repairs before noticing that the driver’s footwell carpet had been fitted over the top of the kickdown switch. The carpet was removed and holes were cut for the switch mount before the carpet was refitted.
We use cookies to deliver the best possible experience whilst visiting our website. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies, or you can manage your preferences by clicking the link below. You can manage your preferences at any time from out Cookie Policy page.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Leave a Reply