Behind The Scenes – 1981 Volkswagen Scirocco Storm
October 14, 2022
Our 1981 Volkswagen Scirocco Storm is currently available to win in our latest Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. If you head over to the competitions website,
Craig Ranson
Managing Director – Bridge Classic Cars
New Door Panels
October 14, 2022
Our 1966 Ford Cortina GT 1500 may have only been in the workshop for a day or two but Brian has already given it some
From Your Desk To Rome And Back Again
October 13, 2022
Colin Chapman, the late founder of Lotus, once came up with a great idea to put any lotus to the ultimate test. The idea was
More Carpet, Side Panels, And Some Cleaning
October 13, 2022
Classic car technician Brian has continued his work on the interior floor of our 1958 Jensen 541R. After attaching the transmission tunnel cover, he then
Just Arrived – 1966 Ford Cortina GT 1500
October 13, 2022
There aren’t many people out there who haven’t owned or know someone who has owned a Ford Cortina. With millions of units sold during its
New on MyClassics.co.uk – 1967 Volkswagen Beetle
October 12, 2022
Perhaps one of the most recognisable cars out there, the Volkswagen Beetle is something of an icon selling more than 20 million units over its
Primed And Ready
October 12, 2022
After undergoing recent work to resolve rust issues, our 1999 Rover BRM has had its primer applied and is now ready for its top coat
Sold On MyClassics.co.uk – 1960 Rover 80
October 12, 2022
We recently put our 1960 Rover 80 up for sale. As much as we would have loved to see it fully restored in our workshop,
Progressing Nicely
October 12, 2022
As our 1978 MGB GT continues to move through the restoration process, things are progressing well and more tasks have been ticked off the checklist.
On The Way To The Workshop
October 11, 2022
The main body of our 1954 Bristol 405 has been transported to our workshop. Now it is here with the team, it can begin the
Entry Is Open – 1981 Volkswagen Scirocco Storm
October 11, 2022
Our very rare 1981 Volkswagen Scirocco Storm has been inspected and assessed by the workshop team here at Bridge Classic Cars. We have just received
New Body Panels
October 11, 2022
To get our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3 back on the road, some new body panels were needed. We now have these and they will soon
Epoxy Primer
October 11, 2022
Chris has been working on our 1986 Daimler DS420, putting on the epoxy primer ready for further painting. He first masked the car and gave
Remembrance Sunday Luncheon
October 11, 2022
Hintlesham Golf Club will be hosting a Remembrance Day Luncheon on Sunday, 13th November. There will be a sit-down meal as well as musical entertainment
Supercars At The Beach
October 11, 2022
On Sunday, the seafront at Felixstowe (just down the road from the Bridge Classic Cars Workshop in Suffolk), was treated to a display of supercars.
Getting Ready
October 11, 2022
Before our 1970 MGC Roadster leaves us to go to its new owner, classic car technician Paul has been rebuilding and refitting the carburetters. This
Resolving Rust Issues
October 11, 2022
Our 1999 Rover BRM had some issues with rust when it first came into the Bridge Classic Cars Workshop. The team have been working to
Still Going Strong – 1969 Mercedes 280SL (Pagoda)
October 10, 2022
It’s been a little while since our 1969 Mercedes 280SL (Pagoda) left the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. After undergoing an engine rebuild with us, it
Hitting The News
October 10, 2022
We were recently featured in an article by the East Anglian Daily Times. The article covers the story of how Bridge Classic Cars came to
World Mental Health Day 2022
October 10, 2022
Today, Monday 10th October is World Mental Health Day. At Bridge Classic Cars, we are trying to build a community of classic car enthusiasts that
Jensen Bonnet Strips
October 10, 2022
Our classic car technician, Clinton, has been making parts that will ultimately go on to be fitted into one of our ongoing Jensen projects. The
Going To Auction – 1934 Riley 9 Lynx
October 10, 2022
On the 19th October 2022, at 1 pm, an H and H Classics auction will take place at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford. It is
Boot Carpet And More
October 10, 2022
For the last few weeks, the interior of our 1958 Jensen 541R has been getting lots of attention from Lydia and Brian. Recently, Lydia turned
Mr Gordon-Foxwell
October 9, 2022
“I have now done over 500 mainly motorway miles in the car and it is running well. Thank you again for the work you have
Catching up with CSF
October 8, 2022
It’s mad to think that our incredible collaboration with Lotus and Community Sports Foundation, that saw Alex win the truly special and unique Lotus Elise
Inner Wheel Arch Work
October 7, 2022
Work has been completed on the inner wheel arch of our 1987 Volvo 240GL. This involved using seam sealant and adding an additional coating to
The Restoration Continues
October 7, 2022
Our 1905 Riley 9HP has been in the Bridge Classic Car workshop for quite some time now. Restoration work on a car like this is
Our Triple Live Draw – 3 Classic Vehicles Won
October 7, 2022
Last night, we held our triple live draw at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. If giving away three classic vehicles wasn’t enough, we had a
New Lines And Trim
October 7, 2022
Classic car technician Rob has been making and fitting the new brake and fuel lines for our 1978 MGB GT. He also fitted the brake
It’s All Coming Together
October 6, 2022
Brian continues to work on the interior of our 1958 Jensen 541R. He finished cutting the centre section foam to fit around the centre pad
Behind The Scenes – 1981 Volkswagen Scirocco Storm
October 14, 2022
Our 1981 Volkswagen Scirocco Storm is currently available to win in our latest Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. If you head over to the competitions website, you will see that there is a video, presented by Molly, and several photos showing this classic car in all its glory.
What you won’t see though, is the hard work and the creativity that goes into making the video and getting the best photos of the car.
The photos below will give you just a little insight into what happens behind the scenes of these classic car shoots.
The team always have fun (driving classic cars around an old air base is always exciting), and do their very best to show every aspect of the cars being offered in our competitions.
The final video and photos can be seen here.
New Door Panels
October 14, 2022
Our 1966 Ford Cortina GT 1500 may have only been in the workshop for a day or two but Brian has already given it some attention by replacing the door panels.
It’s jobs like this that can make a big difference to the overall look and finish of a car. Our Cortina is in great shape as it is, but with the old door panels removed and new ones fitted, it’s now looking even better than before.
From Your Desk To Rome And Back Again
October 13, 2022
Colin Chapman, the late founder of Lotus, once came up with a great idea to put any lotus to the ultimate test. The idea was simple yet provided a challenge to both the car and the driver. You leave your desk when you finish work on a Friday afternoon and drive to Rome and back again, in time for work on Monday morning.
To make things more interesting, if anyone did the route and was able to provide a photograph of the car outside the colosseum, Colin would pay the expenses of the trip.
This trip was recently recreated in a Lotus Exige 410 Sport, albeit over a slightly longer period of time. The idea of doing the journey between leaving your desk on a Friday afternoon and being back in time for work on Monday morning is just the type of micro-adventure that can bring excitement to many car lovers’ weekends.
Of course, doing it in a car like a lotus makes it even more appealing. We wouldn’t mind giving it a go in any one of the classic lotuses that we have restored here at Bridge Classic Cars.
More Carpet, Side Panels, And Some Cleaning
October 13, 2022
Classic car technician Brian has continued his work on the interior floor of our 1958 Jensen 541R. After attaching the transmission tunnel cover, he then refitted the tunnel into the car before fitting the carpet.
He then went on to fit the side panels, and refit the rear seat, before giving the new carpet a good clean.
While Brian was working on the carpet, Lydia was re-covering one of the panels that had to be adapted following an adjustment made to the fibreglass frame underneath it. She covered this with carpet before binding the edges with vinyl.
Just Arrived – 1966 Ford Cortina GT 1500
October 13, 2022
There aren’t many people out there who haven’t owned or know someone who has owned a Ford Cortina. With millions of units sold during its production between 1962 and 1982, this car really is one to bring feelings of nostalgia and memories of good times.
This is why we are excited that our 1966 Ford Cortina GT has just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. It will now be thoroughly inspected and assessed by our classic car technicians before being available to win through Bridge Classic Car Competitions.
New on MyClassics.co.uk – 1967 Volkswagen Beetle
October 12, 2022
Perhaps one of the most recognisable cars out there, the Volkswagen Beetle is something of an icon selling more than 20 million units over its 80-year run.
Recently listed on MyClassics.co.uk is a 1967 VW Beetle in rubinrot red.
The current owner has had this classic car stored in their garage for the last couple of years but says it still runs, although it could benefit from some cosmetic work.
More information about the car can be seen here.
Primed And Ready
October 12, 2022
After undergoing recent work to resolve rust issues, our 1999 Rover BRM has had its primer applied and is now ready for its top coat of colour.
The car spent some time in our paint shop with classic car technician Chris as he prepared it for its primer before applying it too. As you can see from the photos below, lots of care and attention is given to this type of task to ensure high-quality paint work once work on the car has been finished.
Sold On MyClassics.co.uk – 1960 Rover 80
October 12, 2022
We recently put our 1960 Rover 80 up for sale.
As much as we would have loved to see it fully restored in our workshop, unfortunately, our workload is just too much for it to become one of our current projects.
We are very happy that a new owner has been found through MyClassics.co.uk and the car will soon be moving on to the next chapter of its life on the road.
Progressing Nicely
October 12, 2022
As our 1978 MGB GT continues to move through the restoration process, things are progressing well and more tasks have been ticked off the checklist.
Classic car technician Rob has painted and fitted the number plate backing panels, fitted the door trim and handles on the right-hand side of the vehicle, as well as making new backing panels for the C pillar trim.
Rob has been extra busy as he also assembled and fitted the rear anti-roll bar and fitted the rear roof trim too.
On The Way To The Workshop
October 11, 2022
The main body of our 1954 Bristol 405 has been transported to our workshop.
Now it is here with the team, it can begin the next phase of its restoration. With work already done on the seats, it’s time to get the rest of the car in order so it can be one step closer to being back out on the road.
There will be lots more updates coming soon as this classic car returns to its full former glory.
Entry Is Open – 1981 Volkswagen Scirocco Storm
October 11, 2022
Our very rare 1981 Volkswagen Scirocco Storm has been inspected and assessed by the workshop team here at Bridge Classic Cars. We have just received the good news that it is ready to go and it can now be won in our latest competition.
With so few of these cars still on the road, this is your chance to win a rare piece of motoring history.
You can find out all the information you need about the car and how to enter by heading to Bridge Classic Cars Competitions – good luck!
New Body Panels
October 11, 2022
To get our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3 back on the road, some new body panels were needed. We now have these and they will soon be fitted to the car as it continues to move through its restoration journey.
We found it very exciting to see the new panels sitting on the shell of the Interceptor and we can’t wait for work to continue on this iconic classic car.
Epoxy Primer
October 11, 2022
Chris has been working on our 1986 Daimler DS420, putting on the epoxy primer ready for further painting.
He first masked the car and gave it a final rub down before applying the primer. This will create a good base for the top coat of paint to bond to. It will also prevent corrosion and rust from forming which will give a high-quality finish to the car.
Remembrance Sunday Luncheon
October 11, 2022
Hintlesham Golf Club will be hosting a Remembrance Day Luncheon on Sunday, 13th November.
There will be a sit-down meal as well as musical entertainment from Bridge Classic Cars’ very own Molly and her 1940s Trio – The Three Chordettes.
Arrival is from 12:30 pm for a 1 pm service.
If you would like more details or to make a booking, contact the golf clubs events team on 01473 652761 or email office@hintleshamgolfclub.com
Supercars At The Beach
October 11, 2022
On Sunday, the seafront at Felixstowe (just down the road from the Bridge Classic Cars Workshop in Suffolk), was treated to a display of supercars.
Everyone who had chosen to visit the beach for the day got to enjoy the sight of 15 supercars travelling together. The cars had actually driven in convoy through several parts of Suffolk including Sproughton and Woodbridge before heading to Felixstowe.
The event was organised by members of The Drivers Union which is a supercar owners club. As they lived locally, it made complete sense that they should treat their home town to all the joy and excitement that comes from being up close and personal with a supercar.
The full story can be read in the East Anglian Daily Times article.
There were several supercars that took part including some older Ferraris and Porsches. It’s a shame the Bridge Classic Cars team were not in Felixstowe at the time as we would have loved to see the cars in all their glory. Instead, we will make do with looking at the below photos of some of the classic Porsches we have worked on in the past.
Getting Ready
October 11, 2022
Before our 1970 MGC Roadster leaves us to go to its new owner, classic car technician Paul has been rebuilding and refitting the carburetters.
This classic car was won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions and will soon be leaving us for the last time as it begins the next chapter of its life on the road.
Resolving Rust Issues
October 11, 2022
Our 1999 Rover BRM had some issues with rust when it first came into the Bridge Classic Cars Workshop.
The team have been working to resolve these issues recently. Now we have the original BRM wheels back with us too, the car is making good progress through its restoration journey.
Still Going Strong – 1969 Mercedes 280SL (Pagoda)
October 10, 2022
It’s been a little while since our 1969 Mercedes 280SL (Pagoda) left the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. After undergoing an engine rebuild with us, it left the workshop to be returned to its owner a few months ago.
Since then, we have had some great feedback about the performance of the car and it sounds like it is very much at home being back out on the road.
Feedback from the owner includes:
“I have now done over 500 mainly motorway miles in the car and it is running well. Thank you again for the work you have done”.
and
“the car continues to run beautiful and was a pleasure to drive on a long trip to France a couple of weeks back”.
Hearing that a restored car is bringing enjoyment to its owner is something that makes us very happy. Classic cars like this are all about having the perfect driving experience so this is exactly the type of feedback we aim to achieve.
Hitting The News
October 10, 2022
We were recently featured in an article by the East Anglian Daily Times.
The article covers the story of how Bridge Classic Cars came to be, what we do, and what we hope to achieve in the future. It also includes some great photos of the workshop as well as a detailed explanation of some of the processes involved in restoring a classic car.
The full article can be read here.
World Mental Health Day 2022
October 10, 2022
Today, Monday 10th October is World Mental Health Day.
At Bridge Classic Cars, we are trying to build a community of classic car enthusiasts that can rely on each other for not only conversations about their vehicles, but also for support, friendship, companionship, and a listening ear when one is needed.
Whether people watch our live draws, meet us at a car show, or attend one of our events, we love bringing like-minded people together.
With loneliness being an ever-increasing problem, and mental health awareness still needing more focus, we acknowledge today as World Mental Health Day and we encourage anyone who may be struggling, feeling lonely, or feeling like they need someone to talk to, to reach out to a friend, family member, or a mental health charity.
Sharing your struggles with someone else can be the beginning of things getting better, so don’t be afraid to reach out and don’t be afraid of talking about mental health.
Jensen Bonnet Strips
October 10, 2022
Our classic car technician, Clinton, has been making parts that will ultimately go on to be fitted into one of our ongoing Jensen projects.
The bonnet strips he made can be seen in the photos below.
Going To Auction – 1934 Riley 9 Lynx
October 10, 2022
On the 19th October 2022, at 1 pm, an H and H Classics auction will take place at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford. It is here that our 1934 Riley 9 Lynx Tourer will be available for sale.
This beautiful classic car has been with us for a little while but, the time has now come for it to move on to a new owner. If you want to know more about how you can become the new owner, take a look at it on the H and H website here.
H and H describe our 1934 Riley 9 Lynx as:
“Introduced in 1933, the Lynx Tourer had much in common with its similarly rakish and elegant Kestrel Saloon sibling. Notably low-slung, both were four-seaters that placed their occupants between the front and rear axles. Powered by a ‘sports’ version of the Coventry marque’s advanced ‘twin-cam’ four-cylinder 1087cc engine mated to four-speed manual transmission, the pair enjoyed a level of performance that belied their 9hp tax rating. Based around a ladder-frame chassis equipped with all round semi-elliptic leaf-sprung suspension and bias-adjustable drum brakes, they were known for their crisp handling too.
Recently repatriated to the UK, ‘AXR 525’ is offered finished in a vivid Blue with a Black full leather interior. A 1934 Riley 9 Lynx Tourer, from the second year of production, the car hides its 88 years incredibly well. The car has lived part of its life in South Africa where the climate appears to have preserved both its paint, wood, bodywork and interior remarkably well, and evidently a testament to the level of care and attention given to the car by its previous owner. The Lynx Tourer comes with a UK V5C.
During the car’s residence with the vendor, we are told that it has been given an inspection by his restoration team. A ‘full’ service, carburettors rebuilt, rear lights and wiring were replaced, as well as a small repair carried out to its folding soft top roof. Additionally, the brakes have had some mechanical fettling, with adjustment all around and road tested on several occasions by the vendor. The gearbox is described as working smoothly, and the engine runs evenly and is said to be balanced through the revs. This is an attractive example of the 9 Lynx Tourer built by Riley which still wears its original brass chassis plate on the top of the firewall. A pre-war classic that would be a beautiful addition to an existing collection or as a single pride and joy for an enthusiast owner.“
Boot Carpet And More
October 10, 2022
For the last few weeks, the interior of our 1958 Jensen 541R has been getting lots of attention from Lydia and Brian. Recently, Lydia turned her attention to the boot of the car – specifically, the boot carpet.
After lots of measuring, cutting, making patterns, and double-checking everything, Lydia was able to get the boot carpet fitted and looking good.
Restoring a classic car isn’t just about getting it running and making the bodywork look good. At Bridge Classic Cars, every part of the car gets the same levels of attention, including areas that most people won’t see – like the boot.
While Lydia was busy working in the boot, Brian was busy completing more work on the interior of the car. He fitted carpet to the front and rear footwells, the bulkhead, and trial fitted the handbrake carpet.
Brian also fitted the sliding covers to the kick panels and cut the sound deadening for the transmission tunnel before glueing it to the tunnel and cutting out the required access holes.
Mr Gordon-Foxwell
October 9, 2022
“I have now done over 500 mainly motorway miles in the car and it is running well. Thank you again for the work you have done.
I am pleased to say that the car continues to run beautiful and was a pleasure to drive on a long trip to France a couple of weeks back.”
Catching up with CSF
October 8, 2022
It’s mad to think that our incredible collaboration with Lotus and Community Sports Foundation, that saw Alex win the truly special and unique Lotus Elise Sport 240, was almost a year ago!
Earlier today and we caught up with Sam and the team from CSF at their stomping ground to see Norwich City take on Preston North End. We were also joined by Norwich City legend Bryan Gunn.
It wasn’t the best result for the home team as Norwich City fell to defeat, losing 3-2 at Carrow Road.
Thank you all at Community Sports Foundation and Norwich City for your wonderful hospitality and we look forward to inviting you to our territory next, Portman Road!!
Inner Wheel Arch Work
October 7, 2022
Work has been completed on the inner wheel arch of our 1987 Volvo 240GL. This involved using seam sealant and adding an additional coating to the arch for added durability and toughness.
Our 240GL continues to move through its restoration journey and this work, along with its fresh coat of paint, has it looking almost brand new again already.
The Restoration Continues
October 7, 2022
Our 1905 Riley 9HP has been in the Bridge Classic Car workshop for quite some time now. Restoration work on a car like this is extremely complex and can only be done by expert classic car technicians.
Dave has been putting his close to five decades worth of experience to good use by getting more work done on this truly unique car. If you haven’t heard the story of our Riley 9HP before, then it’s one you should definitely make yourself familiar with.
Firstly, the fact that there are believed to be only 3 of these cars left in existence should be enough to grab the attention of any classic car enthusiast. One of the remaining three is in the Gaydon Motor Museum, one is thought to be in a private collection, and we have the third in our workshop which is the one Dave has been working on.
Initially, our 9HP was missing a radiator. While we searched for a way to source something that could be used as a replacement, we were extremely fortunate to be offered an unbelievably rare Riley 9HP radiator that had been found during a house clearance. Not only was this radiator a match for our Riley, but it was actually very likely the radiator that had originally been in the car.
While we may have had some good luck with the radiator, the rest of the Riley has been much more challenging to restore. As there are only 3 left, there are only 2 others we could potentially look at in order to see how the finished vehicle should look.
We were offered the opportunity to visit the Riley 9HP in Gaydon Motor Museum which we took and were able to get a whole load of photographs that would hopefully help us rebuild this incredible car. It’s these photos that Dave has been using as a reference to try and bring everything back together in its original form.
Relying on photos and a wealth of experience shows how skilled our classic car technicians really are. There aren’t too many people out there who could take on this type of work but, fortunately for us, we have experienced technicians like Dave who are determined to get the job done.
The most recent work Dave has completed on the car was making the water return pipes from the cylinder head, fitting the front stub axles with bearings, along with fitting the anti-tramp bars too.
It’s worth repeating one more time that our 1905 Riley 9HP is one of only 3 left in existence. We have one of the last remaining examples of this truly classic car and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for it.
Our Triple Live Draw – 3 Classic Vehicles Won
October 7, 2022
Last night, we held our triple live draw at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. If giving away three classic vehicles wasn’t enough, we had a live audience in attendance, musical entertainment from The Three Chordettes, food and drink from The Miller’s Kitchen and Carmello’s, and our workshop was open so some of our ongoing restoration projects could be seen and explored.
All of the Bridge Classic Cars team had a great time. We love finding new owners for our classic cars and finding three last night bought a smile to everyone’s face.
Our live draws happen on a regular basis and they are always fun, but this one was extra special. There was a great atmosphere, there were conversations about classic cars, there was anticipation for the 3 winners to be announced, and it was a great opportunity to speak with other classic car enthusiasts face-to-face.
We hope that this type of evening will be much more of a regular occurrence in the very near future. The chance that one of the winners could actually be in the live audience definitely heightened the excitement and suspense of the evening!
Hopefully, as these events become more frequent, we will find a winner who is with us live as the draw is held.
At our triple live draw, new owners were found for our 1961 Mini Deluxe ‘Little Eva’, our 1994 Ducati 750 SuperSport, and our 1970 MG C Roadster. If you want to be one of our future winners, head over to Bridge Classic Cars Competitions to see the vehicles currently up for grabs.
More photos will be shared soon (including some great behind-the-scenes shots) but for now, here are just a few of last night.
New Lines And Trim
October 7, 2022
Classic car technician Rob has been making and fitting the new brake and fuel lines for our 1978 MGB GT.
He also fitted the brake master cylinder, which brings the car one step closer to being able to get back out on the road.
Other work continues on the MGB GT in the form of more trim being installed. This helps the car look much closer to how the finished restoration will look.
It’s All Coming Together
October 6, 2022
Brian continues to work on the interior of our 1958 Jensen 541R. He finished cutting the centre section foam to fit around the centre pad before glueing the cover and calico backing down and fitting the brackets.
Brian then installed the rear seat into the car and it looks great!
The interior continues to look better and better with each task being completed. The rear seat looks comfortable and we’re sure any passengers who eventually sit on it will agree too.
