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Craig Ranson

Managing Director – Bridge Classic Cars

All About The Twister Class

March 9, 2017

Sources: Peter from twister.org.uk and Suffolk Yacht Harbour and Classic Boat The Original Twister Conceived by ‘Kim’ Holman in 1963 the original Twister of Mersea was designed

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Mercedes 300TD the stripping continues…

March 2, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]More pictures from today as we continue to remove the external components of our 1984 Mercedes 300TD estate. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”10379,10380,10381,10382,10383,10384,10385″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Jaguar E-Type Carbs

March 1, 2017

The triple carbs are now completely refurbished and awaiting completion of the restoration of the manifold to allow the final fitting to the engine.

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A temporary refit

March 1, 2017

With the chassis rebuild progressing very well it is time for us to temporarily refit the body to ensure all alignments are accurate. Whilst the

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The final touches to our 1965 Jaguar E-Type in the paintshop

March 9, 2017

Here we are on the final stages of our 1965 Jaguar E-Type respray. A little longer than we hoped and expected but we are delighted to have uncovered the rotten areas and tackled all of the issues before they got any worse.

The chrome is now re-fitted but unfortunately due to the broken badge bar being too expensive to repair we are just awaiting the arrival of the new one.

All that is left to do now is refit the new windscreen and rubber, give her a good clean and polish and she’ll be ready for the summer shows!

 

Re-Chroming the Twister Window Frames

March 9, 2017

Here we have the window frames from a 1960’s designed classic yacht The Twister. The Twister was designed by internationally renowned naval architect Kim Holman who was one of the founding members of Suffolk Yacht Harbour.

Peter has come in to us with a request slightly out of the ordinary for us but certainly something that we can do.

These are the surrounds from the windows of this beautiful yacht. To get her ready for the summer we have been asked to re-chrome and polish.

All About The Twister Class

March 9, 2017

Sources: Peter from twister.org.uk and Suffolk Yacht Harbour and Classic Boat

The Original Twister

Conceived by ‘Kim’ Holman in 1963 the original Twister of Mersea was designed to optimise the rating rules of the time. Based on his experience with the Stella Kim designed the Twister to have more draft, carry more sail and yet ‘rate’ the same …. and he got it right!

In her first season Twister of Mersea virtually carried all before her, an achievement she was to repeat for the next few years. It was not long before other owners commissioned Twisters in order to get a slice of the action.

Kim Holman

In February 1967, right here in Ipswich, Suffolk Yacht Harbour Limited was founded by a team of local businessmen. Founding members Michael Spear, Charles Stennett and local boatbuilder Eric Wright were supported by Chris Jonas (chartered surveyor and engineer), Kim Holman (naval architect), John Adams (architect), and Geoff Hubbard (financial advisor).

Read all about the life and designs of Kim Holman at Classic Boat

Early Twisters

In all about 30 wooden Twisters were built by a variety of builders. GRP was then in it’s early days and it soon became apparent that there would be a market for series production of the Twister as a GRP Cruiser/Racer.

The design was modified slightly to suit the moulding process. The length was increased by 6”, the draft reduced by 3” and the bow section was made slightly fuller.

The first composite GRP Twister hulls.

The first GRP hull was moulded in 1964. The Hull and Deck were GRP mouldings by Tyler’s whilst the cockpit and coachroof were of traditional timber construction.

This was a very attractive combination though obviously labour intensive and the debut of the first all GRP version in 1969 was inevitable. For a while both versions were available but it was not long before the Composite was dropped in favour of the cheaper to build all GRP version.

Tylers produce GRP moulded Twisters

Whilst the majority of Twisters were built in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s Tyler’s continued to produce mouldings through into the late ‘90’s when the business ceased trading.

The moulds were by then in a poor state of repair and beyond further use. In the early days Uphams completed nearly all the boats but in later years other builders fitted out many and a significant number of mouldings were sold for amateur completion.

Traditional design that can still outperform more modern ones

All Holman’s designs were good looking and the Twister is arguably the prettiest. By today’s standards she is a heavy yacht with a large wetted area and a relatively small sail area. One you might expect only to go well in a blow.

Surprisingly the Twister still outperforms many much lighter ‘modern’ designs in light airs too and always with impeccable manners and a ‘finger-light’ helm.

When asked ‘why does the Twister sail so well?’ Kim’s reply of ‘I don’t know …. I just got it right’, surely sums up his modest genius better than a page of explanations. If you have a Twister you will know exactly what we mean. If you haven’t and you are thinking of buying one of these true modern classics you won’t be disappointed!

New steps for our 1960 Jensen 541S

March 8, 2017

We are so close now to being able to remove the shell once again and paint the chassis.

Tommy is very happy with the new steps, the doors line up as they should, the measurements are mm perfect so Tommy can now move on to the next stage.

 

Preparing the Mercedes W123 bodywork.

March 8, 2017

We are now busy preparing the bodywork on our 1984 Mercedes W123 300 TD. As the car spent many years in the states the hot climate has been a huge help keeping the underneath in fantastic condition.

The damage to the arch is now being rectified and the existing paint is now being flattened ready for primer.

 

Aston Martin AMV8 work at Bridge Classic Cars

March 7, 2017

We had a successful day yesterday working through our list. With the majority of the smaller tasks complete, today we tackled the possible oil leak and oil change.

The boot lock is now repaired, the windscreen wiper blades are now working as they should, the wiring problem that was preventing the aerial from working properly has now been fixed and we’ve even tidied up the boot area.

We also discovered a couple of unexpected issues that we have also rectified; the washer pump was not working at all, the washer jets were out of alignment and all vacuum pipes were either split or collapsed. This was due to incorrect vacuum pipes being used previously.

Unfortunately it has not all been as simple as it may seem. We were asked to investigate a possible leak underneath at the front of the engine. Upon closer inspection the leak is coming from the main oil seal gasket not working efficiently.

Until this issue is resolved, we will not carry out the oil change. The oil change will commence once the seal has been replaced.

We’ve also discovered a slight leak to the radiator. At first glance it looks as though someone has tightened too tightly which has created a pocket for fluid to escape. Unfortunately, it is not a simple case of releasing the tension slightly, there could be more to this so the radiator is best being removed. This task will have to happen anyway to get to the oil seal so this task can be carried out at the same time.

Moving on from this, the brakes have now been bled and the nipples are all freshly re-greased.

Our 1968 MGBGT is now complete

March 7, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Work is now complete on the full restoration of our 1968 MGBGT.

She’s come a long way with us but now looking incredible!

After the initial discussions of carrying out some remedial repair work to the sills, we soon discovered that the body and chassis we suffering with age so a decision needed to be made.

I’m sure you’ll agree, the right decision was definitely made…

The car will now be stored away ready for the better weather and upcoming summer shows.

The next stage for us is to decide on a suitable location ready for Jason at Sugar and Spice Photography to carry out yet another fantastic photo shoot.

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Rebuilding the 5 speed gearbox

March 7, 2017

Our 1967 Jaguar E-Type road race car will be fitted with a Rover SD1 5 speed gearbox.

The gearbox has been stripped, cleaned and repaired. We have sandblasted the steel casings and aqua blasted the alloy casings. The full set of bearings have been replaced as well as the bulk rings and selector forks.

The gearbox has been completely re-shimmed, rebuilt and all gaskets and seals have been replaced.

Getting started on the task at hand

March 6, 2017

It’s Monday morning and the first job for the team is to discuss the work for the week ahead.

With a workshop full of projects, all in various stages, the whole team are busy working separately across the projects.

Asa has taken control of the work to be carried out on the Aston Martin AMV8.

One of the tasks is to change the oil. We’ll be using a specialist oil which comes highly recommended across a lot of the Aston Martin forums.

Penrite HPR 15W-60 is recommended for use in modern 4, 6 & 8+ cylinder multi-cam, multi-valve (Including VVT), naturally aspirated, supercharged and turbocharged engines. It is recommended for use in petrol, light duty diesel engines (Non DPF) and LPG/Dual fuel systems.

HPR 15 exceeds the latest European ACEA A3/B4 and API SN/CF requirements, as well as many manufacturers’ specifications. API SN grade oils have 40% less wear, 40% less sludge and 30% less piston deposits than the previous SM grade oils. It can be used where ACEA A3/B3 is recommended and can also be used where previous API specifications SM (2004-10), SL (2001-04) and SJ are recommended.

HPR 15 features the Penrite EXTRA TEN in the oil’s SAE rating. This technology helps protect your engine by using a normal start up viscosity with an oil that has a higher operating temperature viscosity. This improves engine oil film strength, lowering frictional heat whilst providing an extra layer of anti wear protection over standard SAE grade oils, reducing engine wear in all driving conditions.

Craig is working on the TR7 body preparation today…

March 6, 2017

Due to our workloads, we have not been able to give our 1982 Triumph TR7 our undivided attention recently but that’s now changed as Craig has started working on the front area getting her ready for paint.

Although the previous owner had carried out an amazing £16,000 full ‘nut and bolt’ restoration, when it arrived with us we noticed small areas of micro-blistering starting to appear in the paintwork so we are now carrying out a full respray to get her looking amazing for the summer shows.

Aston Martin AMV8 arriving at Bridge Classic Cars

March 4, 2017

This morning we took delivery of our beautiful 1978 Aston Martin AMV8. And, of course, as you’d expect the heaven’s decide to open up just as Chris set off from the other side of Ipswich to bring her to us.

A few remedial jobs to do on the car to get her ready for the summer.

 

Mercedes 300TD the stripping continues…

March 2, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]More pictures from today as we continue to remove the external components of our 1984 Mercedes 300TD estate.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”10379,10380,10381,10382,10383,10384,10385″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Coming in next week – 1978 Aston Martin AMV8

March 2, 2017

Coming in to Bridge Classic Cars next week is a 1978 Aston Martin AMV8 Mk 4 saloon.

Having recently undergone a full gearbox rebuild the customer would like a number of remedial jobs to be carried out to get her ready for the Spring/Summer show season.

Looking stunning at Ipswich waterfront…

The first stages of our Jaguar E-Type in prime

March 1, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Here we have our 1967 Jaguar E-Type having been put through the first stages of primer. The first primer stage gives us a good visual to work to when finding the areas we now need to address.

Stage one of primer highlights certain areas that need extra work.

Once our thorough assessment takes place we then tidy up the areas in question before stripping back and reapplying a second coat of prime.

At this stage we like to think we are confident that the areas in question would have been corrected to an acceptable standard and only then will we consider applying the first coat of paint.

As you can see from the alignment images, the doors are spaced to an even 4mm around every edge and the bonnet is aligned to 5mm.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”10300,10301,10302,10303,10304,10305,10306,10307,10308,10309,10310,10311,10312,10313,10314,10315,10316,10317,10318,10319,10320,10321,10322,10323,10324,10325,10326,10327,10328,10329,10330,10331,10332,10333,10334″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Jaguar E-Type Carbs

March 1, 2017

The triple carbs are now completely refurbished and awaiting completion of the restoration of the manifold to allow the final fitting to the engine.

Mercedes 300TD starts to be stripped

March 1, 2017

We’ve started to strip our 1984 Mercedes 300TD today. The front end is our main concern so this is the first sections to be removed, that way we can fully assess the damage that will need to be addressed to the offside front caused by an accident on the Californian roads.

And the Gipsy heads off to Belgium

March 1, 2017

Today we bid farewell to our 1966 Austin Gipsy as she makes her way over to start a new life in Belgium.

Guy, the new owner, spends the majority of his time in the middle east for work but he intends to have the Gipsy fully restored locally to his home in Belgium.

Hopefully we’ll see some pictures of the progress but for now, this is the last time you’ll see this incredibly rare car on the Suffolk roads.

Polishing the dash surround and centre plates

March 1, 2017

We’ve been debating over the issue of whether to polish and re-chrome the dash of our 1949 MGYT. There was no question on whether to recover the leather as this was very much needed but the metalwork was debatable. It looked tired but were we about to open doors to more issues if we start to re-chrome the intricate shapes.

The centre piece has been painted brown at some time in it’s life so this could have been tidied up simply by re-painting.

We made the decision to remove the metalwork from the dash and do the job right. This means the edging strips and centre plate will now be re-chromed and polished so they can be fitted looking just as beautiful as the rest of the car.

Not all occasions require the chrome to be re-polished but we felt this was one occasion that deserved the treatment.

A temporary refit

March 1, 2017

With the chassis rebuild progressing very well it is time for us to temporarily refit the body to ensure all alignments are accurate. Whilst the body shell is in place Tommy will continue to work on the areas of the chassis that still require welding work but needed the body to be in position.

The new inner wheel arches will be measured and shaped whilst at this stage.

Once Tommy is 100% happy with the work carried out and he has ensured it all lines up, the body will then be removed once again.

At this stage, the chassis will then go on to our paint shop to be prepared and painted.

Jaguar E-Type Back Axle Rebuilt

March 1, 2017

Our 1967 Jaguar E-Type back axle cradle which houses the refurbished “Limited Slip Diff”, new discs,  calipers and stub axles.

As you can see, the unit has been totally stripped, blasted and repainted to compliment the refurbished and new parts fitted.

Getting the Jensen body ready to be refitted

February 28, 2017

The sun is shining over Bridge Classic Cars HQ and here we have our 1960 Jensen 541S bodyshell back in the workshop ready for it to be temporarily fitted to the chassis to ensure that all dimensions are accurate in looking perfect!

Repairing the Jensen 541S chassis

February 28, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We’ve managed to successfully tackle the main tasks of our 1960 Jensen 541S prototype chassis rebuild.

As you can see, we have had to replace one side of the chassis with new but we have managed to save certain areas of the other side which is great news.

The rear tube has also been replaced, this forms parts of the spring hangers and also holds the bumpers. We have also carried out extensive work on the strengthening bars.

We are still only a fraction of the way through the chassis build but the next task is to temporarily refit the body.

The body will need to be refitted to ensure everything lines up as it should. The inner arches also need to be fabricated but for these to be designed and built accurately the measurements are best to be taken with the body attached.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”10345,10346,10347,10348,10349,10350,10351,10352,10353,10354,10355,10356,10357,10358″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Repairing, Blasting and Painting the Hood

February 27, 2017

With the hood removed from the car we are planning to repair the areas that require attention. When this work is carried out we’ll clean up the entire frame to remove all grit, dirt and grime that has built up over the years before finishing in a beige.

Mercedes 300TD – Phase 1 begins

February 27, 2017

Work is now underway on our 1984 Mercedes 300TD. We first looked at the car back in October 2016 in a view to carrying out a sympathetic restoration. To freshen up the paintwork, improve the overall appearance and protect the exposed areas for many more miles and years to come.

As we reported back in October, the car is a US import, having spent the majority of it’s life in California. Whilst over in the states damage had occurred to the offside front which resulted in the wheel alignment not being right.

Our first job is to investigate the issues and to correct anything that needs rectifying. Once we are happy with this we’ll be able to concentrate on the rest of the bodywork and get her prepared ready for paint.

Here we have the very first pictures of the car arriving with us ready for the work to commence:

As part of phase 1. the Mexican TopHat wheels will also be fully refurbished; stripped back and powder coated.

The chrome work is in very good condition still.

Our objectives are to restore her to a standard that does not lose the character of the car. This vehicle has bags of personality and we want this to remain. Replacing all of the chrome with new, losing everything that shows off the age would be too much.

Once the body has been prepared and painted we will once again assess the finer detail; the chrome work, the plastics etc. A final decision will then be made as to whether to refit, replace or repair.

…The front grille will be replaced with new.

Jaguar E-Type 2+2 almost ready to be primed…

February 25, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It’s the last day of preparation as our 1967 Jaguar E-Type is scheduled to be primed on Monday morning.

Just two more small areas that we need to concentrate on before this can happen; the bonnet needs a final skim and the rear boot needs to be aligned.

If you are familiar with Jaguar E-Type’s yourself you’ll appreciate the difficulties that can be faced when trying to align the bonnet, doors and boot.

As you can see from the pictures, we are really happy with the results of our alignment.

We have based our measurements on allowing for a 4mm and 5mm alignment spacing throughout but once the primer and paint has been evenly applied this spacing will be evenly reduced.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”10261,10262,10263,10264,10265,10266,10267,10268,10269,10270,10271,10272,10273,10274,10275,10276,10277,10278,10279,10280″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Jaguar V12 E-Type at The London Classic Car Show

February 24, 2017

Was only last week we said goodbye to our 1972 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series III in Olympia, London and yet we’ve already bumped into her once again.

Here she is looking stunning at The London Classic Car Show.

Scroll through the official gallery here for highlights of the third London Classic Car Show including Historic Motorsport International, to see photos of the Grand Avenue, Ferrari Tribute Collection, Jacky Ickx Icon Collection, Supagard Theatre, Coys Auction, Concept Cars, Smart Buys with Classic Cars magazine and much more.

Final stages of body preparation on our 1967 Jaguar E-Type.

February 24, 2017

Here we have Carl and Ryan working on the final few areas of the body of our 1967 Jaguar E-Type 2+2. The next stage will be getting it ready for primer before the full black respray.

Strange that as soon as the camera comes out, Carl and Ryan seem to disappear, it’s like they have something to hide…

Work is now underway on our new offices and customer toilets

February 22, 2017

At the beginning of February 2017 Bridge Classic Cars took over the reigns of one of Ipswich’s longest running MOT and vehicle repair workshops.

MD Thorp has been occupying the site on Deben Road for many many years and over those years the premises has offered various different services.

As Derek Smalley on Facebook shared with us recently, he “used to live in Castle Rd, took my 1936 Morris 8 to have new king pins fitted for the new fangled MOT about 1963 at MDThorpe who l think where the Proprietors then where you are now ! Used to buy petrol of the forecourt on Norwich Rd at 2/6 (13p) a gallon, going back a bit now 😉. Bought it for £2 off a work colleague who needed the money for insurance on his new (old)car, a 1940’s Vauxhall?. Wish l still had tie old Morrie now, finished its life pushed in a farmers pond!”

In more recent years you may know the garage as Thorp’s Garage, run by Peter and Andy. Peter and Andy are contuing to work with us but Thorp’s Garage will now trading as Bridge MOT Centre.

It’s business as usual in the workshop but if you come up to see us you’ll see work is now underway on refurbishing the entire premises to give us the opportunity to give you much more.

Here we have the current toilets being ripped apart to make way for our new customer toilets.

And behind the scenes we’ll have two new offices too

 

Bridge Classic Cars are award winning Classic Car Restoration and Maintenance specialists. Your pride and joy is in safe hands with our expert Classic Car Technicians. Take a look at our awards here.

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