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Craig Ranson

Managing Director – Bridge Classic Cars

Jensen’s been dipped

May 19, 2022

Our Jensen Interceptor has returned having been chemically dipped. It was sent to Pro-Strip. The car arrived with us a few weeks ago completely stripped

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Delicate Work – Teardown of the Rear Seat Bases on the 1954 Bristol 405

May 30, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars are continuing their work on the interior of the 1954 Bristol 405 which is in for restoration by the team at our Suffolk HQ.

The trim team have been carefully dismantling the interior of the classic Bristol in order to inspect and assess its condition and a plan for its restoration.

Once the team had stripped back the entire piece, they could see the condition of the framework underneath and support brackets. While the wooden frames will need attention, the metal brackets were in good enough shape for the team to sandblast and paint them in gloss black to renew them for the project. The foam will also be replaced along with the coverings which are being catalogued and stored for reference later in the project.

Headed Home – 1985 Porsche 911 & 2007 Jaguar XKR Off to Their New Homes

May 27, 2022

The 2007 Jaguar XKR and 1985 Porsche 911 have left the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ bound for their new homes with their excited new owners.

The cars were collected and delivered straight to the doorsteps of the winners.

We want to wish both of them many happy miles and years with their dream classics.

Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the 1980 Supercharged Mini Van

May 27, 2022

Last night, Bridge Classic Cars went to find out who the lucky new owner of our 1980 Supercharged Mini Van was.

At 7PM live on our Facebook page, we welcomed our followers watching along to our competition build which houses all of our competition cars and a couple of our personal cars and finished restoration projects. To begin with, we began our live stream from the inside of our new 1993 Land Rover Defender 90.

Then, Hayley and Freddie took everyone around the various cars which are held inside the building at our Suffolk HQ. Including the beautiful Saffron Yellow 1973 Triumph TR6 and the 1972 Lotus Elan +2. Of course, we couldn’t miss out on the car everyone was there for, the 1980 Supercharged Mini Van.

After the look around, it was time to find out who the new owner of this tiny terror was. The competition had sold out the day before so the entry list, as with all of our entry lists, is pre-published on our website for all to see. With 4999 tickets, we fired up the Random Number Generator.

With the parameters set, with one click of a button the fate of the Mini was sealed.

Its new owner was Peter with ticket 4529.

The team will give the Mini its pre-delivery inspection and one final check over before it is delivered straight to Peter.

Check out the live draw below:

Taken Apart – Stripping Back the 1986 Daimler DS420

May 26, 2022

With the workshop team focusing their attention on the teardown of the 1986 Daimler DS420, the team have begun the process of stripping down the internals of the doors and the wiring in the classic Daimler.

The team began by removing the lights and trims of the car so as to disconnect the wiring to these particular pieces for the purpose of removing the wiring harness from the car. Once these pieces were clear, the team could turn their attention to removing the door jam mechanisms and bonnet/boot latches.

Stripped Back – Teardown of the 1954 Bristol 405 Interior Begins

May 26, 2022

The interior team at Bridge Classic Cars is starting the journey of stripping back the interior on the 1954 Bristol 405 as it begins its restoration across our various departments.

Brian, one of our trimmers, has been working on carefully picking apart the hundreds (if not thousands) of small brass tacks which hold the material to the frames of the classic Bristol seats. Inch by inch, the material is freed from its bindings and once it has been completely undone, it is folded and stored ready to be catalogued and stored for reference.

Once each piece is stripped back, the team can assess the condition of the foam and adhesives, also inspecting any of the delicate frameworks which make up the seats for the rare saloon car. Every single piece of the interior is being carefully looked at and noted to build up the best picture for the plan moving forward during the car’s restoration.

Inside Out – Raptorguard on the Inner Wings of the 1987 Daimler Double Six

May 26, 2022

The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have sealed the inner wings of the 1987 Daimler Double Six which is in for restoration.

The team sealed the inner wings using a product called Raptorguard. This is a hard wearing urethane which will protect the inner arches and wing of the car from absorbing moisture from any dirt collected inside the panel. This is something we do on most of our restorations to protect the longevity of the pieces and ultimately the car itself.

The Once Over – PDI and Work on the 1985 Porsche 911

May 26, 2022

The 1985 Porsche 911 has been in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop to have the last small bits and pieces done on the car before it is delivered to its new owner.

The workshop team have gone through the process of removing the original dust covers from the back of the brakes on the classic 911. These had corroded and begun to split, and are not a safety-related item for the car so the team have worked on getting them removed from the car. Replacement dust covers have been ordered and will be fitted to the car before it leaves our workshop bound for its new home.

Coming Soon – 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee

May 25, 2022

This 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee will soon be arriving at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.

Once it arrives, the team will carry out the full inspection and then… this may become our new tow vehicle!

Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates.

This Just In – 1962 Humber Hawk

May 24, 2022

A recent arrival at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop deep in the heart of Suffolk was this awesome 1962 Humber Hawk.

This particular classic Humber is owned by our painter Chris’s dad. Chris’s dad has owned the car since before Chris was born and was always destined to become a British street rod. In recent years, it lay dormant at a body shop awaiting its journey but it has now been moved to our site for the team here to keep an eye on it and keep it safe.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the Humber Hawks were popular with British hot rodders and drag racers alike. Fitting more powerful Rover V8s and occasionally the odd American small-block. With their styling akin to the ”shoebox” Chevys of the mid-1950s, they hold a certain appeal to those into nostalgic drag racing and street rodding here in the UK.

It’s always nice to see something different and with such a connection a member of our close-knit team.

Inspection – Assessing the 1986 Daimler DS420

May 24, 2022

The 1986 Daimler DS420, which arrived recently at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop from America, has been up on the ramp for our teams to begin inspecting and assessing the classic limousine.

As part of its inspection, the team will build up a report on the overall condition of the vehicle along with any areas which need further assessment and a plan for repair or refurbishment. This time, the team were focusing on the underside of the classic Daimler to make sure it was structurally sound and safe before any further work is carried out.

The team turned their attention to suspension pickups and mounts, sections of frame, substructure mounts as well as the all-important body shell sills.

The Suffolk Military Show

May 24, 2022

The Suffolk Military Show is set to become the best military event to visit within the East Anglian region. The family friendly 2 day extravaganza will showcase the very finest selection of static military vehicles, multi-period living history re-enactment, arena live stage entertainment, military and vintage traders market, and quality food stalls.

All the awesome stuff to make this a perfect day out. The County Show Ground known as Trinity Park has a ‘second to none’ road network for accessibility.

Whilst Suffolk remains a key area for international active military bases within the UK which boasts both a depth and wealth of military history. Purpose built for top quality events the show ground will provide a fantastic backdrop to the range of multi-period military exhibitors from all over the United Kingdom and Europe which will include British, German, Russian and American re-enactment groups.

The Show will be the newest and freshest in the Military Show Annual events calendar and contain everything from Heavy Military Vehicles, Spontaneous Re-enactment, Explosive Battles, period specific display and RAF flypast. Not to mention the stage performances and guest star appearances by Herr Flick and Helga from the iconic hit series ‘Allo, Allo’!

Displaying all eras from modern day warfare, to way back in history, the Suffolk Military Show will take you on a journey through military history. This Show will be the whole military package to experience.

In the traders market place, a large range of goodies and charity stands will provide an interesting variety of shopping.  The military merchandise on offer will provide you with great deals and information, whilst a comprehensive offering of local catering stands, fresh coffee, snacks, soft drinks, ice cream and a licensed bar will be easily to hand. Taking the hassle out of your day, the Suffolk Military Show also includes added extras to make your experience even more enjoyable; free on-site parking, lost children point, disabled access, informative show commentary, show programme and opportunities to meet the guest stars.

Offering fun for all the family, the Suffolk Military Show will take place at on Saturday 30th (09.00-17.00) and Sunday 31st July (10.00-16.00) 2022 at the Suffolk Show Ground, Trinity Park, Felixstowe Road Ipswich IP3 8UH. Tickets available to purchase now.

ALLO ALLO’S HERR FLICK & HELGA

Pay attention peasants! Herr Flick and Helga (the real ones!) are available for you to meet at The Suffolk Military Show 2022.

Kim Hartman and Richard Gibson are best known for playing Herr Flick and Helga in the wonderfully popular ‘Allo! ‘Allo! throughout the world, which, all though finished filming in 1992, is still highly regarded as one of the best British sitcoms ever!

For The Suffolk Military Show, Richard and Kim will be attending on both show days and will be showcasing on our main stage a 25-minute sketch, with laughter, music and magic, followed by question-and-answer sessions and anecdotes around the making of the series and the artists’ experiences in the entertainment world.

Kim and Richard will also make themselves available to be photographed in costume with members of the public.

Winners Circle – Our 1989 TVR S2 at Home with its New Owner

May 23, 2022

The 1989 TVR S2, which was donated by previous winner Jar Joyce, has been delivered to its new owner Brian Swain.

This classic TVR was donated by Jar back to Bridge Classic Cars Competitions to help support the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. Through everyone’s kindness and generosity, we managed to raise over £38,000 which was donated weekly directly to the DEC in order to help those first-hand affected by the invasion and subsequent destruction and displacement.

All of us here wish Brian many happy miles and years with the classic TVR and again, thank you to everyone for taking part in this amazing charity appeal.

This Just In – 1993 Land Rover Defender 90

May 23, 2022

Recently, this imposing 1993 Land Rover Defender 90 arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ.

The classic Land Rover will soon be headed through our various restoration workshops and their teams to be completely inspected and assessed aesthetically and mechanically. The Land Rover has had some tasteful and well-installed upgrades to modernise the 1990s off-roader that set it apart from its rivals.

Keep a look out here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates very soon on the 1993 Land Rover Defender 90.

Out & About – Cars & Caffeine at Type 2 Detectives

May 23, 2022

Our friend Mark headed over to air-cooled Volkswagen specialists, Type 2 Detectives, over the weekend for their Cars & Caffeine event.

The guys over at Type 2 Detectives opened their doors to friends and visitors on Sunday for a meet up of not just Volkswagens but Porsches, BMWs, Lotus and many many more. Type 2 Detectives are known for their sensational builds specialising in classic air-cooled Volkswagen’s and it’s always a pleasure to see their work and the pride they take in it!

Check Over – Coltec Inspecting the 1940 Morris Gun Tractor

May 23, 2022

Our friends at Coltec came over to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ to inspect and assess the engine for the 1940 Morris Gun Tractor.

The engine is reportedly running rough and has a few issues so we invited Coltec to come and cast their expert eyes and ears over the classic military transporter.

They will be coming back again soon to carry out a few more tests and try to get to the bottom of the issues which are affecting the classic Morris.

Full Glass – Fibreglass Repairs on the 1956 Jensen 541

May 23, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars body team have turned their attention to some all-important fibreglass repairs to the rear section of the 1956 Jensen 541.

The entire rear clamshell of the classic Jensen had developed a few issues with the material, so the body team carefully re-glassed the area in order to strengthen the piece and add material in for correcting the shape of the piece.

With fibreglass, its important the layers are built up flat and evenly to make sure it perfectly followed the shape of the panel underneath but also around the area.

This Just In – 2013 Porsche Boxster

May 23, 2022

The stunning 2013 Porsche Boxster has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars for our paint and body teams to work their magic on the modern sports car.

The Boxster has got some very minor stone chipping and a few blemishes in its otherwise flawless paintwork which the team will be addressing.

Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 2013 Porsche Boxster.

Final Pieces – Replacing the Wiper Motor and Repairing the Rear Cover of the 1980 Porsche 924 Turbo

May 20, 2022

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the classic 1980 Porsche 924 Turbo.

The first job was to fit the new replacement wiper motor under the scuttle panel. The team carefully undid and removed the mechanism and then pulled the old motor out of the car to check against the new piece. With the piece verified, the team could then work in reverse getting the new motor hooked up and in the car.

Then, the team turned their attention to the rear boot cover. This piece retracts and rolls up normally, but it had developed a bind which caused it to not roll back into the cartridge. Our technician Jon carefully took apart the piece to free it and then carefully reloaded the cover into the cartridge and put it back into the car where when tested worked correctly multiple times over without hesitation.

Pulled Apart – Removing the Door Cards of the 1986 Daimler DS420

May 20, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim team have been working on the doors of the 1986 Daimler DS420 which arrived into our workshop from the USA recently.

The doors are being carefully taken apart so the panels themselves can be repainted. This involved the careful cataloguing and noting of each individual piece that came off the door from the small screw head cover to the large leather wrapped panels. The doors will then be taken into our paint and body team who will carry out a full assessment and then get to work on making the doors of the classic Daimler limo matching the rest of the car.

Back to Basics – Stripping Back the Seats of the 1955 Jensen 541

May 20, 2022

The interior team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked their way through the teardown of the front seats on the 1955 Jensen 541

With the seats in such a delicate condition, the team had to approach this task with a meticulous and thorough approach to get the classic Jensen’s bucket seats stripped all the way back to the fibreglass cores. The team made careful note of every fixing location and took detailed measurements and notes for the seats reconstruction later down the line.

Taken Apart – Stripping Back the Hood Frame of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible

May 20, 2022

The interior trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have carefully stripped back the convertible hood frame for the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible.

This piece has been carefully taken apart for the interior team to inspect and assess the hood and trim itself but also for the frame to be sent away for media-blasting.

The team unpicked each seam and fold to remove the hood as intact as possible and also so they could gain access to the wooden spars. Most importantly, the front wood beam which the team noticed was damaged. Once they have had a chance to inspect and assess just just damaged it is, they can begin to work on getting the hood pieces ready for the frame to come back.

Mounted – Securing the New Power Steering Pump on the 1970 Bristol 411

May 20, 2022

The restoration team in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ have begun to fix the position of the new Power Assisted Steering Pump as part of the carts left-hand drive conversion by our workshop.

With the pump in place, the team could begin to inspect and assess the areas around the pump to make sure that the all-important belt isn’t interfered with or is in the way of anything else. For this, the team have made a custom set of brackets to hold the pump on the engine and perfectly in line with the other pulleys which will drive it.

Jensen’s been dipped

May 19, 2022

Our Jensen Interceptor has returned having been chemically dipped. It was sent to Pro-Strip. The car arrived with us a few weeks ago completely stripped as a stalled restoration. We will now embark of the re-installation of all metalwork to produce a concours car.

Continual development of our Bristol LHD conversion

May 19, 2022

More images have made their way over to Gary and the guys at Re-Go Autoparts as we continue with the development works on our 1970 Bristol 411. Faced with a lot of challenges so far, Gary has been paramount at assisting with our needs and working alongside us to achieve the desired outcome.

A brief history of Re-Go Autoparts – established in 1985, Rego Autoparts is synonymous with high-quality remanufactured steering components. The Lenco brand carried by the owners of Rego Autoparts has been trading since the 1970’s.

Specialists in the left-hand-drive market, Lenco has comprehensive catalogues listing models of every car manufacturer from Alfa to Volvo, for steering racks, steering boxes and steering pumps.

Lenco is a Certified TecDoc Data Supplier. Since 2004 we have continued to uphold the standards for ISO9001 with incorporation of TS16949, ISO14001 and ISO18001.

Lenco reconditions steering components made by all O-E-manufacturers, e.g. TRW, Koyo, Saginaw, ZF, SMI, Mando, Atsugi, Hitachi, Young-Shin etc.

Specializing in supply to large distributors who in turn service buying groups, wholesalers and garages, Lenco has an extensive range of reconditioned stock in mainland Europe enabling supply of orders quickly and efficiently.

Lenco has a vast stock of ‘old core’ units covering the majority of its catalogue applications, enabling us to supply rare and high-demand applications without hassle. In the unlikely event that we do not have an old unit to recondition, we can recondition the customer’s unit.

Lenco has remanufacturing facilities in the UK and Belgium. In addition to the factories there is a logistics warehouse in Belgium handling the stock and distribution of the combined factory outputs.

Every unit produced by the factories is tested and warranted with a 2-year unlimited mileage.

Pre 60’s Vehicle Run and Gathering – Sunday 22nd May 2022

May 19, 2022

Bridge Classic Cars are very pleased to welcome The Long Shop Museum for their Pre 60’s Vehicle Run and Gathering this Sunday.

Starting from the Bridge Classic Cars Hangar at RAF Bentwaters, Rendlesham, IP122TW, the run will take in a circular route with a half way halt at the Long Shop Museum, Leiston, IP164ES.

Light refreshments and cakes will be available from Carmello’s Coffee before the run begins.

Open to all classes of Pre 60’s vehicles, both running and static!

Vehicles will be arriving from 8am with the run commencing around 10am.

Whether you wish to participate or spectate we very much look forward to seeing you all.

Route information below:

Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the 1985 Porsche 911, TAG Heuer Carrera & 2007 Jaguar XKR at Beach Street Felixstowe

May 19, 2022

With the weather getting better and better, the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions team decided to change things up a little bit. For this, we took our latest competition cars down to Beach Street in Felixstowe to find out who the lucky winners were of our amazing 1985 Porsche 911, TAG Heuer Carrera and the 2007 Jaguar XKR.

The setting was perfect by the coast as the late spring sun began to move back towards the horizon. The team set up the cars ready to show everyone online and everyone at Beach Street to look around, including a newly launched 1980 supercharged Mini Van.

After the usual walk around, it was time to find out who’s lucky day it really was. The team input the numbers for the Google Random Number Generator to choose from and then with a single click, it was done.

The winners:

  • 1985 Porsche 911 – Gareth Evans with Ticket Number 4541
  • 2007 Jaguar XKR – William Pearson with Ticket Number 3102
  • TAG Heuer Carrera – Andrew Parry with Ticket Number 2367

It was a brilliant evening for all and we, at Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, want to say a big thank you to Beach Street Felixstowe for inviting us down and we cannot wait to come back soon!

To rewatch the live draw, please see below:

1986 Daimler DS420: London-Los Angeles-Suffolk

May 18, 2022

They said it themselves; Vintage Car Collector with their ever growing inventory impresses everyone from professional and serious car collectors to beginners. Their digital presence attracts car enthusiasts and professionals alike every day.

And that is true of our journey with them so far. A few months back a good friend of Bridge Classic Cars was drawn to a beautiful 1986 Daimler DS420 on offer over in California.

We hastily reached out to the guys and girls at Vintage Car Collector and no sooner had we done that were we informed that the car had left the US and was making it’s way over to us here in sunny Suffolk.

Description from Vintage Car Collector: “The Daimler DS420, also known as the Daimler Limousine, is a limousine made by The Daimler Company Limited between 1968 and 1992. The car was designed for official use and it was popular with chauffeur services, hoteliers and undertakers. It was used as an official state car in many countries. No other limousine model has been delivered to more reigning monarchs than the DS420, and the car is still used by the royal houses of the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, and Luxembourg.

Originally, the cars were built at the Vanden Plas works in Kingsbury Lane, London, from body shells made by Park Sheet Metal Company, assembling panels supplied by Motor Panels of Coventry, and by Pressed Steel Fisher. Early limousines bore the “Daimler Vanden Plas” designation on tread plates and workshop manuals. The Kingsbury plant was closed in 1979 and production moved to Jaguar in Coventry, where it continued until 1992. The move to Coventry also brought the second and most extensive face lift in the car’s life, when larger bumpers and a revised rear number-plate frame were fitted.

The DS420 had a fascia very similar to contemporary Mark X and 420G Jaguars retaining the old-fashioned steering column and pencil-thin steering wheel. Two cars were built in landaulette bodywork by the factory. Apparently neither have survived

• CLEAN TITLE 
• ODOMETER SHOWS 58,261 MILES 
• 6 CYL. ENGINE 
• AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 
• 90% TIRE TREAD 
• NICE CHROME AND INTERIOR 
• MAINLY USED FOR WEEKEND DRIVES 
• WELL MAINTAINED, GARAGE KEPT 
• RUNS AND DRIVES

On Tuesday 17th May we received the exciting call from Schumacher Cargo Logistics to confirm the safe arrival of our Daimler to Felixstowe.

Gordon, John and Dave set off to Felixstowe with a handful of tools, jump leads and fuel but unfortunately a big fuel leak hindered their plans for a successful drive down the A14.

Not to worry, the car is now back in our workshops ready to start it’s exciting new adventure here in the UK. Welcome home!!

Rickinghall Classic Car Meet, Autojumble, Swap Meet & Car Boot

May 18, 2022

Rickinghall Classic Car Meet, Autojumble, Swap Meet & Car Boot at Rickinghall Village Hall, Suffolk, IP22 1HD.

On the second Saturday of the month starting on 14th May 2022. Set up from 8am. Ends at 12:30pm.

Trunk trading from the back classics encouraged.

Farmers Market and catering.

If you would like to know anything else, give Dave Juniper a call on 07806437722

Rickinghall Classic Car Meet, Autojumble, Swap Meet & Car Boot

May 18, 2022

Rickinghall Classic Car Meet, Autojumble, Swap Meet & Car Boot at Rickinghall Village Hall, Suffolk, IP22 1HD.

On the second Saturday of the month starting on 14th May 2022. Set up from 8am. Ends at 12:30pm.

Trunk trading from the back classics encouraged.

Farmers Market and catering.

If you would like to know anything else, give Dave Juniper a call on 07806437722

Rickinghall Classic Car Meet, Autojumble, Swap Meet & Car Boot

May 18, 2022

Rickinghall Classic Car Meet, Autojumble, Swap Meet & Car Boot at Rickinghall Village Hall, Suffolk, IP22 1HD.

On the second Saturday of the month starting on 14th May 2022. Set up from 8am. Ends at 12:30pm.

Trunk trading from the back classics encouraged.

Farmers Market and catering.

If you would like to know anything else, give Dave Juniper a call on 07806437722

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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