Craig Ranson

Managing Director โ€“ Bridge Classic Cars

Filler Work – Body Work Continues on the 1965 Porsche 912

The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on getting the body of the 1965 Porsche 912 currently in with us absolutely perfect before it goes into the paint booth.

Alan has been working on getting each and every panel just right with hours of sanding and manipulating each piece. One of the front wings had shown evidence of repairs in the past which had changed the shape of the panel quite drastically, so Alan removed this from the car and went through the process of shrinking the metal in very specific places along the panel to get it to fall back into the correct shape.

With that process completed, he could then begin refining the filler work needed to smooth out any surfaces on the classic Porsche.

Final Checks – Retorquing the Cylinder Head of the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda

The engine for the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda has begun its final phase of testing at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Suffolk.

As part of the process, after the engine has been run up to temperature and left to cool several times, the cylinder head on the 2.8-litre straight-six. This is retorqued in the correct sequences and settings to make sure that the newly rebuilt cylinder head is sitting flat and even to the top of the engine block and the gasket is fitting correctly.

With that done and rechecked, the testing of the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda can continue.

Behind The Scenes – Live Draw of the TAG Heuer Carrera & 1974 MGB GT

The night of the 17th of February 2022 was time for another of the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions live draws! This was the time to find out who the new winner of the TAG Heuer Carrera Watch and 1974 MGB GT.

As with our last few live draws, we invited several members for the East Coast Retros car club down to watch the draw from our brand new showroom facility at our Suffolk HQ along with a very special friend of Bridge Classic Cars, Karina (AKA Bike Like a Mum). As Hayley and Craig made their way around the selection of cars inside the new building and showed our live audience both in the building on the live stream around each of them.

After that, it was a quick walk through our restoration workshop to show some of the new projects currently being worked on by the Bridge Classic Cars technicians. Included in that was a look at our new paint and body preparation area and the move of our trim shop from downstairs to upstairs at our Pettistree workshop.

Then, it was back into the new building. Hayley and Craig managed to grab a couple of minutes with Karina to talk about her experiences going through the process of getting her motorcycle license and her history and connection to motorbikes which all lead up to the reveal that we will be doing some very exciting projects with Karina in the near future.

It was now time to find out the new owners for the TAG Heuer Carrera and the 1974 MGB GT. The MGB had sold out ahead of the draw with only a few tickets remaining on the watch. With the entry lists published ahead of time before the draw for everyone to have access to, Hayley and Craig went over to the laptop where all the pages were on stand-by. First up was the TAG, as Hayley input the numbers 1 and 2999 for the number generator to choose from – then with one click, the number 1146 appeared on the screen. Consulting the entry list, that ticket belonged to Ron Miele. The new owner of the brand new TAG Heuer Carrera.

Now, we could find out just who was about to get a phone call to let them know they had won the 1974 MGB GT. With the number generator reset. Hayley put the criteria of between 1 and 2999 before wishing everyone good luck. As the numbers whirred past, they landed on 1480. That particular ticket had been bought by Ian Calder. So, we decided to give him a ring and let him know the news. He was thrilled! So, the classic sports car will very soon be loaded into our enclosed transporter and be making its way to Ian for him to enjoy and drive.

Taken Apart – Removing the Radio and Sunroof on the 1986 Ford Capri

The workshop technicians at Bridge Classic Cars have been working alongside our trim team to remove some of the parts and pieces from the 1986 Ford Capri to be refurbished.

The team began by working on removing the sunroof out of the classic Ford sports car. The technicians had noted that the mechanism seemed to bind and not lay into the roof evenly or flat. Once removed and inspected, it was found that one of the arms which controls the tilt of the sunroof was broken and because of the piece not going into the roof straight, was scratching the piece. This has all been removed to be refurbished along with several pieces from the engine bay.

After this, our technicians turned their attention to the radio and wiring in the Capri. The technicians noted some issues with both the radio and the wiring so after cleaning up some of the previous changes done to the car, everything worked perfectly.

Refinishing – Working on the Decklid Sunroof and Trim of the 1986 Ford Capri Laser

The recently arrived 1986 Ford Capri Laser had had several body panels and trims removed from the car to be worked on by the Bridge Classic Cars teams.

The rear decklid, sunroof and under-bonnet pieces were all in need of refinishing. The paint and body team began by inspecting and preparing each of the panels separately for the classic Ford. The exterior pieces have faded and been damaged over time and needed to be stripped back and repainted to get the best finish possible to match the rest of the car.

The pieces from under the bonnet including the valve cover and manifold guard, have been finished in high-gloss black which has been done to match the rest of the engine bay.

Bodywork – Prepping the Doors, Boot and Quarter Panels of the 1956 Jensen 541

The 1956 Jensen 541 in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ has been being prepared bit by bit in the paint and body shop.

The doors, boot and quarter panels have all been carefully stripped back and prepared. Some of those parts have gone into our paint shop to have their first layers of primer put onto the panels. These pieces will then go back into the body shop to be refined and perfected.

Small Repairs – Repairing a Hole in the Seat of the 1970 Bristol 411

While the 1970 Bristol 411 is in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for the process of its left-hand-drive conversion, the trim team have removed the seats to perform a couple of repairs.

On the side panels of the seat, our team noted down a hole that had appeared at some point in the cars life. So, the trim team got to work repairing it. Brian, one of our trimmers, carefully removed part of the covering from the base in order to perform the repair.

Using a piece of calico and a tiny section of matching red leather, Brian managed to plug the hole perfectly and properly.

Seats and Ceilings – Foam and Panel Work on the 1955 Jensen 541

The trim team at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in our Suffolk HQ are working through the interior pieces and trims for the 1955 Jensen 541.

Brian, one of our trimmers, has been working on shaping and putting together the fitted rear seats for the 1950s GT car. Each part of these rear seats is made by hand by our trim shop in-house. Every car is unique so each interior we do for a Jensen is also unique and fit specifically for that car.

This 541 is no exception. The rear seats have had their foams cut and shaped by hand to get the best fit and finish possible for the interior of the classic Jensen. Along with that, Brian has also remade and trimmed the ceiling pad to match.

Filling the Gaps – Repairing the Dash on the 1986 Ford Capri Laser

The dash pad on the 1986 Ford Capri Laser currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is starting to show some cracks and splits, but our in-house trim team know what to do.

These types of cracks in classic Ford dashes are relatively common but thanks to the material they’re made from they can be filled and if not completely removed, very much lessened. This is the approach that our workshop and trim team have taken with the dash pad on our 1986 Ford Capri Laser.

Even just with some simple filler work, it already looks far better.

Early Rising – Collecting a 1968 MGC Roadster from the Port

In the latest Bridge Classic Cars film, join the team as they travel to the Port of Harwich to collect a very rare and sentimental 1968 MGC Roadster arriving from Germany and bring it all the way back to our Suffolk HQ.

If you haven’t already, remember to head over to our YouTube channel and like, comment and subscribe.

Every Fibre – Modifying the Dash and Centre Console of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars are on a mission to making sure the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona in with us for restoration is as close as possible to the real thing.

Part of that job is the fit and finish of the dash and centre console. Scott, one of our technicians, has been put in charge of modifying the fibreglass pieces that make up the dash and console fit perfectly and look authentic to the car it pays homage to.

Piece by piece, he has cut and reshaped the fibreglass to allow not only the tightest fit between individual components but follow the contours of the original using reference photos and videos to guide him. This being fibreglass, Scott has a certain amount of movement within the material to get it lining up and fitting just right before putting in filler pieces and strengthening the whole panel.

This process of reshaping and modifying the dash and console is not one to be taken lightly but crucial in the execution of the project as a whole.

Closer and Closer – Final Pieces of Body Preparation on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

The final process to get the 1987 Mercedes 500SL restoration ready for its first coats of paint has been completed by the Bridge Classic Cars body shop.

Mauro has been working on getting the last few pieces of the classic Mercedes ready for its date with the paint booth. Mauro has been meticulously going through the whole car piece by piece to make sure everything is in perfect shape before the first layers of final primer are laid onto the body and panels. This involved several hours of sanding in places with very limited access but needed to be done for the best finish possible.

Along with that, Mauro removed the final parts and pieces from the doors of the 500SL to be able to sand inside the doors so the paint shop can get the best finish possible inside and out.

We’re so excited to see the 1987 Mercedes 500SL finally go into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop for the first steps of its paint process.

Stopping Power – New Brake Master Cylinder Fitted to the 1929 Dodge Brothers DA

Bridge Classic Cars have finally received a crucial piece of the puzzle to getting the 1929 Dodge Brothers DA back on the road. A brand new brake master cylinder.

Paul, one of our technicians, fitted up the new master onto the car in replacement of the old one which had some leaks and wouldn’t allow us to bleed or adjust the brakes. So, with the new one now securely underneath the pre-war/pre-Chrysler Dodge the team could begin the task of bleeding and adjusting the brakes so this wonderful vintage tourer can hit the road again someday soon.

Keeping Cool – Fixing the Water Pump Bearing and Hoses on the 1954 MG TF

As part of the mechanical work on the 1954 MG TF currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, our technician began to look into the cooling system on the classic sports car.

Jon found the bearing for the water pump was incredibly noisy and had far too much movement, along with that he found several hoses split and perishing. So, all of these would need to be changed and the cooling system thoroughly flushed through and cleaned.

Jon worked on getting all of the new hoses to just the right size and orientation to work in the engine bay of the TF after he had replaced the bearing with a brand new piece. After that, the whole car was run up to temperature and checked thoroughly before being taken on road test.

From Scratch – Refurbishing the Soft Top on the 1978 MGB GT

The sunroof for the 1978 MGB GT is on the workbench of the trim shop here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ and it needs more work than first thought.

Lydia had been working on entirely refurbishing the soft top for the Blaze Orange MGB. As she began to disassemble the piece, the metal railings literally started to crumble in her hands. So, with that, she worked on getting everything broken down into its components and went to our fabrication department to make new rails for the soft top.

Once these had been made and given back to Lydia, she could start to put the refurbished soft top back together and safely put into storage for when our body team have finished the metal repairs on the sports car.

Support – Finishing the New Seat Bases for the 1955 Jensen 541

The front seats for the 1955 Jensen 541 are on the workbench in the in-house trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars.

Brian has been testing fitting each part of the seat bases to make sure everything lines up and fits just right. He then made new wooden cappings to go along with the new metal frames. Once the fit was just right, the new bases could then me covered in Calico before being placed and fitted into the fibreglass bucket seats.

This Just In – 1986 Ford Capri Laser

The latest arrival into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this 1986 Ford Capri Laser.

This car is currently undergoing its assessment by the various in-house teams to get this iconic classic Ford into the best shape possible.

Keep a lookout here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1986 Ford Capri.

Teaser – New Arrival in the New Building

There’s a cheeky new addition to the new building here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ.

It’s got bundles of character, a world of stories and so much personality that you can’t help but smile on your way past it.

More will be revealed very soon about this wonderful little Morris Minor.

The Light of Day – The 1977 MGB Roadster Project

Now that the aesthetic restoration of the 1977 MGB Roadster is complete, we thought we would pull the 1970s convertible out of the workshop and take some photos to show the work we’ve done on the car.

Every panel, piece and seam have been worked on by the teams here at Bridge and it really goes to show it on this car. Inside and out, we think this car looks absolutely fantastic.

Working Out the Details – Beginning the LHD Conversion of the 1970 Bristol 411

The workshop technicians at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the first steps into the left-hand drive conversion on the 1970 Bristol 411.

The technicians have been inspecting the engine bay and steering system on the classic British sports car to come up with a plan and evaluate the need for any new parts to be sourced or fabricated. Along with that, the technicians have also removed the original mechanical fuel pump from the V8 as part of its conversion.

The first step in the conversion is the removal of the original power-assisted steering system to be inspected on the workbench and researched.

First Fit – Test Fitting the Front Wing on the 1969 Bentley T1

The 1969 Bentley T1 currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ has had the first test fit of its new replacement front wing.

We managed to secure the only replacement front wing in the entire country for this car. This is a reproduction piece that Dave, our technician, has had to work on to get it roughly fitting onto the car. With it now in place hanging onto its mounts, the workshop can now see where it needs to be manipulated and reshaped in order to match up with the classic lines of the Bentley.

The original wing, as you may remember, was heavily damaged and after more inspection, it wasn’t salvageable to be reused on the project.

With this important point in the project, expect to see much more on the 1969 Bentley T1 very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Road Legal – The 1966 Jaguar MkII is Now Registered

Some of you may remember the 1966 Jaguar 3.8 MkII which was part of a consignment of cars that we received from South Africa. Well, it has now gone through the process is fully registered in the UK!

The classic Jaguar now sports its very own black and silver pressed number plates. So, with all the paperwork complete and the iconic classic plates in hand, our workshop fitted them onto the big Jag and we couldn’t help but take some photos of this legendary car. The MkII was a firm favourite with racers, the gentry, the police and the bank robbers.

We’re very lucky to have another one of these beautiful 4 door Jaguar saloons in our building once again. But, keep an eye out for what’s happening next on this amazing car…

One Step Closer – More Bodywork and Removing the Window Regulators on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

The body team at Bridge Classic Cars are continuing at full pace to get the 1987 Mercedes R107 500SL ready to head into the spray booth.

Mauro has been working on getting every single surface of the iconic grand tourer into perfect shape for our painters to lay down the first coats of ”Selenit Grau”. That is the new chosen colour of the 500SL, originally available on the 280SL Pagodas in the 1960s.

The body team have also worked on getting the window regulators and all brackets, hinges, door strikers etc off of the car and catalogued. Not only for assessment but also to gain access to the inside of the doors to prep them for their new colour.

It’s all moving ahead with the 1987 Mercedes 500SL, and we’re excited to show you the next phase of the restoration on this classic Mercedes.

Breathing Easy – Fitting the New Mangolite Air Filter to the 1970 Jaguar E Type Series 2 Coupe

The team at Bridge Classic Cars always like to see a familiar face. Just like this, the 1970 Jaguar E Type Series 2 Coupe which we did some work on last year.

This visit is for our workshop team to fit a new Mangoletsi air filter to the classic Jaguar. Now that the car could breathe a bit better, we had booked the car in with our friends over at Hangar 111 to get the E Type on their Rolling Road.

With the car safely strapped down, the team at Hangar 111 could work on getting the carburettors of the E Type perfectly set for the car.

Hush Hush – 2022 Williams FW44 at The Hush House

Williams F1 has just released their lastest 2022 season livery. Along with it looking absolutely brilliant, does the background look familiar? Well, this was shot in the hush house.

The old engine testing complex on the same site as our secure storage facility, The Hangar.

We shot our very own racing car in the same spot! The 1972 Chevron B20 Formula 2 racer last year for Collecting Cars.

Click the link below to watch our video for the Chevron B20 in the same place as the FW44.

https://youtu.be/sWOQ4Atlqp8

Moving Forward – Fabrication Work on the 1978 MGB GT Begins

The metalwork on the 1978 Blaze Orange MGB GT has begun!

All of the new panels and pieces have arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for the team to begin work on the classic 1970s sports car. Once all of the welding is complete on the car, it will then be turned over to our body shop to make sure every line and curve on the car is absolutely perfect.

There will be more updates on the 1978 Blaze Orange MGB GT very soon

The Start of Something Great – Work Begins on the 1970 Bristol 411

This 1970 Bristol 411 which has been stored at our secure storage facility, The Hangar, has been moved to our Pettistree workshop for work to begin on this amazing project.

This car was acquired by us for a customer based in Europe who has asked to carry out a series of works on the car including a left-hand drive conversion which we are getting asked more and more by clients if we can carry out. But before any of that work can begin, our teams will check the entire car over.

The first step is to get the car running. Our workshop technician have had to a light recommission of the to get it running and make sure that all the systems work correctly such as cooling and oiling. The technicians have reported that all was okay once the V8 had been run up to temperature and sat happily at temperature. The other piece that our workshop have completed is reinstating the chrome core support guard which carries the cars build plate, this is now safely back on the car for all to see.

This is going to be a very exciting project for the Bridge Classic Cars workshop on an amazing car.

This Just In – 1958 Morris Minor 1000

The latest arrival into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this stunning 1959 Morris Minor 1000.

The owner has asked us to go through the car for a series of jobs that need doing. Which include brakes, alignment, engine set-up and a full inspection before an MOT.

As part of that inspection, it will be looked at by the various in-house departments here at Bridge Classic Cars and reported on.

Expect to see more on this wonderful Morris Minor very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Behind The Scenes – Shooting the 1979 Triumph Spitfire

This is probably the best condition and best sounding Triumph Spitfire we have ever come across!

Our marketing manager, Freddie, absolutely fell in love with this car during the photoshoot and it’s easy to see how. Finished in a perfect shade of Inca Yellow, this 1979 Triumph Spitfire instantly stands out. The matching black wheels and interior just help to contrast the amazing condition of the paintwork on this car.

As Freddie drove it from our secure storage Hangar, he noticed the best part of the sports car. It’s upgraded sports exhaust. With the top down, even in the middle of winter, the noise was infectious. The Spitfire is a corner stone of the British sports car enthusiasm since its introduction in the early 1960s. The gearbox was precise and balanced, with the added benefit overdrive on the 3rd and 4th gears, making this car all the more useable.

And, it could be yours. Bridge Classic Cars Competitions wants you to have this very car. Head over to the Bridgew Classic Cars Competitions website to get your tickets!

www.bridgeclassiccarscompetitions.co.uk

Re-Do – Refinishing the Wheels on the 2005 Aston Martin DB9… Again.

The more that we looked at the wheels on the 2005 Aston Martin DB9, they just weren’t right. But that’s okay! So, we decided to get them refinished… again.

Now the wheels are back, refinished in a slightly glossier version of the original satin chrome. They look absolutely sensational. Like they were brand new but even better.

Now, its time to enjoy the DB9 again!