Managing Director – Bridge Classic Cars
Our friend, SuffolkandFast, shared this a little while ago and it got us feeling all nostalgic about our 1967 Jaguar E Type Series 1 Racer
Our recent 1976 Mercedes 350SL was featured on the Mercedes Benz Classic Facebook page as part of our draw for this car! Always nice to
The 1969 Bentley T1 is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for our in-house restoration technician, Dave, to begin work on the rust repairs
Brian, our master in-house trimmer here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been working on the next phase of the interior of the 1977 MGB Roadster.
The 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ has hit a milestone! The engine and gearbox are now
With the dawn of a new year comes time for a change. At Bridge Classic Cars, we are moving around the layout of our Suffolk
Friend of Bridge Classic Cars, Stephen Norman has announced his retirement from the Stellantis Group after 45 years in the automotive industry. He is the
The very rare and unique 1969 Audi 70L is now safe and sound at the Bridge Classic Cars secure storage facility, The Hangar. Once it
Our in-house technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars have been methodically working through the beautiful straight-six and gearbox of the 1969 Mercedes 280SL to get
The 1977 MGB Roadster which is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for restoration has begun the first phase of its interior installation. The
Bridge Classic Cars Competitions thought you might like to know a bit of the back story on our 1959 MGA Twin Cam that is currently
The annual Ipswich to Felixstowe Classic Vehicle Rally is going ahead this year! Last year, due to Covid19, it had to be cancelled. But this
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint and body team have been working on stripping down the 1969 Bentley T1. What they’ve found isn’t looking good.
This morning, Bridge Classic Cars collected its latest project. A beautiful 1965 Porsche 912 will be heading into our Suffolk HQ to be assessed and
It was a cold and damp January morning as the 1959 MGA Twin Cam fired into life outside the Bridge Classic Cars hangar. As the
The wheels for the 2005 Aston Martin DB9 have come back from refurbished by the guys over at WheelWorx. The wheels for the DB9, which
Over the weekend, Bridge Classic Cars have had a very special delivery to our Suffolk HQ. A sealed shipping container was dropped off, which inside
Mauro, one of the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, has been working on getting the Blaze Orange MGB GT stripped down for assessment by
The 1977 MGB Roadster currently undergoing restoration at Bridge Classic Cars has had a couple of its finishing details put on the car before it
The arches of the 1987 Daimler Double Six are in need of some TLC. So, with the car in the hands of our in-house fabrication
It’s always a lovely sight to see our previous projects out in the world. An example of this is the 1967 Austin Mini 850 owned
A while ago, we said goodbye to the beautiful Jensen 541. It was sold as a project to its very lucky new owner who plans
Brian, our lead in-house trimmer, has been working on retrimming and strengthening the sunroof surround of the Blaze Orange MGB GT. Brian has completely stripped
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration team have been getting the 1973 MGB GT V8 in our workshop ready to be driven. And one of
Dave, our senior technician at Bridge Classic Cars, has been working on the 1934 MG PA. The latest job is to fit a new temperature
While Paul was working on rebuilding the rear drums of the 1977 MGB Roadster, the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop have also been working
The in-house paint shop at Bridge Classic Cars has always got something in the state of the art spray booth. This time, it’s some of
Paul, one of the in-house restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been working on the list of jobs to do on the 1977
Last night, 27th January 2022, Bridge Classic Cars welcomed the first-ever live studio audience to one of our Bridge Classic Cars Competitions live draws. This
Our friend, SuffolkandFast, shared this a little while ago and it got us feeling all nostalgic about our 1967 Jaguar E Type Series 1 Racer that we built in house.
Mike drove the racer for the photo and video shoot of the car. We at Bridge Classic Cars are massively proud of this project which was entirely built by our amazing in-house team from the ground up. To watch the video that we made to go along with the car, just click on the video below.
Our recent 1976 Mercedes 350SL was featured on the Mercedes Benz Classic Facebook page as part of our draw for this car!
Always nice to see it being shared out there in the wider world.
The 1969 Bentley T1 is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for our in-house restoration technician, Dave, to begin work on the rust repairs of this classic Bentley.
The state of the body on the Bentley wasn’t in the best shape once our in-house paint and body team took the car all the back to bare metal. Evidence of poor repairs and work done to the car which did not have the best interest or, the longevity of the car in mind.
So, it’s time to sort the T1 out properly. Dave is one of our most experienced technicians and fabricators. He is beginning by sorting out the front sills for the Bentley. These are crucial for the strength and rigidity of the car which our team can then work off of when tackling other areas.
With this process started in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, keep a look out on the News Page for more updates soon on the 1969 Bentley T1 restoration.
Brian, our master in-house trimmer here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been working on the next phase of the interior of the 1977 MGB Roadster.
The rear was the first port of call for Brian on the journey of getting the interior complete. The rear bulkhead panels and carpet had to be put in place before moving forward. Brian had to retrim a few of the pieces from the carpet kit as they were oversized, the fit and finish on the Roadster has to be 100% right which is the standard of all Bridge Classic Cars interiors.
Brian also had to fabricate and modify some panels to take into account the rear speakers. Carefully, Brian made a template for the speaker grille and cut it out of black perforated steel which will sit behind the quarter panels, now with their hand-cut and finished openings for the speakers.
With the rear bulkhead trimmed, Brian could then start fitting the base panels which have been trimmed in match black carpet. Then the flooring could be laid and glued down into the classic 1970s roadster. Each piece was first offered up by Brian and if the fit wasn’t right, using his huge experience and skill, it could be trimmed to get the perfect fit for the car.
The work is progressing quickly on the 1977 MGB Roadster in with Bridge Classic Cars so keep an eye out here on the News Page for more updates on this fantastic little sports car.
The 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ has hit a milestone! The engine and gearbox are now safely and securely in the car.
Jon and Paul have been working on the car for the past few days preparing everything for this moment. Carefully, the engine and gearbox were lowered into the nose of this iconic Mercedes sports car. The technicians lowered it inch by inch into the car, checking all the way that it wouldn’t snag or catch on anything. Thanks to the hard work and diligence of our technician Jon in prepping the engine bay, it all went in without a hitch.
With the engine and gearbox firmly in place by our in-house team, Jon could begin getting the wiring and the rest of the pipework all in place and ready to go. Then, the team begin the slow and important task of getting fluids into the new engine for its first start up very soon.
With the dawn of a new year comes time for a change. At Bridge Classic Cars, we are moving around the layout of our Suffolk HQ. But, only upstairs…
Upstairs, along with our offices, is our extensive stores/parts department. This is where all of the spare parts or customer parts are carefully stored away in sections for easy access by our technicians and parts staff. With the next phase of the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, the trim shop (located downstairs) is being moved upstairs and the stores will be in the workshop above the bench of the individual technician working on a specific car.
So, with that plan in place, the team at Bridge Classic Cars have had to carefully move each individual component and piece off the racking and onto the new racking downstairs. Once everything was downstairs and in place for the projects we have currently in for various work, the team could then begin removing the old racks and making the space ready for the new trim shop.
Along with the trim shop, there is a new assembly area upstairs for special projects and a slight change in layout allows for a new, more streamlined spares department.
We can’t wait to show you the new in-house trim shop once the move is completed!
Friend of Bridge Classic Cars, Stephen Norman has announced his retirement from the Stellantis Group after 45 years in the automotive industry.
He is the head of the team attributed with saving Vauxhall. But his career began at British-Leyland and saw spells are Renault and Volkswagen.
We have cared for several of Stephen’s cars over the years and we wish him all the best in future.
The very rare and unique 1969 Audi 70L is now safe and sound at the Bridge Classic Cars secure storage facility, The Hangar.
Once it arrived, the next day the car received a full valet inside and out. The car will then be kept at the storage facility while it is awaiting its slot in our restoration workshop at Pettistree. Until then, we all continue to monitor the car, collecting parts we need and look into the history of this wonderful piece of UK Audi history.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page and social media channels for updates on the 1969 Audi 70L.
Our in-house technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars have been methodically working through the beautiful straight-six and gearbox of the 1969 Mercedes 280SL to get it ready to go back in the car.
Jon and Paul, our two in-house restoration technicians have painstakingly rerun every hose and wire that belongs to the engine and gearbox before it goes back into the engine bay of this iconic convertible. Using reference photos and catalogues made at the beginning of the project, the technicians were able to retrace each and every step to make sure that nothing has been missed off the engine.
Now with this complete and the gearbox attached to the back of the block, the guys will prepare the engine bay for the installation in the next couple of days. Ensuring that no hoses or metal lines are in the way which could be damaged during the installation.
Keep your eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for updates very soon on the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda.
The 1977 MGB Roadster which is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for restoration has begun the first phase of its interior installation.
The classic 1970s has been handed over to our in-house head trimmer Brian, to begin work on the new interior of the car. The first step is to fit the new cabin sound deadening kit into the car. With Brian’s many years of experience in automotive trim work, he knows the best steps to take into making sure that all the panels fit perfectly from the very first layer being laid into the car.
Using the best quality sound deadening material, Brian began at the rear of the car. Panel by panel he worked his way from the rear of seats all the way to the very edge of the toeboards under the dash.
With these crucial pieces in place, Brian could then begin getting the beautiful black carpet pieces into the corners of the car and covering the transmission tunnel.
This is the first step in getting the brand new interior of the 1977 MGB Roadster back in by our in-house restoration team.
Bridge Classic Cars Competitions thought you might like to know a bit of the back story on our 1959 MGA Twin Cam that is currently live and waiting to be won!The 1959 MGA Twin Cam ”XLE 40” was first owned by the son of world famous composer, Annunzio Paolo Mantovani. Kenneth had ordered the car in the late 1950s and in the period it had been used in several sprints and races to some success. In 1963, Mantovani put the car up for sale in order to fund his new car, an Austin Healy 3000. He later went on to say that he preferred the handling of the MGA Twin Cam to the big Austin Healey.
After Mantovani owned the car, it was then in the care of Jo Krygier of Birmingham who owned and ran the car until 1965. At this point, the owner decided the car need a refresh. This is where the story of XLE 40, our 1959 MGA Twin Cam really begins.
About 3/4 of the way through XLE 40’s refresh in the mid-1960s, it was bought by Roger Andreason. For those who are into classic and vintage motorsport, you will know that Roger Andreason was the managing director of Chevron Cars from 1983. But before then, he used to club race. With this, his 1959 MGA Twin Cam ”XLE 40”.Roger set about creating a serious club racer out of XLE 40. Gathering all manner of hard to find spares and pieces to finish off its mechanical refresh. From there, it was to the track.
A newspaper clipping included in the cars history file from 1968 says:”On lap four they [race leaders] were joined by Roger Andreason in his twin-cam M.G.A. By completely mastering the tricky double apex of Camp Corner, Andreason managed to get a classical fast exit from the bend each time round, which brought him closer to, and then by the side of his opponents.”
But it wasn’t just here in England the car was raced during its 50-year life through Roger and then his son Chris. There are stories of XLE 40 racing in Europe and in Florida. A true racer at heart, the MGA Twin Cam was the perfect car for the job.
After its life of racing and the unfortunate and sad passing of Roger, his son Chris commissioned the car to be restored back to its original condition which is how you see the car today. Only its beautifully louvred bonnet gives any hint to its competition past. The restoration of the car was handled by a team from the original TVR factory who painstakingly worked the car back to its original specs. The only things not standard is the front grille (which is the same grille it wore throughout its racing career)and the rear lights.
Bridge Classic Cars Competitions want to give one lucky winner the chance to own this incredible piece of history. A beautiful and mechanically exceptional example of the MGA Twin Cam but add on to that the history and the story which is engrained into the very metal of its being.
Could you be the next chapter of this car’s amazing story? Head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions and enter now for your chance to become part of the history of XLE 40. The 1959 MGA Twin Cam.
The annual Ipswich to Felixstowe Classic Vehicle Rally is going ahead this year!
Last year, due to Covid19, it had to be cancelled. But this year, the organisers have said it is going ahead.
Also, if you notice the second car in the photo? Yes, that is indeed our 1970 Bristol 411.
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint and body team have been working on stripping down the 1969 Bentley T1. What they’ve found isn’t looking good.
The Bentley is showing signs of several repairs which did not have the cars best interest in mind. So, with this, Chris began diving deeper into the car to come up with a plan on how to best get this beautiful classic Bentley back into the best shape possible befitting a car of its standing.
Chris has meticulously and cautiously stripped back all of the paint on every single body panel to find every piece of sub-par previous work on the car. That way, moving forward the car can be repaired and restored correctly and last another 50+ years.
Whilst the body has been being worked on, Chris and Alan had some of the other panels and pieces for the Bentley inside the spray booth after perfecting them on the sanding tables. They are now shot in hard-wearing and durable modern epoxy primer.
Bridge Classic Cars ensure that during one of our restorations, the cars best interest is kept at the forefront of our work. So, keep a lookout here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1969 Bentley T1.
This morning, Bridge Classic Cars collected its latest project. A beautiful 1965 Porsche 912 will be heading into our Suffolk HQ to be assessed and worked on by our in-house restoration teams.
Tom and Nick headed to the Suffolk/Essex borders to collect the car in our enclosed transporter for its journey back to the workshop. The sun was sharp and bright which only added to the beauty of the car as it sat dormant in the shed. So, it was the perfect opportunity to show you the care and attention we give to every car that Bridge Classic Cars transports and to take you behind the scenes of a make and model we are seeing more and more of.
This car is being worked on by ourselves on behalf of our friend Garry and noted Porsche specialist Howard Watts. We’re excited to play our role in the project of getting the 912 to look its absolute best for the project.
The car was carefully moved out and into position behind the transporter before inch-by-inch moving forward into its temporary shelter.
Once the 912 arrived back at our Pettistree workshop, it was unloaded ready for its inspection by our paint and body team. From there, it will be worked on, perfected and then finished in a stunning dark red.
We cannot wait to show you the progress that the in-house team at Bridge Classic Cars makes on the 1965 Porsche 912. So, make sure you keep a lookout here on our News Page and also on our Social Media pages.
It was a cold and damp January morning as the 1959 MGA Twin Cam fired into life outside the Bridge Classic Cars hangar. As the 1600cc 4 cylinder thumped away to warm up, the Bridge Classic Cars team got ready to capture just how beautiful this little sports car really was.
As Freddie got his camera gear ready to film, Nick gave Hayley the rundown on the car. The engine was snappy and responsive and this car had disc brakes all around. That was the only thing that our presenter needed to know because it was about as perfect as an MGA Twin Cam can be.
Hayley got in the bright blue, low slung sports car. And with a simple push forward on the gearstick, it slipped straight into 1st. The car began rolling down the runway towards our filming location with the camera car in hot pursuit. The now 62-year-old ex-race car wanted to stretch its legs…
Once the convoy had reached the outskirts of the airbase, the team went through the plan. All the while, the B series engine sat there idling perfectly. Throughout the whole time, it never missed a beat. It put the biggest smile on Hayley’s face despite the sub-zero temperature.
From every angle, the car looked fast. It had grace, it had presence and it had a purpose. The dark, black, all business interior just went further to compliment the stunning pale blue exterior in the mid-winter sun.
And best of all? You could win this very car. Just head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website for your chance to be part of the next chapter in our 1959 MGA Twin Cam’s story.
The wheels for the 2005 Aston Martin DB9 have come back from refurbished by the guys over at WheelWorx.
The wheels for the DB9, which belongs to our Director Craig, have made their way back to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop to be fitted by WheelWorx master tech, Jamie. The wheels have been finished in a smoke grey, high shine finish to add a new look to the overall feel of this stunning Aston Martin GT car. Bridge Classic Cars have worked closely with the guys at WheelWorx for many years on projects that require wheel refurbishment or refinishing.
Now that the wheels are back onto the car, the DB9 will be cleaned and put away into storage until better weather.
Over the weekend, Bridge Classic Cars have had a very special delivery to our Suffolk HQ.
A sealed shipping container was dropped off, which inside held a pair of exceptional classics that we have been waiting a few months for.
Inside the container is a beautiful Sunbeam Rapier and an immaculate Lotus Elan Sprint. Both finished in bright, shining red. Over the coming weeks, these cars will find their way into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for our in-house restoration teams to inspect and assess.
Mauro, one of the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, has been working on getting the Blaze Orange MGB GT stripped down for assessment by the team.
The MGB GT has been stripped back piece by piece for the in-house restorations teams to inspect and assess for the project moving forward. Each piece that came off the car has been catalogued and put into storage for when it is needed as with all of our restoration projects.
The bare shell will also be looked at by our paint and body experts to begin the list of jobs that will need to be done to this wonderfully characterful car.
Expect to see a lot more on the Blaze Orange MGB GT here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon.
The 1977 MGB Roadster currently undergoing restoration at Bridge Classic Cars has had a couple of its finishing details put on the car before it heads into our in-house trim shop.
Jon, one of our in-house restoration technicians, has been working on finishing up the front end of the classic convertible. One of those jobs is to install the brightwork. This time, he has installed the headlight surrounds onto the bezzles for the car. This small detail goes a long way to add to the look of the car.
The team at Bridge Classic Cars have revitalised the small roadster through hours of hard work and skill our amazing in-house teams.
Expect to see much more about the 1977 MGB Roadster here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
The arches of the 1987 Daimler Double Six are in need of some TLC. So, with the car in the hands of our in-house fabrication team, Monty has begun the process of getting them back to better than new.
Monty carefully removed any affected sections from the sills all the way up the inner wheel arch, making sure to remove material in such a way it could be templated from.
With these sections cut out, Monty began making the replacement pieces by hand to ensure a tight, safe fit to the luxury Daimler.
Then, inch by inch he welded the new sections into the car and ground them down so once the car is painted, you will never know they are there.
It’s always a lovely sight to see our previous projects out in the world. An example of this is the 1967 Austin Mini 850 owned by our friend Simon Benton.
This Mini was aesthetically restored by Bridge Classic Cars last year in preparation for its all-electric conversion done by Team C Racing and Electric Classic Cars. The car arrived at our workshop as a shell, then our in-house paint and body team got to work getting this wonderful classic Mini back to better than new condition before its date with the workshop in Wales for the conversion.
You can see more on this project in the upcoming Discovery Channel series about the car.
To read the full article, click the link below.
A while ago, we said goodbye to the beautiful Jensen 541. It was sold as a project to its very lucky new owner who plans on restoring the car.
Well, now the interior is back in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop. Brian is making a brand new rear seat for the car while
Lydia is busy stripping down the original bucket seats to assess the fibreglass mouldings for any cracks or damage.
Either way, it’s always nice to see a car (or parts) find their way back into our workshop here in Suffolk.
Brian, our lead in-house trimmer, has been working on retrimming and strengthening the sunroof surround of the Blaze Orange MGB GT.
Brian has completely stripped the piece back to its wooden frame and began to add some rigidity back into the piece using calico. This will help the sunroof opening to keep its shape and is a good process to perform on sunroofs when they’re being refurbished.
Now that this process is complete, the team can begin to look at retrimming it.
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration team have been getting the 1973 MGB GT V8 in our workshop ready to be driven. And one of the jobs that needed doing was to replace the brake servo.
Dave, our senior technician, has been working on the car. He carefully removed the old unit out of the nose of the bright purple 1970s sports car and made sure all the hoses and fittings were in good working order before replacing it with a brand new unit we had sourced for the car.
With this part in the car and tested, the MGB GT V8 can now begin its road tests and be driven safely.
Dave, our senior technician at Bridge Classic Cars, has been working on the 1934 MG PA.
The latest job is to fit a new temperature sender to a gauge on the dash. That way, it’s easier to see the coolant temperatures when out driving than looking for the needle at the end of the radiator. Dave has run all brand new brass piping to and from the sender to link it up to the gauge in the dash.
This simple addition to the car makes a massive difference to any classic.
While Paul was working on rebuilding the rear drums of the 1977 MGB Roadster, the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop have also been working on parts and pieces of the 1977 MGB Roadster.
Alan, one of the painters, has refinished the drums in their original satin black. First, he carefully sanded the drums to clear them of any corrosion. Then, after thoroughly cleaning the parts, he could shoot the extremely durable satin black coating. Now, the pieces will be left to cure and then put back onto the car.
The in-house paint shop at Bridge Classic Cars has always got something in the state of the art spray booth. This time, it’s some of the parts for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL.
Alan, one of our paint experts, has been working on preparing the parts from the legendary German luxury convertible to go in front of his paint gun. He made sure to clean each part thoroughly and ensure they had all been dried and warmed before beginning laying the first coats onto the pieces.
Expect much more on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page,
Paul, one of the in-house restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been working on the list of jobs to do on the 1977 MGB Roadster that is in with us for restoration.
Paul carefully took apart the old drum brakes to inspect them and found the wheel cylinders to be leaking and some of the original hardware was close to seizing. So, Paul rebuilt the brakes with all new parts and hardware to make sure that when this classic roadster is back on the road it stops as good as it goes.
Last night, 27th January 2022, Bridge Classic Cars welcomed the first-ever live studio audience to one of our Bridge Classic Cars Competitions live draws.
This time, it was the 1964 Triumph TR4 and 1976 Mercedes 350SL which would be finding their way to their new lucky owners.
Close friends, clients and previous winners were all invited to the event which took place in the new home of Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, the as-yet-unnamed extension. Being January, the evenings are cold but thanks to Carmello Coffee we all managed to keep warm and fed while everyone looked around some of our cars in both the extension and the workshop.
Then, as the clock struck 7 pm, it was time to go live to all our followers. Hayley and Craig, with Freddie behind the camera, took everyone on a tour around our current lineup and a few sneak peeks at what is coming in the future with Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. Hayley then had a chat with our friend Simon Benton, owner of the all-electric Mini which will soon be appearing on the Discovery Channel, about the background on the car and its connection to Bridge Classic Cars.
Next was the bit everyone was waiting for. Finding out who was about to get a phone call that would make their dreams come true.
First, was the draw of the 1976 Mercedes 350SL. As Hayley put the numbers into the random number generator, you could feel the air filled with excitement. Then, as the numbers whirred round in a flash, they stopped on number 3461. That, belong to Zhuman Zamiri.
Then we decided to find out who the new owner of the stunning 1964 Triumph TR4 would be. As Hayley put the new set of numbers into the number generators, we wished everyone luck. Then, with one click of a button. The future of the TR4 was sealed. Stuart Brown was now the proud new owner of the beautiful ’60s sports car with ticket 3338.
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.
