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Craig Ranson

Managing Director – Bridge Classic Cars

Off To A New Home – Saying Goodbye to our 1965 Amphicar

November 8, 2021

Well, it’s always sad to say goodbye. Our wonderful little 1965 Amphicar that we completely restored in-house here at Bridge Classic Cars has gone off to its new home.

The whole car was restored by our in-house restoration team, each playing a role in making this car not only look the absolute business but also fully functional.

It was up for auction recently on Car & Classic and which was by its lucky new owner. So, it was time for her to start a new journey. Sad to see her go but happy that we got the privilege to restore and work on such a unique and interesting classic.

Building Update: Progress on the Workshop Extension.

November 8, 2021

The cladding is now on our restoration workshop extension here at Bridge Classic Cars. It’s been a long road but the building is well on its way to completion.

The extension to our restoration workshop is now a bit more protected from the elements.

Expect to see more on this over the coming weeks here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Back in the Game – Refitting the Power Steering Pump to our 2005 Aston Martin DB9

November 8, 2021

Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technician Mauro has been working on refitting the power steering pump to Craig, our directors, 2005 Aston Martin DB9.

After the refurbished part arrived back to us here in Pettistree, Mauro began to get the component set up to go back into the engine bay alongside the famous 6 litre V12.

Carefully Mauro reinstalled the pump back onto the engine and began to close the hoses into the correct positions. After this, he methodically went through every clamp to ensure the seals were right and then topped up the fluid.

From there, it was tested by our in-house team and reinspected.

New Arrival at The Hangar – The 1934 MG PA Midget

November 5, 2021

Our Director Gordon’s new 1934 MG PA Midget is now safe and sound in our classic and collectable vehicle storage facility known as The Hangar.

Since its arrival, the Bridge Classic Cars team have had a chance to pour over all the small details of this stunning early British sports car. Along with its arrival is the routine clean which all cars have before entering our storage facility by Viper Valet.

There are literally hundreds of amazing bits and pieces on this beautifully proportioned sports car. The large Jaeger clocks, the enormous steering wheels and the temperature gauge mounted on top of the radiator. There is just so many! So, have a look here through a gallery of this brilliant car.

Coming soon: if red is not your thing, you may want to look away!

November 4, 2021

We have an exciting line up of cars coming in within the next couple of weeks. Here are just some of the ones we are scheduled to collect very soon. See if you can notice the pattern…

First up, the 1964 Triumph TR4.

The, we move on to our appreciating classic, certainly one to look out for in the future, our 1992 Toyota MR2.

Then we have our 1972 Triumph Spitfire, picked up earlier today. More updates on all of the above plus lots more coming soon…

Lastly! Is this 1975 Rover 2200SC that will be arriving at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop very soon. This car will be assessed by the team and you’ll see more about it here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.

Behind The Scenes – Photoshoot of the 1966 Mercedes 250SE

November 3, 2021

Bridge Classic Cars has recently shot this incredible 1966 Mercedes Benz 250SE W111 Coupe with the announcement that it will be our next Bridge Classic Cars Competitions prize that one lucky winner will have the chance of owning.

It was a stunning early Autumn morning when the big 1960s coupe was rolled out of The Hangar. The sun was bright and the chrome work glistened across the entire car. As it made its way elegantly across the airbase, the cold air let the big straight-six breathe easier. Freddie at the controls of the camera and Charlotte at the controls of the vast coupe, it was time to begin the customary photoshoot for each of our cars.

As it sat under the Autumn sun, its true depth of colour and character could be seen by all. Every angle this car was magnificent. The interior carries so much soul and it’s 55 year journey to this very point in time could be seen and revelled in. This car tells its stories better than any of writers who have owned this very car before.

The W111 Coupe’s are the final generation of the hand built Mercedes. A masterclass in crafting a luxury coupe for the jet set to cover the greatest distances in the most amount of luxury as possible. This, car tells the story of a true survivor of a car from a bygone era.

And, it could all be yours..

Click the link below and enter now for your chance to win this incredible piece of automotive history.

Enter to win the 1966 Mercedes Benz 250SE Coupe

New Arrival: 1975 Ford Escort MK1 Mexico Recreation

November 3, 2021

Brightening up or morning today is this beautiful MK1 Escort. As the vehicle rolled out of our vehicle transporter, this gorgeous classic ford was met with plenty of attention from our workshop technicians.

A vehicle recently purchased by us here at Bridge Classic Cars, this vehicle started life as a 1975 Ford Escort. It has since been restored and upgraded to recreate a MK1 Mexico, with a few slight upgrades. Most notable of which is the engine. Our escort is powered by a more powerful 2.0l Pinto engine, as found in the RS2000.

The interior is all correct for a Mexico and is incredibly well presented. The exterior is finished in a striking candy green and features correct Mexico details.

The vehicle will enter our workshop for some minor works, including fitting front fog lights, refitting the dashboard, centralising the gear stick knob, wheel balancing, refitting the ignition barrel and then we will carry out a thorough inspection.

Keep your eyes peeled to find out what is next for this lovely Ford.

£99,054 Raised For Charity! Lotus Elise Draw

November 1, 2021

Last night, our biggest ever car competition came to a dramatic finale. Alex Juggins was drawn as the winner for our very special 2021 Lotus Elise 240 Sport Final Edition. Alex had bought just a single ticket, number 4970, and is now the proud new owner of the last ever Lotus Elise.

We would like to give a huge ‘thank you’ to everyone who entered this competition. We have managed to raise a jaw-dropping £99,054 for the Norwich City Community Sports Foundation Charity, which will have a huge impact in allowing them to continue the fabulous work they do, improving the lives of people with disabilities in our area.

Coming Soon – 1934 MG PA Midget

November 1, 2021

This incredible piece of British Sports car history will soon be on its way into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Pettistree, Suffolk.

This 1934 MG PA Midget has been acquired by our director Gordon and will be taken to our storage facility, The Hangar, where it will be fully detailed and put into storage until its time arrives to be bought over to the restoration workshop for a series of jobs that need doing.

Expect to see more on this wonderful little sports car here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.

Coming Soon: 1975 Ford Escort Mk1 RS Mexico Recreation

November 1, 2021

Soon, Bridge Classic Cars will be welcoming this incredible 1975 Ford Escort RS Mexico Recreation to our workshop here in Suffolk.

This amazing recreation pays homage to the original RS Mexico Escorts of the 1970s. This particular car is powered by the infamous 2 litre Ford Pinto engine meaning it has a little bit more bite than the original 1598cc inline-four and is slightly closer to the legendary RS2000.

Once it arrives, it will be fully inspected and evaluated by our in-house restoration teams.

On Order – New Carburettors for the Glastron Sea Ray

October 29, 2021

It’s been a while since the last update on the Glastron Sea Ray Speedboat that belongs to our director Craig.

During testing, our team found the engine just wouldn’t run quite right. Our in-house engine builder Ady began to have a look through the carburettors and found that they need to either be rebuilt or replaced. After trying to source a rebuild kit for them to no avail, Ady has sourced a supplier in the US who can help us with replacements.

For that, they need us to send over a series of specific measurements to ensure that the right set is sent to us.

Expect to see more on this project soon!

Coming Soon – 1985 Mercedes SL380 in for Insurance Valuation

October 29, 2021

Bridge Classic Cars were pleased to welcome this stunning 1985 Mercedes R107 SL380 recently.

The owner of this beautiful, classic convertible has asked us to do an insurance valuation on the vehicle for himself and the insurance company. These must be done by a noted and respected restoration specialist which is what we at Bridge Classic Cars pride ourselves on.

The Touches – Retrimming Parts on the 1970 Dodge Charger

October 29, 2021

Brian, our in-house trim master, has been busy working on retrimming and refitting trim pieces for the 1970 Dodge Charger that is in at Bridge Classic Cars.

To start with, Brian began working on retrimming the seatbacks for the plush, thick black leather bucket seats. Brian created the coverings by hand trying to get the closest he possibly could to the same thickness and quality leather used on the fronts to create one uniform piece.

Along with that, Brian also worked on recovering the seat adjusters in matching black leather for the final finishing touch of the seats.

After that, Brian then turned his attention onto the dash. This along with the seats are the next step for installation into the car. The dash pad and A-pillars were hand wrapped in matching leather to create another uniform look throughout the whole car, just another little touch on this amazing Charger

Building Update – Brickwork Complete and Ready for Cladding on New Workshop Extension

October 29, 2021

Work is going full steam ahead on the new workshop extension for Bridge Classic Cars

The Brickwork has now been completed and bought up to the same levels as our existing workshop. With that finished, it is time for the cladding to begin. This is expected to begin next week and make the building weather-tight.

The new extension to our restoration workshop is looking absolutely incredible and we’re so excited to see it when it’s done.

Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the 1971 Morris Traveller

October 29, 2021

Thursday nights draw was a bit different than normal. It first started with the NCCSF Lotus Elise being driven to the runway near our hanger at RAF Bentwaters and secondly because it was our Director, Craig, who was carrying out proceedings for the night.

After a quick walk around of the bright yellow final production run Elise by Craig and Freddie, it was time to work our way through the hanger. Next up was the newly released 1984 BMW 635CSi, this is our latest competition car which people are already really interested in and is an incredible example of a German classic GT car.

Alongside it was the very rare RHD 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible. Finished in pale blue with some genuine Shelby GT350 parts, this car is a very good example of a replica done right with the RHD conversion makes it all the more useable here in the UK. More on this car later.

Then at the end of the row was the 1969 Mercedes 250SE W111 Coupe. A wonderful piece of luxury, style and grace. The car is imposing to say the least but it conducts itself with a sense of poise and decorum as you would expect with a 1960s Mercedes.

Finally, the bit everybody had been waiting for. The draw of 1971 Morris Traveller 1000. This little car was massively popular and sold out around 24 hours before the draw. With the entries confirmed on the pre-published entry list on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website, it was time to fire up the random number generator to see who would be this wonderful little cars new owner.

Congratulations to the winner John Turner with the winning ticket of 896!

Storage Solutions – Storing Your Classic with Bridge Classic Cars

October 29, 2021

Bridge Classic Cars have got several long-term storage spaces available at The Hangar, our private, secure storage facility

Perfect for the dry, safe and protected storage of your beloved Classic Cars. The Hangar is dedicated for use of long-term (6 month+) storage of historic, classic or vintage car.

Prices are from £40 per week for a space at The Hangar, this includes the vehicle being trickle charged during its stay. Before being put into its dedicated space within The Hangar, a full valet is done on the car then the vehicle is fitted with its own soft car cover to protect its paint and condition at no extra cost.

Clients who use our storage facility at The Hangar also have the option of any mechanical, servicing or MOT work carried out by Bridge Classic Cars, this can be done at an additional cost. Should you also choose to store your class with Bridge Classic Cars, the vehicle can be regularly started, brought up to temperature and test-driven on-site by our dedicated team of restoration specialists.

The Hangar is situated on 2500 acres of private land which is manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, 7 days a week with vehicles in The Hangar regularly checked for condition, fluid levels and battery health.

The vehicles can also be transported to and from your home in our own enclosed transporter, delivered anywhere in the UK or abroad with enough notice given and the vehicle fully checked and inspected before it begins its adventures at an additional cost. A service used by many of our clients who are only briefly in the UK to use their cars or for some who want to use their classic cars on the continent.

For any further information or to discuss any bespoke requirements please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Bridge Classic Cars team on 01473 742038 or email at info@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk

Detail and Trim – Front Carpets and Centre Console Retrim on the 1970 Dodge Charger

October 29, 2021

Kath and the in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy working on the interior of the 1970 Dodge Charger.

Last time Kath rebound the carpet edges after they required some trimming to ensure the best fit and finish for this iconic muscle car to look absolutely perfect. Now, those front carpets are firmly in place in the car awaiting all the other interior trim to be fit over the top of them.

Kath began to look at the centre console as the next step for the interior of the Charger. It’s a rather large piece so it’s very noticeable if it isn’t looking its best. So, Kath began to carefully dismantle the centre console in preparation for its retrim. Even the wooden veneer had to be slowly and methodically removed inch by inch to preserve it to be refurbished.

All of the panels have been removed from the centre console one by one to be evaluated and a plan worked out for each of them. Polishing the brightwork, making templates for new cutouts and then, the entire console itself was retrimmed in matching black leather.

It looks sensational. This will be the next item going back into the car once the seats (which Brian has been working on alongside Kath) are finished and ready to go in.

Off to a New Home – Vauxhall Engine Begins a New Life

October 29, 2021

Bridge Classic Cars recently had up for sale a 2.3 litre Vauxhall Big Valve engine. Well, it has now been sold! It was shipped out earlier in the week to its new owner for it to begin its new life somewhere else.

Hopefully one day we might get to see what this amazing little engine ends up in!

Just Like New – 2005 Aston Martin DB9 Power Steering Pump Refurb

October 29, 2021

Our director, Craig, noticed a slight leak coming from his 2005 Aston Martin DB9 recently. So, the team at Bridge Classic Cars set about looking into it.

Our in-house restoration technicians got the car in and began to check over all the systems and hoses in the engine bay. Soon, it was found to be from the power steering pump. Thankfully, these can be rebuilt/refurbished by specialists so it has been removed and sent off for the work to be done.

Once we have it back, we’ll let you know all about it here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.

Featured – Our 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition in Car & Classic

October 29, 2021

Our Bridge Classic Cars Competitions 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition has been featured in Car & Classic!

The car, which is being drawn on Sunday 31st October at 7 pm on our Facebook page, is the first VIN number for the last ever Lotus Elise production run. Together with Lotus Cars and Norwich City Football Club, Bridge Classic Cars Competitions wants to give one lucky winner the chance to become the owner of this very special sports car. And at the same time, help support an incredible charity.

Chris Pollitt has written up an amazing piece shared on their main website which you can see here!

The car is still available to enter, however. Tickets are £9 and 100% of the proceeds go towards helping the Norwich City Community Sports Foundation.

Click here to enter now!

Working in the Background – Wiring and Plumbing Continues on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster

October 28, 2021

Scott has been hard at work on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster that is being built by Bridge Classic Cars.

Since the last update, Scott has fitted the new radiator along with its dual Spal fans to make sure that when this freshly built 5 litre V12 is fired off for the first time and gets up to temperature, it stays safe and stable in the green zone. In preparation for that important moment, a lot of wiring has to happen along with the plumbing of hoses. Scott has been working on wiring up all the switchgear and gauges so that during the testing period and when the customer is doing many happy miles in the car, they are safe in the knowledge that everything is showing accurately and properly.

The detail of this car is truly amazing. Scott is testing the systems and then going back to make sure all the wiring is bundled and routed correctly to each individual component, should it ever have to be inspected in the future. Along with that is yards and yards of hard and Flexi lines that criss-cross the engine bay. Providing vacuum or air to different systems that run within or off of the V12. The throttle cables have been run from the large disc-shaped rotor out to each of the newly in-house rebuilt Stromberg carburettors so that when all that power is released on the road, it can be modulated and applied precisely.

Importantly aswell, Scott has been working with John to get the brand new belts in place for the engine. In total 5 belts are needed to drive the different systems for the Series 3 V12. These must go on in the right order as they are staggered specifically for the different components they drive. Once the final belt was wrapped around the alternator, Scott could then wire it to the car and its harness so when the car is running it is charging correctly (which will be able to be seen on the dial panel on the dash)

There will be more updates on Fern Grey very soon! Keep an eye on the blog page.

Welcome Back – 1967 Austin Mini Cooper 850 Back to Visit

October 28, 2021

A nice surprise today at Bridge Classic Cars! A previous project dropped by the workshop today.

This 1967 Austin Mini 850 is pretty famous… You may have seen it in several videos displaying some of its incredible party tricks. This Mini is not like the others. It is in fact all-electric.

A while back we did the body and paintwork on the car but now it’s in with us to visit before it goes to the Classic Motorshow at the Birmingham NEC. The car was built by Electric Classic Cars and TeamC and features a Tesla powertrain to allow it to do outrageous things!

Recently it was testing its Track Mode on a runway and the results were nothing short of terrifying but also exciting. We love this little Mini every time we get to see it so it was a lovely surprise for it to drop by today.

For more on the car – Go check out our blog posts on it here

Off to a New Home – 1959 Jensen 541R Princess Grey Goes to a New Owner

October 28, 2021

We recently said goodbye to Princess Grey. Off to be restored by its enthusiastic new owner who will love and cherish this car.

Princess Grey is a 1959 Jensen 541R which we stored with the prospect of one day being commissioned to build her for a new owner and keep another 541 safe for prosperity and generations to come. That is still going to happen but just not with us.

However, it is really exciting to see it going off to the new owner and we look forward to seeing updates on the car.

In Plain Sight – The 1951 Riley RMB Chassis back from Acid Dip

October 28, 2021

The frame for the 1951 Riley RMB that is being restored at Bridge Classic Cars has just arrived back from its appointment with an acid bath.

The chassis had been stripped back in-house but was recommended to be chemically treated by a specialist so that our in-house fabrication team could look into the true condition of the chassis. Overall the frame isn’t in too bad of a condition. Areas of it though will definitely need attention before it is to be used again for the car.

James and Clinton, our in-house metal fabrication experts, will be assessing the frame and coming up with a plan.

Inch Perfect – The Frame for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Back from Powdercoating

October 28, 2021

The chassis for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 at Bridge Classic Cars is back from being powder coated by a local specialist. The results are absolutely amazing.

The benefits of powder coating are seen in this example. The even, glossy and complete coverage is the results you get when a chassis is coated and is also more weather-safe than traditional methods.

Now that the frame is back, Lydia is working on preparing the body in our in-house paint shop ready for its slot in the paint booth.

Keep a lookout on the Bridge Classic Cars Blog for more updates on this amazing DB2.

To the Same Standard – 1998 Honda Integra Type R Wheels Off for Refurb

October 28, 2021

With all the hard work put into the 1998 Honda Integra Type R by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration teams, we had to make sure every element of the car was in the best possible condition.

The wheels are no exception. The wheels are finished in matching Championship White but have seen better days. Thankfully, they can be refurbished. With care and attention, the wheels will be back soon and looking as good if not better than when the DC2 rolled out of the showroom back in 1998.

Coming Together – Engine Build on the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda

October 27, 2021

The engine for the 1969 Mercedes Pagoda is back after its engineering work with Scholar Engines.

The cylinder head has been precision skimmed and new valve guides cut to the specifications of our in-house engine builder Ady. Since its arrival back, the camshaft and valves have been installed into the beautiful cylinder head. This engine is a stunning piece of 1960s engineering alone but after its clean up and refacing, it looks absolutely spectacular and will perform even better.

Ady then began to assemble the long-block as much as we can whilst we await the arrival of the new pistons.

Expect to see more on the progress of the engine build for the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda at Bridge Classic Cars.

Out & About – 1963 MGB Roadster Competition Car

October 27, 2021

We love getting updates on the lives of our competition cars. Especially when they get used for a very special occasion.

Chris Witherspoon won our beautiful Iris Blue 1963 MGB Roadster in June 2021. Chris lives a few miles away from our HQ in Suffolk so we see the car every so often. When he won the car, he mentioned that he wanted to use it for his daughter’s upcoming wedding. Well, that’s exactly what Chris did.

He drove his daughter to her wedding in the Iris Blue Roadster. Chris very kindly sent over some photos of the day with the car and with our name on a glass! It’s lovely to see our cars out there involved in the happiness of peoples lives.

Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Shane and Helen Williams. We, at Bridge Classic Cars, wish you all the best for the future.

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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