Heart and Soul – 1973 MG B GT V8
September 8, 2021
The engine. The beating soul of any classic sports car is just as important as its classic, iconic lines. Performance was the cornerstone of sports
Craig Ranson
Managing Director – Bridge Classic Cars
Sanding and Polishing our Capri
September 8, 2021
Matt has been hard at work in our paint shop giving the Ford Capri’s paint a new lease of life. After a full respray, Matt
New Arrival: V12 Aston Martin DB9
September 8, 2021
In our workshops today is something rather new for us here at Bridge Classic Cars. We will be servicing the brakes and fitting customer-supplied pads
Lining up for the paintshop
September 8, 2021
Clinton is now in the final stages of repairing the boot lid. Chris and Matt now have the bonnet to prepare and paint the underside.
Hydraulic issue on E55 AMG
September 7, 2021
We got a late arrival to the workshops on Sunday afternoon as the RAC delivered us a 1999 Mercedes E55 AMG with hydraulic issues. Heading
A Jewel in the Crown – 1973 MG B GT V8
September 6, 2021
When you first open the bonnet of any sportscar, the first thing your eye is drawn to is the engine. It sits centre stage and
Alvis Has Left The Building
September 6, 2021
Just as soon as this 1961 Alvis TD21 was starting to settle in, it’s already leaving us. An unexpected arrival, this vehicle broke down on
1972 MG B GT Update
September 6, 2021
We last caught up with Alex back in April 2019 when we looked at his 1972 MG B GT. The project was ongoing for Alex
TVR’s seized seat
September 3, 2021
The driver’s seat on our 1989 TVR SII 2.9 V6 was reported as not being able to move on the runners, so Paul took it
Grinding away that surface corrosion
September 3, 2021
Lydia has been helping with the progress of the 1951 Riley RMB. There was surface corrosion on the inside of one of the original wings
Another piece of the puzzle
September 3, 2021
Brian has been re-covering another piece from the 1963 Bentley S3 Continental. This time, the glovebox. He started the process by removing the original covers
Honda S2000 in and out like a flash
September 3, 2021
This 2000 Honda S2000 is a returning modern classic. It came into us back in March this year for some cosmetic work, with patches of
Glowing Jaguar
September 3, 2021
Dave has installed these original UV lights under the dash of the 1954 Jaguar MK VII. The blue/purple looking lightbulbs are called black lights and
Update on the Aston Martin
September 3, 2021
Here’s a big update on the 1955 Aston Martin DB 2/4. Clinton has been continuing his work on the car and has given us the
Riley RMB Chassis Work
September 3, 2021
Unfortunately our Riley RMB chassis is suffering badly with internal rust and corrosion building up. On the surface it looks to be in a relatively
Meet Helmut, our 1987 Volkswagen Golf GTI
September 3, 2021
It may be some time before we see our 1987 VW Golf GTI in the workshops but having been sitting outside and open to the
Bridge Classic Cars to the rescue!
September 3, 2021
Yesterday we had an unexpected new arrival in the form of a blue 1961 Alvis TD21. Unfortunately, this classic had broken down and was on
V8 engine rebuild now complete
September 2, 2021
Ady has now finished rebuilding the engine on the 1973 MG B GT V8 and so it’s now ready to be fitted into the car.
Problem parts
September 2, 2021
Ady has found a problem with the Jaguar clutch release bearings that are able to be bought these days. There’s a design fault with them
Dodgy E-Type wiring
September 2, 2021
John has been investigating the wiring on the 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5 4.2. It’s clear to see that it has been tinkered about with
Fitting up the Fern Grey Jaguar
September 2, 2021
Scott has been continuing his work on the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3. This time around he’s been fitting up the front frame onto the
Porsche 911SC gets back into shape
September 2, 2021
The work on the 1982 Porsche 911SC is now complete. The Porsche has been in the trim shop after coming into us at the end
Honda’s shiny doors
September 2, 2021
Chris has been busy polishing the paintwork on the doors of the 1998 Honda Integra Type R, while it’s sitting in the workshop having other
Ford Capri gets a new lick of paint
September 2, 2021
After huge amounts of work from Matt sanding, filling and more sanding, and then transferring it into the paint booth for priming, the 1983 Ford
Paint matching the Aston Martin
September 2, 2021
Some exciting news on the 1955 Aston Martin DB 2/4 project. After discovering the original paint colour on the back of the glovebox while it
Get your tickets before it’s too late
September 2, 2021
Last night was the launch of our competition to win a magenta 1974 Triumph GT6. As I write this post, over half of the tickets
The digging commences
September 1, 2021
Carrying on from yesterday’s post, showing the blueprint of our extension, the workmen began yesterday by drilling and digging up the ground for the foundations
Bentley’s black trim continues
September 1, 2021
Brian has been re-covering more panels for the 1963 Bentley S3 Continental. This time it’s been dash panels, the instrument cover, door cappings and various
Aston Martin gets another step closer to the paint shop
September 1, 2021
Lydia has been getting the bonnet of the 1955 Aston Martin DB 2/4 a step closer to the paint shop. The front inside edge had
More tidying-up of the TVR.
September 1, 2021
After having a new clear PVC window sewn into the original hood of the 1989 TVR SII 2.9 V6, the rest of the roof needed
Heart and Soul – 1973 MG B GT V8
September 8, 2021
The engine. The beating soul of any classic sports car is just as important as its classic, iconic lines. Performance was the cornerstone of sports car design and dynamics in the 1960s and 1970’s and the legendary 1973 MG B GT V8 is a fine example of this.
When it came to the engine build, our talented and all-knowing in-house engine builder Ady here at Bridge Classic Cars, all that was delivered to his bench was several boxes comprising of an all-aluminium Rover V8 when he had got it all back together to the highest of standards for this very special customers car.
With such care and attention to detail taken with building up the long block to the finest of details. Its installation must be dealt with under the same supervision and care.
The engine was tentatively lowered down between its fabulous purple towers, being careful as to not mark or mar the body or engine in any way. Millimetre by millimetre until it sat perfectly in position to achieve the handling and excitement its B GT V8 is renowned for.
Next up for this particular car is to handle a way of keeping the whole package cool and calm in the face of many fun-filled miles ahead.
Sanding and Polishing our Capri
September 8, 2021
Matt has been hard at work in our paint shop giving the Ford Capri’s paint a new lease of life. After a full respray, Matt has sanded and polished the paintwork in incrementally finer polishing grades. We cannot wait to see this fully polished.
New Arrival: V12 Aston Martin DB9
September 8, 2021
In our workshops today is something rather new for us here at Bridge Classic Cars. We will be servicing the brakes and fitting customer-supplied pads and disks to the vehicle. Further to that, we will be investigating both a coolant leak and what is initially beliewved to be an air conditioning leak.
Lining up for the paintshop
September 8, 2021
Clinton is now in the final stages of repairing the boot lid.
Chris and Matt now have the bonnet to prepare and paint the underside. There are certain areas of the bonnet that once fitted to the car are then not easily accessible. Painting the underside now means Clinton can then fit up the bonnet to ensure all of the lines are right before handing the entire shell over to the paint shops for preparation.
Although no records exist for the original colour of Moonbeam Grey we matched the colour from the back of the glove box compartment. This small part looks to have never been removed from the car so was although other colours had been found during the stripping process this has given us the closes match to what would have been a 1955 Moonbeam Grey.
Hydraulic issue on E55 AMG
September 7, 2021
We got a late arrival to the workshops on Sunday afternoon as the RAC delivered us a 1999 Mercedes E55 AMG with hydraulic issues. Heading up to Birmingham the car suddenly lost it’s hydraulic fluid out of the rear covering
Upon further investigation, the fuel and brake lines are also starting to corrode so now is as good a time as any to replace the pipework underneath.
We also discovered an unexpected power steering leak. Having seen signs of fluid on the belly pan we thought we best remove the cover to find out what the cause could be. Unfortunately it has revealed a leak on the front hose which will need to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
A Jewel in the Crown – 1973 MG B GT V8
September 6, 2021
When you first open the bonnet of any sportscar, the first thing your eye is drawn to is the engine. It sits centre stage and prominent, it is unmissable.
After the hard work by our talented in-house engine builder Ady here at Bridge Classic Cars, it was important to add the finishing touch. A beautiful set of refinished rocker covers to catch the eye of anyone lucky enough to stare into its soon to V8 filled engine bay. The care and attention given to each individual component are clearly seen here in the time and approach to something like a cover, it has to be as close to perfect for our customers.
With the rocker covers now finished and carefully installed onto the rebuilt and restored all-aluminium V8, it’s soon time to drop it into the car.
Alvis Has Left The Building
September 6, 2021
Just as soon as this 1961 Alvis TD21 was starting to settle in, it’s already leaving us. An unexpected arrival, this vehicle broke down on Thursday and was fighting fit again by Friday. The vehicle’s owners are on a long road trip from wales by way of Suffolk to a car show they are hosting in Oxford. It was crucial they were back on the road for the weekend.
After diagnosing the issue as a faulty starter motor, Paul set about removing the starter motor solenoids and replacing them with new ones. We had the starter motor repaired overnight and Paul re-fitted the unit Friday morning. With great work from the Bridge Classic Cars team, this beautiful classic made it to the ball.
1972 MG B GT Update
September 6, 2021
We last caught up with Alex back in April 2019 when we looked at his 1972 MG B GT.
The project was ongoing for Alex who was looking to carry out a lot of the work himself. We visited with a view of shaping, preparing and painting the body shell.
Two years on and it is lovely to hear from Alex again with a little update on his B.
“I have replaced both foot wells, inner wings, both floors, the full three piece sills and castle rails, both doors. Currently being done and still got to do is both rear arches each side. Full rear wings, boot floor and rear valance along with a few bits in between all them. So yes hopefully it won’t be long and you will have the car in your paint shop.”
Great job so far Alex and hope you’re enjoying the project!
TVR’s seized seat
September 3, 2021
The driver’s seat on our 1989 TVR SII 2.9 V6 was reported as not being able to move on the runners, so Paul took it out to have an investigation. He found that the bottom of the seat frame had completely rotten away, so the driver would have been basically sitting on the floor of the car! He also found that the lever that tilts the “squab” backwards and forwards was seized. He worked his magic on the lever and then passed it over to Brian in the trim shop to finish. Once the covers were taken off, Brian re-painted the frame and put strips of Pirelli rubber webbing across the base of the frame, attaching new springs on the ends to hold it in place. A new piece of foam was also attached to the existing foam for the base seat. The covers could then go back on the frame, ready for the seat to go back in the TVR. Great teamwork guys.
Grinding away that surface corrosion
September 3, 2021
Lydia has been helping with the progress of the 1951 Riley RMB. There was surface corrosion on the inside of one of the original wings round the edges of the spot welds done by James. Lydia did this with various-sized grinding attachments on a drill. A small step in the process, but a vital one, nonetheless, since we don’t want that surface corrosion getting worse or showing through the paint when it goes into that stage.
Another piece of the puzzle
September 3, 2021
Brian has been re-covering another piece from the 1963 Bentley S3 Continental. This time, the glovebox.
He started the process by removing the original covers from the metal box that makes the glovebox. He then used these original pieces as patterns on the new fabric, headlining fabric for most with one piece of leather. The headlining fabric pieces were glued onto the inside of the glovebox first, with the back piece having board underneath the material to give it structure and stability. Once this was all glued into place, Brian put the leather piece onto board as well, before glueing it onto the metal. All the material was wrapped around the edges to give a neat finish. Another piece of the Bentley interior finished!
Honda S2000 in and out like a flash
September 3, 2021
This 2000 Honda S2000 is a returning modern classic. It came into us back in March this year for some cosmetic work, with patches of corrosion and paint chipping away on the wheel arches, boot, bonnet and side panels. You can read about the process in full, in previous blog posts on this car.
This time around, it came into us for preparation work and painting on the front bumper and wing. This is called a SMART repair, which stands for Small Medium Area Repair Technology. It’s simply where a small area of the car is repaired instead of replacing the whole panel. Another great job done by the paint shop guys!
Glowing Jaguar
September 3, 2021
Dave has installed these original UV lights under the dash of the 1954 Jaguar MK VII. The blue/purple looking lightbulbs are called black lights and the white numbers and markings on the dials will be painted in a substance such as radium (but we’re not 100% sure on whether it is radium). So then, in the dark with the lights on, the dials will glow. Most cars have backlights, so this is a really lovely feature of the vehicle.
Update on the Aston Martin
September 3, 2021
Here’s a big update on the 1955 Aston Martin DB 2/4. Clinton has been continuing his work on the car and has given us the low-down on what has been done recently.
If we start at the rear of the vehicle, he’s finished putting the four corners in, the outside edge of the boot lid was corroded so this has been repaired with fabrication and welding, a new boot hinge has been created and Clinton is waiting for parts to arrive to complete the boot. One bigger change to the boot has been the removal of two large handles on the boot. When the car arrived with them on, we thought something wasn’t quite right, so we went on a visit to Stratton Motor Company because they had a DB 2/4 in their own showroom. It was there that it was confirmed that the handles should not be on the boot lid.
The front “pod” of the car on the right-hand side had to be repaired due to corrosion. The guys in the fabrication and welding bay are now waiting for the inside of the bonnet to be painted before they can fit the inner frame parts back in. The doors also need looking at as they won’t shut properly.
Riley RMB Chassis Work
September 3, 2021
Unfortunately our Riley RMB chassis is suffering badly with internal rust and corrosion building up. On the surface it looks to be in a relatively solid state but when tipped up on one end large clumps of rust falls out.
This is a bit unexpected but most certainly needs to be addressed.
Having discussed the matter with the Riley’s owner we have decided to chemically dip the chassis. The chemical dip process works very well on cars and chassis’ and will remove paint, rust and underseal from complete car shells or individual panels. Its chemical formulation strips away contaminants from all internal and external areas.
James has also been fabricating the new strengthening panels on the chassis and subframe.
Meet Helmut, our 1987 Volkswagen Golf GTI
September 3, 2021
It may be some time before we see our 1987 VW Golf GTI in the workshops but having been sitting outside and open to the elements since 2007, we thought it was best to get the car inside and away from the wind and the rain.
Having been owned by the same family for many years Alice has decided to get her father’s the car back on the road for many more years of enjoyment.
After a little bit of tree surgery in order to get the van through the gates, Tom and Mauro have managed to pull the car out and successfully loaded (him) in to the trailer.
Now safely tucked away in the Hangar, our first job will be to thoroughly clean the car, inside and out. This way, we can see work is involved in the restoration or re-commission of this modern classic.
With a small window of opportunity in the trim shop diary Kath and Brian have got to work in removing the very wet, and very mouldy interior trim. We’ll return all of the interior to the workshops for a full assessment and clean and we hope to be able to rescue as much of it as possible.
Check out the T-shirt that Alice was wearing in the image above. The wheels aren’t the same but the number plate sure is!
Bridge Classic Cars to the rescue!
September 3, 2021
Yesterday we had an unexpected new arrival in the form of a blue 1961 Alvis TD21. Unfortunately, this classic had broken down and was on its way to a show which the owners are hosting. They’d traveled down from Wales and had attended a wedding on their trip in the area. On their way across to Oxford, the Alvis stopped working.
This gorgeous classic ended up being brought to us for our technicians to look at. It was found that the starter motor wasn’t working, so it was swiftly sent off last night to be repaired. We’re now just waiting for its return. Well done so far to the technicians for being so quick with diagnosing the issue. Let’s hope we can get it to Oxford in time!
V8 engine rebuild now complete
September 2, 2021
Ady has now finished rebuilding the engine on the 1973 MG B GT V8 and so it’s now ready to be fitted into the car. As well as painting the engine beforehand, Chris also painted the rocker covers for Ady. You can read about the painting of the engine that Chris did in the paintshop here.
Problem parts
September 2, 2021
Ady has found a problem with the Jaguar clutch release bearings that are able to be bought these days. There’s a design fault with them that means they’re not working correctly on the engine rebuilds. So somehow he’s got to figure out a way of getting around this problem, or trying to find a different design.
Unfortunately, this can be a common problem when parts are re-manufactured for classic cars. They’re often not built to last as well as they originally were or they simply don’t fit right.
Dodgy E-Type wiring
September 2, 2021
John has been investigating the wiring on the 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5 4.2. It’s clear to see that it has been tinkered about with before and unfortunately, the wiring is questionable.
Because of this incorrect work on it, John has put in a new alternator and a new regulator because the alternator wasn’t charging before. He also found that the ignition switch is incorrectly wired, which meant that the amp meter burnt out as a consequence. He’s tested the ignition switch and found that there was a pair of twelve volts wired together that were causing damage to the amp meter.
Fitting up the Fern Grey Jaguar
September 2, 2021
Scott has been continuing his work on the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3. This time around he’s been fitting up the front frame onto the body shell, rebuilding the front suspension and brakes and fitting them, with all new bushings and ball joints, fitting the front hubs with new wheel bearings, fitting the steering rack, fitting front shocks, fitting easy-bleed (to make bleeding the rear brakes easier), fitted left and right front to rear wiring loom/harnesses, fitted the front torsion bars, fitted the fuel lines under the car, new rear axle mounting/hub stops and fitted the rear axle.
Porsche 911SC gets back into shape
September 2, 2021
The work on the 1982 Porsche 911SC is now complete.
The Porsche has been in the trim shop after coming into us at the end of last week, getting its original upholstery freshened up and put back in. When it came to us, the carpets weren’t in, the door cards weren’t attached correctly, the pockets for the doors weren’t attached at all, there were a few bits of carpet panel that were loose and the stitching on the steering wheel had come undone. Kath has been busy resurrecting all of these issues over the last couple of days. As you can see, as well as creating interiors from scratch, the trim shop team are also perfectly capable of putting original ones back into good shape if customers prefer to not have a complete overhaul. If this is something you would be interested in for your classic car, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Honda’s shiny doors
September 2, 2021
Chris has been busy polishing the paintwork on the doors of the 1998 Honda Integra Type R, while it’s sitting in the workshop having other work done to it.
Ford Capri gets a new lick of paint
September 2, 2021
After huge amounts of work from Matt sanding, filling and more sanding, and then transferring it into the paint booth for priming, the 1983 Ford Capri 1.6 LS has now been painted! After turning up to us with the exterior looking a little worse for wear, it’s now back to looking fantastic. The final step will be to polish the new paintwork. Great work from Matt, I’m sure you will agree.
Paint matching the Aston Martin
September 2, 2021
Some exciting news on the 1955 Aston Martin DB 2/4 project. After discovering the original paint colour on the back of the glovebox while it was being stripped apart back in May, the guys in the paint shop have now managed to match it up very closely. You can see in the photos the new paint sprayed onto metal next to the original paint on the back of the glovebox. We’re looking forward to seeing the car painted now! Keep your eyes peeled for progress on that…
Get your tickets before it’s too late
September 2, 2021
Last night was the launch of our competition to win a magenta 1974 Triumph GT6. As I write this post, over half of the tickets have already sold, that’s over 3,000, leaving only under 2,000 left. So, if you want to be in with a chance of winning this stunning classic car, be sure to head over to our competitions website to get your tickets before they all go. And at £5 per ticket, that’s an absolute bargain!
If you click on the link above, you’ll also be able to find out more information about the GT6, along with more photos and a video.
The digging commences
September 1, 2021
Carrying on from yesterday’s post, showing the blueprint of our extension, the workmen began yesterday by drilling and digging up the ground for the foundations to be laid.
Bentley’s black trim continues
September 1, 2021
Brian has been re-covering more panels for the 1963 Bentley S3 Continental. This time it’s been dash panels, the instrument cover, door cappings and various other panels. The process for all of them involved taking the original black leather off, followed by any foam that was on the panels, and then sanding off the old glue left behind on the wood and metal forms. Brian used the original leather pieces as patterns to mark out around on the new black leather. He replaced the original foam with new 3mm foam. The foam was glued on first and then the leather wrapped over it. Some of the panels, as you can see, just have leather covering them.
Aston Martin gets another step closer to the paint shop
September 1, 2021
Lydia has been getting the bonnet of the 1955 Aston Martin DB 2/4 a step closer to the paint shop. The front inside edge had a lot of red oxide left on it so Lydia went about removing as much as she possibly could with thinners and a red scotch pad. There are some parts that aren’t budging so James will look at grinding those out.
More tidying-up of the TVR.
September 1, 2021
After having a new clear PVC window sewn into the original hood of the 1989 TVR SII 2.9 V6, the rest of the roof needed a bit of attention. The two panels that create the roof in front of the hood has black vinyl covering the underneath. This had various cracks running throughout due to age and wear and it was coming unstuck at the edges. The first decision made was to try and re-glue the edges down, clean off the dirt below the edges of the vinyl, try and glue the cracks together and paint any non-black edges, to take a sympathetic approach so it fitted in with the wear and tear of the rest of the car. However, after Lydia started to try this approach, she wasn’t happy with the results so decided to take the old worn-out vinyl off and start again. Before the vinyl was taken off, the rubbers were peeled off very carefully and with a blade where it was tricky to do by hand. Any remaining glue that was left on the fibreglass was sanded off and cracks in the fibreglass were filled. 3mm foam was cut out and glued on first, making sure to press into the edges and corners to get the shaping right. New black vinyl was then cut out, using the original pieces as patterns. The vinyl was glued over the 3mm foam and pressed into the edges and corners again. You can see in the photos below where the original vinyl was coming away from these edges, which is why it was so important to make those edges as sharp as possible. Lydia went around the sides of the panels to make sure the exposed edges of vinyl looked neat, trimming along the way with a blade. The last step was to re-glue the rubbers on.
