Luke Crawford

An Evening with Ed Stafford

On Saturday 25th March, we hosted an evening with Ed Stafford in The Atelier at Bridge Classic Cars.

The night saw more than 100 people join us to hear Ed talk about his adventures, his life, and his current and future projects. It was such a great experience to listen to the exciting and inspiring stories from the man himself and we are extremely grateful to Ed for being so open and honest with us and the audience.

From hearing about becoming the first person to ever walk the length of the Amazon River and being arrested and threatened with death along the way, to living on an uninhabited Pacific island in complete isolation, to family life with his wife and children, Ed shared so much that everyone in attendance couldn’t help but feel even more connected to him than they did to begin with.

Classic & Sports Car & Bike Show 2022

The morning began with a haze. The rain from the night had settled into a fine mist as the team arrived at The Hangar. As the early morning sun rose higher, and the cars made their way out of the ex-aircraft hangar the stillness was broken by the sound of friends.

Friends driving everything from the latest supercars to the most humble of pre-war saloons and everything imaginable in between.

The crowds grew larger as the blanket of rain eased off and row upon row was filled with eclectic machines. This was the starting point for the 2022 Bridge Classic Cars Classic & Sports Car & Bike Show.

Our friends, which came out in their masses, walked around and checked out not just our own cars but others. Familiar faces greeted new arrivals bringing them into the community which sits at the core of all petrolheads. The clock got closer to 10 AM, the point at which all of us would leave the airforce base start point on a 13-mile tour of the surrounding areas towards the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at Pettistree where the rest of the team excitedly awaited their arrival.

As the line of cars stretched as far as the eyes could see in either direction, the Pettistree team organised everyone into their spaces.

Dozens of neat rows stretched either side of the main entrance, and as far back as possible. The mixture of cars coming through the front gates was a wonderful sight, people of all ages and backgrounds coming together to celebrate the simple cause of everything automotive.

As our friends milled and ambled their way through the countless dozens of cars – The energy ramped up towards our workshop where the party was happening. The team had organised the amazing Powters to handle the food and coffee while the incredible Three Chordettes supplied the soundtrack to everyone’s morning.

The weather came in dribs and drabs but it didn’t change the atmosphere. The constant wave of people going through our workshops to talk to our restoration teams about things we’re doing or questions they had settled into a rhythm. The streams of people looking around our competitions building at our latest competitions created a buzz and extra excitement in the air.

Throughout the day, more cars came and went with the top fields and the concrete pads always filled with the sound of engines and the smell of slightly overrich carburettors.

Our shows are always a highlight of our year. In recent years, due to world events, we have missed being able to have all of our friends in one place. Since coming back last year, the Classic & Sports Car & Bike Show has grown from strength to strength with this year being the biggest attendance of all the years we’ve been doing it.

The whole team at Bridge Classic Cars would like to thank each and every person who came out to display, support or enjoy. We can’t wait to see you all next year!

Take a look at the full Official Gallery below:

2022 Official Gallery

2022 Instagram Stories

Bridge Classic Car Show 2023

The Bridge Classic Car Show 2023 took place on Sunday 30th July and it was a great success. With around 800 cars in attendance, The Hangar, at Bentwaters Parks and the surrounding runways were packed with a huge range of vehicles spanning multiple eras, makes, and models. From a Ford Model T from 1912 to 2023 Aston Martins, there certainly was something for everyone to admire.

With the addition of a vintage fair, swing dancers, a live draw, and much more, our show more than doubled in size from previous years. The Bridge Classic Car Show 2023 was a definite sign that our show could very well be one of the biggest in the local area in the very near future.


Entertainment

The Bridge Classic Car Show 2023 will be so much more than your standard car show. It will be a celebration of all things classic, vintage, and historical.

There will be music from vintage DJ Nigel Woodhouse and his dancers at Simply Swing so, if you fancy it, bring your dancing shoes along or learn how to dance for the first time. You are, of course, welcome to dress to impress in your finest vintage threads.

If you want to fully immerse yourself in the thrills of the day, Sparkle Bar will be available to apply face glitter, vintage afternoon tea will be available, multiple food stalls, and we will be joined by our friends at East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Another new item for this year; a vintage fair! Our show will feature stalls selling a variety of clothes, homeware and other nostalgic items. We will have The Heart of Suffolk Distillery joining us, as well as The Cheese & Pie Man and some other local produce.


Raising Money For East Anglian Air Ambulance

At 3:30 pm, our very special charity competition will come to a conclusion with the winner of our 1973 Triumph Spitfire being drawn live.

The 1973 Triumph Spitfire is a true gem among classic sports cars, renowned for its timeless design, thrilling performance, and undeniable charm. Finished in stunning Carmine Red with a black and red interior, our Spitfire comes with a history file containing invoices, MOT certificates, parts catalogues, and a Haynes manual. Showing 59,000 miles, the car has been transported from its previous home in Scotland to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Suffolk ready for the lucky winner to take ownership of.

By collaborating with East Anglian Air Ambulance, this charity competition aims to make a significant impact on the charity’s mission of saving lives 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.


You can enter to be in with a chance of winning this beautiful classic car while also supporting the vital work of East Anglian Air Ambulance here.

Best In Show Award

To be in the running for the Bridge Classic Cars’ Best in Show 2023, entry is just £3!

First prize: £100 competition credit, a Bridge Classic Cars T-shirt, a photo shoot with your car and more.

Runners-up prizes: £50 competition credit, Bridge Classic Cars T-shirt and a photoshoot with your car.

Your vehicle can be of any age, make or model. Cars, bikes or any vehicle eligible.

We are delighted to announce that our Best in Show judge will be none other than local radio presenter, Mark Murphy MBE. The judging will take place throughout the morning with the last entrants by 1 pm, with the winner being announced at 2 pm.

Please speak to a member of the team on the day who will be able to register your car and take payment.

Admission

The Bridge Classic Car Show 2023 is completely FREE to attend. However, it would be extremely useful for us to know numbers to make sure we have all we need on the day. With that in mind, please RSVP below to let us know you will be attending and how many other classic car enthusiasts you will be bringing with you. Dogs welcome.

Keep an eye out on here and our social media pages for more news on the 2023 show!

Video highlights of the 2022 show can be seen below:


Reserve Your Place

Mr Payne – Selsey, West Sussex

“I recently brought my 1947 Humber Super Snipe from Gordon and Asa at Bridge Classic Cars of Ipswich. I am delighted with the car and the service I received. Even after the sale, they really went the extra mile getting me the old service history and advice. I would recommend to anyone.”