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Nick Skinner

Photographer/Videographer

Torque Show – 22nd November 2024

November 22, 2024

In this week’s Torque Show – Craig, Rob and Nick sit down to talk about the automotive news on everyone’s lips: The Rebrand of  @jaguarcars .

We have a chat about our history with Jaguar’s such as our E-Type competitions, caring for a real SS100, building our idea of the perfect ‘Fast Cat’ and some of the other incredible classics to come out of Coventry over the past 90 years whilst also talking about what the future could hold for one of the most famous and lorded marques in automotive history.

We take a stroll through and react to some comments on our social media channels through out the week about the reimagining of  @jaguarcars  from the everyday enthusiast to members of parliament. We also take a look at this week’s live draw, a special prize for one of our amazing Members in the form of a bottle of Coachbuilt Whiskey plus a sneak peak at our next competition if the future of Jaguar isn’t quite for you… Take a look at this week’s episode of Torque Show.

Ferrari 400 on the ramps

November 21, 2024

Our 1979 Ferrari 400 has gone into the next round of preparation by our workshop. This time, Jon and Pete have been on the underside of the classic V12 grand tourer to get it back up and running properly.

Jon began by fitting up new front brake pads into the calipers before turning his attention underneath the car. On inspection, Jon noted that there was a very slight blow coming from the exhaust so with that Jon and Pete removed the centre section to inspect it fully and try to find where this blow could be coming from.

After going out on road test, Jon noted that the blow had become a lot better. With that, he has added a bit more paste to the nearside front joint and whilst it cures, he is charging the battery up ready for more test drives.

Working on our 1970 Fiat 500

November 21, 2024

The little 1970 Fiat 500 has been on the ramps at our Suffolk HQ for the team to get the last few bits and pieces done on the car before it is handed over to our marketing team to become a future competition car.

Jon has recently replaced the track rod ends on the car which was simple enough and then he could readjust the tracking on the car. After that, Jon took the car on road test – and after a small idle speed adjustment – the car is ready for a good clean and then to become a competition car in the near future.

Tuning the 1956 Jensen 541

November 21, 2024

Our workshop are a bit of a dab hand when it comes to Jensen’s – it is without doubt the most frequent car that we have restored in nearly 20 years. The most recent 541 which our team have been working is this beautiful Grey 1956 Jensen 541.

Most recently, Jon has been working on tuning the classic GT car to run perfectly. To do this, Jon stripped down the intake side of the engine by removing the air filter box and housing to gain access to the carburettors. Carefully, he removed them and stripped them down on the bench to remove the pistons and suction chambers, from there Jon could accurately measure the jet depth for each individual chamber, lowering each one slightly in order to richen up the air/fuel mixture, while apart it gave Jon the opportunity to thoroughly clean up the pistons and suction chambers before refitting back onto the car.

With everything back together, Jon could run up the straight-six and begin by firstly tuning the carburettors by ear to get them roughly into the right area before the team deep dive into tuning the car completely. The keys were handed over to Big John, our workshop manager, to perform the road tests.

While out on test, Big John made some notes about some small changes and areas which Jon would need to take a look into once back at the workshop. With the car back at our Suffolk HQ, Jon got the 541 back onto the ramp. From there, he could slacken off the exhaust clamps and apply a small amount of sealer before refitting the pipework back together, and whilst under the car he could adjust the clutch arm to give it more clearance.

Final work and delivering our 1974 Triumph TR6

November 21, 2024

Our technician Jon recently worked on getting our 1974 Triumph TR6 to head off to its new home after recently being won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions by Michael.

One of the last jobs to do before it was handed over to our logistics coordinator, Tony, to deliver was to replace the starter motor of the classic straight-six. To do this, Jon had to remove the plenum to gain better access and safely remove the old starter, which once removed allowed him to inspect the ring gear on the car (which was noted to show a bit of wear) but the new starter slipped back into place and Jon could get everything back together.

After testing and being signed off by the workshop, the TR6 was loaded into our enclosed trailer where it could be transported to the winner Michael, who was thrilled to receive his new TR6 – all of his here want to wish Michael many happy miles with his TR6.

Working on the 1967 Mercedes 250SL Pagoda

November 21, 2024

Recently, we welcomed a new addition to our Suffolk HQ with this stunning 1967 Mercedes 250SL Pagoda which was recently picked up by our transport coordinator, Tony.

Once safely back at our workshops, the team took their time to take a look through the classic German GT car as part of the cars appraisal, where every inch of the care was carefully inspected and evaluated by the team.

The Pagoda, is truly one of the most beautiful classic Mercedes in the eyes of our team and its always a pleasure to have them on the ramps.

Our technician Jon has been working alongside our new technician Pete to carry out the appraisal of the Pagoda. They worked together to get the car started (as it came in as a non-runner) and into the workshop for the pair to get to work on the car.

The team have checked over the car thoroughly both in and out of the car to get a better idea of its condition and areas which will require attention.

Jon has made extensive notes on the car which are as follows:

”Front number plate damaged, drivers door trim and window channel loose, washers not working (pump runs noisy), engine oil black but level OK, Coolant level low and brown and low antifreeze content, Fuel pipes to inline pump starting to perish, intake pipe unsecured, gear position cable on bulkhead insecure and held on with wire, nearside front brake binding, front anti roll bar link rod bushes starting to perish, handbrake cables slack underneath, slight play in both front king pins, all tyres aged and perishing, spare tyre pre-dates others and flat, front pads 20% worn, discs OK, nearside shows some signs of heat but appear OK, Rear pads 10% worn discs OK, fuel pipes from tank to pump aged and deteriorated, fuel pump at rear leaking and requires repair kit and rebuild, torque up wheel nuts, attend to some items so car can be safely moved out, grease all points on car, play in kingpins now gone, adjust handbrake shoes, top up coolant with water, top up screenwash and inflate spare tyre to correct pressure.”

Jon could then move on to checking a few issues with the classic Mercedes such as the heating in the car but to begin with he needed to sort out some of the trims on the car which had come loose or were fitted incorrectly. He removed the chrome weather strips to adjust the clips and have them fit correctly to the car before refitting back into the doors. With the loose window channel, Jon found correct hardware in our stock to get refitted onto the car and then refit the rubber seal back into place.

He then could move under the bonnet of the car to check the coolant and heater system. Firstly, checking the coolant levels and then running the car up to temperature checking for correct operation but at that point noticed that the heater direction lever was broken. Once the car was up to around 80’c Jon noted that the heater began to warm up in the car somewhat. On road test, Jon also noted that the brakes didn’t feel quite right so the car came back into the workshop for some adjustment – his recommendation for the heater system is a full system flush and replacement thermostat as found with the low level, discoloured coolant with very little antifreeze in the mixture.

Torque Show – 15th November 2024

November 15, 2024

This weeks Torque Show comes to you from the  @ClassicMotorShowNEC  at the Birmingham NEC. The team got the chance to have a chat with some of our friends such as Ben from  @dadcars  about what makes the ultimate family car, Anthony Hamilton (father of racing drivers Sir Lewis Hamilton and Nicolas Hamilton) about his recent work with  @BeaulieuNationalMotorMuseum  as well as Josh and Bob from the Classic Car Loan Project, a scheme to get younger people behind the wheel and experience a genuine classic for a year.

Along with that, Molly joined Craig for a look around what was on offer from our friends at  @iconicauctioneers  before their record breaking sale as well as a look around some of our favourite stands of this must-see event.

Torque Show – 8th November 2024

November 8, 2024

The team are back again in the Classic Lounge for this week’s Torque Show! Molly, Craig and Rob sit down to talk about some very exciting news looking forward into the future of Bridge Classic Cars. We talk about our latest competition, the 2024 MG Cyberster – an all-electric sports car from MG which is already setting the automotive world alight with its performance, its style and its charm.

Then, we have a very exciting announcement – we have teamed up with  @p1fuels  to work on getting the classic road car world moving with this fossil free fuel as it will become the official fuel of every competition moving forward.

Alongside that, we are always working on making the world a better place than when we found it. Our workshops are constantly evolving and changing – like our paintshop. We have recently swapped over to a Lechler Hydrofan system, which begins our step into the water based paint world and away from solvent based paints. It’s been an exciting week at the Bridge Classic HQ and we can’t wait for you to get up to speed with us.

Brake Routing on the 1975 Cobra Replica

November 4, 2024

Our technician Steve has been working his magic on the 1975 Cobra project in our workshops ahead of its inspection and tests. This time, Steve has been working on getting the brake hard lines routed safely throughout the engine bay of the replica.

After working out the best route for the lines, Steve could get them secured to the inner wings and the bulkhead while also mounting up the reservoir and its bracket.

Progress on the 1956 Jensen 541

November 4, 2024

The progress on our 1956 Jensen 541 is flying along as the car heads towards initial road tests very soon around the area of the Bridge Classic Cars HQ. Before then, the team still have a bit of work to do. This time the team have been working on the inside of the classic GT car.

The team have fitted up the steering wheel, the passenger seat and the door card ends into place.

Pursuit of Perfect – Priming the Dino 246GTS

November 4, 2024

Our paint and body team have been working their magic with the Dino 246GTS we have at our Suffolk HQ for restoration. Like all of our restoration projects, the team here are obsessed with the details as that is where we strive for perfection and the 1973 Dino 246GTS is no exception.

Chris, our head painter, has been heading up this project with the cars next round of priming. With the car safely in the booth he can begin the process of masking off the areas which don’t require his razor sharp eye and steady hand.

Repairs on our 1960 Triumph TR3A

November 4, 2024

Our technician Jon has been busy working on getting our 1960 Triumph TR3A back up to scratch here at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ. To Begin with, Jon checked the roof on the classic sports car to make sure it fit and there was no damage along with checking the side screens. With the side screens, he noticed that the drivers side screen would not fit correctly due to the mirror on the A pillar.

Next up, Jon could get the car up onto the ramp to check for any leaks over night. The next morning, he noted a few small drops of oil which were traced back to the sump and the lower bolts in the front cover. So Jon cleaned down the area and began removing the bolts from the areas to then get them properly cleaned ready to be resealed and cured. After that he could move onto the next job on the list – the exhaust.

Upon inspection Jon noted that the exhaust was too short for the car. So, he began the journey of lengthening the pipework to get it to fit correctly under the car and to fit the correct rear silencer/section. He began by carefully tack welding a new piece of stainless tube into place before removing the whole system from the car for our fabricator Clinton to completely weld up. While that was being done, Jon carefully ground a new bonnet key for the car and then once the exhaust was back, fit everything back up to the car ahead of its road tests. During the tests, Jon found the carpet section behind the pedals moved, so he glued the section back down before leaving it to cure.

Torque Show – 25th October 2024

October 25, 2024

In this episode of the Torque Show – Molly, Craig and Rob sit down to talk about all of the goings-on at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ including recent live draws, workshop updates and some recent automotive news. But this episode is mostly from the heart.

The team talk about people’s deep connections to cars, sometimes beyond their mortal years which becomes a different story when those left behind have to make a decision on what to do once the owners are gone. Or, the emotional attachment that we had to a car at a certain time in our lives where we have to try and somehow keep it as close to our hearts in order to fan the wistful flames of nostalgia.

Rob talks about his latest acquisition, a 1976 MGB GT (affectionately known as Orb) and how he has developed a whole new filing system for the cars history which puts Craig’s teeth on edge and shocks Molly but it does lead the team to discuss a previous idea about how, through technology, we can make sure that Rob can never do that again.

Starting Work on the 1977 Triumph 2500TC

October 21, 2024

Jon has been busy in our workshop! In this update, he has began repairs on the 1977 Triumph 2500TC which is in with our team at our Suffolk HQ to be recommissioned. First off, was a couple of simple jobs such as fixing a brake/stop light and replacing the windscreen wipers before Jon could move onto the more serious jobs.

To begin with, Jon started to look into the cooling system on the car. Looking into the system, he found that it had quite a lot of debris and corrosion in areas so he carefully removed all of the hoses to inspected them for damage or wear, before carefully blowing them out and cleaning them on the bench before taking the classic Triumph outside to run water through the system and flush anything left over out of the engine.

Once flushed, Jon could remove the thermostat and check it over before cleaning it out thoroughly and refitting it along with the newly cleaned hoses and getting the car back on a ramp.

Working on the 1956 Jensen 541

October 21, 2024

Our workshop is well versed in all things Jensen 541 – having restored over a dozen of these classic GT cars (with 2 more in our workshop currently going through their restoration journey). So, when it comes to getting this beautiful 1956 Jensen 541 back up and running the team were eager to jump in.

Our technician Jon has been working on this particular car. He has been stripping down the interior in order to gain access to the gearbox as part of the team prepping for a clutch replacement. Jon has carefully gone through the systems to make sure that everything is undone as well as assess each component for its condition and operation.

As part of the clutch replacement, Jon has also serviced and inspected the car thoroughly which involved a repair to a HT lead and new spark plugs for the straight-six. While the car is up in the air, it gave Jon the chance to remove all of the wheels to inspect and strip down the brakes. All of the brake shoes were due for replacement, so they have been removed and are off to be refurbished. This exposed the backing plates for Jon to take a closer look at, cleaning up the units and repainting areas which had bare metal exposed.

Update on the 1975 Cobra Replica

October 21, 2024

Our technician Steve has been working on the 1975 Cobra Replica, checking off the jobs needed to get the ready for its inspection and certification. At this point, Steve has been working on the throttle cable to control that thunderous V8 that lives under the bonnet.

After test fitting, Steve noted that the access hole for the cable in the bulkhead/pedal box doesn’t actually land anywhere near the accelerator pedal. So, Steve had to remove most of the pedal assembly to redrill a new access hole for the cable to run.

Whilst working under the dash, Steve has worked his magic on the heater for the car. After testing the unit and pressurizing the system, he could strip it all back down and paint it in matching black ahead of it being installed back onto the car.

Updates on the 1979 Ferrari 400

October 21, 2024

The Bridge Classic Cars workshop team have been going full steam ahead with preparing the 1979 Ferrari 400. Our technician, Jon, has been heading up the project from the moment the car came into our workshop a couple of months ago.

To begin with, Jon has had to replace the heater valve nestled deep under the scuttle of the classic Ferrari and on the back corner of the glorious V12. Once the new heater valve arrived, Jon had to make some modifications to get the unit to fit and operate correctly while also modifying the clamp attachment before getting it ready to fit back into the car.

After it was back in the car, Jon could begin testing. The first stage was to refill the coolant and pressurize the system to check for any leaks and then he can began to tune and check over the V12, but on a brief start up Jon noted that the car is now running on all 12 cylinders.

With the engine now ready to run, levels topped off in both the V12 and the automatic gearbox, Jon could turn his attention to making sure the luxury classic GT car stopped. He inspected each individual caliper as well as tracing all the brake lines and pipes back to check for corrosion, pinches or leaks. Once Jon got to the nearside front caliper, he noticed a very slight weep when the caliper was under pressure. Upon inspection, he found that previous to the car coming to us someone had stripped out the threads on the caliper and retapped it from 7/16th to 1/2 inch, Jon found a suitable bolt and had our technician Paul turn it down in a lathe to make a suitable union.

While waiting for Paul to machine the bolt, Jon stripped down the speedometer which he found small shards of plastic obscuring the warning lights. Once he had cleaned out the unit, he reassembled and got it back into the car.

With the new union suitably modified, Jon could remake the brake line which runs to the caliper. After bending up new pipework, he found that with the new union in place the top brake pipe would not tighten where someone had previously modified the unit and the threads were very badly worn.

Torque Show – 18th October 2024

October 18, 2024

In this week’s Torque Show, the Bridge Classic Cars team sit down to talk about how online car platforms are changing and the impact that has on both traders and consumers, before having a chat about a very important moment in every petrolheads life… when we passed our driving tests of the back of a recent study by Young Drivers.

We take a look at this week’s live draw for our latest competition cars before Molly grabs a couple of minutes with our Technician Jon to talk us through what goes into getting a car ready for competition and then ready for its new owner with our 2010 Land Rover Defender 90 which leads us on nicely to take a look back at our most famous Defender, given away during our Evening With TV adventurer Ed Stafford.

Staying in the workshop for a bit, Molly talks to our paint technician Mauro who is hard at work getting a Rover 75 Estate back into better than new condition before catching up with our workshop manager and all-round good guy, Big John.

Finally, head back over to the Classic Lounge with Molly and she rejoins Craig and Rob to talk about some recent changes to our competitions as well as sharing some of the awesome comments we’ve recently got on our other episodes of Torque Show.

Torque Show – 11th October 2024

October 11, 2024

This week, the team headed to the incredible Imperial War Museum in Duxford for the recent H&H Classics auction where two of our cars were being represented surrounded by the most sensational display of aircraft anywhere in the UK.

Molly caught up with Tony, our logistics coordinator, to find out more about what goes on behind the scenes of moving our competition and restoration cars around the length and breadth of the country to and from their homes and our Suffolk HQ – after unloading our 1929 Dodge DA Six.

Next up, Molly managed to grab Paul Cheetham during the set up for the auction – one of the wonderful team from H&H to chat through how the process of the auctions work and a bit of an insight into the history (and future of both H&H and the wider auction world).

We took a look back at the live draw of our 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 which was won by a very excited Andrew and then finish up with a look at our ‘Evening with the Three Chordettes’. A brilliant evening of vintage music and a chilled out atmosphere in the Bridge Classic Cars Classic Lounge.

Torque Show – October 4th 2024

October 4, 2024

The Bridge Classic Cars team have been at it again! After another jam packed week they sit down to go through everything that’s been going on at the Suffolk HQ.

They talk through synthetic fuels after our visit from Jake at P1 Fuels, our love of Aston Martins as well as a sneak peek at our latest episode covering the restoration of our 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 barn find and then, they sit down with our in-house photographer/videographer Nick to have a chat about what goes on behind the cameras here at Bridge Classic Cars.

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Latest Arrivals – 1956 Jensen 541 and 2007 Porsche 911 Carrera S

September 30, 2024

The Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ is always a busy place – with classics and modern cars coming in and out of our workshops every week. Last week, we welcomed 2 more brand new arrivals. A 1956 Jensen 541 and a 2007 Porsche 911 Carrera S. Both of these stunning cars will be looked at and taken care of by our restoration technicians.

1956 Jensen 541:

2007 Porsche 911 Carrera S:

Continuing Work on the 1951 Austin Devon Pickup

September 30, 2024

Our paint and body specialist Alan has been working on getting the 1951 Austin Devon Pickup back into tip top condition. He has been working the panels and making sure that not only are all the gaps perfect but also the cab panels are perfectly level and curved where they need to be.

Rebuilding the Carburettor of the 1979 Volkswagen Type 2 Bay Window

September 30, 2024

Our amazing workshop manager, John, has been working on the 1979 Volkswagen Type 2 Bay Window which is in our workshops for a couple of jobs.

This time, John has been rebuilding the carburettor of the classic aircooled Volkswagen chasing down a slight dead spot. John completely cleared out the entire carburettor including spending meticulously inspecting and cleaning out the jets. After that, John fitted up the new gasket and filter kits before getting it back on top of the flat-four engine.

Building Up our 1979 Ferrari 400

September 30, 2024

The workshop team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working their way through our classic 1979 Ferrari 400, recommissioning each system of the car.

This time, Jon has been continuing his work on the underside of the Maranello masterpiece with the exhaust system. He has to make several new sections of the rear of the exhaust which involved cutting, slotting and clamping the replacement pieces to the back boxes, while also having to remake 1 of the original exhaust mounts.

Next up, Jon moved over to the offside of the classic Ferrari to get the exhaust and oil cooler sorted out. To begin with, Jon had to modify the mounts to add some extra clearance, before installing the exhaust system. With that now in place, Jon could fit up the rear anti-roll bar links before moving onto getting the gearbox oil cooler into place with some modifications to the hoses and pipework to get everything safely fit back into the car, which included sleeving some of the pipework in what could become contact areas over time as well as putting heatwrap on the pipes to protect them from the exhaust which run close by.

Back Together – The Body of our 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 Back on the Chassis

September 30, 2024

Our 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 has taken a massive step forward over the past week as the Bridge Classic Cars restoration team have reunited the repaired body back onto the refurbished and refinished chassis of this classic Aston Martin.

Rob, one of our technicians, has been heading up this phase of the project – He, along with several members of the team, carefully reunited the body and the chassis inch by inch for the final time before it heads off to the body and paint team to begin its journey back into colour.

Building up the suspension of our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe

September 30, 2024

The workshop team here at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ have been continuing their work on getting the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe closer to getting back on the road – this time quite literally!

Rob, one of our restoration technicians, has been working on building up the front suspension of the rare sports car. Focusing on the right hand side, he has built up the front uprights after they had been stripped, inspected and refinished. These will be carefully wrapped up and put into storage awaiting their time to be fitted to the chassis of the car soon. Along side that, Rob has bench built the rear brakes which also await their moment to be reunited with the rest of the running gear on the car.

Torque Show – 27th September 2024

September 27, 2024

From Molly’s weekend at the ‘Steam Back to the Forties’ event hosted by North Norfolk Railways to Jaguar C-Type Replicas, and a q&a about classic car auctions, this episode is full of a whole lot of automotive chat.

Filmed in The Classic Lounge, this week’s Torque Show involves Molly, Craig, Rob, Gordon, and John as they sit down over a cup of coffee to talk about what has been going on over the last week or so.

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Torque Show – 20th September 2024

September 20, 2024

Molly, Craig and Rob sat down at the Bridge Classic Cars Classic Lounge to go through all the exciting things which have been happening at our Suffolk HQ this week.

We speak about our latest competition car, which we’re very excited to share with you, our 1970 Jaguar E-Type which could be yours for less than a cup of coffee! And generally about the E-Type and going on road trips with classics.

The team talk about our amazing time at the International Autojumble thanks to our friends at the Beaulieu National Motor Museum and the incredible display they have in their wonderfully curated museum – and the results of our automotive interior design challenge where Rob & Nick were challenged by Molly to find some pieces for our Members Club HQ, The Classic Lounge.

We look back on this week’s competition winners, who won our 1959 Ford Zephyr and Frederique Constant Runabout Watch Set.

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