Nick Skinner

Photographer/Videographer

Piece by Piece – Making the Gearbox Tunnel for the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars are currently working on shaping and fitting several key pieces to the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica.

This time, Clinton has been hand-forming and shaping the gearbox tunnel for our classic sports racer. Each individual piece aligns to a certain point on the tunnel so they have to be carefully manipulated not only for their own fit but for the fitment of all the panels which come afterwards.

Each curve and bend needs to flow perfectly into the next to give it the complete uniform shape and the fit and finish that we are aiming for with such a special project as our C-Type Replica.

Coming Together – Progress on the Gearbox Tunnel and Rear Wings of the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars are making progress on the sheet metal parts of our C-Type Replica.

The C-Type Replica’s gearbox tunnel has had its final shape finished and set, so with that Clinton could then line up each piece and drill the carefully measured holes ready for all of the pieces to be riveted together.

Along with this key piece, he has begun working on securing the inner rear wings to the rear tub of the C-Type Replica. These have to be laid accurately into the rear tub to then have the rear tub line up perfectly with the spaceframe chassis it lays on top of.

Piece by Piece – Putting Together the Bonnet of our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working their magic on the aluminium pieces under the bonnet of the C-Type Replica.

Each piece has been handled by our fabricator Clinton, who has carefully reworked and shaped the metal panels to fit and work together on the classic Le Mans car. This has required multiple test fits of pieces with revisions being made by the 10ths of an inch to get everything working and looking exactly as it should do.

Guard Duty – Handmaking Splash Guards in the Bonnet of our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The fabrication team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on creating several bespoke handmade pieces under the bonnet of the C-Type Replica.

Clinton, one of our fabricators, has hand-formed each of these splash guards to make sure they have a tight and flush fit under the bonnet. These pieces were then test fit into the car with pull clips during mockup to make sure none of the other pieces currently underway will interfere with the guards.

Structures – Building Up The Bonnet Of Our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on getting the support pieces and substructures made and installed on the C-Type Replica.

The team began by fixing the aluminium edge supports into the tub which makes up the bonnet of the car. These are used to strengthen the piece as well as help it locate into the bonnet catches and edge.

Once these pieces had been test fit and held in place, the fabrication shop could work on the other aluminium pieces and braces into the classic Le Mans car.

Moving Along – Progress on Our Very Special 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The team at Bridge Classic Cars have been making progress on our very special C-Type Replica.

The fabrication and body teams have worked on getting the front clamshell onto the nose of the classic racer. This was just a rough fitting of the piece onto the car along with the fitting of the newly finished wire wheels onto the hubs of the car. The team fit these up after the nose was put on the car to check clearances and the steering system for any binding or interference.

Then, the classic Le Mans racer was pushed out of the fabrication bay and moved on its wheels for the first time in the project. It was then taken around to our restoration workshops to be fitted with its custom made placement jig. This is being used to perfectly align the large front clamshell to the rest of the body during its adjustments.

Handmade – Spare Wheel Well for our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars are working hard on the C-Type Replica.

At this stage, the team have been fabricating the new aluminium spare wheel well/carrier. This piece has been entirely made and formed by hand to be the perfect fit for the classic race car. Our fabricator Clinton has spent many hours making sure each radius and curve flow identically to the original while also being sure that it is 100% fit for purpose in holding a full-sized spare for the C-Type Replica.

Progress – Continuing on the Build Up of Our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

There’s been some amazing progress done on our C-Type Replica! Our in-house fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on making, refining and installing the various pieces of aluminium panelwork which work around the various pieces of the spaceframe.

The Bridge C-Type Replica is a personal project for the team here at Bridge Classic Cars and we’re excited to see it moving forward. Each of the aluminium panels has been worked on by the team in the fabrication shop who have bead rolled, worked through and edged to get each piece to beautifully fit into the car.

And, another amazing part of the project has returned to our workshop. The wire centre-lock wheels have come back from being refinished! They’ve been refinished in a stunning vibrant red to be the accent piece of the project.

Stuck Together – Welding Aluminium Parts for the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

Our fabricator, Clinton, has been working on more of the aluminium pieces for our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica. Each of the hand-made pieces has been test fitted into the car to double-check tolerances before being taken out and cleaned.

After cleaning, Clinton could weld them up on the bench to create their final and complete shape before rechecking their fitment in the car.

First Fit – Fitting the Body and Bulkhead into our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The body and handmade bulkhead have been fitted into our C-Type Replica by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house fabrication shop.

Our fabricator Clinton has hand-finished and bead-rolled the aluminium bulkhead for the Bridge C-Type Replica using his experience and reference photos of the original car. Along with that, he has fit the body onto the spaceframe to begin lining up all the necessary pieces to the car in preparation for the bulkhead being fitted.

Straight and Narrow – Aligning the Nose of the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop have worked on creating a series of alignment spars for the nose of our very special C-Type Replica.

The team have have formed an aluminium rib which runs around the edge of the clamshell and will help with the alignment of the one piece front end and help the entire piece close evenly and accurately.

The unveiling of the new Jaguar C-Type

You may have heard about Jaguar re-producing the 1953 Le Mans-Winning Jaguar C-Type. It’s been a conversation in the classic car world for several months now and this weekend, the first one will be out in the public eye for everyone to see.

There will only be a small number of the cars produced and they’ll come with a pretty high price tag…

Most of the design and build will be like the original, however, there will be a few changes due to modern-day safety standards. The new C-Types will be made of a thicker gauge metal because the originals were made so thin they could practically fall apart after racing. As well as that, there will be a built-in removable roll hoop, a safety lining in the fuel tank, a fire extinguisher and a smaller steering wheel than the original, to make it easier for the driver to control. Harnesses will also be able to be securely mounted thanks to a new rear cross member.

We’re extremely familiar with E-Types now, having had so many in our workshop, we’re looking forward to seeing how the new C-Type looks.