Mercedes Wiring
January 8, 2024
John has been cleaning the overspray and grease and oil off the wiring loom of our 1987 Mercedes 500 SL. He then started routing wiring
Rob Harvey
Marketing Manager - Bridge Classic Cars
Prep And Paint
January 8, 2024
Our 1969 MGC GT has been in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop with Chris. He rubbed down the primer on the car before moving it
Removing Interior Panels
January 8, 2024
Lydia removed the interior panels of our 2010 Land Rover Defender. The roof had to be removed for some bodywork to take place and the
Stripping A Stag Roof
January 8, 2024
recently, Lydia spent some time stripping the headlining and internal parts off the hard top for our 1978 Triumph Stag. Firstly, she removed all rubber
A Happy Winner
January 8, 2024
Lucky winner, Mike Bartlett, was delighted when he accepted the delivery of his 1968 Morris 1000 Pickup. After being drawn as the winner on the
Running Gear Strip Down
January 8, 2024
Last week, James started to strip the running gear down of our 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 for refurbishment. The axles have been broken down into
Uncovering Previous Repairs
January 8, 2024
Rob has continued the strip down of our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe. As he was doing this, he found some highly questionable previous
Priming Our Spitfire
January 8, 2024
Bridge Classic Cars paint technician Alan has been working on our 1976 Triumph Spitfire. He prepped the polyester primer ready for high-build primer before applying
Devon Restoration
January 8, 2024
Fabricators Chris and Monty have been continuing their work on our 1951 Austin Devon Pickup. They have repaired the pillars as well as fabricated the
Starting A 119-Year-Old Car
January 5, 2024
Our 1905 Riley 9HP was originally thought to be just 1 of 3 remaining examples. However, the evidence now suggests that it is, in fact,
MR2 Repairs
January 4, 2024
Jonn has been continuing his work on our 1992 Toyota MR2. He has stripped and fitted a new fuel filter. He has also drained the
A Busy Start To 2024
January 4, 2024
After a relaxed Christmas break, the team at Bridge Classic Cars got straight back into restoring some stunning classic cars on the 2nd of January
Looking Great
January 3, 2024
Now that our 1970 MGB Roadster has come to the end of its stay at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, Nick spent some time taking
New Year Refurbishments
January 3, 2024
Over the Christmas break, the offices, paint shop and other areas here at Bridge Classic Cars had a bit of a refurbishment. After undergoing a
The Strip Down Begins
January 3, 2024
Our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 has begun its process of being stripped down by classic car technician Rob. It will be stripped down to a
Repairing A Pillar
January 3, 2024
Our 1951 Austin Devon Pickup has continued its stay in our fabrication bay with technician Chris. Chris has been repairing the A-pillar as well as
Brakes And Axle Supports
January 3, 2024
Classic car technician Paul has manufactured brake pipes for our 1956 Jensen 541. After fitting these to the car, he then fabricated axle support straps
Celebrating A Successful 2023
December 22, 2023
After a year of hard work bringing a whole range of classic vehicles back to life, the entire team at Bridge Classic Cars are celebrating
Iconic Auctioneers
December 22, 2023
Our good friends at Iconic Auctioneers have recently announced that they have regained their status as the foremost leaders in the UK car auction market.
The End Of 2023
December 22, 2023
At the end of each year, the workshop undergoes a deep clean to ensure that it is a pristine environment for more classics to be
Final Stripping of DB2/4
December 22, 2023
The last sections of our 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 have been removed, the radiators and other engine ancillaries, the engine and gearbox removed, then the
Service And Repairs
December 21, 2023
Jonn has secured a new battery with a clamp in our 1992 Toyota MR2. He went on to refit the plastic under the bonnet trim
Our Lotus Europa – Delivered
December 21, 2023
Earlier this week, we delivered our 1970 Lotus Europa to lucky winner Timothy Chapman. Timothy was randomly selected as the winner during the live draw
Brake Pipes
December 21, 2023
After completing even more zinc plating on several more components of our Ford Transit MKII Tipper, Steve fitted the brake servo and master cylinder under
Run Up And Finish
December 21, 2023
Our 1970 MGB Roadster is coming to the end of its time here at Bridge Classic Cars. Jonn has been refitting parts to the engine
Wheel Arches
December 21, 2023
Rob has welded the inner wheel arches back onto the bonnet of our 1976 Triumph Spitfire. He did this before the outside of the bonnet
541 Progress
December 21, 2023
Paul has been working on our 1956 Jensen 541. He made and fitted the fuel tank before fabricating parts for the driver’s side footwell and
Replacing Wheels
December 21, 2023
Our 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 recently made a short return to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. It came in to have its wheels replaced
Undersealing
December 21, 2023
Our 2005 Honda S2000 has continued its stay in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop. While in there, Chris has been undersealing the underneath of the
Mercedes Wiring
January 8, 2024
John has been cleaning the overspray and grease and oil off the wiring loom of our 1987 Mercedes 500 SL. He then started routing wiring into the correct positions.
The other Jonn then continued to sort/route the wiring before mounting the heater valve to the bulkhead. The ABS pump was mounted and Jonn repaired and rebuilt the heater fan and mount in place.
Jonn then drilled the hole in the nearside bulkhead and routed the bonnet release cable through.
Prep And Paint
January 8, 2024
Our 1969 MGC GT has been in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop with Chris.
He rubbed down the primer on the car before moving it into the oven and masked it up ready for painting. Chris then painted the car before painting the roof frame in DTM Satin.
Removing Interior Panels
January 8, 2024
Lydia removed the interior panels of our 2010 Land Rover Defender. The roof had to be removed for some bodywork to take place and the play lining in the rear was removed so it could be covered.
Stripping A Stag Roof
January 8, 2024
recently, Lydia spent some time stripping the headlining and internal parts off the hard top for our 1978 Triumph Stag.
Firstly, she removed all rubber pieces that she could, to expose the metal strips holding back the headlining. Then she had to drill out the rivets and remove the strips.
Next, Lydia prized the edge of the headlining away , pulled out the roof bars, and was able to pull out the headlining piece.
A Happy Winner
January 8, 2024
Lucky winner, Mike Bartlett, was delighted when he accepted the delivery of his 1968 Morris 1000 Pickup.
After being drawn as the winner on the last live draw of 2023, Mike, with ticket number 4032, won this stunning pickup as well as having £1000 transferred to his bank in time for Christmas.
Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars would like to congratulate Mike again and we hope he enjoys his very own festive classic.
Running Gear Strip Down
January 8, 2024
Last week, James started to strip the running gear down of our 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 for refurbishment. The axles have been broken down into component parts ready for blasting/cleaning and then painting, any worn or damaged parts have been located and will be replaced on re-assembly. The brake and clutch pedal unit has also been stripped and will be refurbished ready for when the chassis is back so the rebuild can start.
Uncovering Previous Repairs
January 8, 2024
Rob has continued the strip down of our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe.
As he was doing this, he found some highly questionable previous repairs. I think Rob said it best when he said:
“The next time you look at a classic car, however much it may be worth nowadays, just remember that once it was just an old car, and worth less than a packet of fags, and will have been bodged up accordingly. This is the previous repair that has been carried out to some very extensive damage on the sill of the Aston. Mind-boggling!”
Rob also removed all the securing bolts and lowered the front and rear suspension assemblies, as complete units, ready to be stripped for rebuilding at a later date.
Priming Our Spitfire
January 8, 2024
Bridge Classic Cars paint technician Alan has been working on our 1976 Triumph Spitfire.
He prepped the polyester primer ready for high-build primer before applying the high-build primer to the doors and boot lid.
Alan then masked and primed the body of the car.
Devon Restoration
January 8, 2024
Fabricators Chris and Monty have been continuing their work on our 1951 Austin Devon Pickup.
They have repaired the pillars as well as fabricated the left-hand step. Chris also went on to start making the cab corner.
Starting A 119-Year-Old Car
January 5, 2024
Our 1905 Riley 9HP was originally thought to be just 1 of 3 remaining examples. However, the evidence now suggests that it is, in fact, a 1 of 1 prototype of the first car to have fully removable wheels. This is the moment we started the 119-year-old car in the workshop.
MR2 Repairs
January 4, 2024
Jonn has been continuing his work on our 1992 Toyota MR2. He has stripped and fitted a new fuel filter. He has also drained the automatic transmission and removed the sump and filter. These were cleaned before being refitted and torqued to 10nm. The nearside front ball joint was stripped and removed ready for replacement. The brake fluid was then changed and the system bled.
The next job was to strip the engine to replace the cambelt and water pump. Jonn found various bolts seized and difficult to remove. One bolt snapped in the water pump housing so Jonn had to remove the exhaust manifold heatshield and various bracketry to enable access to the rear of the water pump/thermostat housing. Eventually, he was able to remove the housing.
The water pump housing was cleaned and Jonn drilled out the broken bolt and retapped the thread to 6mm. He then refitted it the to engine with new o rings. The new water pump was fitted and secured before a vac test was carried out to check if the system was sealed.
The new cambelt, idler and tensioner were fitted. Jonn turned the engine over 4 times and checked the timing marks aligned. The lower cover and crank pulley were then refitted before the rocker cover was stripped, removed, and cleaned ready for a new gasket.
Jonn refitted the engine mount and alternator bracket. He then mounted the alternator and fitted the air con and alternator belts before adjusting them.
Next, Jonn refitted the inlet manifold, servo pipe and cables. He then used a vacuum tool to refill the cooling system with a 50/50 antifreeze water mix. After fitting the new nearside lower ball join Jonn refitted the wheels and torqued them to 103nm.
One of the final jobs for Jonn was to investigate why the driver’s window was not working. He checked the fuses and removed the door panel and power motor directly and found it didn’t work. This will need to be replaced to resolve the issue.
A Busy Start To 2024
January 4, 2024
After a relaxed Christmas break, the team at Bridge Classic Cars got straight back into restoring some stunning classic cars on the 2nd of January 2024.
On our first day back, Molly took a look around the workshop to find out what was happening on day 1 of the new working year.
Looking Great
January 3, 2024
Now that our 1970 MGB Roadster has come to the end of its stay at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, Nick spent some time taking these stunning pictures of such a great-looking car.
As it was a rainy day, Nick parked our MGB in The Atelier and gave it the photoshoot a car like this deserves.
New Year Refurbishments
January 3, 2024
Over the Christmas break, the offices, paint shop and other areas here at Bridge Classic Cars had a bit of a refurbishment.
After undergoing a big clean before we went home for the festive season, each area had a fresh coat of paint and they are looking great ready for a busy year ahead.
The Strip Down Begins
January 3, 2024
Our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 has begun its process of being stripped down by classic car technician Rob.
It will be stripped down to a bare chassis, ready for its full restoration to get properly underway.
Repairing A Pillar
January 3, 2024
Our 1951 Austin Devon Pickup has continued its stay in our fabrication bay with technician Chris.
Chris has been repairing the A-pillar as well as working on the nuts which are used for the suspension mount.
Our classic Devon will stay with Chris for a little while longer before moving on to the next phase of its restoration.
Brakes And Axle Supports
January 3, 2024
Classic car technician Paul has manufactured brake pipes for our 1956 Jensen 541. After fitting these to the car, he then fabricated axle support straps ready for them to be painted.
Celebrating A Successful 2023
December 22, 2023
After a year of hard work bringing a whole range of classic vehicles back to life, the entire team at Bridge Classic Cars are celebrating our success, and the festive season, as we all head out for our Christmas meal.
Just down the road from the workshop is the Ufford Crown. This is the host of our celebration where the staff there will have the challenge of feeding a team of hungry technicians, marketers, accountants, painters, trimmers, and more.
After spending a few hours together, enjoying some great food (and a few drinks), we will all be heading home to spend Christmas and New Year with our loved ones.
As we close the workshop doors for the last time this year for a well-deserved break, we are looking forward to seeing what 2024 has to bring.
Iconic Auctioneers
December 22, 2023
Our good friends at Iconic Auctioneers have recently announced that they have regained their status as the foremost leaders in the UK car auction market. They have achieved this by completing £36 million in car sales, setting 18 auction world records, and maintaining a sales rate of 70%.
Rob Hubbard, Managing Director of Iconic Auctioneers said:
“Naturally we are delighted with this early Christmas present. It is a great tribute to the whole team who have worked so hard to make this market leadership position a reality. It comes after a number of strong years where we have steadily closed the gap on our competitors.
The result is also due to strong marketing, a rebrand from Silverstone Auctions to Iconic Auctioneers and a vastly increased international reach thanks to our media profile. Today we have a presence on five continents. Our bidders are a truly global group. And our client service is in a class of its own.”
This achievement owes itself to robust marketing strategies, a rebranding from Silverstone Auctions to Iconic Auctioneers, and a substantially expanded global presence through heightened media visibility. Presently, our reach extends across five continents, drawing in bidders from around the world. Our unparalleled client service sets us apart.”
Congratulations to Iconic Auctioneers!
The End Of 2023
December 22, 2023
At the end of each year, the workshop undergoes a deep clean to ensure that it is a pristine environment for more classics to be restored in next year.
The workshop team have spent the last 2 days cleaning every inch of the workshop floors, walls, rails, tools, ramps, and anything else that you can think of. This includes the trim shop and paint shop too!
As we come towards the end of our last working day of the year, the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is looking incredible and is getting ready to welcome even more classic vehicles in January.
Final Stripping of DB2/4
December 22, 2023
The last sections of our 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 have been removed, the radiators and other engine ancillaries, the engine and gearbox removed, then the chassis and bulkhead were completely stripped of suspension, steering and brake components, along with wiring loom and pipes/fittings.
The chassis can now go off to be stripped and checked before painting and reassembly in the new year.
Service And Repairs
December 21, 2023
Jonn has secured a new battery with a clamp in our 1992 Toyota MR2. He went on to refit the plastic under the bonnet trim and fix it in place with four new clips.
Jonn then stripped and removed the alternator. Once this was done, he removed the alternator mounting bracket, relay and earth to the rear engine bay.
Jonn carried out a service, drained the oil and fitted a new filter. The sump bung was refitted and torqued to 37nm.
Our Lotus Europa – Delivered
December 21, 2023
Earlier this week, we delivered our 1970 Lotus Europa to lucky winner Timothy Chapman.
Timothy was randomly selected as the winner during the live draw with his ticket number 784.
Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars loved this car and we are very happy to see it at home with its new owner. We all hope that Timothy enjoys it for many years to come.
Brake Pipes
December 21, 2023
After completing even more zinc plating on several more components of our Ford Transit MKII Tipper, Steve fitted the brake servo and master cylinder under the bonnet, along with all of the brake pipes.
Run Up And Finish
December 21, 2023
Our 1970 MGB Roadster is coming to the end of its time here at Bridge Classic Cars.
Jonn has been refitting parts to the engine now the engine is fitted. After filling it with oil, he removed the spark plugs and coil lead. He then cranked the engine over until oil pressure was made.
The spark plugs were refitted and the coil lead. The oil level was checked and topped up and Jonn attempted to start the car.
After charging the battery, the car wouldn’t fire. The spark plugs were checked and found to be ok. Fuel to the carbs was checked and found to be ok too.
Jonn removed the rocker cover to align the timing marks. He removed the distributor cap and checked the timing was ok. After resetting the distributor, the cap was refitted and a small amount of petrol was poured into the carbs which let the engine fire on cranking.
Jonn stripped the carbs and found the jets were set too high, and running a very weak mixture. He set the jet depths to approx 2 1/2 turns down (0.090″). The car then started and ran fine so Jonn refitted the radiator and fan.
After finishing checking over the engine and finding no leaks upon inspection this morning, the bonnet was fitted and adjusted. The car was taken outside and ran up to temperature. A leak from the top radiator hose was found so Jonn tightened the jubilee clip but still noticed a leak. A second jubilee clip was fitted behind first and secured, (it had 2 clips on when it came in) which resolved the leak.
Jonn noted that the fan cuts in ok so a road test was carried out. The road test was successful after Jonn stopped to secure the distributor and adjust the idle speed.
Our MGB Roadster was tested at all speeds up to 65mph in stop/start traffic conditions and all was fine.
Wheel Arches
December 21, 2023
Rob has welded the inner wheel arches back onto the bonnet of our 1976 Triumph Spitfire. He did this before the outside of the bonnet was painted.
More parts are being cleaned and blasted before Rob electroplated them.
541 Progress
December 21, 2023
Paul has been working on our 1956 Jensen 541.
He made and fitted the fuel tank before fabricating parts for the driver’s side footwell and welding these in place.
Replacing Wheels
December 21, 2023
Our 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 recently made a short return to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
It came in to have its wheels replaced as the original wheels had fractured.
Undersealing
December 21, 2023
Our 2005 Honda S2000 has continued its stay in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop. While in there, Chris has been undersealing the underneath of the car.
