Rob Harvey

Marketing Manager - Bridge Classic Cars

Going To Auction

Our 1974 Triumph Stag is going to auction. Classic Car Auctions will be offering this beautiful classic car for sale and we are sure that

Read More »

Tickets Available Now

Our 1976 Leyland Mini Clubman 110 is live now on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website. This beautiful classic mini underwent extensive restoration and has

Read More »

Trojan Records Clothing

The history of Trojan Records Clothing goes all the way back to 1947 when, in Lambrete, Milan, Ferdinando Innocenti’s 123cc scooter was launched. The scooter

Read More »

Little Eva Spotted

Images of our 1961 Mini Deluxe ‘Little Eva’ were shared recently on social media by N G Vehicle Logistics. They were transporting the beautiful classic

Read More »

A New Arrival

We have recently welcomed our 1987 Porsche 928 Series 4 into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. It has come in for our team of classic

Read More »

Progress Images

After the recent progress update that we received from JAL Restorations about our 1984 Suzuki GSX400, we have now received some images of the bike

Read More »

Looking Good In White

After being prepped for a new paint job by Mauro, classic car technician Chris painted our 1979 Austin Morris Mini 850. Perhaps the biggest difference

Read More »

Bespoke Tables

The Atelier at Bridge Classic Cars continues to transform into a unique events space. Whether it is being used for a live draw through Bridge

Read More »

Paint Prep

Our 1996 Rover 220 Turbo has continued its time in the Bridge Classic Cars Paintshop as it is being prepped for a new coat of

Read More »

Enjoying A DB9

Nick Jones was the lucky winner of our 2005 Aston Martin DB9 back in December last year. Since he took delivery of his new car,

Read More »

More Green

Our 1959 Jensen 541R has continued its transformation with more paintwork being completed. This time it was the sill covers and bonnet flap being painted

Read More »

Going Into Storage

We recently welcomed a new vehicle into our secure storage facility, The Hangar. Vehicle storage is important to get right to ensure your car is

Read More »

Fixing The Brakes

Our 1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta TI has been in the hands of classic car technician Steve. Steve fitted new brake pipes on the offside front

Read More »

A New Arrival

Another new arrival to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is our 1980 Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. It has come to us as it is currently not

Read More »

Ready To Be Won

Our 1968 MGB GT is live on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website. MGBs are always popular competition cars so this one likely won’t be

Read More »

A Special Project

A very special project has recently arrived at Bridge Classic Cars in the form of our 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5 The former owners of

Read More »

Bristol 411 Progress

Classic car technician John has been working on getting our 1970 Bristol 411 running. A new air filter needed to be fitted, however, as the

Read More »

Nearly There

Work has continued on our 1970 Jensen Interceptor with classic car technician fitting new 90-degree terminals to the fans, in order to aid clearance of

Read More »

Painting Jensen Parts

Various parts of our 1959 Jensen 541R have been with classic car technician Mauro in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop. The wheels of our rare

Read More »

Prepping For Paint

Our 1979 Austin Morris Mini 850 has been in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop with classic car technician Mauro. Our classic Mini was rubbed down

Read More »

Going To Auction

Our 1974 Triumph Stag is going to auction.

Classic Car Auctions will be offering this beautiful classic car for sale and we are sure that it will be a popular lot on auction day.

As you can see from the images below, it looks very impressive outside of our secure storage facility, The Hangar.

Auction date and time TBC.

Tickets Available Now

Our 1976 Leyland Mini Clubman 110 is live now on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website.

This beautiful classic mini underwent extensive restoration and has been finished to a very high standard.

Classic minis are always popular competition cars and, as this one is such a great example, tickets will likely sell fast!

Trojan Records Clothing

The history of Trojan Records Clothing goes all the way back to 1947 when, in Lambrete, Milan, Ferdinando Innocenti’s 123cc scooter was launched. The scooter in question was the Lambretta, named after the district in which it was created and, subsequently, revealed to the world.

The Lambretta was a huge success in Italy and beyond. In 1951, it arrived in the UK and by 1959 it had overtaken the sale of Vespas, which had already established itself prior to the arrival of the Lambretta.

Throughout the 1960s, the Lambretta developed a very English personality, despite being an Italian scooter, and it became a popular mode of transport across the country.

Once the production of Lambretta scooters ceased, the brand it had built and the values it had created lived on and, in 1997 the Lambretta clothing range was launched. The first Lambretta shop opened on Carnaby Street in 1997 before a second opened in the Victoria Quarter, Leeds and a third opened in Covent Garden in 2002.

A Sub Brand Emerges

In 2015, Lambretta launched a sub-brand called Trojan Records. This was a limited clothing range that proved to be successful enough for it to be established as its own fashion brand in 2015.

Trojan Records clothing has become known for its stylish and classic apparel that pays homage to its Ska roots. This Jamaican heritage is still present in the range of Harringtons, polos, parkas, button-down shirts, fine-gauge knitwear, track tops, tees, and trousers.

All of the apparel in the Trojan Records range is high-quality and timeless and incorporates parts of traditional favourites while also keeping in tune with contemporary styling.

Trojan Records And Bridge Classic Cars

It may seem odd that a classic car restoration company is talking about clothing and style. However, here at Bridge Classic Cars, we appreciate all things classic and Trojan Records Clothing certainly fits the bill.

Something new and exciting is coming very soon so keep your eyes peeled for more Trojan Records and Bridge Classic Car news.

Our Rover 216 Delivered

We recently delivered our 1994 Rover 216 Cabriolet to lucky winner, James Blocksidge.

James won our 216 in the live draw held on 16th February 2023 when his ticket number, 1916, was randomly selected as the winner.

Everyone here at Bridge Classics Car would like to congratulate James again – we hope you enjoy your new car!

Little Eva Spotted

Images of our 1961 Mini Deluxe ‘Little Eva’ were shared recently on social media by N G Vehicle Logistics. They were transporting the beautiful classic Mini to Somerset on behalf of South Norfolk Classics.

Little Eva was won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions back in October 2022 and we hope that she will be enjoyed in Somerset or anywhere else she ends up.

A New Arrival

We have recently welcomed our 1987 Porsche 928 Series 4 into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.

It has come in for our team of classic car technicians to investigate and resolve a few issues. Some of the issues that will be looked at include inconsistent revs during start-up, the fuel gauge is also inconsistent, knocking on the driver’s side at low speed, and the boot spoiler appears to be a little loose.

While this beautiful classic Porsche is with us, we will also be checking the entire vehicle for any imperfections or corrosion issues as well as checking for any electrical issues too.

Our 1987 Porsche 928 Series 4 is already a great-looking car and we are very much looking forward to seeing it drive out of the workshop and back onto the road in the near future.

Progress Images

After the recent progress update that we received from JAL Restorations about our 1984 Suzuki GSX400, we have now received some images of the bike too.

As this is a custom project, the classic motorcycle will continue to change its appearance and transform into the bike that Bridge Classic Cars Director, Craig is looking to build.

Featured In The Jensen Owners Club Magazine

In the latest edition of the Jensen Owners Club magazine, you will find an article that talks about some of the classic Jensens that we have at Bridge Classic Cars.

As we have restored and worked on so many Jensens in the past (and still currently have some in the workshop), it is great to have an article published by the JOC.

Bespoke Tables

The Atelier at Bridge Classic Cars continues to transform into a unique events space.

Whether it is being used for a live draw through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, a car meet, one of our coffees and classics, or any other occasion, it is a creative space that brings any event to life.

As The Atelier is such a unique space, it is only fitting that the furniture within it is unique too. That’s why our skilled team have made bespoke tables that are now being used in The Atelier.

Paint Prep

Our 1996 Rover 220 Turbo has continued its time in the Bridge Classic Cars Paintshop as it is being prepped for a new coat of paint.

Classic car technician Mauro took the bonnet back to bare metal before preparing the body for primer.

Once everything was prepped, our Rover 220 Turbo had primer applied in preparation for its new paint to go on very soon. The bumpers also had primer applied.

Enjoying A DB9

Nick Jones was the lucky winner of our 2005 Aston Martin DB9 back in December last year. Since he took delivery of his new car, Nick has clearly been making the most of it, and recently sent us an update on how life as a DB9 owner has been going.

He has had bespoke luggage made for the Aston. It was made by Bagworld in Redditch and Nick is also getting a holdall made up too as there is enough room in the boot for a holdall to sit on top of the cabin bags he had previously made. A personalised number plate has also been added.

Nick told us that he is thoroughly enjoying the car and still can’t believe that it only cost him £15! Now that we have had two double winners, Nick continues to enter in the hope that he might one day be our third!

We love hearing from our winners and it’s always great to hear that they are loving the vehicles they won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.

Thank you to Nick for sharing the below images and update with us, we are very happy to see the DB9 is being appreciated and enjoyed as it should.

More Fabricating And Welding

Classic car technician Rob has continued his work on our 1960 Jensen 541R.

Rob has made new door steps and fitted these. He has also made the left-hand B post and welded this in before doing the same for the left-hand rear body frame parts.

The rear floor mounting panels were replaced too.

More Green

Our 1959 Jensen 541R has continued its transformation with more paintwork being completed. This time it was the sill covers and bonnet flap being painted by classic car technician Al. Prior to this, Al also prepped and painted the wheel arches.

While Al was painting the bonnet flap and sill covers, classic car technician Chris was applying Raptor paint to some of the panels. The bonnet, boot lid, and wings also had Raptor applied before the fixings and support were re-fitted.

As more of this rare classic car gets painted, it is becoming more and more obvious that it will be a stunning car once its restoration is complete.

Going Into Storage

We recently welcomed a new vehicle into our secure storage facility, The Hangar.

Vehicle storage is important to get right to ensure your car is safe, secure, and kept in the best possible conditions.

When we store customers’ vehicles, we use Carcoons to create a protective environment around them.

As we welcomed a 2008 Porsche 997 911 Turbo to The Hangar, we captured a video of it going into its Carcoon where it will be securely stored until its owner is ready to take it back out on the road.

Investigating Issues With Our Sunbeam Lotus

Our 1980 Talbot Sunbeam Lotus has been with classic car technician John as he began his investigation into why it won’t turn over and why it overheated recently.

John started by checking all levels which were fine. He checked the timing which was also fine before turning the car over by hand. The spark plugs were removed and John noticed that the starter was hardly turning over. There was also a puddle of petrol on the floor under the near side front of the vehicle. However, the fuel to the engine goes to the offside of the vehicle.

The only reason that John could think of for this to happen was stuck valves causing petrol to go down the exhaust and leak. Once the car was turned over a few times, it seemed to be a bit better.

John carried out a compression test of all cylinders which were all fine so he refitted the spark plugs and tried to start the car. It started on this attempt so it looks like John has resolved the issue.

While our Sunbeam Lotus was with John, he also removed the radiator as a fan switch was weeping in the bottom of it. The coolant was drained and the grill was also removed. It was during this process that John noted that there were areas of slight damage to the grill on both sides before he removed the radiator.

To make sure the paintwork was safe during the radiator removal, John masked up the area near the radiator to avoid causing any damage or scratches.

Our Defender Is Ready To Be Won

Our 2015 Land Rover Defender 110 is now available to win on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website.

Before it came to us, it was owned by TV adventurer, explorer, and survival expert Ed Stafford who loved this extremely capable off-roading vehicle as much as we do.

The draw for our stunning Defender will be held during the Evening With Ed Stafford event on 25th March but tickets are available right now for just £15.

Talking Classics With Elisa Artioli

Elisa Artioli has been around cars her whole life. She was there when the Lotus Elise was revealed to the world and is actually the reason for the Elise getting its name.

As Elisa now spends so much time around cars, it was great to hear her thoughts on her cars, her current projects, and the automotive industry in general.

You have a very strong connection to the Lotus Elise, for those who don’t know, can you tell us about your connection? 

Indeed I have a strong connection to the Lotus Elise, it is an important part of my life. 

My grandfather, Romano Artioli, decided to name the car after me because he believed that this would be the lucky charm for the launch event. I also got pretty lucky, because my name begins with “E”: Very suitable for a Lotus car. 

My Elise was produced in 1997, so since I was 4 years old I grew up with her. That is why for me my Elise is not just a car. She means a lot more to me than I can explain. 

I wasn’t allowed to drive it until I got my driver’s license and then I had to wait for another year because new drivers cannot drive cars in excess of a certain power-to-weight ratio. So after one year of a Fiat 500, I was finally admitted behind the wheel. I remember how happy I was when my grandfather once took me for a drive. I was little but I have that day imprinted in my mind. 

You were obviously so young when the Elise was unveiled in 1995, how do you think it felt for you to be involved in that moment though? 

At the age of 2, my grandfather prepared me for the presentation of the Lotus Elise in Frankfurt in September 1995.  

For the first time, the long-awaited roadster would be unveiled to the world. There were however two surprises hidden under the veil: Not only the Elise, but also Elisa waiting in silence while around the stand there was the clamour of visitors, journalists and photographers.  

From that moment on, for many years I thought my name was Elise, just like the T-shirt I wore to the salon said ‘I am Elise’.  

The day of the presentation I stood, holding on to the steering wheel and I didn’t want to get out, I knew that was the right place to be, and it is still the case today. 

What do you think it is that makes the Elise so special? 

What makes the Elise so special is that there isn’t any better car for driving enthusiasts at that price range. 

The Elise is raw, minimal, pure, and sincere, but nevertheless so complete. 

What I like about the Elise is that it is so light and you really feel that the car reacts fast, it is really straightforward. You feel connected to the road and it makes the drive full of emotions. 

Talking about the design we can definitely say that Thomson did a fantastic job with the smiling face of the Elise and her attractive curves that makes her an elegant sports car and a timeless beauty. 

You’ve been the owner of an Elise since you were extremely young, what was it like growing up around your very own car? 

My Silver Elise has been with my family since day one. First in Norwich and later when we moved back to Italy it stayed in showrooms and many years in the garage waiting for me to drive it. 

It was my first Lotus but also my first car. 

It has been difficult to own a car and not be able to enjoy it. Especially such a car that has to be driven to understand it. The time spent together made the link to this car unbreakable. 

Are there any other cars that catch your eye at the moment? 

I am so lucky to say that I already have my dream car, and I am not being biased. 

Of course, I am a big Lotus enthusiast but generally, I have a soft spot for lightweight sports cars. 

At the moment I like the new Alpine A110, even if I like the classic A110 as well. I think they made a really good product and of course, I like their concept.  

Another car that I would like to drive is the Cayman GT4, well who wouldn’t?  

I am curious to test drive the Emira since I didn’t have the chance yet and I know that many people out there are waiting to learn what I think about it. 

What do you think the future has in store for the automotive industry? 

The future for the automotive industry looks really sad in my opinion.  

Mobility will change drastically in the future. I don’t think we are ready to give up our private mobility, but the world seems to be moving in that direction. 

We need to preserve our cars as they are part of human history and are an important historical heritage to be passed on into the future, hopefully, we will still be allowed to use our cars. I know that the topic of pollution is a very topical and complicated issue at the moment. I myself have been attacked because I have been accused of polluting with “useless” rallies. However, I use my bicycle every day to go to the office and my car is getting used for about 10,000kms a year. If you go and read the statistics, you know that the few sports or classic cars that are used every now and then out of passion that are to be blamed for tipping over the world. I think that the development of synthetic fuels could be a game changer. 

How do you think this predicted future will impact big car makers like Lotus? 

Big car makers have to adjust to the current regulations, I don’t think that Lotus actually wanted to delete the Elise, but they needed to move with the flow. 

Are there any special projects you are currently working on? 

 I organise guided sports car tours that are affordable for everyone. 2 years ago I started building the concept for my small business called: Delightful Driving.  

Anyone who likes to can participate in my tours. The participants come from all over Europe and my meetings are not brand-specific. The only thing you need to bring is a sporty car so that you can enjoy the routes I choose. 

Delightful Driving is giving me a lot of satisfaction. 

I started with a lot of fear of not making it, but this year all the tours are already fully booked. This is motivating me to keep going. It is not an easy job, finding hotels and restaurants with parking for so many cars is more difficult than you might think. Then I always want to give my best because I do it with passion.  

During the rallies, I have met a lot of people who have also become my friends, and that is a very nice thing. 

How does it feel to drive your Elise around Italy? 

Italy is a beautiful country, every region is so different, starting with the typical cuisine but also the views, that’s why I like to take people to my favourite places, this year we are going to the Dolomites, Valpolicella and Tuscany. 

I must say that when people see a young girl in an Elise here in Italy they are always enthusiastic, it doesn’t happen often here, it’s quite a rare car 

What’s next for you? 

At the moment I am enjoying my purchase on which I spent all my money, but it was worth it. Sunshine is the last and final roadgoing, customer Elise. Then the model line went out of production.  

This year I want to go to the track more often. I love going to the track, and karting, I just unfortunately never got the chance, now I’m a bit too old to head into motorsport but I will never be too old to have fun and try to improve. This is currently my plan, then you never know what will come in the future. 

The personal connection with Lotus is a part of me, and therefore I will always feel linked to the brand and I always hope that sooner or later there will be any involvement for me. 

How can people keep up to date with what you are doing? 

On the mountain passes in the Dolomites if they can keep up! Joking aside I would really love if people would like to join me on my little adventures because a shared experience creates the best memories. 

If you want to know more about me and my cars check out my Instagram @iamlotuselise 

If you are a delightful driver like me and you want to join some road trips in central Europe – stay tuned with upcoming activities on @DelightfulDriving

Enjoyed Talking Classics With Elisa Artioli?

Take a look at the entire Talking Classics series for more interviews with other influential people.

Fixing The Brakes

Our 1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta TI has been in the hands of classic car technician Steve.

Steve fitted new brake pipes on the offside front and offside rear as the old ones were seized and broke when they were removed. He also refurbished the brake shoes, master cylinder, and wheel cylinders.

The new brake parts were fitted and the braking system on this beautiful classic car is now in much better condition.

A New Arrival

Another new arrival to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is our 1980 Talbot Sunbeam Lotus.

It has come to us as it is currently not running. Now that it is here, it will be inspected by our team of classic car technicians in preparation to get it up and running and back on the road again.

Rust Repairs On Our MR2

Our 1988 Toyota MR2 has been in the hands of classic car technicians Monty and Chris. They have been working to repair areas of rust and corrosion that were found on the car during Steve’s initial assessment and inspection.

Now that the rust issues have been repaired, our MR2 is looking great and will soon be back with its owner.

Ready To Be Won

Our 1968 MGB GT is live on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website.

MGBs are always popular competition cars so this one likely won’t be around for long. With chrome bumpers, improved paintwork, and chrome wire wheels, this is a fantastic example of a classic British sports car.

Tickets are available now.

A Special Project

A very special project has recently arrived at Bridge Classic Cars in the form of our 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5

The former owners of the vehicle were restoring it but, unfortunately, the project had stalled. Now it is with us though, we will be starting work to finish the restoration and bring this beautiful classic Jaguar back to its former glory.

We will be completing paint remedial work, reassembling the vehicle including rebuilding the engine and gearbox, as well as fitting a new interior.

Rebuilding an E-Type is special enough, but what makes this project extra special is that once complete, the plan is for our 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5 to be a competition car through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.

There is obviously a lot of work to do before that can happen but, if winning an E-Type is something you would love, it will be well worth the wait.

Just Arrived – 1976 Leyland Mini Clubman 1100

A new arrival to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is our 1976 Leyland Mini Clubman 1100. It has recently undergone a comprehensive restoration and it has been finished to extremely high standards.

An award-winning classic car, our Mini has won best in show and it certainly looks like it can win many more awards in the future too.

Our 1976 Leyland Mini Clubman 1100 has clearly been well loved and looked after throughout its life and we are very much looking forward to offering it as a competition car on Bridge Classic Cars Competitions very soon.

Delivering Our Harley-Davidson

Today, we delivered our 2008 Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster to lucky winner Sarah Janney.

Sarah won this beautiful motorcycle in the live draw held on 9th February when her ticket number, 1246 was randomly selected.

Sarah’s husband accepted the delivery on her behalf and, as you can see from the photos below, the bike looks great in its new home.

Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars would like to congratulate Sarah again on winning, and we hope she enjoys the latest addition to her garage.

Bristol 411 Progress

Classic car technician John has been working on getting our 1970 Bristol 411 running.

A new air filter needed to be fitted, however, as the filter base plate has been modified, it fouled the throttle. To overcome this, John used the base plate from the original air filter and cut it down to the right size. He then drilled and located the breather elbow before painting the base plate black.

The modified base plate, breather connection, and filter were then all fitted and secured in the car.

John continues to work on our 1970 Bristol 411 and we are looking forward to progress continuing to be made on this beautiful classic car.

Nearly There

Work has continued on our 1970 Jensen Interceptor with classic car technician fitting new 90-degree terminals to the fans, in order to aid clearance of the auxiliary belt. Once this was complete, John took the car outside to run it up to temperature before test-driving it.

When the car was up to temperature, the idle speed was adjusted. The fans now cut in and out as they should and the oil pressure was good with no stalling happening now, as it had been reported by the car’s owner.

With John continuing his work on our 1970 Jensen Interceptor, it won’t be much longer until it can be returned to its owner to get it back out on the road.

Painting Jensen Parts

Various parts of our 1959 Jensen 541R have been with classic car technician Mauro in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop.

The wheels of our rare Jensen have been primed while other components have been painted black.

Now that the chassis has been painted, with the addition of these newly painted parts, progress continues to be made on our 1959 Jensen 541R.

Prepping For Paint

Our 1979 Austin Morris Mini 850 has been in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop with classic car technician Mauro.

Our classic Mini was rubbed down and had primer applied in preparation for it to be painted very soon.

It won’t be too much longer before our 1979 Austin Morris Mini 850 is fully painted and, eventually, it will go on to be a competition car through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.