Our 1967 Jaguar E-Type Racing Series 1 is for sale by auction right now on Car & Classic. To prepare for this, Tom and Myself
Our 1935 Bentley Van Den Plas Saloon sold earlier this week. After making its way to us from South Africa, it will now go on
Here at Bridge Classic Cars, we have the rare and unique chance to deal with some of the most amazing classic and collectible cars on
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 will soon be headed for auction through our friends over at Car & Classic. Some of you may remember, this
Our 1967 Jaguar E-Type Racing Series 1 is for sale by auction right now on Car & Classic.
To prepare for this, Tom and Myself headed over to the former RAF Bentwaters to shoot the car during the worst flooding scene in our area for nearly 40 years.
After gently driving the road-going racer across the site and into the infamous Hush House (the former engine test facility when the base was active). After getting the car in position, we took our time to carefully clean down the car ready for the shoot. It looked incredible under the down lights in the stark and industrial building, a complete contrast against its vibrant and eye catching Volcano Orange paintwork. After the car was cleaned down, we head into the control room where so many test engineers had gone before and hit the lights…
This wasn’t going to be like any other shoot though. We had decided to try something different and really push ourselves creatively in a short amount of time. Thinking back to the incredible photo shoot with our Chevron Formula 2 car, which had been shot by Freddie several years before in the same place, we decided to capture the racing E-Type using long exposures and carefully painting light across the bodywork and accents of the car as well as trying light painting through the background to give it a little more of an ethereal, artistic feel.
Here are some of the results:
Using our tripod and the cameras exposures set to around between 10 and 30 seconds, with the cameras light sensitivity turned all the way down. We began capturing the exterior shots of the car. With myself on the controls of the camera and Tom armed with a single diffused studio light (connected to a portable power pack), we began to slow work our way around the car using the studio light to paint the light over certain areas of the car to give it correct exposure but also to amplify the wonderful form and curves of the vintage E-Type.
Because of the amount of moisture in the air (we shot this at the height of the local storms, and hence why the car was shot inside) the headlights remained fogged up which adds to the vicious look of this road-going racer.
To capture the detail shots of the car, or ‘beauties’ as we refer to them here in the marketing department, we adopted the same approach of carefully dancing the highlights across the bodywork after triple checking the triple checks to make sure the focus was laser sharp on the area we needed.
Things like the Monza filler, a distinct feature on our E-Type, or the quintessential rear lights all had to be captured this way. Although more time consuming, allowed us to achieve the best result. For a few hours, it was a case of systematically going through every angle and aspect of the car with Tom, to capture everything that we needed. The trickiest part of the shoot, was actually the interior.
Because most the interior is covered by the roof, it tends to be the darkest aspect of the car. It’s also the easiest part to be able to see reflections in as almost from every angle you have a glass surface.
Once all of the essential photos were ticked off the list, it gave myself and Tom a bit of time to experiment with some more ‘artistic’ style shots to round off the shoot and add a sense of flair to this one of a kind classic.
Continuing with the use of long exposures to capture enough light to correctly show the car but also show off the menacing and purposeful character of our E-Type, we decided to play with highlights and framing. Using the torches on our smart phones, we worked our way round the car at speed to highlight the haunches and lines, while also creating patterns and shapes to display the car inside of what was essentially a stark and empty background.
The results, are something that we as a team are very proud of capturing for the auction of the car with our friends at Car & Classic.
Also, we offer full photo shoots with your pride and joy by the team here at Bridge Classic Cars. Click here and inquire.
Our 1935 Bentley Van Den Plas Saloon sold earlier this week.
After making its way to us from South Africa, it will now go on to its new home with its proud new owner.
There’s no denying that this is a beautiful classic and it comes as no surprise that it was a popular listing on Car & Classic. As excited as we are to see it leave us to be admired by another enthusiast, it will be slightly sad to not see it in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop every day.
Here at Bridge Classic Cars, we have the rare and unique chance to deal with some of the most amazing classic and collectible cars on a near daily basis. Some are rare and iconic, others are storied and well-traveled. This 1935 Bentley Van Den Plas Sports Saloon is all of those wrapped into one.
The car belongs to a good friend of Bridge Classic Cars, John. John is a classic car enthusiast from South Africa who over the years we have developed an incredible friendship and appreciation for vintage metal with and its an absolute joy to have him make the trip over to see us. Recently, we had a shipping container filled to the brim with beautiful classics arrive at our Suffolk HQ which had been brought over by John, including this Derby Bentley.
John has kindly asked us to photograph and represent the car at auction for him here in the UK but the story of this car and its pure originality is what makes it truly stand out from the rest.
Firstly, here’s a quick recap on what a ‘Derby’ Bentley is for those who aren’t versed in early Bentley history – After the Rolls Royce takeover of Bentley in the early 1930s, the Bentley name would still retain its reputation for superb engineering, effortless style, and rock-steady reliability under its new ownership though the cars that would come to be known as Derby Bentley’s after its move from the Cricklewood home under W.O Bentley to Rolls Royce’s workshops based in Derby. Hence, ‘Derby’ Bentley’s.
Here’s what we specifically know about this car, BOL 505.
This 1935 Bentley Van Den Plas sports saloon spent its early years here in the UK under the registration BOL 505. In 1971, the car was acquired by South African Bentley enthusiast Tony White and shipped to South Africa in order to compliment his fleet of early Bentleys including a pair of 1928 4 ½ litre tourers. Soon after, the car was sold to another South African classic car enthusiast who would retain the car for the next 44 years.
It was then bought by another classic car enthusiast in South Africa who began work on the car, the previous owner to him carrying out the aesthetic restoration of the cars body as well as the overhaul of the all important straight-six engine, however due to the previous owners failing health there are no records or recollection of what work was indeed carried out.
Finished in two-tone Grey, this 1935 Bentley Van Den Plas sports saloon is a wonderful blend of sympathetic restoration and true originality. The exterior of the car is in fabulous condition, along with the engine block and engine bay being given an aesthetic restoration. In its 88-year life, it is believed the body has never left the chassis since the pair were brought together at the Derby works and must be one of only a handful to proudly wear that title.
Throughout its 52-year history in the southern hemisphere, the dry conditions have worked to preserve this beautiful British motorcar and meant that it has always been road registered with its previous owners.
The exterior of the car is in superb condition with very minimal work left to do, some of the original parts are missing such as the spare wheel, P100 headlight internals and sidelights. The interior is about as original as it comes but will require retrimming and some restorative work. The leather, although well patinated is still soft to the touch and could be kept or used to create a new interior for the car.
This is an incredible opportunity for an enthusiast of the Bentley marque or pre-war British motorcars to bring back to life, at minimal effort and with the large expenses already outlaid, a wonderful piece of British motoring history.
It’s a true pleasure and honour to be able to photograph piece of automotive history like this Derby Bentley. And it’s also a privilege for our friend and customer to ask us to represent the car at auction for him aswell.
The car is offered for auction through our friends over at Car & Classic using this link.
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 will soon be headed for auction through our friends over at Car & Classic.
Some of you may remember, this stunning left-hand drive example of the DB6 replacement came to us from the USA as a claret US spec car but over the course of the last 8 months has been transformed into the stylish and handsome GT car you see today, finished in Deep Carriage Green.
Recently, we took the car out to shoot the photos for its upcoming auction which you can see here!
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for the announcement of when our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 will be live on the Car & Classic website.
Bridge Classic Cars are award winning Classic Car Restoration and Maintenance specialists. Proud to be rated 5 stars on Google, Facebook and Trustpilot, you’re pride and joy is in safe hands with our expert Classic Car Technicians. Take a look at our awards here.
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