East Coat Mini Club Charity Run 2021
August 23, 2021
Raising money for Mind Suffolk!!! The ECMC committee are pleased to confirm the 2021 charity run will be held on the 29th August, registration will
News
Aston Martin DB2/4 Interior Final Piece
August 23, 2021
It’s the final piece to the Aston DB2/4 carpet remanufacturing. Kath has done a sterling job re-producing the carpets to the factory specification of grey
Fitting a new clutch to our MGB V8
August 23, 2021
A new clutch has now been fitted to our newly built V8 for the MGB. Tom is just finishing off and tidying the engine bay
Charlotte and Freddie catch up for a walkaround of the Lancia Beta
August 23, 2021
For your chance to win our Lancia Beta or any of our amazing classics, and as Charlotte rightly says… Follow the link below https://www.bridgeclassiccarscompetitions.co.uk/
Car & Classic – August 2021
August 21, 2021
A beautifully and highly accurate one line description of our 1967 Jaguar E-Type Recreation was shared with over 85,000 of Car & Classic‘s amazing audience.
Norwich City Football Club – August 2021
August 21, 2021
Huge thankyou to one of our competition partners, Norwich City Football Club for sharing our 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition to their vast
Mercedes SL350 Electrical Issues
August 20, 2021
Not the results we were expecting but our 1976 Mercedes SL350 has arrived. This was presented to us as a much loved, beautiful example of
Seat runner update.
August 20, 2021
Just a little update here about the 1974 red Triumph Stag. The owner of the car reported to us that they were having trouble with
Aston Martin DB2/4 Rear End Rebuild
August 20, 2021
Clinton is continuing to work his magic and do an incredible job to the rebuild and re-shaping of the rear of our 1955 Aston martin
Lights on!
August 20, 2021
Here’s another little update on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona. After adjusting the genuine Ferrari side lamp covers the other day to be able to
Mobilising the E-Type.
August 20, 2021
Tamas has been working on the 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5 4.2 after it failed the MOT the other day. He’s put a new water
Headlining finished for the 1990 BMW.
August 20, 2021
Brian has finished creating the new headlining for the 1990 BMW 750 iL. After taking the original fabric off the board and cleaning the board
TVR SII Arrives For Restorative Works
August 20, 2021
Here at Bridge Classic Cars, we have just purchased this 1989 TVR SII 2.9 V6. The previous owner had become very unwell, so the car
Steering rack over-haul.
August 20, 2021
After Paul did inspection work on the 1967 Ford Mustang 350, one of the first things that are being done is that the steering rack
Paint prep for the Jaguar Mk II engine.
August 20, 2021
Lydia has been taking the flaking paint off the engine block for the 1963 Jaguar Mk II 3.4. It’s going to get re-painted, so a
Capri gets stripped!
August 20, 2021
Chris has started to strip the 1983 Ford Capri 1.6 LS, in preparation for re-painting.
Fern Grey E-Type goes into the workshop!
August 20, 2021
Matt has finished sanding and polishing the lacquer on the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Roadster Series 3 body shell, so it’s now been transported over to
New rubbers for the white MG B.
August 20, 2021
Work has started on the 1976 white MG B. The windscreen rubbers have been replaced after it was found that the original ones had perished.
New in, 1976 MG B.
August 20, 2021
This white 1976 MG B has come in for a list of reasons. It needs to have an inspection service, there’s a leaking sump and
Engine rebuild for the MG B V8.
August 20, 2021
Ady has been working on the total engine rebuild for the 1973 MG B GT V8. He’s rebored the engine to suit the pistons, refaced
Those headlight surrounds look Beta!
August 19, 2021
We’ve given the headlight surrounds of our 1978 Lancia Beta a fresh new look with a lick of paint. When the car arrived in with
1954 Jaguar Mk VII home-time
August 19, 2021
She’s been with us in the workshops for sometime now but today we bid farewell to our 1954 Jaguar Mk VII. Looking beautiful and fresh,
New fan and new overhauled radiator
August 19, 2021
With the new fan arrival and overhauled radiator back from the specialist we can get to work on refitting back into the car.
Play in the wheel bearings…
August 19, 2021
Dave has been inspecting the 1975 Magenta Triumph TR6 and found that there was play in the two near-side wheel bearings. You can see this
Carpet re-fresh continues for the DB 2/4.
August 19, 2021
Kath has been continuing her work on the 1955 Aston Martin DB 2/4’s carpet. This time, she’s re-made the left-hand footwell carpet, right-hand boot side
E-Type MOT day!
August 19, 2021
Both the Jaguar E-Types pictured had their MOT’s done yesterday. The gold 1971 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 is currently with us for storage at
New in, 1976 Jaguar XJ6!
August 19, 2021
New into the workshop is this 1976 Jaguar XJ6. It’s got issues with its carburettors, meaning the engine isn’t running right. Ady will be in
Mustang gets a thorough inspection.
August 19, 2021
Paul has been giving our 1967 Ford Mustang 350 a thorough check over and noting down any issues he does find. So far, he’s found
New in, Citroen C6.
August 19, 2021
New into us is this 2010 Citroen C6. It’s come in for a full valet and for all the wheels to be refurbished.
Brake trouble on the Jaguar.
August 19, 2021
The 1968 Jaguar E-type Series 1.5 4.2, unfortunately, failed on its MOT test this week. The front brake piston and rear brakes weren’t working so
East Coat Mini Club Charity Run 2021
August 23, 2021
Raising money for Mind Suffolk!!!
The ECMC committee are pleased to confirm the 2021 charity run will be held on the 29th August, registration will begin at 08:30 and the run will commence at 09:30 from the ever popular Ram Meadow car park.
The run is open to both members and non members alike, so why not come and join us for a fun filled day in aid of a good cause.
Each vehicle will be issued with a set of written instructions and a goody bag which includes your run plaques which will need to be attached to you vehicle to ensure entry at the mid point location and then the mystery end point.
Along the way we will be taking in lots of the Suffolk scenery and you will meet up with lots of old friends and new, not to mention larger than life life characters.
Tickets for the event are on sale at £12 a ticket via our easy to use online ticketing service, early booking is advised and helps us to gauge numbers, the only other thing to mention, Don’t Follow Gordon!!!
The final destination of the day will be to us here at Bridge Classic Cars HQ. We look forward to welcoming the East Coast Mini Club.
Update: check out the photos from the day by clicking here.
Aston Martin DB2/4 Interior Final Piece
August 23, 2021
It’s the final piece to the Aston DB2/4 carpet remanufacturing. Kath has done a sterling job re-producing the carpets to the factory specification of grey with grey piping.
The very last task on the interior is to complete the rear seat assembly but for now we can move on. Once the body shell is nearing completion we can then line up the rear seat to ensure all measurements are accurate.
Fitting a new clutch to our MGB V8
August 23, 2021
A new clutch has now been fitted to our newly built V8 for the MGB. Tom is just finishing off and tidying the engine bay before he hands the car over to Ady for the refit.
Charlotte and Freddie catch up for a walkaround of the Lancia Beta
August 23, 2021
For your chance to win our Lancia Beta or any of our amazing classics, and as Charlotte rightly says… Follow the link below
https://www.bridgeclassiccarscompetitions.co.uk/
Car & Classic – August 2021
August 21, 2021
A beautifully and highly accurate one line description of our 1967 Jaguar E-Type Recreation was shared with over 85,000 of Car & Classic‘s amazing audience.
Norwich City Football Club – August 2021
August 21, 2021
Huge thankyou to one of our competition partners, Norwich City Football Club for sharing our 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition to their vast 926,000 followers.
Be sure to grab your ticket/s for this incredible car with all proceeds going to CSF. You money will help continue the great work in providing inclusive environments for people with disabilities in Norfolk.
Mercedes SL350 Electrical Issues
August 20, 2021
Not the results we were expecting but our 1976 Mercedes SL350 has arrived. This was presented to us as a much loved, beautiful example of the iconic R107 Mercedes SL. Aesthetically speaking, the car is beautiful but our workshops will need to dig a little deeper as we have some underlying issues that need to be addressed.
Unfortunately we have been unable to get the car running. Upon further investigation the car is only running on one of it’s two bank V8 engine. We believe this is due to a wiring issue. Our auto-electrician will hopefully be able to find the fault and hopefully it won’t be too big a job!
Seat runner update.
August 20, 2021
Just a little update here about the 1974 red Triumph Stag. The owner of the car reported to us that they were having trouble with moving the seat runners. So we took the seats out of the car and realised that there were missing parts, which should solve the mystery.
Aston Martin DB2/4 Rear End Rebuild
August 20, 2021
Clinton is continuing to work his magic and do an incredible job to the rebuild and re-shaping of the rear of our 1955 Aston martin DB2/4.
At some point in its life, evidence suggests that the car was involved in a rear collision leaving lasting damage to the back area of the vehicle.
Although we can’t be sure, this could be the reason why the car arrived to us with chrome handles on the rear. These could have been used as a way of further clamping down the boot.
The initial repairs carried out were enough to help shape the rear of the car but we certainly not done to an acceptable standard in our opinion. They were also very much different from how the vehicle would have left the factory, with extra strengthening steel supporting the shape rather than the body supporting itself.
Clinton has removed all of these strengthening bars and is currently, completely rebuilding the rear aperture to once again add strength but in the way it is supposed to be.
This week, Craig and Clinton took a trip over to Stratton Motor Company to have a look at a truly stunning example they have in the showroom. Thank you to Nick and the team for letting us look over the car. We got some useful measurements and dimensions to be able to build our one back up to the way it should be.
Lights on!
August 20, 2021
Here’s another little update on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona. After adjusting the genuine Ferrari side lamp covers the other day to be able to fit on this replica, they’re now on. Scott is now working on repairing the exhaust manifolds. They’ll then be taken to the spray booth to be painted with paint that can withstand high temperatures.
Mobilising the E-Type.
August 20, 2021
Tamas has been working on the 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5 4.2 after it failed the MOT the other day. He’s put a new water pump on, put the alternator on, fitted a mobilised on the radio panel, there was a rubber tube that was leaking underneath and the thread got damaged that was attached to it, so those were replaced and the rear handbrake was adjusted.
Headlining finished for the 1990 BMW.
August 20, 2021
Brian has finished creating the new headlining for the 1990 BMW 750 iL. After taking the original fabric off the board and cleaning the board up, a grey nyylon brushed headlining foam was used to re-cover the board, which was similar to the original. Brian gradually glued the new fabric on, pressing into the curves and contours to get a neat finish, and trimmed away where any holes were for attachments and panels. After he had re-covered the board, Brian then set about rejuvenating the sun visor switch panel. Once that was done, the headlining board was put back into place in the car, along with the sun visor switch panel and all the panels and pieces that were taken out of the car to get the board out. Another job finished!
TVR SII Arrives For Restorative Works
August 20, 2021
Here at Bridge Classic Cars, we have just purchased this 1989 TVR SII 2.9 V6. The previous owner had become very unwell, so the car ended up being left to go into a state of disrepair. That owner was Leonard Smith and he has sadly passed away this week. He was part of the TVR Car Club.
We’re looking to tidy it up considerably and bring it back to its former glory. We’ve started by getting our valet, Colin, to detail the car in order to see any damage properly, after being left to get grubby over time. We’ve decided to order a new hood for it because it was too far gone to repair, and the interior needs a general tidy up, parts coming unstuck, etc.
While we were there picking up the TVR, we also spotted a couple of other classic cars in the same storage space, owned by other people. We took photos of a black 1951 Jaguar Mark V Saloon and a bronze 1981 MGB Roadster. You can see why they caught our eye!
Steering rack over-haul.
August 20, 2021
After Paul did inspection work on the 1967 Ford Mustang 350, one of the first things that are being done is that the steering rack is being sent off to be over-hauled, after it was found to be leaking at the seals.
Paint prep for the Jaguar Mk II engine.
August 20, 2021
Lydia has been taking the flaking paint off the engine block for the 1963 Jaguar Mk II 3.4. It’s going to get re-painted, so a smooth surface is required. The block was cleaned several times first to get grease and dirt off. She used an air gun, to begin with, to blow off as much as possible, then a mini air sander for the worst bits that were on a flat surface, and sanded the curved flaking areas by hand. Once all the sanding was done, the engine block got blown again with an air gun to remove debris and then cleaned over a few times. Lydia finally masked up any areas that aren’t getting painted. It’s now ready to go in the spray booth!
Capri gets stripped!
August 20, 2021
Chris has started to strip the 1983 Ford Capri 1.6 LS, in preparation for re-painting.
Fern Grey E-Type goes into the workshop!
August 20, 2021
Matt has finished sanding and polishing the lacquer on the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Roadster Series 3 body shell, so it’s now been transported over to the workshop, where work can begin on putting everything back together in it.
New rubbers for the white MG B.
August 20, 2021
Work has started on the 1976 white MG B. The windscreen rubbers have been replaced after it was found that the original ones had perished.
New in, 1976 MG B.
August 20, 2021
This white 1976 MG B has come in for a list of reasons. It needs to have an inspection service, there’s a leaking sump and sump plug gasket, the heat’s not coming through the heater vents, the starter motor is sticking, the windscreen is leaking water, a new cigarette lighter needs to be fitted, new number plate lights are required, new electronic ignition needs to be sorted out, a new off-side rear indicator brake light reflector is needed and an MOT is to be carried out. We’re also going to give quotes for a few other issues.
Engine rebuild for the MG B V8.
August 20, 2021
Ady has been working on the total engine rebuild for the 1973 MG B GT V8. He’s rebored the engine to suit the pistons, refaced the engine block, refaced both the cylinder heads and cut all the valve seat and the lap in the valves. There are all new valve springs fitted, the crankshaft has been re-ground, there’s a new camshaft with new cam followers, he’s up-rated the camshaft and crankshaft, there are pulleys with a new timing chain and a new front cover is on, including an oil pump. The engine has been built re-built with new bearings, gaskets, seals and a water pump.
Those headlight surrounds look Beta!
August 19, 2021
We’ve given the headlight surrounds of our 1978 Lancia Beta a fresh new look with a lick of paint. When the car arrived in with us the paint had flaked off and although the imperfections were not glaringly obvious we knew a cleaner look would improve the overall appeal. So here we have it, with nice new painted headlight surrounds.
1954 Jaguar Mk VII home-time
August 19, 2021
She’s been with us in the workshops for sometime now but today we bid farewell to our 1954 Jaguar Mk VII.
Looking beautiful and fresh, the car is now ready to be driven and enjoyed, hopefully to have many many more years out on the country roads.
Source: Lancaster Insurance – the Jaguar Mk VII at 70
Over 70 years ago, Jaguar introduced a large saloon that epitomised the famous slogan ‘Grace, Space, Pace’. Here are some useful facts.
- Jaguar kept the Mk. VII a secret until its debut at Grosvenor House on 16th October 1950.
- The sales material claimed the Mk. VII was ‘An entirely new car of unparalleled beauty’ – and it was undoubtedly a star of Earls Court -The Mk. VII replaced the Mk. V; there was no “Jaguar Mk. VI” as the name was registered to Bentley.
- The XK120 was intended as the test-bed for the Mk. VII’s 3442cc DOHC straight-six engine.
- The initial price was £1,693, which included adjustable steering, a sliding roof, fog lamps, and (naturally) leather upholstery.
- The top speed was a shade over 100 mph – an astounding achievement for the period.
- On 25th April 1952 Autocar magazine concluded the Mk. VII was an outstanding car. It has extremely good performance, is very comfortable to drive and to ride in, is very completely equipped, has a modern yet dignified appearance and is very good value – indeed, it is in that respect phenomenal.
- 1952 saw the Mk.VII became the first Jaguar available with Borg Warner automatic transmission; albeit on export models only.
- Laycock de Normanville overdrive became an optional extra in 1954.
- Stirling Moss drove a Mk. VII to victory at the 1952 and 1953 International Trophy Production Touring Car race at Silverstone. Ian Appleyard equalled this feat in 1954.
- In September 1954 the Mk. VII was facelifted as the Mk. VIIM, featuring externally mounted auxiliary lamps, improved transmission and flashing indicators.
- Automatic transmission was now available on the home market, and Autocar of 11th May 1956 descried the Borg Warner-equipped Jaguar as ‘a happy marriage’.
- Famous Mk. VII owners included Diana Dors, Jack Hawkins, Peter Sellers and HM The Queen Mother.
- Browns Lane fitted their Mk. VII test-car, registration KRW 621, with lightweight magnesium body panels, disc brakes, modified suspension and the D-Type
- The Jaguar crewed by Ronnie Adams, Frank Biggar and Derek Johnstone took first place at the 26th Monte Carlo Rally in 1956.
- Later that year, the Mk. VIII made its bow at the London Motor Show.
- As compared with its predecessor, the latest model sported a single-piece windscreen and a choice of two-tone paint finishes. The 3.4-litre engine now sported a modified “B-Type” cylinder head. Jaguar also enhanced the list of equipment, and the automatic version even boasted a clock for the rear passengers.
- In 1958, the Mk. IX featured the famous 3.8-litre engine and – “firsts” for a Jaguar – power-assisted steering and all-disc brakes as standard.
- Motor Sport described the Mk. IX as: the business executive’s ideal motor-car, handsome, impressive, able to hurry to the tune of 0-60 mph in under 19 secs and a top speed of over 115 mph when called upon, yet luxuriously and sensibly appointed and equipped.
- British films frequently used the Mk. VII family as screen getaway cars into the early 1960s – perhaps most famously in The Fast Lady.
- The Mk. X replaced the Mk. IX in October 1961 – by which time the previous generation of “Big Jaguars” had re-defined an entire market sector.
New fan and new overhauled radiator
August 19, 2021
With the new fan arrival and overhauled radiator back from the specialist we can get to work on refitting back into the car.
Play in the wheel bearings…
August 19, 2021
Dave has been inspecting the 1975 Magenta Triumph TR6 and found that there was play in the two near-side wheel bearings. You can see this in the two videos in this blog post. He also found that there were a few threads ripped out, due to just being worn out by people taking the car apart over the years. You can see in one of the photos that bits of aluminium have got stuck on the thread and are coming off. The threads are going to get helicoiled.
Carpet re-fresh continues for the DB 2/4.
August 19, 2021
Kath has been continuing her work on the 1955 Aston Martin DB 2/4’s carpet. This time, she’s re-made the left-hand footwell carpet, right-hand boot side panel, right-hand rear floor, right-hand rear under-seat, right-hand rear corner, right-hand rear sill, rear quarter panel (which needs the wood in still) and rear scuttle panel.
E-Type MOT day!
August 19, 2021
Both the Jaguar E-Types pictured had their MOT’s done yesterday. The gold 1971 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 is currently with us for storage at our Bentwaters hangar. The green 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5 4.2 came to us for MOT preparation. If you are looking for storage for your classic vehicle or need it prepared for its MOT, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
New in, 1976 Jaguar XJ6!
August 19, 2021
New into the workshop is this 1976 Jaguar XJ6. It’s got issues with its carburettors, meaning the engine isn’t running right. Ady will be in charge of looking over this one for us, being our engine expert.
Mustang gets a thorough inspection.
August 19, 2021
Paul has been giving our 1967 Ford Mustang 350 a thorough check over and noting down any issues he does find. So far, he’s found that the wheels aren’t sitting quite right and there’s a leak coming from the underside that needs further investigation work.
New in, Citroen C6.
August 19, 2021
New into us is this 2010 Citroen C6. It’s come in for a full valet and for all the wheels to be refurbished.
Brake trouble on the Jaguar.
August 19, 2021
The 1968 Jaguar E-type Series 1.5 4.2, unfortunately, failed on its MOT test this week. The front brake piston and rear brakes weren’t working so it’s come back into the workshop to have these problems fixed.
