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Ford RS2000 Repairs

June 2, 2020

This gorgeous Ford Escort RS2000 has been into our workshop for a few repairs. The gear lever locating bush was broken and needed replacing. Pictured

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1957 Jensen 541R Restoration Update

June 11, 2020

There has been plenty of progress on our Corvette powered Jensen 541R restoration. Dave’s gearbox mount is now in place.

Dave has also welded in seatbelt mounting brackets in, ready for seatbelts to be installed.

Dave has also fabricated Metal components for the top of the door (left) which are now with Chris in the paint shop for painting. Dave has also made aluminium vent sliders which open or close the heating airflow.

1971 Land Rover Range Rover Arrives at the Workshop

June 11, 2020

This 1971 Range rover is in our workshop for a service, improve how it runs and to fix a few niggles. The speedo gauge flickers and the clutch is reportedly very light. First up, Ady, Bridge Classic Cars’ engine specialist will be investigating the engine.

Suzuki GSX400 New Headlight Design

June 11, 2020

Huge thank you to Alchemy Motorcycle Parts for their assistance on this design modification. Our 1984 Suzuki GSX400 Cafe Racer/Bobber now has it’s new headlight.

We have been searching the market for a 6 inch LED with black surround and an integrated black mesh front. We have been able to find this specification in a H4 Halagen format or a 7.7 inch size but the size and specification has been tricky to master.

There are plenty of 6 inch LED options but the only grille able to fit would be a retro-fit option that screws to the sides. This was not the look we were going for.

A call to Alchemy Motorcycle Parts and a little homework on their part and they have successfully managed to marry up the LED 6 inch headlight with the integrated mesh used on the Halagen set up.

And it looks amazing…thank you!

Rover P5B: Going to the chapel and we’re…

June 10, 2020

With his daughter’s wedding coming up in November 2020, the owner of our lovely 1971 Rover P5B has asked us to bring the car in to the workshops to get it ready for the big day.

The car has not been used for almost two years. We have been asked to give it a thorough check over and with evidence of brake oil leaking out this is most certainly one area that will require attention. The car will also undergo a full service and MOT.

We have just collected the car and is now with us in the workshops waiting for the works to begin.

Rare: 1979 Arrow Daytona – Ferrari Recreation

June 10, 2020

Arriving in our workshops this week as a future restoration project we have our 1979 Arrow Daytona (Ferrari Daytona Recreation).

The car is a non runner due to an engine fault not too long ago which resulted in the car sitting with a blown engine. A second V12 Jaguar engine has been sourced and may be the resolution when restoring the car.

Over the years the owner has collected many many original and after-market Ferrari Daytona parts so although the car is extremely well produced and very close to the original Ferrari Daytona there are certain areas that do make the car less aesthetically pleasing. The interior, for instance, is not as close to an original Ferrari Daytona as it could be so original Ferrari interior parts have been purchased.

The entire car will be restored in our workshops later in the year with a new colour combination and a number of upgrades to further improve the car.

Coming soon: 2003 Mercedes SL55 V8, Efini RX-7 Type R Bathurst

June 9, 2020

We are very excited to announce the imminent arrival of a somewhat rare modern classic. We intend on getting our 2003 Mercedes SL55 V8 AMG in the workshops in preparation for a future competition opportunity.

The Mercedes SL55 V8 is most certainly a future classic and should be wish us in the very near future.

And next up…a ridiculously special car! Introducing our 1995 Efini RX-7 Type R Bathurst. 1 of 500 produced for the Japanese market. Our RX-7 had 1 owner in Japan before coming over to the UK and has since had 1 owner in the UK before we got our hands on it. The car is absolutely stunning condition and has covered just 7,500 genuine miles. What a stunning car to own. We can’t wait to collect this one!

1973 TR6 Hardtop: Completed Restoration

June 9, 2020

We’ve now completed our TR6 Hardtop Restoration. Kath has put the final touches to the rubber seals and it’s now ready to be reunited with the rest of the vehicle. A superb collaboration between the Paint and Trim Shops, great work, all!

1973 Triumph TR6 Update

June 9, 2020

Darren has been progressing with our Triumph TR6 Restoration down in the Paint Shop.

We’ve fitted a new boot for our TR6 and adjusted the fitment to perfectly align with the bodywork. We’ve also prepared the boot, side sills, doors and fenders. Now the panels are prepared and smooth, these will be going into the paint shop primer very soon.

Mercedes E350 Smart Repairs

June 9, 2020

A slight mishap with one of our good friend’s cars resulted in the rear wing needing a smart repair. The dent was pulled out and the area was prepared for new colour matched paint.

A few areas on the rear bumper also need attention, the usual scuffs and scraps. As we have the car in the paint shop it seems only right to correct that area too.

Jaguar E-Type Series One Racecar – Interior

June 8, 2020

Our jaguar E-Type Racecar has been in the Trim shop visiting Kath and Brian last week.

They have been fitting the bold orange carpets into the veheicle.

They firstly started making paper floor mats in the floor pan as a template when cutting the carpet. The carpet then gets test-fitted and adjusted to fit perfectly if needed. This process was used for the front carpet mats, rear underseat, rear ramp area and the boot…

When all the carpet pieces are cut to size, they are ready to bind. Binding is the process of wrapping leather around the carpets, creating a piped edge. Kath has sewn the leather onto the front of the carpet, before folding the edge over to sew down the inner edge. This helps the carpets to sit perfectly in place and stops the fabric from fraying.

The cross-members were then also trimmed with carpet, following the exact same process before being glued down to the vehicles tub.

Next up, sound deadening is installed and stuck into place before being bonded to the carpet. We’ve now trimmed most of our E-Type’s interior. The next major phase will be to begin re-installing seats and switchgear.

Great work, Brian and Kath!

190 SL Engine Fires Into Life

June 8, 2020

Ady, Bridge Classic Cars Engine Expert has been working on the complete rebuild of our 190SL Engine. This is the first time it’s fired up in months. He just needs to adjust the timing and a few other minor tweaks, then it’s ready to be run-in. Great work, Ady!

The engine was firstly mounted to the subframe before the rest of the vehicle is lowered onto the the subframe.

1957 Triumph TR3: Service and MOT

June 8, 2020

This gorgeous Triumph TR3 is such a credit to it’s keeper. It’s been getting plenty of attention sitting pretty in our workshop. This newly restored TR3 is in for it’s third year service.

Mauro and John have changed the engine oil and ensured all fluid levels are correct. We’ve lubricated all the required chassis and running gear components. we’ve checked the engine valves and given the car new filters.

Being a historic vehicle, no MOT is required. However for additional peace of mind, this vehicle has sailed through her MOT.

There was a small fault with the passenger door which has now been rectified. The door was needing to be slammed harder than you’d expect for a TR3. This was caused by a stud bolt being slightly too long, causing additional friction when shutting the door. We’ve ground the bolt down and now the door shuts percetly.

Lovely work, Team.

Online Payments – Technical Difficulty

June 6, 2020

From Tuesday 2nd June 2020 some of you may have experienced difficulties with completing your online order for competition tickets through our website.

Please be assured that this experience is due to technical issues from our supplier and not to do with you or your bank. Unfortunately these issues are out of our control, but something that is being worked on around the clock to ensure we get back up and running as quickly as possible.

During this time, if you saw an error whilst paying or you do not see your ticket allocation within the ‘My Account’ section of the website then you have not been charged.

The banner on our website reads as follows:

Due to technical issues beyond our control, we are currently unable to accept online payments. You are still able to enter our competitions by calling the office on 01473 742038. Lines are open 7 days a week. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and aim to be in full operation very soon.

At Bridge Classic Cars we aim to be as honest and transparent as possible at all times so although we believe the issues will be resolved within the next few days we wanted to explain to you the reasons for the technical fault.

When you order your tickets online, the payment is sent through a gateway operated by Paytriot Payments. Paytriot Payments are a PCI DSS Level 1 Compliant gateway and merchant account provider. In simple terms, they ensure that your payment is as secure as possible throughout the entire process.

Some of the smaller banks consider ‘competition’ based formats to be a form of gambling, hence why you will occasionally see websites, like ours, not able to accept certain cards or from certain banks. This is to ensure that we adhere to the rules set out by those parties.

The technical issues we are in the middle of are all based around these reasons. We are not alone and Paytriot Payments are working around the clock to resolve the issue and get us all back operating once again.

During this period, we are still able to accept other methods of competition entry. If you require tickets to any of our competitions, our office lines are open 7 days a week, please call 01473 742038 and we will be more than happy to assist.

Porsche 924S – Exhaust and Steering Rack

June 6, 2020

Congratulations to Tajinder Hans, winner of the 1988 Porsche 924S with ticket number 1239.

The Live Draw for this competition was held on Friday 29th May 2020.

Before the car leaves our workshops we give it the full once over, carry out a service, MOT and pre-delivery inspection.

A couple of areas we addressed prior to delivery. We discovered a leak on the steering rack so a newly refurbished steering rack was fitted. We also discovered corrosion appear on the exhaust so a brand new part exhaust was fitted.

Our Porsche sailed through the MOT and is now in the hands of it’s new owner for many many more years of enjoyment.

Congratulations Tajinder…enjoy!

1960 MGA Interior Trim: Soft Top Install

June 5, 2020

Kath and Brian have been working on our 1960 MGA interior. They firstly fitted the metal hood frame to the car.

Then Kath has covered the front header rail in fabric and stapled and glued into place.

Once the header rail was in place, Kath and Brian fitted the main hood cover over. They inserted the metal bar into the rear section, ready to clip onto the car. They then pulled the cover over and attached to the header rail ensuring that the tension was perfect before fully securing.

Kath then made some flange covers to cover up the copper ‘O’ ring.

She then finished off the soft top roof with final trim sewing and securing the header rail.

Next up, Kath and Brian marked out where the fixings attach to the hood, then fitted the roof to the car from the rear.

They then adjusted the front corners of the soft top and completed the job by fitting the front end cover.

Superb work, Kath and Brian. The attention to detail and craftsmanship in this hood is absolutely superb!

In The Trim Shop: Jensen 541R Interior

June 5, 2020

Brian, one of our Classic Car Technicians who specialises in Interior Trim has been making superb progress on the interior of our 541R.

Brian has fabricated new footpanels with back supports screwed in. He’s also stripped down the old scuttle panels.

He’s cut new scuttle panels and drilled correctly placed holes.

Brian has dismantled the original under-dash panels and is making new under-dash panels from millboard. He’s stripped down the original door panel infills and trimmed in black leather. The attention to detail is second to none. Beautifully done, Brian.

1960 Jensen 541R Restoration Progress

June 5, 2020

Paul has been working on our 1960 Jensen 541R restoration. He’s fitted the doors and prepared the prop shaft to paint black.

A new brake servo unit has been fitted with custom brackets. We’ve installed EPS (Electronic Power Steering) and fitted in place. Paul has also installed the Brake and clutch pedal mounting box. He’s fitted the front brake hose and modified bracket to hold the hose.

New Arrival 1956 Land Rover Barn Find

June 5, 2020

Stored for over 40 years in a Suffolk Barn, this gorgeous Series One 1956 Land Rover has been brought to us for Restoration.

The first port of call will be to fully inspect this vehicle and asses the levels of rust and corrosion. The owner has asked for us to bring the vehicle up to MOT standard and get it to a usable, reliable shape. They’ve elected to try and retain as much of the lovely patina as possible, which on a vehicle such as this is just lovely.

Scott, one of Bridge Classic Cars’ vehicle technicians actually daily drives his fully restored Series Two Land Rover. The team are excited to see this vehicle at the workshops, however, nobody is quite as excited as Scott!

What a Triumph! Our Hardtop Restoration Is Almost Complete

June 5, 2020

Our Triumph TR6 Hardtop restoration is now almost complete. We just need to fit the glass now, and it’s ready to go. A collaboration between our Paint and Trim Shops, this is now looking immaculate. Great work team.

In the Trim Shop, Kath has fitted the main headliner and trimmed around the b posts. She’s and re-covered the three boarded sections for the inside rear window. She’s installed the front edge rubbers and cleaned up the old rear rubber. The final stage will be to fit glass and then it’s ready to be used on the owners TR6.

1957 Jensen 541R Gearbox Repositioning

June 5, 2020

John has been working on our Jensen 541R Gearbox. This Tremec gearbox is mated to the Corvette engine given to this unique Jensen. To get the gear lever position perfect John has repositioned the whole gearbox forward for the ideal driving position.

Wonderful work, John!

1988 Nissan 300ZX Restoration

June 5, 2020

This late 80’s Japanese sports car is being put back on the road and needs a bit of love to get her ship-shape.

Paul has been tasked with undertaking the restoration of this lovely vehicle.

The 300ZX’s rear brake calliper has a very corroded piston and bore. Both the rear and front brakes are showing significant corrosion and are in need of a complete overhaul.

The shock inserts needed replacing so we’ve sourced and installed new. The alloy wheels have been professionally refinished and treated to fresh new rubber. They look absolutely stunning and work perfectly with the styling of this 300ZX.

Paul has discovered the source fo the coolant leak. The top hose connector has corroded (pictured below). This will need replacing with new.

1982 Porsche 911 in The Paint Shop

June 5, 2020

This beautiful 1982 Porsche 911 has just left the paint shop after it’s repairs by Darren.

The front nearside wing had a nasty scratch that needed addressing. The rear spoiler had suffered the effects of having slight moisture and also needed repainting. Using our State-Of-The-Art paint matching system, Darren has been able to perfectly repaint the effected areas in the exact colour matched paint. The best compliment with repairs like this is not knowing any work was ever done. As always, a superb job from the Paint Shop.

This lovely vehicle is now in our Trim Shop for a roof-lining repair.

1960 Morris Mini Deluxe preparation progress

June 3, 2020

Work continues on our 1960 Morris Mini Deluxe. Darryl has been working hard on this project on our behalf from his home workshops. The car returns to us very soon to be prepared for paint.

A tight deadline on this project as we need to have it built and finished within the next few months. Time is ticking!

Ford RS2000 Repairs

June 2, 2020

This gorgeous Ford Escort RS2000 has been into our workshop for a few repairs.

The gear lever locating bush was broken and needed replacing. Pictured above.

Under braking the car was pulling to one side so we investigated the brakes.

We removed the brake pistons to reveal the seals were rotten. We cleaned the pistons and replaced the seals, refitted them and bled the brakes.

1957 Mercedes 190SL In The Engine Shop

June 2, 2020

Ady, Bridge Classic Cars’ engine specialist has been working on one of the last pieces of our 190SL restoration.

The old flywheel had some cracks in the metal so we have replaced with a bespoke machined steel flywheel. Along with the cracks, the flywheel teeth had signs of excessive wear. The old starter motor was catching the teeth and wearing them away. At this stage we have also fitted a new clutch.

We’re looking forward to hearing this stunning 190SL fire back into life very soon.

Triumph TR6 Hardtop Restoration

June 1, 2020

Another joint effort between the Paint and Trim shops has now been completed. We were tasked with completely restoring this TR6 hardtop. We’ve removed all the chrome-work and transformed the hardtop with a black on black colour choice.

Once the roof was prepared and fully painted it headed into the trim shop. From here, Kath unpicked the old headlining before marking out a template for new material. Then she cut out the fabric and calico loops for ready for the rods. She then begun sewing the fabric together before glueing info place on the hardtop and looping the hoops through the rods. Once the main ceiling of the hard top was trimmed, Kath moved onto the side pillars.

Great team effort on this one, it’s looking amazing!

Suzuki GSX400 – Temporary Refit

June 1, 2020

New bearings have arrived from France so Paul has pieced together the bike using the parts we have started to gather.

The re-design is starting to take shape and although still in the early stages, we are really impressed with the look so far.

We will now position the seat so we can assess the frame and reshape where necessary.

Ford Capri 3000 E Steering Wheel Restoration

June 1, 2020

The team have done an incredible job re-trimming this Ford Capri wheel. The wheel firstly went down to the paint shop to be sanded down and repainted black. Once fully painted it headed through into the trim shop for Kath to pick up work on the leather. She stripped off the leather and applied the brand new leather before stitching the seams together. The exact sticking pattern was matched to keep this wheel looking original.

Lovely work, team!

Bridge Classic Cars are award winning Classic Car Restoration and Maintenance specialists. Your pride and joy is in safe hands with our expert Classic Car Technicians. Take a look at our awards here.

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