Our 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite (Sebring) arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshops bright and early this morning, having travelled down through the night from
One of the biggest and most exciting transformations to any car is a full ‘colour change’ body respray. At the back end of 2016 we
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Our 1972 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshops bright and early this morning, having travelled down through the night
We’ve now signed off our 1989 Ford Granada. This was work that was needed to carry her through an MOT. As she had been sitting
The completed V12 engine of our 1971 Jaguar E-Type roadster. Steve at Rushton Engineering has carried out an amazing job on the engine. It has been completely
More images from the paint shop as we continue to tackle the magnesium wheel refurbishment.
Get in on the gin! The UK’s original Gin Festival is visiting Ipswich https://www.ginfestival.com/events/gin-festival-ipswich-2017 Passionate about all things gin, Gin Festival is visiting Ipswich for
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As work continues on our 1965 Jaguar E-Type we are unfortunately revealing more and more areas that require immediate attention. We have discovered a number
As Bobbie works his way round the car he’s revealing various areas that need attention. All in a days work for our team of exceptionally
As Tommy is nearing completion on the repair work on the existing body we have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the newly built body
In a previous post back in December we explained how we need to further perfect the Merak wheels. Magnesium wheels are somewhat of a challenge
Here are the results of Lauren being left alone to choose her own work attire.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Our 1960 Jensen 541S chassis has arrived back at our workshops from the blasters. With the body completely removed and all of the areas
The new rear bumper bars have now been fitted. …as have the new rear lights. It’s amazing what a huge difference small changes can make
We closed off 2016 with various projects still underway and a busy diary looking into January and February. Work on our 1965 Jaguar E-Type was
Under the bonnet is looking a little tired so we have decided to remove the leads, tidy the bonnet area and refit the wires in
Having stripped and cleaned the dashboard we’ve now applied the wrinkle texture paint to give it a fresh, yet aged look. Wrinkle texture paint leaves
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We have just taken delivery of our newest project, our 1972 Fiat 500L. This beautiful little machine is already good to go and, as it
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Save the date in your new diary… Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show returning to the Birmingham NEC – 10th to 12th November 2017 Here are
The rear differential has now been stripped, cleaned and repaired. All of the bearings have been replaced with a full set of new. We have
After a couple of weeks away for the Christmas period we are now back in our workshops and straight back to work on our projects.
Our V12 engine is now nearing it’s completion and will be married to the body when it returns from the paint shop.
The new cooling kit has arrived today from Revotec. The MGBG Chrome Bumper 1962-76 Cooling Kit from Revotec has been engineered to provide perfect cooling for your
The half-shafts are now in our paintshop being stripped, prepared and painted. The red will go and they’ll be refinished in satin black.
As I had nipped over to our trim shop to drop off some bits I couldn’t help but take a couple of pictures of the
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This may look like we’ve made a bit of an error with the template of our rear interior engine housing but this is exactly how
The new front and rear seats are being started today with the end result being a black on black finish. As is often the case,
A waitress has described Ed Sheeran as “genuine” and “down to earth” following his visit to an Ipswich restaurant today. The superstar, who is from
The new old airbag has arrived for our Maserati Merak. Next stop, the paint shop where we’ll prepare it ready for a fresh new look. Next
Our 1960 Jensen 541S is one of 3 the prototypes that were original built by the Jensen brothers. Two of the prototypes were built with
Our 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite (Sebring) arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshops bright and early this morning, having travelled down through the night from the highlands along with our 1972 Jaguar E-Type
Now awaiting preparation she will soon be available for sale. This Beautiful 1959 Austin Healey Sprite, has modifications of the type carried out in period by “The Donald Healey Motor Co”(DHMC) it has never been welded, making it an excellent basis for a concours restoration. For more information and to view our full range of cars visit our for sale section.
One of the biggest and most exciting transformations to any car is a full ‘colour change’ body respray.
At the back end of 2016 we revealed our exciting plans to change our 1949 MGYT from it’s current colour of white back to it’s original colour of Clipper Blue.
Whoever had change this beautiful machine from blue to white had done an incredible job of it. Whilst stripping the car we couldn’t help but question it’s history as we were struggling to find any signs at all that this car was originally blue. A credit to the previous paint shop
however…
…on November 11th 2016 ‘We Found Blue’
Now, after a full strip down of every single removable item and a few months in the paint shop we had our first glimpse today of the new Clipper Blue look.
With only 2 more panels to paint it will soon be time to refit back to the chassis.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Our 1972 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshops bright and early this morning, having travelled down through the night from the highlands.
Now awaiting preparation she will soon be available for sale. For more information and to view our full range of cars visit our for sale section.
Here we are having taken her out on a little spin to make sure she feels and runs as she should.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”9250,9251,9252,9253,9254,9255,9256,9257,9258,9259,9260,9261,9262″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
We’ve now signed off our 1989 Ford Granada.
This was work that was needed to carry her through an MOT. As she had been sitting around for some time she had suffered the effects of the ever changing UK weather.
The suspension component mountings, where they had corroded have now been repaired. It was also brought to our attention in the MOT test that the vehicle’s structure had corrosion around the nearside and offside rear so this has been corrected. The drive shaft coupling gaiter which forms part of the suspension had also deteriorated so was no longer preventing the ingress of dirt. This has now been dealt with also.
The car arrived in to our workshops at the end of last year with running issue. Nothing too serious but it seemed to have developed a flat spot which we needed to investigate.
We also carried out a full service as well as carried out a few minor jobs that needed doing.
Due to the worked carried out on the new sills and a few blemishes on all of the panels Mrs and Mrs Johnson decided that they would like her to be fully re-sprayed. We happily obliged.
Here she is, now back on the road.
Shame about the weather, especially as Rich from Suffolk Detailing had made a special trip over today to give her a full valet…then the heavens decide to open!!
The completed V12 engine of our 1971 Jaguar E-Type roadster.
Steve at Rushton Engineering has carried out an amazing job on the engine. It has been completely stripped, chemically cleaned and meticulously rebuilt.
We have renewed, as standard, crank shells, timing chain and tensioner, piston rings, valves and springs.
Both heads have been skimmed, bores honed and carburetors stripped and rebuilt. The fasteners have been electroplated, pulleys, brackets etc have all been powder-coated. The heads, carburetors and many all other parts have been vapour blasted.
We have modified the oil distribution head and sump with remote oil filter housing and oil cooler.
More images from the paint shop as we continue to tackle the magnesium wheel refurbishment.
https://www.ginfestival.com/events/gin-festival-ipswich-2017
Passionate about all things gin, Gin Festival is visiting Ipswich for the first time with more than 100 gins, top craft distillers and a whole world of ginformation, and we’ve chosen Ipswich Town Hall to hold this (G)incredible event.
Hitting cities and towns all across the UK, Gin Festival has brought tens of thousands of gin enthusiasts together to discover and celebrate craft gin. With a fantastic range of unusual gins and a real dedication to the perfect serve, nobody does a Gin and Tonic like Gin Festival.
And they’re coming to Ipswich!!
Taking place over 2nd – 3rd June 2017, Gin Festival Ipswich runs for the following sessions, for £9.50 (+ booking fee) per ticket:
Friday 2nd June 2017 – Evening Session – 6.30pm – 11pm – and Bridge Classic Cars will be there enjoying the evening!
Saturday 3rd June 2017 – Afternoon Session – 12.30pm – 5pm
Saturday 3rd June 2017 – Evening Session – 6.30pm – 11pm – and Bridge Classic Cars will be there enjoying the evening!
Gin Festival was established in 2013 by Jym and Marie Harris. They wanted to go out, enjoy fantastic entertainment and great food whilst drinking the best gins and learning more about all things juniper. They wanted this all under one roof – but it didn’t exist. So they created Gin Festival.
Three years later and Gin Festival has grown from a single event to a phenomenon. Delighting attendees nationwide with four, fabulous gin bars, showcasing the very best in British and international gins as well as the finest gin liqueurs. To create the perfect serve, each gin has a carefully matched garnish alongside a specifically paired Fever-Tree Tonic or Mixer.
Gin Festival isn’t just about the Gin and Tonics though, there’s a regular cocktail bar serving up fantastic gin-based libations, as well as additional seasonal treats. You can chat to the distillers and brands who love to make gin, drink gin and share a sample or two. If they get you hooked, attend one of the amazing masterclasses where you can learn all about gin how it’s made, it’s history and beyond. Alternatively, just relax. Soak up the atmosphere, relish every gin and tonic drunk, try delicious street food and enjoy the entertainment.
Every fabulous gin, jenever and gin liqueur that can be tried on the bars, as well as irresistible gin themed gifts, are sold at the on-site off-licence and online at www.ginfestival.com/shop.
Gin Festival is incredibly proud to host Gin Explorer at its events. A monthly subscription service bringing 4 x 50ml measures of unusual gins, a treasure trove of information and surprise treats, direct to your door. Gin Explorer is the perfect treat for anybody who can’t bear to miss out on the festivals.
For more information visit: www.ginfestival.com – facebook.com/ginfestival – twitter.com/ginfestival – instagram.com/ginfestival
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As work continues on our 1965 Jaguar E-Type we are unfortunately revealing more and more areas that require immediate attention.
We have discovered a number of unexpected rotten areas whilst stripping and preparing the bodywork. The areas in questions are not large and are most definitely manageable but its great that we have found them now rather than letting them deteriorate even further.
They will now be removed and repaired to ensure that the same issues will not arise again.
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As Bobbie works his way round the car he’s revealing various areas that need attention.
All in a days work for our team of exceptionally talented mechanical and bodywork technicians.
She’ll be looking as good as new in no time.
As Tommy is nearing completion on the repair work on the existing body we have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the newly built body panels.
Before arriving here at Bridge Classic Cars, sometime in it’s life our 1971 Jaguar E-Type had been altered to what we believe was going to be a drag vehicle.
But after a huge operation carried out by Tommy to repair the body it has now been converted back to it’s original state. In order to complete the task in time and within budget it was more cost effective for us to have new panels produced.
The Martin Robey group of Companies is the largest and most comprehensive source of spares and services for classic to modern Jaguar motor cars. They own a lot of the original castings and templates used by Jaguar.
Due to the Martin Robey brand being internationally recognised the lead time on particular items can be a number of weeks and months so do ensure you manage your build effectively to limit your down time.
In a previous post back in December we explained how we need to further perfect the Merak wheels. Magnesium wheels are somewhat of a challenge to work and unfortunately the previous restoration did not bring them back up to the standard we wanted to we have stripped them back to carry out the task once again.
It’s a time consuming task but each wheels has been individually stripped with a hand tool and a skilled hand to ensure every angle has been worked on.
Here are the results of Lauren being left alone to choose her own work attire.
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Our 1960 Jensen 541S chassis has arrived back at our workshops from the blasters.
With the body completely removed and all of the areas exposed, we thought it was best to blast the chassis to remove years of debris, grit and rust that had been collected. Only then could we truly see the challenges that we would be faced with.
When the blasting process has taken place, more often than not it reveals new areas of the car that need attention, areas that may not have been noticed before. The great news on this one is that it is no worse than we expected.
We knew there would be a lot of work needed on the chassis but we half expected to find a lot more…on this occasion we are lucky.
Don’t get me wrong, there is still a long way to go but Asa has already got his teeth stuck into the repair work!
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The new rear bumper bars have now been fitted.
…as have the new rear lights. It’s amazing what a huge difference small changes can make to the look of the car.
The front bumper bars made the car look tired but now with the brand new bars fitted it has completely transformed the look.
Although our model is the 500L it came into our workshops with a metal 500 badge fitted which we found a little strange.
As we weren’t 100% whether the badge should be 500 or 500L we got onto the guys at Ricambio who advised us that it should be a metal 500L badge so that’s what we’ve done.
We closed off 2016 with various projects still underway and a busy diary looking into January and February.
Work on our 1965 Jaguar E-Type was unfortunately a little delayed at the back end of last year but now we are back, we have been busy knuckling down on the tasks at hand. Bobbie has been dedicating his days, since returning, to preparing the body of the Jaguar to get it ready for paint.
Here we have the latest images of the bonnet being worked on.
As with a lot of classic car projects we often remove components which then reveal more, hidden defects that are not always visible from the initial inspection. Unfortunately our 1965 Jaguar E-Type is an example of just that.
Bobbie has found many more holes around the car that were not intially obvious but nothing that is too concerning and will not set us back too long.
Under the bonnet is looking a little tired so we have decided to remove the leads, tidy the bonnet area and refit the wires in a much neater and presentable fashion.
We’ve gently removed the debris and grit that has built up over many years on the engine. Lauren has applied one coat of red engine paint as a base already but we’ll need to apply 2 or 3 further coats to give it an even finish.
As you can see, the front and rear bumpers are in fantastic condition however, the bumper bars are starting to corrode. Rather than re-chroming we have decided to buy a brand new set from internationally renowned Fiat specialists Ricambio International
The tank was originally finished in black and if you were to buy a brand new tank now it would also be black.
When we accepted delivery of our little Fiat 500L we made the decision to keep the car original.
As you can see, it is a brilliant little car that clearly enjoys being on the road. It’s not concours, it’s an everyday usable example of this iconic classic so although we felt we could tidy her up in places we never intended on carrying out huge jobs that would spoil the ‘patina’ of the car.
We wanted the tank returned to black so instead of replacing with a brand new one we kept it original and cleaned it up before giving it a new black finish.
The interior window trim has started to come away so we need to refit and secure into position.
`
Having stripped and cleaned the dashboard we’ve now applied the wrinkle texture paint to give it a fresh, yet aged look.
Wrinkle texture paint leaves a distinctive custom crinkle finish that you both see and feel. The crackle finish is extremely durable, long lasting and chemical resistant. It is temperature resistant to 350°F (177°C) and is ideal for adding a touch of ‘patina’ to your metalwork. It resists colour fading, grease, de-greasers and severe weather conditions. This tough durable finish is extremely resistant to rust, corrosion, chipping and cracking.
Now that the texture has set we’ve refitted the dash back to the car with the existing dials back into position.
We’ve also managed to refit the front grille into position too.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We have just taken delivery of our newest project, our 1972 Fiat 500L.
This beautiful little machine is already good to go and, as it was so rightly explained to us before we collected, it is very much a usable classic.
As with a lot of the cars that come through the doors at Bridge Classic Cars this one could benefit from a little TLC in places but certainly nothing too major and certainly no mechanical issues. It’s what we say here at Bridge Classic Cars, it just needs a bit of ‘beautifying’.
Here we are this morning on our way back from Colchester, Essex.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”9099,9098,9097,9096,9095,9094,9093,9092,9091,9090,9089,9088,9087,9086,9085″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Having fully assessed her in our Ipswich workshops the next stage is to type up a job sheet for the technician allocated to working on the car.
The job sheet is a detailed list of tasks that need to be carried out, a tick list basically. On the job sheet we can all leave notes for each other as well as listing the parts and hours involved in the project.
Every project that we undertake at Bridge Classic Cars has it’s own job sheet. This means we can ensure every aspect of the journey is completed accurately, on time and more importantly for our customers, within budget.
Although our 1972 Fiat 500L is a stock vehicle which means it belongs to us rather than a customer it is still treated the very same way.
We do not normally post the job sheet online because, let’s face it, who wants to sit and read it? But here is an example for anyone who does…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”1972 – Fiat 500L – MPF 500L”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Save the date in your new diary…
Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show returning to the Birmingham NEC – 10th to 12th November 2017
Here are some amazing images from last year’s show sent in to us from Neil McLean.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”9047,9048,9049,9050,9051,9052,9053,9054,9055,9056,9057,9058,9059,9060,9061,9062,9063,9064,9065,9066,9067,9068,9069,9070,9071,9072,9073,9074,9075,9076,9077,9078,9079,9080″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
The rear differential has now been stripped, cleaned and repaired. All of the bearings have been replaced with a full set of new. We have completely re-shimmed the differential and re-machined all seals surfaces. The gaskets and seals have been replaced and the differential has been completely rebuilt.
Next job is to repaint the unit before it can be refitted back to the cage.
After a couple of weeks away for the Christmas period we are now back in our workshops and straight back to work on our projects.
We have started work on fitting the brand new carpets to our MGBGT.
We have also fitted the existing rear gutter trims and windows back into position. Our brief is to build a car that still has the ‘Patina’ look. Our customer is not wanting to renew everything on the vehicle as he feels it will give too much of a clean look. he wants a car to enjoy and drive. We’ve replaced parts with new but some features remain as they are.
Our V12 engine is now nearing it’s completion and will be married to the body when it returns from the paint shop.
The new cooling kit has arrived today from Revotec.
The MGBG Chrome Bumper 1962-76 Cooling Kit from Revotec has been engineered to provide perfect cooling for your MGB.
Part number: B-MGB 62-76-BLK
New – Black Anodized Engineered Brackets
Kit Contains: 10″ High Power Blowing fan, Laser cut aluminium anodized black fan mounting brackets, 28mm Revotec Electronic fan controller
Top hose replacement kit, Earth wire kit, Bolts & fittings.
Lauren soon got on to the task at hand, fitting up the new cooling kit.
If you purchase the MGB Chrome Bumper 1962-76 Cooling Kit from Revotec, here’s a handy installation guide to help you fit it yourself.
The half-shafts are now in our paintshop being stripped, prepared and painted. The red will go and they’ll be refinished in satin black.
As I had nipped over to our trim shop to drop off some bits I couldn’t help but take a couple of pictures of the Maserati Merak interior.
Kim mentioned that there were a couple of areas she wanted to look at but all in all, they are all taking shape and looking fantastic. Just the rear column to master now and we’ll be looking at refitting the interior early in the new year!
Here’s a sneaky peak at the interior look gorgeous.
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This may look like we’ve made a bit of an error with the template of our rear interior engine housing but this is exactly how it should be. Even the rear seats on the Merak aren’t the same size!
Here we the top of the rear interior engine housing that Asa has had to draw up a template for before forming it in 18 gauge steel. This is now in the hands of Kim, our interior specialist, as she works on the final pieces before the interior gets fitted.
The interior engine housing sits between the two rear seats and is actually takes up most of the room in the back. This piece forms the top of a column which runs to the height of the seats.
The entire piece will then be shaped and covered.
Here’s some examples that we have found on Google[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”8918,8919,8920″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
The new front and rear seats are being started today with the end result being a black on black finish.
As is often the case, the frames are still in great condition but just needed a little attention to the paint finish, just to freshen them up.
The seats have been stripped of all components, in our opinion the bases and cushions are good enough to be re-used, the diaphragms have worn and the seat covers themselves are looking really tired.
One of the seats has been covered over the covers so we’ve decided to give the inside a full makeover too.
They are now in the hands of Kim, our interior specialist and she’ll look to replace the interior with new. It is not always the case but sometimes it is actually more viable for us to build the interior from scratch ourselves rather than to buy off the shelf. Certainly in this case, it is the most cost effective option with most suppliers being out of stock and the others costing a substantial amount.
Its times like these when we are fortunate to have the experts with the skills to be able to build interiors from essentially nothing.
A waitress has described Ed Sheeran as “genuine” and “down to earth” following his visit to an Ipswich restaurant today.
The superstar, who is from the Suffolk village of Framlingham, went for a meal at Nando’s in Ipswich’s Cardinal Park this afternoon.
Waitress Sarah Jane Elliott showed Ed to his seat along with his guest, thought to be his manager.
She said: “I didn’t think it was him at first when he walked in.
“He is honestly the most genuine person, he’s so down to earth. It was really nice to have him here.
“Everyone recognised him but they just left him to it. I was surprised how respectful they were.
“He’s so nice, he stacked the plates and handed them over.”
Holly, one of the mangers who did not want to give her last name, grabbed a quick ‘selfie’ with the singer after his lunch.
She said: “He’s pretty chilled out, it was good.
“Everyone just didn’t pay attention because they were trying to be respectful.”
In 2010 Ed posted a video online of him and rapper Example freestyling a song called The Nando’s Skank – all about their love of chicken.
The new old airbag has arrived for our Maserati Merak. Next stop, the paint shop where we’ll prepare it ready for a fresh new look. Next time you see it will be just before it’s fitted in the car and it’ll be finished perfectly in good black with a brand new filter.
Our 1960 Jensen 541S is one of 3 the prototypes that were original built by the Jensen brothers. Two of the prototypes were built with a manual gearbox and only one was developed with the automatic transmission…this, is the automatic.
A very special and unique car that deserves the very best and that is why certain aspects of the restoration journey require more of a specialist touch. Here we have the automatic gearbox that has been removed from the engine by our expert engine builder Don Warman.
The gearbox is now being packaged up to be delivered to the West Midlands to be rebuilt by G.Whitehouse Autos Ltd.
G.Whitehouse Autos Ltd are Automatic Transmission Specialists for Classic Cars including : Rolls Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Daimler, Alvis, Bristol, and Jensen.
They rebuild Automatic Transmissions for all the classic cars from 1950 to the early 1990’s. All work is undertaken “in house” and they can either rebuild transmissions.
G.Whitehouse have built up an incredible reputation over the years and lead the way in their specialist field.
