A Successful Day At Auction

March 15, 2023

Craig has spent the day at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire at an auction hosted by H and H.

There was a wide variety of vehicles available for sale throughout the day, and Craig ended up purchasing more than one, which will find their way to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in the next week or so.

A successful auction trip is always a good day and we are very pleased with the new additions to our collection – more on those very soon!

In the meantime, here’s a little behind-the-scenes look at some of the vehicles going to auction.

An MGA Arrives

March 15, 2023

A new arrival has entered the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in the form of our 1960 MGA 1600.

It usually resides in Spain with its owner but has been left with us to recommission. While the recommissioning won’t happen straight away, due to how busy our team of classic car technicians are with our current projects, the car will stay with us until work is complete.

We are very much looking forward to having our MGA in the workshop and we are excited to get work started on it.

Competition Cancelled

March 15, 2023

We regret to inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances, our 1977 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing competition has been cancelled.

Here’s what you need to know:

Everyone who has purchased tickets for this competition will receive a full refund on Monday 20th March 2023

If you would prefer, you can receive £10 in competition site credit for each ticket you have purchased

If you have entered the competition, please check your email inbox as you would have received additional information about your refund options.

We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused by this cancellation and wish to thank you for your ongoing support.

From Ultra Rare To First Of The First

March 15, 2023

We have always known that our 1905 Riley 9HP is a very special vehicle. It was believed to be just 1 of 3 remaining examples since it first arrived in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, however, we have recently learned that it might actually be even rarer and even more special than that!

After being contacted by Geoff Haviland, Chairman of The Riley Cars Heritage Trust, it appears that our Riley 9 is likely to be a prototype for the model that went into production, and was the first automobile to come with removable wheels. If this is the case, then it is a possibility that our Riley is the very first of the first cars to have removable wheels.

The Riley 9HP V-Twin was first released to the public at the 1906 Motor Show and was known as a 1907-season car. However, we have information to say that our Riley dates back to 1905, again, indicating its prototype status. The bench seat of our 9HP also shows its prototype potential as the vehicles that came off the production line had 2 seats instead of the one that ours has.

All signs seem to be pointing to the fact that our 1905 Riley 9HP is something extraordinarily special and helped to lay the foundations of the highly successful run of Riley vehicles that followed.

Entry Is Now Open – 1977 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing

March 14, 2023

Our 1977 Honda GL1000 Gold Wing is now live on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website.

Classic motorbikes like this don’t tend to be available for very long so, if you want your chance to be the new owner of our Gold Wing, tickets are available now.

Coffee & Classics – 14th March 2023

March 14, 2023

We hosted our second Coffee & Classics event this morning from The Atelier at Bridge Classic Cars.

It was great to welcome a group of fellow classic car enthusiasts to enjoy a coffee with us as well as have a behind-the-scenes tour of the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.

Our Coffee & Classics mornings happen on the second Tuesday of every month. With this and other exciting events coming up over the next few months, we hope to see even more of you very soon.

Thank you to everyone who came to see us this morning and we look forward to seeing you all again in the near future.

The Late Queen’s Jaguar Donated To Comic Relief By Chris Evans

March 14, 2023

A 2009 Jaguar X-Type Estate that was previously owned and driven by the late Queen Elizabeth II has been donated to Comic Relief by Chris Evans and his motoring event, CarFest, to help raise money for the charity’s Red Nose Day appeal.

The Queen was photographed driving the car and the original vehicle handbook confirms the registration as PYN 1F which belonged to the late Monarch.

The 2009 Jaguar X-Type Estate comes in Emerald Fire with a Barley Leather interior. It was designed by Ian Callum and has a sunroof, automatic transmission, electric windows, climate control, and a Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate. It has covered 73,000 miles and it was previously sold at auction in November 2022 for £43,000.

If you want to own this extremely special vehicle, you won’t need to pay out that much though. Instead, you can win it by sending a simple text message. Full details here.

When speaking about donating this very special Jaguar, Chris Evans said “I’m so grateful CarFest is able to support Comic Relief and I’m thrilled that we are able to donate this very special historic car, and so pleased to be able to share it with another enthusiast, especially for such an important cause.”

Samir Patel, who is the CEO of Comic Relief said “We are enormously grateful to Chris Evans and CarFest for this generous donation for Red Nose Day – this truly is a prize like no other we have ever been able to offer our supporters. This is an extraordinary opportunity to own a real piece of history and will be such a special prize for the lucky winner.

“From homelessness to mental health problems to food poverty, the money raised will help people facing incredibly tough times in the UK and around the world. Huge thank you to everyone who enters.”

Red Nose Day 2023

Red Nose Day 2023 will be taking place on Friday 17th March 2023. All the money raised will go towards supporting people who are struggling due to the cost of living crisis as well as trying to tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems, and food poverty both nationally and internationally.

Part of the money raised will also go towards helping the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

Our BRM Delivered

March 13, 2023

The lucky winner of our 1999 Rover BRM, Neil Owen, has a stronger connection to the car than most.

Neil’s late Grandfather was Sir Alfred Owen who, at the age of 21 became the Chief Executive of The Rubery Owen Group. After being run by his father up until his death, the Rubery Owen empire dominated the light steel industry in Britain for the first half of the twentieth century. Once Sir Alfred took over though, it expanded on a global scale.

In 1952, The Rubery Owen Group (under Alfred’s control) acquired the BRM Formula 1 team. The team was struggling but that was soon to change. Along with the team’s fortunes, the team name was also changed from BRM to the Owen Racing Organisation, however, the cars were still always known as BRMs.

Despite now picking up occasional international victories, Sir Alfred wanted more and even threatened to close the team down for good if success was not achieved. With the introduction of the new BRM P57, driver Graham Hill became the world champion with BRM also taking the constructors championship at the same time.

Sir Alfred Owen continued to sponsor the BRM team until his death in 1975. The team would ultimately come to an end just 2 years later in 1977.

Now Neil Owen is the new owner of our 1999 Rover BRM. It seems a fitting home for this car and is something of a homecoming to the family that kept BRM racing for so many years.

Neil was randomly selected as the winner of our BRM with his ticket number 1890 during the live draw held on 2nd March 2023. Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars would like to congratulate Neil again on winning the car and we are extremely happy it has gone to someone with such a deep connection to the vehicle.

Sunbeam Radiator

March 13, 2023

Classic car technician Steve has fitted a new sender unit and boss to our 1980 Talbot Sunbeam Lotus.

With the investigation and work still ongoing with this classic car, Steve and the rest of the workshop team will continue working on it until it is driving as it should and is ready to go back to its owner.

The Investigation Begins For Our 1975 MGB GT V8

March 13, 2023

A recent arrival to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is our 1975 MGB GT V8. It has come to us so our team of classic car technicians can investigate and resolve a number of issues that the owner has reported.

Some of the issues to be investigated include the car not starting from cold, setting up and tuning the restored carbs, as well as a few other points of interest too.

Classic car technician Steve began his investigation of our classic MGB GT V8 and found various worn and cracked front suspension bushes. He also noted that the front bump stops were coming apart.

Steve went on to get the base settings for the jet heights in order to set up the carburettors very soon.

Refitting An Engine

March 13, 2023

John has been preparing our 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 for its engine to be reinstalled.

A new clutch was fitted and the gearbox and overdrive unit were refitted too. John also painted various suspension pieces black where the paint had chipped off previously.

As the engine installation continued, John began making the connections and refitting the ancillaries. The sump bung thread was bad so the bung wouldn’t tighten. This was stripped and tapped out so a new helicoil could be fitted. The bung was then refitted with PTFE tape and sealer.

The overdrive wires to the gear knob switch split during insulation. John shrink-wrapped these to protect them before fitting the gear leaver. The engine and gearbox oils were filled and the car was tested on the ramp before final fit-up took place. John found that overdrive now worked fine in 4th gear so the reassembly of this classic E-Type could continue.

John went on to refit the front hubs. He also bled the brakes before refitting and tightening the wheels. The radiator was also put back in the car.

The owner of our 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 requested that the steering column bearings were replaced so John made sure this was done. He stripped and removed the column and, as he was doing so, John noticed that it had had its bearings looked at before. The bearings were replaced and the column was spaced out with a large washer. John then refitted the steering column.

Once the steering column was refitted and aligned, John made sure that the old bearings were kept secure for the owner of the car to see. He ran the car up to temperature and the fans cut in as they should.

Our 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 is now ready for its engine installation to be finished this week as John continues his work on this beautiful classic car.

A Repaired Boot Load Cover

March 13, 2023

The boot load cover on our 1987 Porsche 928 Series 4 was damaged when it arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. Classic car technician Brian has recently repaired the cover ready for the car to eventually be won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.

To repair the cover, Brian first cut calico material out before glueing it to the original damaged material. He then cut out calico material for the other side of the cover and glued it to the original.

Brian then fitted the newly repaired cover back into the car and, as you can see from the photos below, it looks great!

The Welding Continues

March 13, 2023

Classic car technician Rob has, once again, been working on our 1960 Jensen 541R. One of the areas he has been focused on is the right-hand side rear body frame and B post. These were both made and welded into place.

Rob then went on to repair and weld the front bulkhead and A posts on both sides before clamping the newly made boot floor ready for welding. The new boot floor was made by Monty to help in the restoration of our rare Jensen 541R.

The Back Of Our Amphicar

March 13, 2023

Classic car technicians Christian and Monty have been doing more work on our 1964 Amphicar 7-70. They have been completing repairs on the boot lid and the rear quarter of this very interesting vehicle.

Any repairs of classic vehicles need to be completed to very high standards but, when the vehicle is going to go into the water, extra care needs to be taken to ensure it can withstand the rigours of life on the road and in the water.

More Repairs On Our Beetle

March 13, 2023

Classic car technicians Christian and Monty have been completing more repairs on our 1974 Volkswagen Beetle. This time, they have been focussed on the scuttle and the front wing.

Once these areas had been sorted, the rear wing was also repaired.

Christian and Monty have done a great job with the repairs to our Beetle and we are looking forward to seeing ‘Delilah’ returned to her owner in the not too distant future.

Painting Our Rover 220

March 13, 2023

Once our 1996 Rover 220 Turbo was prepped for its primer, it was moved into the paint booth ready for its new coat of paint.

After having primer applied, our 220 was prepared for paint by classic car technician Al. Once Al had put its base colour on, lacquer was also applied.

Now that the new paint job has been completed, our 1996 Rover 220 Turbo is looking great and we are looking forward to seeing progress continue to be made over the next few weeks.

An MGB GT V8 Arrives

March 10, 2023

A recent arrival to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is our 1975 MGB GT V8. It has come to us so our team of classic car technicians can investigate some starting issues.

The whole car will be assessed so we are able to come up with a plan of action for its future.

Snow Day – Our 1969 MGC GT in the snow and should you drive your classic in the winter

March 10, 2023

It’s a divisive viewpoint in the classic car world – Do you use your classic in the snow and clean it down afterwards or keep it tucked away?

Well, the cold weather was closing in on our Suffolk HQ this morning. As the snow began to fall across the surrounding countryside, some of our own cars which are stored outside whilst awaiting time in the workshop got a light dusting. One of those, was our personal 1969 MGC GT.

That’s what sparked this question. In period, these cars would of course have been taken out and driven in all weathers but as their rarity and age grow so does the scarcity in which they are used in the majority of cases.

During the cold snap a few years ago, I owned a 1972 Volkswagen Beetle 1300 and proved (if only to myself) that categorically it was the greatest all-terrain vehicle of all time. With no ABS, no power steering or traction control to interfere with driving and all its mighty 36BHP heading straight to the rear wheels with the weight of its flat-four engine sitting right above it, the grip was phenomenal as I drove on my hour long commute across the wintery Suffolk countryside on back lanes and B-roads.

But, it did pay a price. I forgot to clean down the wings and front edge of the pan which began to corrode. This would ultimately spread and caused me some more issues down the line. But, I learnt from that. Just like with a modern car, the salt and moisture will begin to cause damage and corrode components if left.

It’s not as noticeable with modern cars as it is with classics, perhaps down to the wider use of plastics and composites for body panels and trims or better weather proofing in modern paints and coatings but if left long enough for long periods of time, the dreaded bubbles start to appear…

Our customer cars do not go outside in this kind of weather. At the first hints of any rain or not ideal weather, they are brought inside for safe keeping and cleaned down instantly before being put away in the shelter of our workshop.

But it’s an interesting thought, do you use them in the winter or keep them tucked away?

Behind The Scenes Of Our MGB GT Live Draw

March 10, 2023

Last night we held the live draw of our 1968 MGB GT from The Atelier at Bridge Classic Cars.

Live draws are always fun and it was great to hear that the lucky winner, Michael Bambridge, was very happy to be chosen at random as the new owner of our classic MGB.

If you haven’t been to one of our live draw events, you may not know what goes on behind the scenes, however, the photos below will give you an idea of the atmosphere during a live draw.

Beastie Goes To Its New Home

March 9, 2023

Our 1972 Rover P6 4500S has been delivered to lucky winner, Stephen Price.

This one-of-a-kind classic car was won in our live draw held on 23rd February 2023 when Stephen’s winning ticket number, 156, was randomly selected as the winner.

Despite it being a very cold and snowy day during the delivery, Beastie looks very much at home with Stephen and we are sure he will love this very special vehicle.

Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars would like to congratulate Stephen again and we hope he enjoys Beastie as much as we did.

A Container Arrives

March 9, 2023

Finding space for all the classic vehicles that come into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop can be a big challenge. To make some additional secure storage for the workshop team to make use of, a container has recently arrived.

This extra space allows the technicians to be able to make effective use of the workshop while still being able to keep the special classics that come to us safe and secure.

Spring Into Spring

March 9, 2023

Though the weather today may be bleak and in some places snowy, the early flowers popping up in hedgerows and on grassy banks promise that spring is just around the corner. Pops of colour and low yellowy sun symbolise the beginning of another year filled with adventure.

For many of you, the winter months signal a time when the precious motors are tucked up warm in a garage or storage facility however, those with a year-round driver have been able to enjoy journeys out on crisp, frosty(but not icy) mornings. Some even ventured out to welcome in the New Year with Bridge Classic Cars back at the beginning of January and enjoyed a bright day driving followed by a cosy lunch in a local pub.

Now, as the nights draw out, the car community awakes en masse from its slumber. Tarpaulins and carcoons are pulled back, chrome is polished to perfection and paintwork buffed lovingly to its pre-hibernation glory. The event season begins.

For Bridge Classic Cars this year, the calendar is buoyant with events to suit every car lover, we want to welcome you to monthly live draws with music and fun as well as more car meets and coffee mornings for a more intimate vibe. We have special guests sharing their stories and lives with us, on stage at The Atelier. First, we welcome Ed Stafford, shortly followed by Martin Donnelly plus many more special guests. Soon to be revealed! We have days out in the local area allowing us to celebrate Suffolk and classic cars all in one go. Rallies, charity events and car shows scattered through spring and summer meaning there is fun, entertainment and a warm welcome for all the family.

Coming To Collect Our Mini

March 8, 2023

Our 1989 Rover City Mini 1000 E was collected from the Bridge Classic Cars workshop today by lucky winner, Adam Hutchinson.

As Adam lives locally to us, we invited him to come and see us for a tour of the workshop and to see his Mini in person. It was great to see Adam meeting his classic Mini for the very first time and he certainly seemed extremely happy with it.

Adam won our 1989 Rover Mini City 1000 E in the live draw held on 16th February 2023. His ticket number, 3662, was chosen at random as the winner.

Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars would like to congratulate Adam again and we hope he has lots of fun in his classic Mini.

DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal – 1 Year On

March 8, 2023

On March 3rd 2022, the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal was launched. This happened due to the escalating conflict between Ukraine and Russia. As the situation has continued to progress in the last year, more and more aid is needed and the DEC continues to do all they can to assist as many people as possible.

Since its launch, the appeal has raised more than £400 million. As a result of these funds, almost 2 million people benefited from access to clean water, 392 000 people received assistance in accessing food, and 71 000 people were able to access primary healthcare services.

DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal - 1 Year On

£38 500 Raised By Bridge Classic Cars

Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars is very proud that we have contributed in some way to the DEC’s cause of helping the Ukranian people. We raised £38 500 for the appeal through one of our competitions. Previous winner, Jar Joyce, returned his prize (1989 TVR S2) back to us so we could run another competition for it with the money raised going to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

With the support of Jar and several other companies and friends, the competition was a great success and we were extremely happy to raise a large sum of money for such a worthy cause.

The Mission Continues

The conflict in Ukraine is still ongoing and more help is needed. The DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal continues, as does our passion to support charities working to help people in need.

If you would like to read more about how we raised £38 500 for the Dec Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, the full story can be read here.

We have raised money for a number of charities. Our other charity work can be seen here.

Recreating The Past

March 8, 2023

Since being started for only the second time in several decades, our 1905 Riley 9HP continues to make progress.

With so little information about the vehicle available, our team of classic car technicians are working extremely hard to recreate, rebuild, and bring this rare classic back to life.

Recently, some of the wooden bodywork was re-fitted to our Riley to see what further work needs to be completed on it. The fuel tank was also attached and the holes where the radiator will eventually be attached can be seen in front of this.

Our 1905 Riley 9HP will be restored to as close to original as possible and, with the bodywork starting to come together, it is an exciting time in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.

Going To Auction

March 8, 2023

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

March 7, 2023

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

March 7, 2023

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

March 7, 2023

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

March 7, 2023

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.

News

Red Nose Day 2023

£38 500 Raised By Bridge Classic Cars

The Mission Continues

A Sub Brand Emerges

Trojan Records And Bridge Classic Cars