First Look At A New Colour
April 21, 2023
Work is still ongoing for our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. After the prep work was complete and after having primer applied, the first few parts
News
Gun Tractor Comes Back To Life
April 20, 2023
Since the engine has gone back into our 1940 Morris Gun Tractor, classic car technician John has continued his work on our Quad in order
Thunderbird Repairs
April 20, 2023
Classic car technician Steve has continued his work on our 1956 Ford Thunderbird. His recent work began by fitting a new battery tray before also
Saying Hello To Our TR6 Again
April 19, 2023
We have recently welcomed an old friend back into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in the form of our 1973 Triumph TR6. It has come
Dodge DA – summer ready
April 18, 2023
With the amazing news that the DVLA have finally registered our 1929 Dodge DA, we have transported the car from The Hangar back to the
Biking into the sunset…
April 18, 2023
Last weekend felt like the first weekend of summer. The sun was shining, the roads were dry and everywhere I went I saw the groups
The DB9 returns…
April 18, 2023
Just before Christmas 2022, Molly made a call to Nick Jones with the amazing news that he was now the very proud owner of our
Ready To Go
April 14, 2023
Our 1981 Triumph TR7 V8 has, once again, been in the care of classic car technician John. He has been fitting a new core plug
Press Release: Drive It Day – Sunday, 23rd April 2023
April 14, 2023
Join Bridge Classic Cars In Celebrating National Drive It Day As well as raising funds for the NSPCC, National Drive It Day celebrates the epic
Wingham Improvements
April 14, 2023
It’s no secret that our 1937 Vauxhall 25 Wingham Cabriolet is a very interesting-looking vehicle. If you add its rarity to the mix, then you
Interceptor Repairs
April 14, 2023
Classic car technician Monty has been completing more repair work on our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3. This time, his attention has been on the floor,
Priming Our AMV8
April 14, 2023
Al has, once again, been working on our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. This time he has been applying epoxy primer to this eye-catching classic car.
DB5 Repairs
April 14, 2023
Our 1965 Aston Martin DB5 has come back into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop as its handbrake has broken. Classic car technician John gained access
Trim Work Begins
April 14, 2023
Classic car technician Brian has begun the trim work on our 1929 Riley 9 Tourer. The first step of this was to remove the front
Paint Improvements
April 13, 2023
A 2017 Volvo V90 recently spent some time in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop. Our paint team were repainting the black parts of the car
A Second Go At The IVA
April 13, 2023
Our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica has recently gone through an IVA (Individual Vehicle Assessment) in order to get licensed with the DVLA. This time, everything
Spotted In London
April 13, 2023
One of our Harrington Jackets has been spotted in London. This style of jacket first appeared in the 1930s, however, it wasn’t until the 1960s
Sourcing A Special Gift
April 13, 2023
We were recently contacted by one of our clients who will be hosting some guests at Goodwood later this year. As part of the experience,
It’s All Coming Together
April 13, 2023
The rebuild of our 1959 Jensen 541R has continued recently with classic car technician Rob making and fitting the front floors. The boot floor rear
Finishing Our Saab
April 13, 2023
Our 1980 Saab 99 Turbo has been going through the last few stages of its restoration as of late. Classic car technician John continued his
A New Arrival
April 12, 2023
Our 1993 Mercedes E220 has just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. While with us, it is having its headliner repaired as it was
Speeding Is Getting Dangerously Fast On UK Roads
April 12, 2023
In 2022, more than 77,000 speeding offences were recorded in Kent alone. If that wasn’t worrying enough, over 500 drivers were actually recorded travelling at
Priming A Beetle
April 12, 2023
Delilah, our 1974 Volkswagen Beetle has been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop with classic car technician Mauro. He has been applying epoxy primer
Removing The Engine From An Amphicar
April 12, 2023
Our 1964 Amphicar 770 has recently had its engine removed by classic car technician Scott. Once the engine was out of the car, Scott was
A TR7 Returns
April 12, 2023
We have recently welcomed our 1981 Triumph TR7 back into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. We have worked on this beautiful classic car before so
DB2 Engine
April 12, 2023
It has been a little while since our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 has had its engine fitted. However, that has now changed thanks to classic
E-Type Progress Continues
April 12, 2023
Classic car technicians Chris and Mauro have been continuing their work on our 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5. Our interactive competition car is making good
Putting The Engine Back In A Gun Tractor
April 12, 2023
If you’ve ever wondered how you put an engine back into a gun tractor, you’re in luck as this is what classic car technician John
Entry Is Now Open – Rover 220 Turbo
April 11, 2023
Your opportunity to win our 1996 Rover 220 Turbo ‘Tomcat’ has arrived as entry is now open for the latest competition from Bridge Classic Cars
Coffee & Classics – April
April 11, 2023
This morning, we welcomed another group of classic car enthusiasts into The Atelier at Bridge Classic Cars for our most recent Coffee & Classics. While
First Look At A New Colour
April 21, 2023
Work is still ongoing for our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. After the prep work was complete and after having primer applied, the first few parts of the car have been painted Deep Carriage Green.
As you can see from the photos below, the new colour looks great and we know that once the whole car is painted, it is certainly going to be an attention-grabber.
A new belly plate has also been made for our AMV8.
Gun Tractor Comes Back To Life
April 20, 2023
Since the engine has gone back into our 1940 Morris Gun Tractor, classic car technician John has continued his work on our Quad in order to get it up and running for the first time in a while.
John rewired the solenoid and starter switch as there must have been a broken wire inside the loom. Once this was completed, the engine cranked and, after 5 minutes of cranking, the oil pressure had reached 20psi.
The sound of our Gun Tractor coming back to life is an exciting thing to hear and we are looking forward to this military vehicle continuing to make good progress.
Thunderbird Repairs
April 20, 2023
Classic car technician Steve has continued his work on our 1956 Ford Thunderbird. His recent work began by fitting a new battery tray before also fitting new power steering rams.
Steve went on to clean the sump and engine gasket faces as well as painting the sump and oil pump. After painting, these were also fitted back onto the car.
The brake pipe going to the near-side front wheel was found to be crushed so this was replaced.
Our 1956 Ford Thunderbird is a stunning car to look at and it’s great to know that Steve’s work is helping to keep it on the road for its owner to enjoy into the future.
Saying Hello To Our TR6 Again
April 19, 2023
We have recently welcomed an old friend back into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in the form of our 1973 Triumph TR6.
It has come to us for a full service and some paintwork. While it is with us, our team of technicians will also be fitting new bushes and adjustable trailing arms.
We are pleased to see one of our former projects return to us, and our yellow TR6 certainly stands out in the workshop.
Dodge DA – summer ready
April 18, 2023
With the amazing news that the DVLA have finally registered our 1929 Dodge DA, we have transported the car from The Hangar back to the workshops ready for the new plates to be fitted and the full recommission to commence.
We already have a diary packed full of amazing summer shows so we look forward to taking our very special Dodge out and about very soon.
Biking into the sunset…
April 18, 2023
Last weekend felt like the first weekend of summer. The sun was shining, the roads were dry and everywhere I went I saw the groups of bikers out enjoying some fresh air.
So I took the opportunity for my first solo ride out of 2023 to one of my favourite destinations.
Here is my Ltd Edition 2017 Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer. A bike I have owned for a couple of years now.
It was a Saturday evening, around 6pm and the sun was starting to fall over the stunning Bawdsey coastline. Other than a couple that had pitched up for the night with their VW camper I was all alone…it was simply beautiful.
I am very lucky to call Suffolk my home…
The DB9 returns…
April 18, 2023
Just before Christmas 2022, Molly made a call to Nick Jones with the amazing news that he was now the very proud owner of our 2005 Aston Martin DB9 with ticket number 1643.
In front of a live studio audience the Bridge Classic Cars Christmas party saw us give away not only my personal (Craig) Aston Martin but our 1985 Ferrari Mondial Cabriolet.
Soon after Nick was handed the keys to his Aston he became a fully-fledged member of the Aston Martin owner’s club and had a special set of bespoke Aston Martin colour-coded luggage commissioned too.
Unfortunately due to personal reasons, Nick contacted us with the sad news that he would need to let the car go but had thoroughly enjoyed his time with her. Originally planned to head to an online classic car auction Nick notified us out of courtesy to let us know of these plans. I gave it some thought (not for too long) and decided to make him an offer to have the car back.
The car is now back with me and I’m looking forward to another summer full of shows with my DB9 back!
Ready To Go
April 14, 2023
Our 1981 Triumph TR7 V8 has, once again, been in the care of classic car technician John. He has been fitting a new core plug and he also put coolant back into the car.
After passing its MOT, our TR7 is now ready to leave the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and be returned to its owner very soon.
Press Release: Drive It Day – Sunday, 23rd April 2023
April 14, 2023
Join Bridge Classic Cars In Celebrating National Drive It Day
As well as raising funds for the NSPCC, National Drive It Day celebrates the epic journey undertaken by 65 cars in 1900. These driving pioneers attempted to drive 1000 miles from London to Edinburgh and back again with the goal of proving the viability of the motor car.
Bridge Classic Cars are joining the celebration by hosting Drive It Day 2023. Beginning at The Hangar, in the impressive grounds of Bentwaters Air Base, there will be time to admire the wide range of vehicles in attendance. After a hot drink, we will travel, In convoy, to our main workshop in Pettistree. The route will cover approximately 7 miles.
Once at the workshop, you will be able to take a closer look at some of our current restoration projects as well as enjoying live music from local band, The Buskateers, food from Otis Breading and Suffolk Fried Chicken, and our fully licensed bar will be open too.
Drive It Day, hosted by Bridge Classic Cars, gives you the opportunity to get behind the wheel of your special vehicle, take in the sights of the picturesque Suffolk countryside, and raise vital funds for a very important charity.
National Drive It Day is on Sunday, 23rd April. We will be meeting at The Hangar, Bentwaters Parks at 11 am with the drive to the workshop beginning at noon. You can then enjoy all the food and entertainment you like until things come to an end at 3 pm.
Commemorative rally plates can be purchased to help raise funds to support the NSPCC’s Childline service. With 90% of the charity’s income coming from donations and each call costing £4 to answer, the charity and the children and young people it helps, need our help now more than ever.
More information can be found on the events section of the Bridge Classic Cars website.
Wingham Improvements
April 14, 2023
It’s no secret that our 1937 Vauxhall 25 Wingham Cabriolet is a very interesting-looking vehicle. If you add its rarity to the mix, then you have a very special classic car that we have in the workshop.
Classic car technician Lydia has been working on our Wingham lately by making and binding the carpets. She has also made the cover for the spare tyre.
Lydia also made the corner covers for the bonnet of our Wingham.
Interceptor Repairs
April 14, 2023
Classic car technician Monty has been completing more repair work on our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3. This time, his attention has been on the floor, the inner sill, and the doors.
Repairing the metalwork of our classic Interceptor has been a long and challenging process but, both Monty and Christian have been doing a great job of keeping things moving in the right direction.
As the restoration of our 1975 Jensen Interceptor continues, we are looking forward to seeing the improvements being made until it is eventually ready to leave us and get back out on the road.
Priming Our AMV8
April 14, 2023
Al has, once again, been working on our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. This time he has been applying epoxy primer to this eye-catching classic car. After prepping and priming the body, Al stripped the remaining components back to bare metal and prepped them for primer too.
Parts of our AMV8, like the bonnet, also went into high-build primer as it continues to move closer to new paint being applied in the near future.
DB5 Repairs
April 14, 2023
Our 1965 Aston Martin DB5 has come back into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop as its handbrake has broken. Classic car technician John gained access to the mechanism so he could remove it and make the required repairs.
As the seat had to be removed in order to fix the handbrake, while it was out, John noticed that the fixing was cracked. A plate was made to reinforce the mounting to avoid this becoming an issue in the future.
Our other John has also been working on our DB5. He replaced both rocker cover gaskets and carried out a flush of the cooling system. He drained the existing coolant before stripping, cleaning, and refitting the nearside rocker cover with a new cork gasket.
Once the nearside rocker cover was complete and reassembled, John went on to refit the lower radiator hose and fill the system with water. He removed the lower hose and drained it again whilst repeating the process on the offside rocker cover gasket.
Trim Work Begins
April 14, 2023
Classic car technician Brian has begun the trim work on our 1929 Riley 9 Tourer. The first step of this was to remove the front seats and base boards from the car. Brian then removed the rear axle cover so that it could be used as a pattern to make the rear seat base board.
These were cut out before Brian went on to remove the rear floor board to trim the sides in order to allow for the side panels to fit. The rear seat board was then fitted into the car and the backboard was cut out.
Brian made the pattern for the rear seat top edge and then cut this out. The rear seat board was trial fitted and the back edge was cut in line with the curve of the car body.
Rear quarter panels were the next focus of Brian. He made paper patterns and used these to mark out the panels on plywood. These were cut out and then fit into the car. The axle cover board was re-fitted before the rear base seat board was re-fitted too.
Brian went on to cut slots out for the rear squab board brackets and then fit the brackets in the car. He fit the squab board into the car before moving on to the door of our classic Riley. Once the door handle was removed, Brian made a paper pattern for the door panel and marked this out on wood. The door panel was cut out and a hole was made for the lock handle.
Brian fit the door panel to the car door and cut out the slot at the back for the lock. Paper patterns were made for the passenger side door panels.
Paint Improvements
April 13, 2023
A 2017 Volvo V90 recently spent some time in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop. Our paint team were repainting the black parts of the car that needed some attention to bring them back to the condition the car’s owner wanted them to be.
Upon leaving the paint shop, the V90 looked fresher and ready to be returned to its owner.
A Second Go At The IVA
April 13, 2023
Our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica has recently gone through an IVA (Individual Vehicle Assessment) in order to get licensed with the DVLA.
This time, everything went to plan and we are now waiting on the number plates to be delivered before we can finally take our C-Type Replica out on the road.
Spotted In London
April 13, 2023
One of our Harrington Jackets has been spotted in London.
This style of jacket first appeared in the 1930s, however, it wasn’t until the 1960s when the Harrington Jacket really took on its classic and stylish persona.
To celebrate 20 years of Bridge Classic Cars, we teamed up with Trojan Records Clothing to create the very cool jacket you can see in the images below.
More details about our jackets can be found in the Bridge Classic Cars Shop.
Sourcing A Special Gift
April 13, 2023
We were recently contacted by one of our clients who will be hosting some guests at Goodwood later this year. As part of the experience, our client asked us to source a special gift for their guests.
After some searching, we found what we think to be a great addition to the guest’s experience in the form of a Fiorano Desk Clock from Holden Vintage & Classic.
We hope the recipients enjoy their gift and we look forward to seeing them at Goodwood.
It’s All Coming Together
April 13, 2023
The rebuild of our 1959 Jensen 541R has continued recently with classic car technician Rob making and fitting the front floors. The boot floor rear panel was fabricated before being bolted and riveted into place. The front hubs were also assembled and installed.
Rob went on to assemble and fit the rear brakes and hubs. The steering rack was put on and the boot lid was fitted. The wiring is progressing well and the right-hand front wheel arch was fitted too.
To allow the gearbox to be removed and replaced from inside the car, without the need to remove the engine, Rob made some modifications to the bulkhead.
As you can see from the images below, things are really starting to take shape on our 541R.
Finishing Our Saab
April 13, 2023
Our 1980 Saab 99 Turbo has been going through the last few stages of its restoration as of late.
Classic car technician John continued his work by fitting the rear quarter vents and trims as well as the boot lock and latch. After he had done this, he began the long and laborious task of removing the old sticky tape from the badges. He then had to apply new tape and reattach the badges in the correct position. John also fitted all four quarter mouldings.
Once John had finished the placement of the badges, he repaired both front door speaker wires so the door panels could then be re-fitted. The washer pipes to the bonnet and both headlights were routed and connected.
After John found that the nearside front calliper was seized, he stripped and removed it before fitting new flexi hoses.
The oil and filter were drained and John found that the coolant system was brown and sludgy. The header tank and radiator hoses were removed so they could be cleaned out before being re-fitted. John ran water through the radiator and reconnected the hoses.
John went on to remove the thermostat and cleaned this as well. The hose joiner was replaced with a new piece of copper tubing that classic car technician Clinton flared. All pipes were then secured.
The front spoiler was painted before being refitted along with the front bumper.
After noticing that there was a small hole on the offside inner arch/suspension mount, John stripped and removed the suspension so Monty could access the area and weld it. Monty cut all the old rusty material away and made plates to replace it and welded these in.
Classic car technician Brian has also been working on our classic Saab by refitting the door panels, connecting the wiring to the speakers, fitting the boot panels, and re-fitting the spare wheel and cover.
New brake calipers were also fitted to our Saab 99 Turbo.
A New Arrival
April 12, 2023
Our 1993 Mercedes E220 has just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
While with us, it is having its headliner repaired as it was sagging upon its arrival. Classic car technician Brian has already been working on the repair. He started by undoing the grab handles followed by the B-post panels. The sun visors were removed and the front pad was loosened.
The metal trims that go around the sunroof opening were next to be removed before the headliner board was released. Brian then removed the material from the board and cleaned the glue off of both the board and the material,
Brian will continue his work to repair the headliner and we look forward to the headliner looking much better very soon.
Speeding Is Getting Dangerously Fast On UK Roads
April 12, 2023
In 2022, more than 77,000 speeding offences were recorded in Kent alone. If that wasn’t worrying enough, over 500 drivers were actually recorded travelling at speeds in excess of 100mph, eight were caught going over 150mph, and one driver was found to be driving at 164mph on the M25.
These eye-opening numbers show a 23% increase in speeding offences since 2010.
Driving at high speeds carries huge risks, not only for the driver and passengers but also for innocent people who happen to be out on the road at the time.
Considering the speed limit on the M25 is 70mph, the drivers who were travelling at 150mph and beyond were moving at more than double the highest speed allowed.
Modern cars are usually equipped with a lot of safety features, so it’s likely that some drivers fall into a false sense of security and think they are safe enough to drive at such high speeds. With the reduced time to react to unexpected situations though, it may come as no surprise that 24% of traffic deaths are linked to someone driving at an inappropriate speed.
When asked about the increase in speed offences, Chief Inspector Craig West, who is head of roads policing at Kent Police, said: “There are still too many who travel at unacceptable speeds and put themselves and other road users at risk of serious harm”.
“Vehicles are potentially lethal weapons and the faster your speed, the less time you have to react to unforeseen hazards or mistakes from other drivers and the greater the impact any collision may be.”
While we all may be guilty of driving a little too fast at times, it would be hard to think of a reasonable excuse for going more than 150mph. Kent police continue to prioritise speeding as an area of focus and other forces around the country are likely to continue to do the same unless the dangerous driving is reduced.
Priming A Beetle
April 12, 2023
Delilah, our 1974 Volkswagen Beetle has been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop with classic car technician Mauro.
He has been applying epoxy primer to the stripped body of this iconic vehicle. Mauro also applied epoxy primer to the doors of our Beetle too.
Removing The Engine From An Amphicar
April 12, 2023
Our 1964 Amphicar 770 has recently had its engine removed by classic car technician Scott.
Once the engine was out of the car, Scott was able to start prepping the engine bay for paint as well as repairing any components that needed some attention.
As our Amphicar continues to make progress through the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, we are looking forward to seeing its continual improvements.
A TR7 Returns
April 12, 2023
We have recently welcomed our 1981 Triumph TR7 back into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. We have worked on this beautiful classic car before so it’s nice to see it again. This time, it is in for a service and to have a new radiator fitted.
Classic car technician John installed the new radiator and boxed up the old one so that it can be returned to the customer. He then went on to vacuum-fill the system with new anti-freeze.
John continued to investigate the current condition of our TR7 and found a small coolant leak which he traced back to a corroded core plug. This was removed and a new one has been ordered.
DB2 Engine
April 12, 2023
It has been a little while since our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 has had its engine fitted. However, that has now changed thanks to classic car technician Scott putting it back into the car.
This is a big step in the restoration of this very rare Aston. With only 451 made, it’s important to us and our customer that we bring this early Aston Martin back to life.
Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars is looking forward to seeing the progress continue on this special project.
E-Type Progress Continues
April 12, 2023
Classic car technicians Chris and Mauro have been continuing their work on our 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5. Our interactive competition car is making good progress and it’s great to see it getting another step closer to going live on Bridge Classic Cars Competitions in the next few months.
After spending some time in the paint shop, our E-Type has now had some of its interior components painted as well as the body being primed and several parts of the body sanded ready for paint.
Putting The Engine Back In A Gun Tractor
April 12, 2023
If you’ve ever wondered how you put an engine back into a gun tractor, you’re in luck as this is what classic car technician John has been doing recently. After calling in help from technician Tom and Director Gordon, the weather was suitable enough to get things moving.
With the assistance of a forklift (and a whole lot of effort), the rebuilt engine is now back in our 1940 Morris Gun Tractor. This is a big step in the restoration of our imposing military vehicle and we are very excited to get it started very soon.
Entry Is Now Open – Rover 220 Turbo
April 11, 2023
Your opportunity to win our 1996 Rover 220 Turbo ‘Tomcat’ has arrived as entry is now open for the latest competition from Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.
Our 220 has undergone a full respray in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop and was also part of the 2022 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.
Tickets are available now so don’t miss your chance to own one of the fastest production cars ever made by Rover.
Coffee & Classics – April
April 11, 2023
This morning, we welcomed another group of classic car enthusiasts into The Atelier at Bridge Classic Cars for our most recent Coffee & Classics.
While they were here, they enjoyed lots of delicious coffee and snacks as well as getting to admire a range of classic vehicles up close.
Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars would like to thank all those who attended and we look forward to seeing even more of you very soon for our next Coffee & Classics.
