First Stage – 1969 Morris Minor Convertible in Primer

July 8, 2022

The body team at Bridge Classic Cars have taken the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible from the preparation area to the spray booth to have its first coats of primer as part of its restoration journey with Bridge Classic Cars.

After cleaning off any dust or debris from the car, the team pushed the classic Morris into the booth in order to get the entire car masked off before laying down the first stage – epoxy.

The epoxy primer was then followed by several coats of polyester primer which will be reworked and sanded back by the team to get the Morris Minor Convertible looking the absolute best it can.

Coming Soon – 1981 Alfa Romeo Giulietta, 1971 MG B Roadster & 1992 Rover Mini

July 8, 2022

One of three cars soon to be arriving at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ is this 1981 Alfa Romeo Giulietta. The classic Alfa Romeo will be coming in to be fully inspected and assessed by the restoration teams.

The second car to come into our Suffolk HQ for the Bridge Classic Cars team to inspect is this beautiful dark green 1971 MG B Roadster.

And finally, this 1992 Rover Mini will be coming down to join the other classics here at our Suffolk HQ for our Bridge Classic Cars restoration teams to give the whole car a complete and through inspection before compiling their report on any work that needs doing.

Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the 1957 MG A Roadster & 1997 Rover Mini

July 8, 2022

Last night the live draw of the 1957 MG A Roadster and the 1997 Rover Mini from Bridge Classic Cars.

The Mini was so popular it had sold out by Wednesday morning!

Going into the live draw though, there were still quite a few tickets remaining on the classic MGA. But, as the live stream began at 7pm on our Facebook page people were still getting their last-minute tickets before the competition closed at 7:10.

As always, the team gave all of our viewers a look around the other classic cars in our new competition building. Including some very special upcoming competitions… make sure to sign up to our mailing list to get the inside scoop on what’s coming!

But, it was time to find out who our very lucky winners were!

As always the entry lists are published beforehand on the website. The Mini list had been up for several days, so as we waited for the MGA list to go live, the team ran the draw for the 1997 Rover Mini.

We use a google random number generator to pick a winner. Hayley at the controls of the laptop, made sure that everything was working just as it should do with a few tests and the commenters gave the team that the stream was coming through nice and clear. So, the team set the numbers between 1 and 3999.

And just like that, the winner had been decided. 2228 – A ticket which had been allocated to David Renn.

As the fate of the Mini was being decided, the entry list for the MG A went live.

Next, we had to find out who had won our amazing 1950s sports car. Not all of the 6666 tickets had sold when the competition closed, so as the team again used the random number generator to find a winner – it took a couple of tries to land on a number which had been allocated to one lucky person.

That happened to be Stephen Walton with ticket number 6294.

We want to wish both winners congratulations on their new dream classics.

Handmade Touches – Making a Toolbag for Our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

July 8, 2022

Lydia in the in-house trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars has hand-made this beautiful tool bag for our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica.

Checking the dimensions of the specialist tools and pieces that may be needed on the car when it is out on the road, Lydia created this one-off tool bag to go along with the car on its adventures.

A beautiful thing to have but hopefully, we may never have to use it!

The Winners Circle – David Takes Delivery of His 1993 Land Rover Defender 90

July 7, 2022

It’s only been a couple of days since the live draw of our 1993 Land Rover Defender 90 but the Bridge Classic Cars transport team have already delivered the car to its new owner, David, in Scotland.

The team made the trip north from our Suffolk HQ with the off-roader strapped down onto our open trailer, this is only used very rarely when a car physically will not fit in our enclosed transporter. But, the team made the driver to a very excited and expectant David who was thrilled to receive his new Defender.

Colour Correct – Painting the New Front Callipers on the 1998 Honda Integra Type R

July 7, 2022

The paint shop at Bridge Classic Cars have got some new parts in the in-house paint booth.

Our paint technician, Mauro, has cleaned down and repainted the front brake callipers on the 1998 Honda Integra Type R. The team have sprayed them in the colour coded hard-wearing red to match the other callipers on the car as a finishing touch.

Refurbished – Refurbishing Pieces from the 1958 Jensen 541R

July 7, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been working on more pieces of the 1958 Jensen 541R.

Lydia first worked on the seats of the 541R with stripping down the backrests and beginning to re-foam the piece.

Then, it was time to strip down and completely refurbish the centre-console cubby for the interior of the classic Jensen. Stripping everything back to its base components, remaking some parts and cleaning up others in order to get all the parts ready to be retrimmed.

Masked Up – Bodyshell of the 1958 Jensen 541R Ready for Primer

July 7, 2022

The bodyshell of the 1958 Jensen 541R has been moved into the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth.

The team carefully cleaned off any dust, debris or dirt from the classic GT before it was then masked up and cleaned down once more in preparation for the team to begin laying the epoxy primer on the fibreglass shell.

Behind the Scenes – Shooting the 1969 Sunbeam Rapier

July 7, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars Competitions team have just launched this! Our 1969 Sunbeam Rapier.

The team took the fully inspected Rapier fastback to our filming location to begin getting the necessary photos and videos to bring you the latest competition car.

The bright red coupe looked incredible in the summer sun. Its paintwork is only complemented further by the exceptional black interior and black/silver wheels.

The 1.7-litre 4-cylinder engine pulled strong as it made its way across the ex-airfield. The twin Weber carburettors gave their signature snarl with every blip of the throttle much to the delight of the team. It was a perfect machine for the best time of year. A low-slung and sleek fastback. A micro-muscle car with strong, chiselled looks but on a delicate and nimble scale.

And now, all of this could be yours. Bridge Classic Cars Competitions wants you to win this 1969 Sunbeam Rapier! Head over to the website and get your tickets now!

Or, to check out the official gallery and video, see below:

Piece by Piece – Making the Gearbox Tunnel for the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

July 7, 2022

The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars are currently working on shaping and fitting several key pieces to the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica.

This time, Clinton has been hand-forming and shaping the gearbox tunnel for our classic sports racer. Each individual piece aligns to a certain point on the tunnel so they have to be carefully manipulated not only for their own fit but for the fitment of all the panels which come afterwards.

Each curve and bend needs to flow perfectly into the next to give it the complete uniform shape and the fit and finish that we are aiming for with such a special project as our C-Type Replica.

Smallest of Changes – Adjusting the Body Framework on the 1956 Jensen 541

July 6, 2022

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked on the fine alterations to the framework of the 1956 Jensen 541 in for restoration at our Suffolk HQ.

The team have test fit the rear fibreglass clamshell and with that, they could make small changes to the framework which gives the body panels structure and helps to align them. These were carefully cut, trimmed and reframed to get each section of the rear bodywork line up just right onto the new chassis.

First Step – 1958 Jensen 541R Body Panels in Epoxy Primer

July 6, 2022

The first panels from the 1958 Jensen 541R have been moved into the in-house paint booth/oven here at Bridge Classic Cars for its next step into colour.

After numerous hours perfecting the panels and body of the classic Jensen, the pieces were handed over to the paint team for their work to begin. Beginning, with epoxy primer. Each of these parts had several coats of the hard wearing base coat for the team to rework and then repeat the process with several different primers in order to have a perfect base to lay down the Ice Blue Metallic soon.

Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars website very soon for more on the incredible 1958 Jensen 541R.

On the Inside – Inner Arches of the 1978 MG B GT Painted

July 6, 2022

As part of the paint side of its restoration, the 1978 MG B GT has had its inner arches sprayed.

The paint team cleaned down the insides of both the front and rear arches on the classic MG before applying the raptorguard to help protect the metal from any form of moisture which may find its way into the newly refurbished shell.

The team do this on nearly all of our restoration as we’ve found it is the best process to securing the longevity of the inner wings on classic cars.

Small Details – Fitting Pieces Back into the 1970 Bristol 411

July 6, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars workshop have been fitting back and wiring up some of the smaller features in the cabin of the 1970 Bristol 411.

The team have wired up the headlight switch on the floorboard of the classic GT car and all of its wiring carefully routed beneath the carpet set.

Then, the team could fit the beautiful wooden glovebox back into the dashboard

Coming Together – Progress on the Gearbox Tunnel and Rear Wings of the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

July 6, 2022

The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars are making progress on the sheet metal parts of our C-Type Replica.

The C-Type Replica’s gearbox tunnel has had its final shape finished and set, so with that Clinton could then line up each piece and drill the carefully measured holes ready for all of the pieces to be riveted together.

Along with this key piece, he has begun working on securing the inner rear wings to the rear tub of the C-Type Replica. These have to be laid accurately into the rear tub to then have the rear tub line up perfectly with the spaceframe chassis it lays on top of.

What’s the Story? – Why the MG A is a Sports Car Icon

July 6, 2022

Seeing as how our 1957 MG A Roadster is going to be won tomorrow, we thought we would take a look at some interesting facts about the MG A and why it is so important in the world of sports cars.

Firstly, the MG A was born with motorsports at its heart. In the years following WWII, MG wanted to be more involved in competition and gain a presence across the world at every level of motorsport. So, they began to develop sportscars with racing in mind which would ultimately lead to the creation of the MG A.

Another fact about the MG A’s past, it was always intended to be exported. Since the MG TD & TF’s, MG wanted more of a foothold in the American sports car market. Post-WWII, the Americans had experienced these new adventures in speed and handling thanks to the lightweight, nimble and progressive sportscars they had been exposed to during their time in Europe.

The MG A would be a new and radical departure from the pre-war and immediate post-war sports cars. Gone were the days of archaic and traditional handling, only to be replaced by new, modern ways of thinking. Fully independent suspension at the front for better control, and a new sleek and stylish body. Its chassis was an all-new affair, gone were the days of up-right and ‘traditional’ drivers positions – replaced with low-slung bucket seats for better feel.

Even the looks of the MG A are based in motorsport. The styling of the MG A was based on a 1951 Le Mans car. People were so taken aback by this new way of thinking and styling by MG that the car was green-lit for development.

So, in 1955 MG took the decision to debut its new sports car in full competition. 3 MG A 1500 Roadsters were entered into the 24 hours of Le Mans. 2 of the 3 cars would finish, proving their endurance and competitiveness.

From there, the legend of the MG A would only grow further. Beloved by club racers, speed junkies and back-road warriors throughout the generations. The MG A sits in a special place in a petrol-fuelled Shangri-La.

Now, it could be yours to experience all of this history, engineering and beauty rolled into one incredible bright red package. Enter now and you could win our 1957 MG A Roadster live at 7pm tomorrow night here on our Facebook page!

Starting Point – Rust Repairs Begin on the 1986 Daimler DS420

July 6, 2022

The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been starting on the rust repairs to the classic 1986 Daimler DS420.

The team have spent some time assessing and inspecting the corrosion on the bodywork of the classic limo before beginning the intricate metal work.

Work began around the rear window frames which saw quite heavy corrosion around the channels. These areas were cut out and replaced with handmade pieces to perfectly fit the size and contour of the car. Carefully they were welded in to avoid any warping of surrounding areas which are heavy with trim.

Then, work could begin on the bottoms of the doors. These had seen quite substantial corrosion, with a whole new bottom lip having to be made by our fabricators and grafted onto the doors itself. Because of the corrosion in the bottoms of the door, the door jam area of the large rear doors also needed work by the team. This area was cut out and then taken back to fresh metal, the surround being used as a template for our fabricator Monty to make a one-off, handmade piece that fit perfectly into the gap.

Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars News Page very soon for more updates on the 1986 Daimler DS420.

All Sorted – Mechanical Work on the 1955 Triumph TR2

July 6, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars workshop have finished up the mechanical work on the 1955 Triumph TR2 which is in with us.

To begin with, the team worked on getting to the bottom of a concern from the customer of the car pulling to one side under braking. The team found that the wheel cylinders were leaking quite badly and on one side no longer allowed the shoes to make proper contact with the drums. A new set was ordered along with a complete set of front brakes shoes. Once installed, the team could readjust the brakes and retest. This sorted out the pulling issue on the classic Triumph. At the same time the team adjusted the rear brakes to spec

While under the car, the team discovered several ball joint rubbers had split quite badly. In total, 5 were replaced on the front suspension including the top ball joints and track rod ends.

In the engine bay, the team discovered a leak from the radiator of the TR2. The radiator was removed from the car, having to remove the front fascia from the car to get access. This was sent of to a specialist to be refurbished for the car. Whilst in the engine bay, it was discovered to have some debris (what appeared to be leaves/flowers) inside the sight glass of the carburettor which acts also as a filter. The team cleaned out the fuel lines properly and inspected the tank to make sure everything was all ok and replaced a split in the brake servo pipe.

Whilst awaiting the radiator to come back from repairs, our technician Jon fixed an issue with the seat runner the customer had mentioned. Jon repaired the seat runner the best he could.

Once the radiator returned, the team could get it back into the front of the classic sports car. With the radiator in place, the team could also sort out some wiring which had to be cut for the front fascia to be removed.

After everything was back in place and levels topped up and checked, it was given the all-clear to go back to the customer.

Coming Soon – 2017 Ducati Scrambler 800 Cafe Racer

July 6, 2022

Coming soon to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this beautiful Black & Bronze 2017 Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer.

This bike is for our director Craig, but before that the team will give it a full check over and make sure its in tip-top working order.

Expect to see more very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

New Arrivals – Classics in for Storage

July 6, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars storage facility, The Hangar, received some new residents yesterday.

These classics belong to a good friend of Bridge Classic Cars, Karl. Karl won our 1957 Triumph TR3A as part of our Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. Karl is having some work done on his house so has had his classics sent up to us here in Suffolk to be cared for in our Hangar.

They’re all now covered up, ready and waiting for their owner to welcome them home.

Starting Anew – New Seat Base Foams for the 1958 Jensen 541R

July 6, 2022

The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have worked their skill and craft in making the brand new seats foams for the 1958 Jensen 541R. The team discovered what was left of the original cushion material after the covers were removed and could then begin to build them out of new, more modern materials.

Lydia, one of our amazing trimmers, carefully put together the combinations of foams in different thicknesses and densities to give the right amount of support once the seat base is all back together.

Once the pieces had been put together, Lydia could begin to hand shape the foams to their original contours to slip under the new covers which will be made by our in-house team.

Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the 1993 Land Rover Defender 90

July 6, 2022

Slightly out of synch with the usual competition calendar this week. The Bridge Classic Cars team are bringing you two live draws! This Thursday the 1957 MG A Roadster and 1997 Rover Mini will be won at 7pm on our Facebook page. But last night, we found out who the lucky new owner of our 1993 Land Rover Defender was.

At 7pm exactly, the team went live across the internet. In the hour previously, it almost looked like the Mini was going to be drawn too! But, while we waited to see if this was going to happen Hayley and Freddie took all our amazing followers on a look around the stable of stunning classics which are kept safe and dry in our new competition building. Some of these are customers’ cars which have either been finished by our restoration workshops or are in storage while parts are on their way to our Suffolk HQ.

But, a few of them may or may not be upcoming competition cars…

After going around the eclectic mix of incredible machines, it was time for the team to find out the future of the 1993 Land Rover Defender 90. The competition had actually sold out early that day, so just like all of our competitions the entry lists are published on our website with every ticket number that had been bought with the corresponding name.

To find out who would be getting this stunning Corris Grey off-roader delivered directly to their door, the team use Google Random Number Generator. So, after testing that everything was working correctly with numbers outside the criteria. Hayley entered for the programme to choose between 1 and 3499. With a single click of the button, we had a winner.

Ticket number 2525 – The lucky number allocated to David. As always, we do try to contact the winners live on the Facebook stream but we had to leave David a voicemail to let him know the amazing news.

Remember! You could win a dream classic again this week. Although the 1997 Rover Mini completely sold out overnight, there is still incredible odds on the 1957 MG A Roadster – Enter now and you could be the new owner of this beautiful piece of sports car history.

Or, to rewatch the live draw, check out the video below:

In Colour – 1978 MG B GT Painted in Blaze Orange

July 5, 2022

The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have got the 1978 MG B GT refinished in its original colour, Blaze Orange.

The team have laid down several layers of bright, vibrant orange on the body shell and panels of the classic MG B. The car will be taken out of the booth after the paint has begun to cure and left to fully harden before being colour sanded and polished.

This is a massive milestone in the restoration of the 1978 MG B GT!

Stopping Power – Overhauling the Rear Brake Calipers on the 1970 Bristol 411

July 5, 2022

The 1970 Bristol 411, which is for restoration and left-hand drive conversion at Bridge Classic Cars, has had its rear brakes completely overhauled by the team in the workshop.

The technicians at our Suffolk HQ have completely gone through the rear callipers on the car before getting reinstalled back on the classic GT. After double checking the tolerances, the team confirmed everything would work on the classic Bristol.

Piece by Piece – Putting Together the Bonnet of our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

July 5, 2022

The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working their magic on the aluminium pieces under the bonnet of the C-Type Replica.

Each piece has been handled by our fabricator Clinton, who has carefully reworked and shaped the metal panels to fit and work together on the classic Le Mans car. This has required multiple test fits of pieces with revisions being made by the 10ths of an inch to get everything working and looking exactly as it should do.

Nostalgia – 1955 Jensen 541 ”Number 8” and Its Former Life

July 5, 2022

Our 1955 Jensen 541 ”Number 8” has an amazing history. Through reference materials and historical documents, EX9090 is believed to be only the 8th Jensen 541 to be built by the factory. Through the years, it had been worked on, changed, rebuilt, and modified until it was a shadow of its former self.

We found the car in Lincolnshire as a parts car. Missing was the 4-litre straight-six it would have originally been supplied with, replaced with a Jaguar straight-six of the same time. The seats also appeared to be out of another car and its bright red paintwork had flaked, cracked and weathered. We know this from these photos we were sent of the car in what appears to be the early to mid-1990s from the background objects referenced.

But it wasn’t always this way. The other photos we were sent across are of another Jensen 541 which is in a matching colour scheme to how our 1955 Jensen 541 was originally delivered.

After checking documents and reference sources, we too believe that this is how the car was originally supplied in 1955. As part of its eventual restoration commission, this car will be put back to all original specifications, as seen in the photographs, and reunited with the 4-litre straight-six, a hallmark of the character of the car.

Primed & Ready – Getting the 1978 MG B GT Ready for Paint

July 5, 2022

The body shop team at Bridge Classic Cars have handed over the 1978 MG B GT to our in-house paint team to get the classic sports car ready for colour!

The team have been working on refining the lines and form of the MG B GT in our body prep area before it was taken into the paint prep bay to be thoroughly cleaned down for its final stages of primer and reworking.

The team always make sure that every panel is inspected and checked over before the car enters the booth and any dust or debris is removed from the car before mask up and again afterwards. The team then could use Polyfan on the shell to recheck for any low spots once it has been sanded off the body and any adjustments made.

Then after another clean-down, it was taken into the boot/oven once more for the final primer to be laid. Whilst the primer was curing, the team could begin to seam seal the boot and engine bay of the classic M B and another layer of primer laid down in those areas.

Remove & Rebuild – Teardown, Refurb and Refoam of the 1958 Jensen 541R Seats

July 5, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on refurbishing the front seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R which is in at our Suffolk workshops from Holland.

The interior of the car has been put in the hands of our trimmer Lydia who has been working on stripping down the original seat ahead of not only its rebuild but its new colour.

To begin with, the team have separated the front and back of the fibreglass bucket seat in order to begin removing the original black coverings which have been put to one side as use for references in the new templates. Then, the team could begin separating the foam from the bases.

Once completed stripped down to its base components, the team could sand back the pieces and anything that needed to be repainted could be done properly.

After that, Lydia could work on setting the new foam pieces into place before beginning to refine and contour them into the correct shape and form for the new blue coverings which the team will make specifically for the car.

Spotted – Jaguar MkII in Woodbridge

July 5, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars team spotted this fantastic classic Jaguar over the weekend.

One of the team was working in Woodbridge, a town just down the road from our workshops, and spotted this stunning white Jaguar MkII parked up on the road.

It’s always a welcomed sight to see a classic out there being used.

Out & About – Heveningham Tour & Concours

July 5, 2022

This weekend saw the greatest gathering of classics, collectables and rarities from the classic car world gather at Heveningham Hall here in Suffolk. The annual Heveningham Concours.

For any petrolhead from Essex to Lincoln, it is definitely one to put on the list.

Friends of ours from the East Coast Retros Facebook group (Gary Morgan & David Front) went along for not only the Concours but for the Heveningham Tour. A drive out for many of the cars being shown on the lawn but also some local members’ pride and joys, possibly one of the only places you could see a Ferrari 250SWB Berlinetta with a Volkswagen Type 2 Campervan sharing the limelight.

Below is a gallery of some photos taken by David and Gary from this year’s event:

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