A Look Back On Our 1999 Rover BRM
November 15, 2022
Our 1999 Rover BRM may have only been with us for a few months but it has come a long way since its arrival at
News
A Visit From Ed Stafford
November 15, 2022
We were lucky enough to welcome explorer and adventurer Ed Stafford to Bridge Classic Cars recently. While he was here, Ed had a tour of
Panel Levelling Complete
November 15, 2022
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 has been undergoing panel levelling with classic car technician Chris. Once this was completed, the car began its prep work ready
New Panels And Looking More Like A Car
November 15, 2022
Our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3 continues to make good progress and is beginning to look much more like a car now than it has in
Lots Of Welding
November 15, 2022
Classic car technician Rob has continued his work on our 1959 Jensen 541R. Following the return of the doors from the sandblasters, Rob has been
Something Exciting Is Coming…
November 15, 2022
At Bridge Classic Cars we like to be creative, innovative, forward-thinking, and we do our best to bring a modern take to the world of
More Repair Work
November 15, 2022
Our 1980 Saab 99 Turbo began its restoration journey with us earlier this year. Since then it has been stripped and had a good amount
New In – 1975 MGB GT V8
November 15, 2022
Everyone here at Bridge Classic cars loves an MG. We have had lots come and go in the past so it’s always exciting to see
Just Arrived – 1970 Ford Cortina MK2 1600 GT
November 15, 2022
Another nostalgic vehicle has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. This time it is our 1970 Ford Cortina MK2 1600 GT. It will go
A Makeover For The Seats Of Our 1954 Bristol 405
November 14, 2022
Quite a bit of interior work has been done on our 1954 Bristol 405 lately. The seats have been a focus of Lydia as she
New Headliner – 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
November 14, 2022
Our 2005 Chrysler Crossfire has recently undergone some work on its interior. Classic car technician Brian removed and replaced the existing headliner with a new
Work Begins On Our 1968 MGB GT
November 14, 2022
Despite our 1968 MGB GT not being in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for very long, our team of classic car technicians have already begun
From The Jensen Owners Club – Genesis (The White Lady)
November 14, 2022
The Jensen Owners Club recently shared an article about the very special car, The White Lady. Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars love Jensens so
Bridge Classic Cars At The NEC – The Classic Motor Show
November 14, 2022
This weekend, The Classic Motor Show was held at the NEC in Birmingham. Bridge Classic Cars were lucky enough to be in attendance and we
Porsche Owners Club Meet
November 9, 2022
Read all about our very successful Porsche Owners Club Meet here. The Porsche Owners Club GB will be hosting a private and exclusive event at
Just Arrived – Our 1985 Ferrari Mondial
November 9, 2022
It may have been a wet and rainy evening when it arrived, but our 1985 Ferrari Mondial still looked impressive as it made its way
Asbestos In Classic Cars
November 9, 2022
Asbestos used to be used for a wide range of functions. However, in more recent times, the detrimental impact it can have on people’s health
Underneath Our 1970 Land Rover Series IIA
November 9, 2022
Since we put our 1970 Land Rover IIA up for sale, we have had quite a few interested parties reach out to us to find
Our 1992 Rover Mini Cooper 1.3 Delivered
November 9, 2022
The lucky winner of our 1992 Rover Mini Cooper 1.3, received his car recently. Peter Bell was randomly selected as the winner of our live
Entry Is Now Open – 2008 Mercedes SL63
November 8, 2022
Entry is now open for our 2008 Mercedes SL63. The follow-up to the Mercedes SL55, the SL63 is more balanced and more refined. It has
Bonnet Panel Levelled
November 8, 2022
The bonnet of our 1956 Jensen 541 has been panel levelled by classic car technician Al. Once that had been completed, the bonnet was ready
Parts For Our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3
November 7, 2022
Our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3 has had several parts fabricated recently. Classic car technicians Monty and Christian have been hard at work making sure the
Triumph Spitfire Brake Fluid
November 7, 2022
Classic car technician Jon has continued his investigations into the running issues that our 1977 Triumph Spitfire has been experiencing. He bled the brakes of
A New Grill – 1987 Volvo 240GL
November 7, 2022
Our 1987 Volvo 240GL has been in the care of classic car technician Jon over the last few days. During this time, Jon has built,
Just Arrived – 1968 MGB GT
November 7, 2022
Our 1968 MGB GT has recently arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. As with all the cars that come to us, our classic car
Seat Upgrades And More – 1969 Morris Minor 1000 Convertible
November 7, 2022
Our 1969 Morris Minor 1000 Convertible continues to progress through its restoration work. After a large portion of the external work was complete, Brian and
1959 Jensen 541R – Rebuilding A Classic Car
November 4, 2022
Over the last week, classic car technician Rob has been spending his time putting our 1959 Jensen 541R back together. Since the chassis of this
Work Continues On Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8
November 4, 2022
After making the long journey from America to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has already had quite the adventure. When
Classic Motor Show 2022 – Birmingham NEC
November 4, 2022
Bridge Classic Cars will be attending the Classic Motor Show 2022 being held at the NEC in Birmingham. We are very much looking forward to
On Its Way – 1985 Ferrari Mondial
November 2, 2022
Making its way to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is our 1985 Ferrari Mondial. Once it arrives, it will get a full inspection from our
A Look Back On Our 1999 Rover BRM
November 15, 2022
Our 1999 Rover BRM may have only been with us for a few months but it has come a long way since its arrival at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Rust was an issue for this car. Our team of classic car technicians worked hard to find all of the affected areas and resolve them appropriately. Once the rust was a thing of the past, the car went into our paint and was primed and ultimately painted.
We were fortunate enough to locate an original set of Rover BRM wheels that have been refurbished and fitted onto the car.
The difference in having the original wheels back on our BRM was massive and certainly goes a long way in making this car one that stands out.
In addition to the refurbished wheels being fitted, our 1999 Rover BRM has also been thoroughly cleaned and new badges have been applied. As you can see from the photos below, our BRM is looking incredible and will be a fantastic car for our collection.
A Visit From Ed Stafford
November 15, 2022
We were lucky enough to welcome explorer and adventurer Ed Stafford to Bridge Classic Cars recently.
While he was here, Ed had a tour of the workshop, he spoke to some of the team about the work they do and some of the classic cars they have been working on, and he was also involved in one of our new projects which is coming very soon.
Everyone here really enjoyed Ed’s visit. He had lots of interesting stories to share, not only about his adventures, tv shows, and upcoming projects, but also about his 2015 Land Rover Defender 110 that was recently stolen and stripped.
Ed is currently working on rebuilding his Defender and, as there is still some cosmetic work to go, we hope to be able to help him out with this in the very near future.
We hope that Ed will be a regular face in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and we look forward to welcoming him back in the new year.
Panel Levelling Complete
November 15, 2022
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 has been undergoing panel levelling with classic car technician Chris. Once this was completed, the car began its prep work ready to be painted in the near future.
Some panels of this large classic car have already begun to be painted.
From the photos of the prepped and painted panels below, you can see that the car will look very impressive once the whole vehicle is finished in the paint shop.
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 is a large American classic car that continues to keep our team of classic car technicians busy.
Work will carry on as the restoration of this impressive car continues.
New Panels And Looking More Like A Car
November 15, 2022
Our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3 continues to make good progress and is beginning to look much more like a car now than it has in recent times.
Classic car technicians Monty and Christian have been hard at work fitting new panels to this impressive classic car. After removing a fairly large portion of the old panels, they got to work fabricating parts and making sure everything was measuring up exactly as it should.
It wasn’t too long ago that some new body panels arrived for our MK3 Interceptor. Once these were paired with the parts made by Monty and Christian, the new panels were fitted to the car.
With the new panels fitted, our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3 is looking much more car-like and you can really start to see how cool it will look when work is complete.
There may still be quite a way to go before it drives out of the workshop and back onto the road, but our Interceptor has already come a long way and our team of classic car technicians will continue their work on it until it is ready to impress everyone who sees it driving in the future.
Lots Of Welding
November 15, 2022
Classic car technician Rob has continued his work on our 1959 Jensen 541R. Following the return of the doors from the sandblasters, Rob has been able to make some good progress with the restoration of this rare classic car.
His attention was first placed on the rear wheel arch filler panels. These were made and welded in place. Rob went on to weld the A and B posts too before adjusting and fitting the left-hand sill and panels.
The welding continued with the battery cradle being welded in along with the left-hand inner C panel being welded in as well.
Rob’s attention then turned to the doors of our 541R. Unfortunately, there were areas of corrosion which needed to be cut out and removed. Fortunately, though, Rob has the experience and the skillset required to make new panels and weld these in.
With less than 200 of these beautiful cars being made, the restoration work that is done here at Bridge Classic Cars by our highly skilled technicians, like Rob, is extremely important. As so few of these classic cars were made in the first place, having one less in the world is never a good thing.
Work will continue on our 1959 Jensen 541R and it will continue to make progress back to its former glory before eventually driving out of our workshop and back onto the road.
Something Exciting Is Coming…
November 15, 2022
At Bridge Classic Cars we like to be creative, innovative, forward-thinking, and we do our best to bring a modern take to the world of classic cars.
Part of that involves developing new ideas and making the most out of our facilities.
With that in mind, there is something new and very exciting coming to Bridge Classic Cars. Work has begun and will continue over the coming weeks ready for our new idea to come to life. Once work is complete, it will open up the classic car community to even more people.
From classic car clubs to independent enthusiasts and everyone in between. We have big plans and everyone will be welcome!
In the meantime, the photos below show some of the progress being made in our very exciting new project.
More Repair Work
November 15, 2022
Our 1980 Saab 99 Turbo began its restoration journey with us earlier this year. Since then it has been stripped and had a good amount of its interior components removed too.
With the headliner, C pillar caps and some of the boot panels being retrimmed by our classic car technicians, progress has been made.
We recently called on our friends at Motts Body Repair Specialists to lend a hand with this classic Saab. They were kind enough to repair the boot area of the car.
As you can see from the photos below, the team at Motts did a fantastic job and our 1980 Saab 99 Turbo continues to make progress through its restoration.
New In – 1975 MGB GT V8
November 15, 2022
Everyone here at Bridge Classic cars loves an MG. We have had lots come and go in the past so it’s always exciting to see a new one come into the workshop.
The latest addition is our 1975 MGB GT V8.
As you can see from the photos below, it is a beautiful car and will soon be back out on the road for everyone to enjoy.
Just Arrived – 1970 Ford Cortina MK2 1600 GT
November 15, 2022
Another nostalgic vehicle has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. This time it is our 1970 Ford Cortina MK2 1600 GT.
It will go through a thorough inspection and assessment with our team of classic car technicians before a plan for its future is put together.
Whatever happens with this classic car, it certainly is an eye-catching one.
A Makeover For The Seats Of Our 1954 Bristol 405
November 14, 2022
Quite a bit of interior work has been done on our 1954 Bristol 405 lately. The seats have been a focus of Lydia as she has been working hard to get them into a much more presentable condition.
She has been busy sewing calico onto the front seats and fitting them onto their foams and frames. Lydia has also been cleaning up and re-painting the metal parts of the seats too.
Once the front seats were done, the rear seats, which are also fluted, went through the same process of having a small draft of the flutes made to check measurements before being made for real out of leather. The rear seats have a calico backing and are stuffed with foam and wadding (like the front seats).
Finally, the piping was sewn on before Lydia marked and cut out the leather for the skirt pieces.
While Lydia was busy working on the seats of our 1954 Bristol 405, Brian was making door panels. He first marked these out using paper patterns before cutting out the rear door panel. He also had to cut holes for the handles and armrests.
While Lydia and Brian were working on the interior components of our 405, Paul was working on the outer doors.
Paul spent some time assessing the doors and coming up with a plan of action to get them back into the shape they need to be in order for this classic car to be driven back out on the road.
Our 1954 Bristol 405 still has a long way to go but progress continues and we look forward to seeing what the future has in store.
New Headliner – 2005 Chrysler Crossfire
November 14, 2022
Our 2005 Chrysler Crossfire has recently undergone some work on its interior. Classic car technician Brian removed and replaced the existing headliner with a new one.
This task started with Brian removing the sun visors, interior light, and alarm sensors. Once these had all been removed, he was able to move on to removing the A post panels and unclipping the rear section of the headliner board. Once it was unclipped, Brian was able to release the board and remove it from the car.
Once the board was out of the car, Brian scraped the old glue and foam from it. The old headliner material was used as a template to cut the correct shape from the material being used for the new headliner.
Once Brian had cut the new headliner material, he glued it to the headliner board. This involved pushing the material into the shapes of the board and trimming the edges off.
Once the new headliner had been made, it was fitted into the car. This involved first clipping the C posts back in before moving on to re-fit the interior lights. The sun visors went back in next, followed by the A post panels.
Now that the new headliner was fully installed, the interior of our 2005 Chrysler Crossfire looks much more appealing and will soon be ready to get back out onto the road.
Work Begins On Our 1968 MGB GT
November 14, 2022
Despite our 1968 MGB GT not being in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for very long, our team of classic car technicians have already begun working on it.
Paul has been assessing the car and has found some rust-related issues that need to be resolved.
While Paul was assessing the mechanical condition of the car, classic car technician Brian got to work on the interior. There was some damage to the driver’s seat that had Brian’s initial focus.
He started the repair process by removing the damaged front squab. He then went on to remove the cover before re-fitting the backboard. New foam was added around the edges of the squab before all the damaged areas were glued.
Calico was added to strengthen the back of the foam before the foam was glued to the frame.
After the repair had been completed, Brian re-fitted the cover back onto the seat and reinstalled the squab back into the car.
It has made a significant difference to the look of the interior of this beautiful classic car by repairing the damaged squab. Now work has started on our 1968 MGB GT, it will continue to make progress through its restoration journey and, ultimately, back out onto the road.
From The Jensen Owners Club – Genesis (The White Lady)
November 14, 2022
The Jensen Owners Club recently shared an article about the very special car, The White Lady.
Everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars love Jensens so we are pleased that the JOC allowed us to share the article in its entirety below.
GENESIS
By Alex Lawrence
Three words that heralded quite a story. The original story of creation, of building something. Starting from nothing and creating something lasting is not a simple task, even for a deity let alone two brothers in West Bromwich. Hampton Court concours 2022 saw another reference from Genesis become relevant; let there be light. The light in question being that of an immaculate White Lady.
I admit, it is a stretch to go from biblical reference to the Jensen S1 but I think the analogy holds. After all, this car has had a magical transformation under the highly regarded German specialists Technische Restauration Werner Zinke GmbH. Jörg Hüsken is the early-car registrar for the club and has been smitten with the brand for more than a while. Already a serial Jensen owner, it has been a long four and a half year wait for this restoration to be completed. Especially seeing as he purchased the car, unseen, a full thirty minutes after the advert was posted.
Adding this car to his already rare Jensen stable seemed a natural thing to do as he freely admits, he loves a rare car. He already owns the only factory built 1955 Interceptor with a V8, the last 541R and the sole road going PW so becoming custodian of the White Lady, given her shrouded in mystery history, is a perfect match. Her mysterious history is sprinkled with a few facts and sightings from when she was completed in 1935 through to 1957 when she was exported to Canada. But little is known for sure. Perhaps she had an immaculate conception as according to David Davies, author of Jensen: The Surviving 3 1/2 and 29 month placement and although he had concerns over parts availability back home, he purchased the car and had it shipped across to Canada.
On the journey, the weather was so cold that the engine block cracked and he replaced it with a 1948 Ford V8. He drove it for 4,500 miles before putting the car in storage for winter in 1968. Huva decided that he would strip the car back to its bare aluminium for restoration, but it never went any further. It wasn’t until 2016 that the car was eventually sold to Rob Staruch who put the car back together and got the V8 running again but decided to sell it on. 4 1/4 Litre Cars, there are also no details from the factory on specifications or diagrams so the challenge of restoration was a considerable undertaking. “The guys have a five year waiting time for restorations but when they saw it, they said that it was so beautiful, that they found room straight away” he says. Almost as mysterious as the car is the restoration company and you will do well to find information on them. They are the go to team for Mercedes and Bugatti cars so the Jensen was new and as challenging as expected. “The chassis and engine held promise but the body was rotten” Jörg tells me and from the extensive images he’s sent across, you can see just exactly how bad it was. So what happened from her stepping in to a delayed 3 1/2 litre brochure demonstrator photoshoot and arriving in Canada to the car you see today? Best guesses are that in 1936, Ron Horton, friend of the Jensen’s, took over the cars ownership. The prototypes registration was now EA7000 and while unverified, would make sense that a friend owned the car rather than risk a competitor getting their hands on it. The car appeared in an advert for sale by Continental Cars Ltd in January 1945 and the geography ties in with the Horton family moving to the area in 1944. Davies believes that the next owner was John Goldschmidt and in 1951 his business, Performance Cars Ltd, London, used the car in an advert although it was not advertised for sale.
In 1957, John Huva, a supervisor for the Spacecraft Division of Telesat based in Ottawa, spotted the car for sale. He was in London for a six “He contacted the club chairman, I heard about it and bought it” says Jörg. While it may have taken nearly five years to restore, displaying the car at Hampton Court was the perfect venue. “It had to be shown in England. It completes the circle although getting it there was fun” he says, regaling me with the headache of paperwork, the distance he trailered the car from Germany to London and then the trial of unloading it, displaying it and then having the long walk back to his trailer. But just look at her. She’s amazing. It is fitting that his faith in the car and the restoration company means that this is the second coming of the White Lady. The pilgrimage to London has been the rolling away of the stone and the shining of the light that this car has given not only Jörg but many others who have seen it. It is truly a sight to behold. Best of all though, is what the future holds. “She will be driven” he says proudly, “and I intend to take her around Scotland in 2023. My wife and I toured there when we were married and we will be heading back there, twenty-five years later next year.” What a wonderful second coming this is going to be.
Bridge Classic Cars At The NEC – The Classic Motor Show
November 14, 2022
This weekend, The Classic Motor Show was held at the NEC in Birmingham. Bridge Classic Cars were lucky enough to be in attendance and we loved spending time with fellow classic car enthusiasts.
If you have never been to The Classic Motor Show before, it is a place where anyone with even the smallest of interests in classic vehicles can find something to catch their eye. From car clubs to tool kits and even the odd celebrity or two, the show is a hub for the classic car community.
Throughout our time at the show, we got to meet some old friends and made some new ones too!
Who Was There?
Members of the Jensen Owners Club were extremely welcoming and we spent some time talking to them about our love of Jensens. We were particularly drawn to a 1960 Jensen 541R that was being displayed on their stand. This impressive-looking car has paint and interior work that is 35 years old yet still looks as good as new. We were even told that no one has sat on the actual seats in the car as seat covers have always been used!
The Rover P6 Club had a range of P6s available to look at including ‘Joseph’ the multi-coloured, award-winning P6 owned by Clive who runs M H Annable & Son. Clive has worked on P6s for more than 40 years and is now a key member of the P6 club.
Having a chat with members of The Mercedes-Benz Club was good fun and we loved seeing all of the beautiful Mercedes vehicles they had on show. We were particularly impressed by the members-only cafe where members of the Mercedes-Benz club could enjoy a hot drink and snacks away from the busy main show area.
One of the most popular areas of this year’s Classic Motor Show was the stand occupied by The Smallest Cog. This is the restoration company (and soon-to-be classic racing team) owned by Richard Hammond. The highlight of the exhibit was Richard’s 1972 MGB GT. This was the last car he ever drove on Top Gear and is the car that his team will be racing in the near future. As well as his current projects, some of Richard’s iconic cars from his TV shows were on display too – any Top Gear fan will know the Opel Kadett known as ‘Oliver’!
The Classic Motor Show 2023 – A Great Show And We Will Be Back
We all had a fantastic time at The Classic Motor Show 2023 and we will certainly be back again next year. Seeing such a wide variety of classic vehicles, speaking to so many classic car enthusiasts, and experiencing the excitement of the event is something we definitely want to do again.
As you can see from the photos below, there was a lot to explore at this year’s show and we can’t wait to return next year!
Porsche Owners Club Meet
November 9, 2022
Read all about our very successful Porsche Owners Club Meet here.
The Porsche Owners Club GB will be hosting a private and exclusive event at Bridge Classic Cars on Saturday 25th March 2023.
Members of the club will have the opportunity to have a tour of our workshop as well as enjoy refreshments and spend some time with like-minded fellow Porsche owners.
This event is for members only!
More information can be found here.
Just Arrived – Our 1985 Ferrari Mondial
November 9, 2022
It may have been a wet and rainy evening when it arrived, but our 1985 Ferrari Mondial still looked impressive as it made its way to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Once it was inside and dried off, it looked very much at home surrounded by other classic cars.
Our team of experienced classic car technicians will thoroughly assess and inspect the latest addition to our workshop before we decide what the future holds for this beautiful classic car.
Asbestos In Classic Cars
November 9, 2022
Asbestos used to be used for a wide range of functions. However, in more recent times, the detrimental impact it can have on people’s health has given it a bad reputation. As the majority of the cars that come into our workshop are classics, sometimes we come across some that may contain asbestos.
One such car that we currently have in the workshop is our 1972 Chevron B20. After leaving us last year, our 1972 Chevron B20 recently returned to us much to everyone’s excitement.
The reason for it returning to us is for it to be prepared for export. This F2 racing car is moving on to Australia in the near future. Australia has extremely strict laws surrounding asbestos. When it comes to importing vehicles into the country, any vehicle entering Australia must be completely free from the controversial material.
Checking For Asbestos In Classic Cars
Asbestos could potentially be found in a few areas of a classic car. Classic car technician Rob has been working alongside Richard from Positive Waste Solutions. Together, they stripped our Chevron B20 and made sure it was free from asbestos and ready for its trip to Australia.
Rob began the process by stripping the head while a poly drop sheet was placed underneath the engine to catch any falling debris. After Rob removed the head gasket, he carefully passed it to Richard who bagged it securely. The same process was followed for the brakes and clutch.
Richard also removed the insulation from the back exhaust.
Safety First
As asbestos can cause some dangerous health consequences, it’s extremely important that the appropriate precautions are taken during the removal process.
The photos below show Richard in his protective gear as he handles parts of our Chevron B20 that may have asbestos in them.
Once our 1972 Chevron B20 is given the all-clear, it will be ready for its long journey to Australia. We have loved having it back in the workshop and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for this rare classic car.
Underneath Our 1970 Land Rover Series IIA
November 9, 2022
Since we put our 1970 Land Rover IIA up for sale, we have had quite a few interested parties reach out to us to find out more.
One individual specifically asked about the condition of the underside of the vehicle. One of the workshop team headed up to our storage facility, The Hangar, to take some photos to share with the interested person.
As you can see from the photos below, although some attention is certainly needed to get this vehicle back to its former glory, everything is still running and the car is ready to be purchased by its new owner.
Our 1992 Rover Mini Cooper 1.3 Delivered
November 9, 2022
The lucky winner of our 1992 Rover Mini Cooper 1.3, received his car recently.
Peter Bell was randomly selected as the winner of our live draw held on 3rd November 2022 with ticket number 3569.
Everyone at Bridge Classic Cars would like to congratulate Peter again on winning this beautiful classic car and we hope he enjoys it as much as we did.
Entry Is Now Open – 2008 Mercedes SL63
November 8, 2022
Entry is now open for our 2008 Mercedes SL63.
The follow-up to the Mercedes SL55, the SL63 is more balanced and more refined. It has an extremely powerful 518bhp V8 AMG engine and is limited to a top speed of 155mph.
If you want a stylish, luxurious sports car that can keep pace with many supercars, this could very well be the car for you.
You can enter the draw at Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.
Bonnet Panel Levelled
November 8, 2022
The bonnet of our 1956 Jensen 541 has been panel levelled by classic car technician Al.
Once that had been completed, the bonnet was ready for polyester primer to be applied as it moved on to the next stage of its restoration journey in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Parts For Our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3
November 7, 2022
Our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3 has had several parts fabricated recently.
Classic car technicians Monty and Christian have been hard at work making sure the parts being made fit perfectly where they are needed, and can also do the job they are meant to do once the car is back up and running and on the road again.
They have also been assembling parts of the car such as the A-pillar.
While Monty and Christian have been fabricating the parts for our Interceptor, classic car technician Al has been applying epoxy primer to them before welding them to the car. He applied the epoxy primer at this stage as he would not have been able to prime them properly once they were welded together.
There is obviously still a long way to go before our 1975 Jensen Interceptor MK3 is ready to leave us and get back on the road. However, things are progressing nicely and it’s looking more and more car-like each day.
Triumph Spitfire Brake Fluid
November 7, 2022
Classic car technician Jon has continued his investigations into the running issues that our 1977 Triumph Spitfire has been experiencing.
He bled the brakes of the car and noticed that two different types of brake fluid had been used.
Triumph Spitfire brake fluid is usually DOT5. However, when bleeding the brakes, both DOT5 and DOT4 were found.
DOT4 and DOT5 Brake Fluid
In very simple terms, brake fluid is responsible for moving the pressure from the brake lever to the brake pads. Brake fluid should lubricate the callipers, help prevent corrosion, and have a high boiling point. There are 4 different types of Brake fluid – DOT3, DOT4, DOT5, and DOT5.1
Each type of brake fluid has a different boiling point. If brake fluid boils, it forms air bubbles which increases how much it can be compressed resulting in poorer performance of your braking system.
DOT3 and DOT4 are the most common types of brake fluids used.
DOT4 brake fluid is glycol ether-based. It has a higher boiling point which is more stable than that of DOT3 brake fluid.
DOT5 is a silicon-based brake fluid and can withstand higher temperatures than DOT3 and DOT4.
As a general rule, it is usually a good idea to change the brake fluid in your car every two years. Obviously, this will depend on the amount of mileage you do but two years is a good timeframe to keep in mind. Brake fluid absorbs water over time so the longer you leave it between changes, the poorer your braking system will operate.
It’s worth noting that DOT3 and DOT4 brake fluid shouldn’t be mixed with DOT5. Doing so could result in brake failure. DOT5 is a silicone-based brake fluid so is not compatible with the glycol-based DOT3 and DOT4 fluids.
Our 1977 Triumph Spitfire Brake Fluid
When Jon bled the brakes of our Triumph Spitfire, it was clear that both DOT4 and DOT5 had been used. In the photo below, you can see that the DOT5 brake fluid has risen to the top while the DOT4 fluid fell to the bottom of the container.
Now the brake fluid issue has been resolved, investigations continue into this classic car’s running issues.
A New Grill – 1987 Volvo 240GL
November 7, 2022
Our 1987 Volvo 240GL has been in the care of classic car technician Jon over the last few days.
During this time, Jon has built, cleaned, polished, and fitted the new front grill. This has made a big impact on how the front of this classic car looks. With its new badges and wheel stickers, the new front grill brings our 240GL one step closer to being ready to leave us fully restored.
As well as his work on the grill, Jon also secured the boot trims too.
After the more cosmetic-related jobs had been completed, Jon turned his attention to the brakes. Specifically, the front brake back plates. These have now been painted and re-fitted to the car. The brakes have also been bled and a road test has been carried out. Jon was very happy with how our classic Volvo drove when he took it out for a short drive so it’s definitely almost ready to get back out on the road again.
As you can see from the photos below, our 1987 Volvo 240GL is looking very good and has come a long way since it first arrived in the workshop.
Just Arrived – 1968 MGB GT
November 7, 2022
Our 1968 MGB GT has recently arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
As with all the cars that come to us, our classic car technicians will give it a thorough assessment and inspection before its future is decided.
All we know so far is that this is one beautiful classic car to look at.
Seat Upgrades And More – 1969 Morris Minor 1000 Convertible
November 7, 2022
Our 1969 Morris Minor 1000 Convertible continues to progress through its restoration work.
After a large portion of the external work was complete, Brian and Lydia began their work on the interior of the car. A new carpet was put in, a new roof was made and fitted, and we put a new pinstripe on this beautiful classic car too.
Progress Continues…
Recently, Brian has been doing more work on our 1969 Morris Minor 1000 Convertible. This time, his attention has been on the seats. In particular, he has been fitting stronger webbing straps to the front seat frames.
While this may not be something that changes the look of the seats, it will go a long way in making the seats as comfortable and as long-lasting as possible. The seats will now go on to be installed back into the car ready for the rest of the interior work to be completed very soon.
In addition to Brian’s work on the front seats of our 1969 Morris Minor 1000 Convertible, classic car technician Paul fitted a new electric fan. Paul also fitted 2 universal joints to the propshaft.
This classic Morris Minor is proving to be a very popular car. Anytime we share photos of it on social media or we have visitors to the workshop, this is one of the cars that seems to catch people’s attention.
Our 1969 Morris Minor 1000 Convertible is a beautiful classic car that continues to make good progress through its restoration journey. As great as it looks in our workshop, and as much as we enjoy seeing it every day, we are certainly looking forward to seeing it back out on the road so everyone has the opportunity to enjoy looking at it as much as we do.
Restoration work will continue so our Morris Minor Convertible will soon be even closer to leaving us and returning to its owner.
1959 Jensen 541R – Rebuilding A Classic Car
November 4, 2022
Over the last week, classic car technician Rob has been spending his time putting our 1959 Jensen 541R back together. Since the chassis of this rare car arrived back at the workshop, Rob has had his work cut out fitting everything back onto the car in the right place (and in the right order!)
The rebuild began with Rob fitting the sills back on and then refitting and welding the bulkhead onto the chassis as well.
From there, Rob went on to bolt the front wheel arches and the mounting frames in place and began work on fitting the body and the roof back together again. With this done, our 1959 Jensen 541R started to become much more recognisable as the beautiful classic car that we know it is.
We recently got the doors of our 541R back from the sandblasters. Although some repair work is still needed, Rob reassembled the doors so he could fit them to the car in order to check the A and B post alignment. He also bolted the roof down before making a new C pillar inner panel ready to fit later on.
Rob has moved on with his restoration work and has now made and welded the rear arch filler panels. He has also welded the A and B posts down.
The left-hand sill and panels have been adjusted and fitted and the left-hand C panel has also been welded in too.
Despite the fact that there is still a long way to go (and a whole lot more work to do), our 1959 Jensen 541R is looking extremely different to how it did just a few days ago. It is much more recognisable now and it is much closer to its final look than it has been before.
We are very lucky to have a skilled classic car technician like Rob working on the car and we are looking forward to seeing even more progress made very soon.
Work Continues On Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8
November 4, 2022
After making the long journey from America to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has already had quite the adventure.
When it first arrived with us, we were very excited to see this impressive-looking car in the workshop just waiting to be bought back to life. Once classic car technician Scott started his assessment of the car, he found some oil leaks that needed to be rectified. After removing the under trays to investigate the oil leaks, Scott was able to take a better look at the car and begin making an initial assessment as to where any welding might be needed on its floor.
The fuel system also had Scott’s attention as he spent some time preparing it for when the engine would be started for the first time since it’s been in the workshop. It was at this point that dirt was found in the fuel filter so a replacement had to be ordered to rectify this issue. While he was waiting for the new filter to arrive, Scott sandblasted the filter housing.
Scott wasn’t done there though. He removed and inspected the air filter before doing the same for the air intake plenum. He also removed the carb tops so he could clean out the float bowls.
Over the last week, Scott has continued his work on our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. He has been working hard putting the engine back together and getting it cleaned up and ready for its future life back out on the road.
In addition to his work on the engine, Scott has also begun to remove some of the interior of the car so repair work can shortly begin on the floor pans.
Considering this classic car has travelled from America to our workshop and has only been here for a short while, a lot of progress has already been made and we are very excited to see what the future holds for this beautiful classic car.
Classic Motor Show 2022 – Birmingham NEC
November 4, 2022
Bridge Classic Cars will be attending the Classic Motor Show 2022 being held at the NEC in Birmingham.
We are very much looking forward to spending a day or two with an arena full of fellow classic car enthusiasts. The Classic Motor Show is a place to exhibit classic cars and bikes as well as to listen to talks from industry experts and spend plenty of time surrounded by classic vehicles.
There will be classic car displays, exhibitors of all things classic car related, classic car and bike clubs will be in attendance, and there will also be live music performances too.
This is one car show that we attend regularly. It is one of the biggest and best classic car shows and it is a place where you really can find everything classic car related. A number of the Bridge Classic Cars team will be in attendance this year and we are hoping to see lots of familiar faces as well as meet new friends too.
The Classic Motor Show 2022 runs from Friday 11th November through to Sunday 13th November.
We hope to see you there!
On Its Way – 1985 Ferrari Mondial
November 2, 2022
Making its way to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is our 1985 Ferrari Mondial.
Once it arrives, it will get a full inspection from our team of classic car technicians before we decide on a plan of action for the future of this classic car.
