Off To A New Home – Saying Goodbye to our 1965 Amphicar
November 8, 2021
Well, it’s always sad to say goodbye. Our wonderful little 1965 Amphicar that we completely restored in-house here at Bridge Classic Cars has gone off
1965 Amphicar
Featured – Our 1965 Amphicar is on the Top Gear Website!
October 12, 2021
Our 1965 Amphicar that is currently up for auction with Car & Classic Auctions has found its way onto the Top Gear website! The team
Up for Auction – Our 1965 Amphicar is now Car & Classic
October 8, 2021
It is now live! The auction of our 1965 Amphicar that was completely restored in-house by Bridge Classic Cars is live on the Car &
Weather-Sealed – The Bespoke Hood Cover for the 1965 Amphicar
October 6, 2021
The 1965 Amphicar is already quite a unique and rare piece of automotive history. But, an original convertible hood cover? Slightly rare than hen’s teeth.
Ebb & Flow – Behind the Scenes with our 1965 Amphicar Shoot for Car & Classic Auctions
September 23, 2021
The hen’s tooth that is our 1965 Amphicar. A lot of love and time has gone into making sure this half car/half boat is ship-shape
Amphicar’s Gearbox Out Again
June 17, 2021
The gearbox has been crunching in our 1965 Amphicar so we’ve removed it to try and address the issues with the syncro-mesh when changing down
Amphicar’s Dip In The Pool
June 14, 2021
Our 1965 Amphicar had a dip in the pool to test its seals against the water. The result was small ingress of water and we’ve
Amphicar Floor Repaint
May 28, 2021
We’ve started repainting the floor on our 1965 Amphicar. Chris began by taking out the bolts and masking up the struts that would remain cream.
Amphicar’s Spillage
May 13, 2021
Our 1965 Amphicar has had a sudden issue with a carb fuel leak so we’ve taken it apart, cleaned it and rebuilt it, adding in
Amphicar Suspension Replaced
April 27, 2021
Our 1965 Amphicar has had its brakes and suspension rebuilt recently to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Soon we will be carrying out a water
Amphicar Update
April 1, 2021
Scott has been working on the engine of the Amphicar, converting the dynamo to an alternator to make the charge more reliable. Scott has also
Amphicar Progress
February 11, 2021
Our Amphicar has taken the back bench since Christmas whilst we waited for the gearbox to come back after we encountered a bushing stuck inside
Amphicar Underside Sealing
January 20, 2021
Our Amphicar has been taking a temporary back seat in our workshop whilst we wait for the gearbox to come back. Our plan moving forwards
Refurbishments On Speed Dial
January 5, 2021
We’ve sent off a collection of our dials back to Speedograph to refurbish them. These all belong to our Lilac Jensen 541R, the Amphicar, the
Kicking Up A Fuss
January 5, 2021
Just before Christmas, we discovered an issue with the Amphicar’s gearbox which had become noisy. We decided to take it out and inspect the elements.
Amphicar Tweaks
December 24, 2020
Our Amphicar is having a few adjustments as we’ve discovered a gearbox issue whilst testing. We noticed a noise which we originally thought was linked
Acrobat Amphicar
December 14, 2020
On Friday, we had our friend Sam come in to intricately paint on the word ‘Acrobat’ onto either side. The beautiful wording is done in
Amphicar’s Graduation
December 14, 2020
We’re delighted to announce that our Amphicar has graduated to become a boat! After its previous inspection by Colin from Wherry Boat Yard, we got
Workshop Walkaround
December 9, 2020
Grey Jensen gets furnished Our trim team has been fitting the rear centre section in place, cutting out sound deadening and glueing it to bodywork
The Amphicar’s switch around
December 3, 2020
Two bilge pumps have been added to the Amphicar. The original bilge pump remains in its original position in the engine bay and is still
Workshop Walkabout
November 25, 2020
There’s been a lot going with week already and its only Wednesday! Take a look at what’s been going on s far. Range Rover Sport
Amphicar’s New Electrics
November 24, 2020
Our Electrics specialist, Adam, has recently replaced the fuse box and propeller control switch in our 1965 Amphicar. Here are the before and after shots:
Amphicar Updates
November 19, 2020
Our trim technician Kath has made and fitted the convertible roof hood cover that can be placed over the roof when its collapsed down. Making
Watertight
November 17, 2020
The Amphicar is getting closer to being water worthy! We’ve installed a bow light with a stern light also optional, which can be taken on
Sink Or Swim?
November 3, 2020
We had Colin from Wherry boatyard on behalf of CC Marine and Industrial Supply come in to survey our 1965 Amphicar. As a BSS (Boat
Workshop Walkabout
October 28, 2020
This morning we took a walk around the workshop to take a peak at how our engineers are getting on with the current projects. 1996
Workshop Walkabout
October 23, 2020
We had a walkabout this workshop this afternoon to see what everyone’s up to. One of our classic car technicians Pete has the 1996 Nissan
The Fastest Car On The Water
October 8, 2020
If you haven’t already, say hello to our Amphicar! Part boat, part car, this curious little vehicle can drive both on land and on water.
Amphicar 770 Restoration Update
March 17, 2020
Tom is currently working on our Amphicar restoration. He’s recently installed a new exhaust gasket, refitted the carburettors, refitted the air filter as well as
Amphicar 770 restoration update
February 19, 2020
The interior is now really coming together on our Amphicar Restoration. When we received the seats, they were not quite up to our high standards.
Off To A New Home – Saying Goodbye to our 1965 Amphicar
November 8, 2021
Well, it’s always sad to say goodbye. Our wonderful little 1965 Amphicar that we completely restored in-house here at Bridge Classic Cars has gone off to its new home.
The whole car was restored by our in-house restoration team, each playing a role in making this car not only look the absolute business but also fully functional.
It was up for auction recently on Car & Classic and which was by its lucky new owner. So, it was time for her to start a new journey. Sad to see her go but happy that we got the privilege to restore and work on such a unique and interesting classic.
Featured – Our 1965 Amphicar is on the Top Gear Website!
October 12, 2021
Our 1965 Amphicar that is currently up for auction with Car & Classic Auctions has found its way onto the Top Gear website!
The team here at Bridge Classic Cars painstakingly restored this car over countless hours into a full working, fully certified Amphicar.
Check out the article here or check out the auction with Car & Classic here!
Up for Auction – Our 1965 Amphicar is now Car & Classic
October 8, 2021
It is now live! The auction of our 1965 Amphicar that was completely restored in-house by Bridge Classic Cars is live on the Car & Classic website.
This car has had everything imaginable done to it. Not a single system hasn’t been made the best it can possibly be. To the point where it is completely road legal and water certified.
Also, this particular Amphicar (one of just 4000 built) is one of the first known to be completely E10 compliant. Meaning this is really the most useable classic car and a classic boat you could find.
Head over to the Car & Classic Auction by clicking the link below!
Weather-Sealed – The Bespoke Hood Cover for the 1965 Amphicar
October 6, 2021
The 1965 Amphicar is already quite a unique and rare piece of automotive history. But, an original convertible hood cover? Slightly rare than hen’s teeth. However, after some research, we found a company in the States who make them!
We had one shipped to us here for our 1965 Amphicar which was installed by our in-house master trimmers. As you can see, it looks absolutely brilliant!
Ebb & Flow – Behind the Scenes with our 1965 Amphicar Shoot for Car & Classic Auctions
September 23, 2021
The hen’s tooth that is our 1965 Amphicar.
A lot of love and time has gone into making sure this half car/half boat is ship-shape and bristol fashion for its next lucky owner. On a glorious summers morning, our in-house marketing team headed to our favourite location at RAF Bentwaters to shoot this rare classic for Car & Classic Auctions.
After carefully laying the roof back into its hideaway, we set out across the historic airbase to shoot against the high sun. Carefully moving this unique and rare piece of automotive history into position, across the centreline of the runway, we could then begin.
Making sure every surface had been cleaned down to the best that we could, Freddie began to methodically move his way around the car frame by frame and angle by angle. This 1965 Amphicar has been at Bridge Classic Cars for a while now whilst we perfected its running and got it back into a condition for it to be sold by Car & Classic Auctions very soon hopefully to a very lucky and excited enthusiastic owner.
The sunlight radiated from this little white seafarer. The interior glowed against the harsh summer light as it beat down onto the tarmac. For the photos, it allowed Freddie just the right amount of diffused light to be able to accurately capture this rare treat for its auction.
If you would like the chance to own this amazing piece of history, then head over to Car & Classic Auctions to keep an eye out for this once in a lifetime chance to own the 1965 Amphicar.
Amphicar’s Gearbox Out Again
June 17, 2021
The gearbox has been crunching in our 1965 Amphicar so we’ve removed it to try and address the issues with the syncro-mesh when changing down gears.
Amphicar’s Dip In The Pool
June 14, 2021
Our 1965 Amphicar had a dip in the pool to test its seals against the water. The result was small ingress of water and we’ve discovered that a few small holes we’d filled in thinking they were holes, actually happen to be integral to the water flow and buoyancy of the Amphicar as they allow water to flow through the car and out another side.
Amphicar Floor Repaint
May 28, 2021
We’ve started repainting the floor on our 1965 Amphicar. Chris began by taking out the bolts and masking up the struts that would remain cream.
We’ve applied a black sealant paint on the inside which is the same as the underside. This resin based paint provides better protection against water ingress and allows for easier cleaning.
We are also endeavouring to repair the handbrake after the cable broke.
Amphicar’s Spillage
May 13, 2021
Our 1965 Amphicar has had a sudden issue with a carb fuel leak so we’ve taken it apart, cleaned it and rebuilt it, adding in some fresh sealant. We hope that it can now go for an MOT and then have its first water test.
Amphicar Suspension Replaced
April 27, 2021
Our 1965 Amphicar has had its brakes and suspension rebuilt recently to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Soon we will be carrying out a water test to test if the sealing around the doors is fully waterproof. If all goes well, we will see how it fairs out on the river.
Amphicar Update
April 1, 2021
Scott has been working on the engine of the Amphicar, converting the dynamo to an alternator to make the charge more reliable.
Scott has also fitted and wired the fuel gage:
The underside of the Amphicar has also been masked and painted to make it water-resistant and ready for the water. MarineWare came to assist with the application of this.
Amphicar’s are known for leaking, predominantly through door seals or other gaps. As this is a totally newly restored Amphicar, there is always risk of water ingress from other areas. Whilst taking the advice from others who have restored Amphicars, we were advised if possible, to apply a sealant to the underside of the vehicle. We contacted MarineWare to come and apply 2K Durepox sealant.
We bought the product and Glen Keefe from Technical Sales at MarineWare came to the workshop to go through the process with our paint technicians, Chris and Matt. The process included keying off the already applied paintwork and applying a primer followed by the Durepox resin and hardener in black to match the original paint. This hard and long-lasting sealant will aid our Amphicar in its seaworthy adventures and make sure there are no unwanted leaks.
Amphicar Progress
February 11, 2021
Our Amphicar has taken the back bench since Christmas whilst we waited for the gearbox to come back after we encountered a bushing stuck inside the gearbox which needed the entire element to be taken apart and re-built.
Now with the gearbox back, we can start to reassemble the gearbox and engine.
Ady has also cleaned the floor of the Amphicar engine bay and Chris has painted it black. The engine can now be placed back in.
Amphicar Underside Sealing
January 20, 2021
Our Amphicar has been taking a temporary back seat in our workshop whilst we wait for the gearbox to come back. Our plan moving forwards is to re-seal the underside with a resin seal, ensuring that this iconic car is watertight and water ready.
Refurbishments On Speed Dial
January 5, 2021
We’ve sent off a collection of our dials back to Speedograph to refurbish them. These all belong to our Lilac Jensen 541R, the Amphicar, the Peony Red Jensen and a Mercedes.
Kicking Up A Fuss
January 5, 2021
Just before Christmas, we discovered an issue with the Amphicar’s gearbox which had become noisy. We decided to take it out and inspect the elements. You can read about the diagnosis here.
The gearbox has been sent to Last Transmissions to be overhauled and replace the bearings. Once this has been done and is back with us, we hope to get it back together again and put on the water.
Amphicar Tweaks
December 24, 2020
Our Amphicar is having a few adjustments as we’ve discovered a gearbox issue whilst testing. We noticed a noise which we originally thought was linked to the thrust bearing however it turns out it’s due to the first motion shaft bearing that needs repairing.
We’ve taken out the engine and gearbox, and will now begin the process of fixing the gearbox.
Acrobat Amphicar
December 14, 2020
On Friday, we had our friend Sam come in to intricately paint on the word ‘Acrobat’ onto either side. The beautiful wording is done in red with a white shadow that makes the word stand out from the cream bodywork.
This was a surprise for the owner, who had cleverly named the Amphicar ‘Acrobat’, an anagram for ‘Car’ and ‘Boat’. This clever play on words and personalised artwork really does make an already special car stand out even more.
The owner was delighted when he was shown the new addition! We’re looking forward to seeing this acrobatic land to water vehicle take on its next adventure.
Amphicar’s Graduation
December 14, 2020
We’re delighted to announce that our Amphicar has graduated to become a boat! After its previous inspection by Colin from Wherry Boat Yard, we got the final thumbs-up last week to confirm that the Amphicar passed its certificate to classify it as a boat!
You can take a look at the official paperwork below to see the exact classifications. There’s also been some other small work such as the Bilge pump switches being prewired and the holes prepped by our electric specialist Adam. He’s also made sure that the lights work too.
Our trim shop has added a piece of vinyl in behind the rear seat to tidy it up as seen below.
All the switches have now been labelled with bespoke colour coordinated labels.
You can also see here its first start up. We’re excited to get it out on the water for the first time, soon, to see how it fairs and what needs to be done next.
In order to pass the assessment we needed to make the necessary changes below. The fuel hose needed to be fitted that could withstand 600 degrees, ISO7840 for two hours. Due to the age of the car we considered the existing bilge pump not to be adequate and capable of adhering to the latest legislation so we decided to fit two pulse operated bilge pumps that look for water and when detecting it will start and pump out of the rear. We decided to fit two of these as always health and safety is our paramount concern and have given two totally independent systems with separate exit from the rear of the vehicle.
The fire extinguisher has also been fitted and the pipe flaring has been carried out. To comply with current legislation we have changed the set up of the fuel system to withdraw fuel from the top of the tank through a stainless steel shut off valve.
We have also installed an electrical cut off switch and solder jointed cables to the battery terminal.
Workshop Walkaround
December 9, 2020
Grey Jensen gets furnished
Our trim team has been fitting the rear centre section in place, cutting out sound deadening and glueing it to bodywork behind where seats go.
The rear squab section has also been fitted in place, the carpet has been cut to be placed in front of the rear seat base, the rear seat section has been fitted in place, and the leather has been glued to the seat subframes.
Sound deadening has been installed in the rear footwell & tunnel sides, passenger side, passenger side bulkhead, and the front footwells.
The door frames are also undergoing some modifications so that the window glass sits more comfortably. The doors will need to be taken apart and re-welded back together.
Peony Red Jensen
Our Peony Red 1960 Jensen 541s has had new door catch fixing plates installed. Our technicians have also made a cover to go over them to stop them from falling down into the sills of the car. They have then been welded into position.
TR6
The Triumph TR6 is on the road to recovery with the final tweaks being done. The engine levels have been checked as have the gearbox and rear axels. This stage is mostly a pre-drive service to make sure everything is in the right place and ready for the car to be driven for the first time. The battery holder needs to be installed and the engine to be tuned. Once these last details are done we can turn it on and see how it drives and address any teething problems that may arise.
Amphicar
The Amphicar is currently going through another in-depth stage of troubleshooting the electrics. Much like the TR6, our technicians’ are applying the final checks in preparation for starting the car up for the first time.
Peugeot 504
The Peugeot 504 is almost finished! The exhaust and break lines have been installed as well as the seat belts which have been added by our technician Scott.
Black Jensen
The black 1960 Jensen 541R has come out of paintwork recently to address the corrections made. All the chrome has now been re-installed so it’s looking shiny and new!
1984 Lada 1200
Our Lada is one of our most recent patients. We diagnosed it with rusting sills and floor, which is being addressed and corrected by one of our fabricators, Ant. These refurbishments are done through a series of stages that include welding and applying filler to resolve the ageing. Think of it like getting a dermatological facial!
1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12
Our blue jaguar e-type is awaiting its chrome bumper and new steering rack to be fitted. The sun roof has also been fixed. This included taking apart the faulty switch and cleaning the components and then insulating the terminal. Once fitted back together, the sun roof was back to working perfectly again.
Gold Jensen
Our gold and red 1962 Jensen 541S has had its oil changed and water purged from the engine by our engine specialist, Ady.
Austin 7 Nippy
Ady is also working on the Austin 7 Nippy engine which is currently at COLTEC to be assessed.
Nissan 300ZX
The exhaust has been reinstalled into our Nissan as well as the link pipe between the two exhaust manifolds.
The Amphicar’s switch around
December 3, 2020
Two bilge pumps have been added to the Amphicar. The original bilge pump remains in its original position in the engine bay and is still in working condition. The old pump still has its wires connected and can be connected at any point in the future, however, it is currently disconnected from the car. The old pump has been kept in for peace of mind.
Workshop Walkabout
November 25, 2020
There’s been a lot going with week already and its only Wednesday! Take a look at what’s been going on s far.
Range Rover Sport 2016
One of our directors, Gordon, had his Range Rover Sport’s tyres refurbished, ready for the cold winter months ahead. Now fully refurbished, Gordon’s Range Rover is ready to take on the elements.
Jaguars New Stripes
As seen in our blog yesterday, the 1967 Jaguar E-Type Race Car has now been finished! This has been an incredibly exciting project that has been in progress since 2016. Over the last few days, the finishing touches have been added such as the pinstripes on the bonnet and fine-tuning the engine. The bonnet itself has also be re-installed to make sure it fits after the recent engine works.
Craig’s Mercedes 500SL
Our other director, Craig, is in the process of choosing the leather for the interior and the spray finish for the fuel tank. It’s deciding details like this that make classic cars so personal to their owners.
Morris Minor
One of the more notable updates on the Morris Minor 1000 is the new hood. The trim shop has done a fantastic job yet again to make the perfect custom hood, allowing this Morris Minor to be more usable throughout the changing seasons. Our technician Scott has also been trying to figure out the reason for the play in its front wheels. The mystery is yet to be solved…
The front suspension has also been tightened, the curtesy light wiring is being installed and Adam is troubleshooting the electrics.
Grey Jensen 541R
Lots of little updates for the Grey Jensen 541R such as preparing the door rim before it goes to the trim shop, stripping the bonnet ready for paint, made the curtesy light switch by hand, installed the hand brake cables and panhard rod as well as the speedo drive.
Triumph TR5
Our 1968 Triumph TR5 is awaiting its interior but it has had its heater installed!
Blue E-Type
Our blue 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 is awaiting on a new steering rack, clutch slave cylinder and bumper to be fitted. The parts have been ordered so the E-Type should be looking good as new in no time!
Ford Transit
This lovely 1953 Ford Transit is almost ready to leave us now. We’re just waiting on some new 6 volt bulbs for the headlights and then it’ll be ready to go!
Blue Jensen
We’re giving the blue Jensen a general nut and bolt service. It came in to have its clutch, exhaust and breaks replaced which have been or are in the process of being fixed.
Peony Red Jensen
The Peony Red Jensen 542S has had its seats made up. The next step is to complete the set and install them. Our trim shop never fails to impress us with their stunning interior projects.
Peugeot 504
The Peugeot 504 has now had all its interior trim completed. The last few pieces include making and fitting the hood which had to have the leather glued to the frame once made up.
Black Jensen
The black Jensen is visiting our paint shop for some touch-ups and corrections in the paintwork.
1988 Nissan 300ZX
Ady our engine specialist has taken apart both exhaust manifolds on the Nissan 300ZX.
Amphicar
The fuel pump has been rewired, two bilge pumps are set to be added, the brakes have been bled, the grease nipples re-greased and the heater has been ordered.
Range Rover TDI
A new gear stick gaiter has been made and fitted by the trim shop. Our range rover is making steady progress to be completed soon.
Black Spitfire
Although we don’t have the Black Spitfire back with us, we do have the task of replacing the half shafts. We’re hoping we can order in new pieces however we may need to take these apart instead and refurbish them ourselves.
Amphicar’s New Electrics
November 24, 2020
Our Electrics specialist, Adam, has recently replaced the fuse box and propeller control switch in our 1965 Amphicar.
Here are the before and after shots:
Amphicar Updates
November 19, 2020
Our trim technician Kath has made and fitted the convertible roof hood cover that can be placed over the roof when its collapsed down.
Making this included measuring it up, attaching stud buttons, and finally fitting it in place.
Our technician Tom has fitted a radiator surround, air filter and pipe as well as refreshing the paint on the bumper brackets and refurbished the bonnet chrome pieces.
The Amphicar has had a new fuel out let pipe and tank vent pipe installed, with fresh welding in the fuel tank so the vehicle now complies with the regulations to allow it to go on the water. We ran some tests on the new pieces and all the welding held up fine however we discovered a leak coming from the fuel tank. In response to this, we removed the rust and retested for leaks. Once we ensured everything was good, it was sent to the paint shop!
Watertight
November 17, 2020
The Amphicar is getting closer to being water worthy! We’ve installed a bow light with a stern light also optional, which can be taken on and off when needed. This means when the Amphicar is out on the water at night, other ships can see it!
Adam, our electrical specialist has also redone the connection block. This has been refurbished to make them easier to access if any repairs or tweaking has to be done in future!
With these fixes made, the Amphicar is steadily getting closer to completion after its recent boat MOT. You can see the check list we were provided below:
Sink Or Swim?
November 3, 2020
We had Colin from Wherry boatyard on behalf of CC Marine and Industrial Supply come in to survey our 1965 Amphicar. As a BSS (Boat Safety Scheme) Examiner, its Colins job to tell us what is needed to make the Amphicar water worthy.
It’s a bit like an MOT but for boats and it’ll allow our Amphicar to be one step closer to getting its tires wet.
The amends includes relocating the battery cut-off switch changing the fuel entry removal system from a bottom to a top entry, replacing rubber hoses with copper pipes to allow a 2 hour 100 degrees safety bracket, installing a fire extinguisher, modify the main battery wiring, replacing the fuel arrester to the fuel tank, general labeling, adding an override switch to the dashboard and installing a modern Bilge pump and float switch.
