Saying Dubai Bye
August 21, 2023
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 recently sold at auction and is now on its way to its new owner. The journey of our AMV8 started
1976 Aston Martin AMV8
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 is headed for auction!
July 21, 2023
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 will soon be headed for auction through our friends over at Car & Classic. Some of you may remember, this
Improvements To Our AMV8
July 10, 2023
Classic car technician Steve has been making some improvements to our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. Steve fitted new spark plugs, new wiper blades, and a
The Story So Far…
July 7, 2023
The story of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has been long and interesting and is one that is heading towards the final chapter with us
A Look Back On Our AMV8 Going Back Together
July 5, 2023
The restoration of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has been making great progress lately with a lot of work coming together on this stunning classic
Small Jobs Make All The Difference
July 3, 2023
It may seem like a very small job but, workshop manager John has cleaned the ashtray of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. As the interior
New Speakers
June 29, 2023
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has had new rear speakers installed by classic car technician Brian. After removing the old speakers, the new ones were
Clean Dials
June 26, 2023
Workshop manager John has been working on our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. He removed the dials from our classic AMV8 so they could be cleaned.
A Bit More Paint
June 19, 2023
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has been back in the hands of classic car technician Alan as he fixed a couple of areas that needed
Paint And Polish
May 10, 2023
Our 1976 Aston AMV8 has spent a bit more time in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop. That being said, its time in paint is
More Paint
April 26, 2023
Classic car technician Al has continued his work painting our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 in Deep Carriage Green. The body of this stunning classic car
First Look At A New Colour
April 21, 2023
Work is still ongoing for our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. After the prep work was complete and after having primer applied, the first few parts
Priming Our AMV8
April 14, 2023
Al has, once again, been working on our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. This time he has been applying epoxy primer to this eye-catching classic car.
More Paint Prep
April 4, 2023
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has continued to be prepped for painting by classic car technician Al. The below photos show some behind-the-scenes shots of
Back To Metal
March 21, 2023
Classic car technician Al has been stripping our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 back to bare metal in preparation for a new coat of paint. After
Inside The Bridge Classic Cars Workshop – 15th February 2023
February 15, 2023
Join Molly as she takes a behind-the-scenes look at what is going on at Bridge Classic Cars.
Getting Ready For Paint
February 6, 2023
Classic car technician Scott has been busy stripping our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 ready for it to be painted. Now that it has been stripped,
Tracking, Ignition, And Timing
January 30, 2023
Classic car technician Jonn has been working on our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. He checked the tracking before adjusting it to parallel. Jonn wanted to
Painting And Tracking
December 19, 2022
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has recently had its new boot floor panels painted by classic car technician Scott. That wasn’t the only work completed
A Leaking Steering Rack
November 22, 2022
The steering rack of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 is leaking and needs to be rebuilt! To rectify the issue, we have securely packaged it
Repairing The Floor – 1976 Aston Martin AMV8
November 21, 2022
Classic car technician Scott has had his work cut out with our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. After his investigation and prep work on this attention-grabbing
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
Looking Back On A Long Journey
October 24, 2022
It hasn’t been long since we saw the arrival of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. Now that it’s been in the workshop for a few
Investigation And Prep Work
October 21, 2022
Classic car technician Scott has been conducting an assessment of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. After noticing some oil leaks, he removed the under trays
Straight From America – 1976 Aston Martin AMV8
October 14, 2022
Another classic car has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. All the way from America comes our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. As always, it
Coming Soon – AMV8
March 3, 2022
We are very excited that a 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 is making its way to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop from America. We recently purchased
Saying Dubai Bye
August 21, 2023
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 recently sold at auction and is now on its way to its new owner.
The journey of our AMV8 started in America before heading over to us here at Bridge Classic Cars. Following its sale, its travels are not quite over just yet, as it is now being shipped over to join its owner’s collection in Dubai.
Seeing our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 leave the workshop after being with us for quite some time was both exciting and slightly sad at the same time. We are very excited that the car will now be enjoyed as it should but we are also slightly sad that we will no longer be able to admire it every day.
We hope the new owner enjoys our beautiful AMV8.
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 is headed for auction!
July 21, 2023
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 will soon be headed for auction through our friends over at Car & Classic.
Some of you may remember, this stunning left-hand drive example of the DB6 replacement came to us from the USA as a claret US spec car but over the course of the last 8 months has been transformed into the stylish and handsome GT car you see today, finished in Deep Carriage Green.
Recently, we took the car out to shoot the photos for its upcoming auction which you can see here!
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for the announcement of when our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 will be live on the Car & Classic website.
Improvements To Our AMV8
July 10, 2023
Classic car technician Steve has been making some improvements to our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8.
Steve fitted new spark plugs, new wiper blades, and a new fuel filter too. Once this was complete, Steve moved on to fit new top wishbone bushes and new flexy brake hoses too.
The story of our 1976 AMV8 is soon to continue with a new owner as we look to sell this beautiful classic car in the very near future.
The Story So Far…
July 7, 2023
The story of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has been long and interesting and is one that is heading towards the final chapter with us here at Bridge Classic Cars. To mark the occasion, we decided it was time to take a look back at the history of our AMV8.
We originally purchased it on behalf of a customer, with the plan of it undergoing a full restoration in our workshop. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, our customer was no longer able to continue with the project, so the car is now owned by Bridge Classic Cars. Despite only fairly recently becoming the owners of this car, we have actually had it with us since its arrival in the UK from America.
Where It All Began
Aston Martin initially planned to put its new V8 engine in the DBS. However, thanks to challenges faced during production, the DBS was actually introduced with the 4-litre straight six from the DB6. This version initially disappointed many as the DBS was bigger and heavier than the DB6 resulting in a reduction in performance.
This all changed in 1969 when the Aston Martin DBS V8 finally arrived. The estimated 315bhp produced by the 5,340cc four-cam engine meant that the DBS V8 could go from 0 – 100mph in under 14 seconds. That may not seem too impressive by today’s standards but, back in 1969, it was claimed this was the fastest production car in the world. The claim could be further believed thanks to a top speed of 160mph!
In 1972, the story turned in the direction of the car you see today when Aston Martin was taken over by Company Developments. As Series 2 went into production, it became known as the Aston Martin AMV8 and was recognisable from a restyled front end that gave a nod to the looks of earlier Astons.
The former Chairman of Aston Martin, Victor Gauntlett said that the V8 was “a stylish thoroughbred, beautifully built, luxurious, fast and immensely safe.”
Our AMV8
Before we purchased our 1976 AMV8 in March 2022, it looks to have led an interesting life.
According to copies of Aston Martin’s factory build records, it was hand built at Aston Martin’s Newport Pagnell plant during the winter of 1976. At the time, it was fitted with a left-hand-drive steering arrangement and a 3-speed automatic gearbox.
Surprisingly, our AMV8 was initially finished in Cornish Gold with a black leather interior, black carpet, and grey headliner. An orthopaedic surgeon, Dr William S. Reiter from Los Angeles, California, was the very first owner when he purchased it on January 5th, 1977.
The story then goes dark for a while although it does appear that the car stayed in America eventually making its way from the West Coast over to the East Coast of the country. During this period, the car was repainted in Peoney Red and had a desirable 5-speed manual gearbox installed. In addition to the colour and transmission change, a radio head unit that looks to be from the late 70s was fitted along with a set of 5-spoke alloy rims which replaced the original wheels.
We have been able to pick up the story again from 2011 when the previous owner purchased the vehicle. During this ownership, our AMV8 was part of a static display and was not driven at all. This meant that when we bought it, it has been off the road for over 10 years.
Arriving At The Workshop
After a long journey, our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 eventually arrived at Felixstowe Port where we collected it.
From there, it was transported over the last leg of its epic journey to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop here in Suffolk. It was at this point that our team of highly skilled technicians took over and started work on bringing this classic Aston back to life.
The initial investigations highlighted a few issues that would need address but, after some attention from the workshop team, the future started to look bright. Perhaps the biggest change that has happened since we have had the AMV8 is its colour. Our paintshop took the car back to bare metal before repainting it for the second time in its life – this time transforming into a stylish Deep Carriage Green.
What’s Next?
Our AMV8 is still in the workshop with work continuing by our team of technicians. The car has been put back together and is looking very good. While the car is not quite ready to leave us yet, it is very soon going to be put up for sale.
This classic Aston has already lived an exciting life over in America and it would be great to see it find a new home with someone who appreciates the work, time, and treatment that this vehicle has experienced over the last couple of years.
More information on the sale of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 will be available soon but, in the meantime, the full project details can be seen here.
A Look Back On Our AMV8 Going Back Together
July 5, 2023
The restoration of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has been making great progress lately with a lot of work coming together on this stunning classic car.
After its new coat of paint, the process of rebuilding the car began. Classic car technician Alan was part of this process. As Alan finished the paintwork on our AMV8, he started putting the chromework back on the car.
Alan also removed, painted, and re-fitted the air intake plenum to the engine. This made a big difference to the look of the engine bay and certainly has had a positive impact on the overall look of the classic Aston Martin.
Classic car technician Steve then got involved by fitting the stainless steel sill covers before checking, cleaning, and greasing the front and rear brakes. Steve also fitted a new battery and clamp.
Brian has also been working on the interior of our AMV8. He removed the old damaged cover from the lower dash panel before cutting out new vinyl for it. The old glue was cleaned off the metal panel and the new vinyl was glued in place. Brian re-fitted the air duct and re-covered the lower dash panel.
The old damaged vinyl was removed from the battery cover and a new one was made. Brian went on to make the leather straps that hold the jack onto the battery cover. After John had cleaned up the ashtray, Brian cut and glued new vinyl to the ashtray lid.
Continuing the rebuild of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8, the front and rear glass was reinstalled. Steve also fabricated a new bracket for the front number plate. To show how skilled Steve is, the bracket he made was made simply by looking at an image online!
The wheels were removed and the replacements have arrived. Once a few more jobs have been completed on the car, these will be fitted and our AMV8 will be another step closer to being ready to drive out of the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Small Jobs Make All The Difference
July 3, 2023
It may seem like a very small job but, workshop manager John has cleaned the ashtray of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8.
As the interior of our classic Aston is coming together, making sure each part is looking its best will go a long way in making the finished car look incredible.
With this much attention to detail from the workshop team, our AMV8 will no doubt be an eye-catching example when it leaves us.
New Speakers
June 29, 2023
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has had new rear speakers installed by classic car technician Brian.
After removing the old speakers, the new ones were wired in before being fitted into the car. As our AMV8 has been progressing through its restoration here in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, it continues to look better and better and, with the addition of new speakers, it continues to make good progress.
Clean Dials
June 26, 2023
Workshop manager John has been working on our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. He removed the dials from our classic AMV8 so they could be cleaned.
Once the cleaning was complete and the dials looked even more appealing than they did before, they were put back into the car.
A Bit More Paint
June 19, 2023
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has been back in the hands of classic car technician Alan as he fixed a couple of areas that needed a bit more attention to make sure the finished paintwork was exactly how he wanted it to be.
Now that our AMV8 has been finished in Deep Carriage Green, it will soon be moving on ready to be put back together by the workshop team here at Bridge Classic Cars.
Paint And Polish
May 10, 2023
Our 1976 Aston AMV8 has spent a bit more time in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop. That being said, its time in paint is coming to an end as it has now been fully painted in deep carriage green.
Once it came out of the paint booth, classic car technician Al moved on to the flatting and polishing process to make sure that when our AMV8 leaves the paint shop, it is looking as good as possible.
The transformation of this classic car has already been impressive and, with more work to do, it will continue to get better and better as it moves through the workshop.
More Paint
April 26, 2023
Classic car technician Al has continued his work painting our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 in Deep Carriage Green.
The body of this stunning classic car was in the paint booth this time as Al gave it a completely new look in its stylish new colour.
The painted body, along with the components Al has already painted are already looking great so we are very much looking forward to seeing the complete car back together and looking as good as ever!
First Look At A New Colour
April 21, 2023
Work is still ongoing for our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. After the prep work was complete and after having primer applied, the first few parts of the car have been painted Deep Carriage Green.
As you can see from the photos below, the new colour looks great and we know that once the whole car is painted, it is certainly going to be an attention-grabber.
A new belly plate has also been made for our AMV8.
Priming Our AMV8
April 14, 2023
Al has, once again, been working on our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. This time he has been applying epoxy primer to this eye-catching classic car. After prepping and priming the body, Al stripped the remaining components back to bare metal and prepped them for primer too.
Parts of our AMV8, like the bonnet, also went into high-build primer as it continues to move closer to new paint being applied in the near future.
More Paint Prep
April 4, 2023
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has continued to be prepped for painting by classic car technician Al.
The below photos show some behind-the-scenes shots of what he has been up to as our Aston gets ready for a new coat of paint.
Back To Metal
March 21, 2023
Classic car technician Al has been stripping our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 back to bare metal in preparation for a new coat of paint.
After Scott stripped most of the components from this classic Aston Martin, Al continued the prep work until it was just a bare metal shell. Even in this state, you can still see how stunning our AMV8 is but, once it leaves the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop, it will look even better and be one step closer to getting back out on the road with its owner.
Inside The Bridge Classic Cars Workshop – 15th February 2023
February 15, 2023
Join Molly as she takes a behind-the-scenes look at what is going on at Bridge Classic Cars.
Getting Ready For Paint
February 6, 2023
Classic car technician Scott has been busy stripping our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 ready for it to be painted.
Now that it has been stripped, this classic car will undergo a complete external respray as we continue to restore it ready to go back to its owner in full working order.
With lots of work being done to get the car running, it will be great to see the paintwork looking much improved too.
Tracking, Ignition, And Timing
January 30, 2023
Classic car technician Jonn has been working on our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. He checked the tracking before adjusting it to parallel.
Jonn wanted to get the car running properly so he checked the ignition timing. While doing this, he found that the HT leads were not fitted in the correct firing order. After carrying out additional checks, Jonn set the engine to top dead centre on cylinder one compression and fitted the HT leads in the correct order.
Once he had done this, Jonn did a test start and our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 started straight away.
Jonn set the ignition timing and put everything back together. Then it was time to take the car outside so it could run up to temperature and tune the carbs.
Jonn found a kinked heater hose during his checks so this was replaced. Once the carbs had been tuned, everything was running nicely and our AMV8 looks to be in good shape moving forwards.
Painting And Tracking
December 19, 2022
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has recently had its new boot floor panels painted by classic car technician Scott.
That wasn’t the only work completed on this classic car last week though. John conducted a check of the tracking and found that it was way out from where it should be. John adjusted the tracking to bring it back within specification.
While working on our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8, John also noticed that the top suspension arm nut was loose. He tightened this nut which resolved the issue.
A Leaking Steering Rack
November 22, 2022
The steering rack of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 is leaking and needs to be rebuilt!
To rectify the issue, we have securely packaged it up and have sent it off to our steering rack specialist who will be able to find the cause of the leak and fix it ready for us to reinstall the steering rack back into the car.
As experienced and highly skilled as our classic car technicians are, sometimes we call on our friends to assist in some of the restoration work we do here at Bridge Classic Cars. We have a large network of contacts who specialise in various areas of the automotive industry.
As a result, we are confident that the steering rack of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 will be back with us very soon and the car will be one step closer to getting back out onto the road with its owner.
The photos below show the steering rack being packaged and ready to be sent to our steering rack specialist.
Repairing The Floor – 1976 Aston Martin AMV8
November 21, 2022
Classic car technician Scott has had his work cut out with our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. After his investigation and prep work on this attention-grabbing classic car, he looked at the fuel system as part of his preparations to start the engine, and he also started removing some of the interior so he could access the floor pans.
Scott recently continued his work of stripping the interior of our AMV8 so he could get a better look at the rust issues the car seems to be suffering from. Once Scott had stripped the interior, he went on to remove the fuel lines and brake master before cutting out any rust that he found.
After cutting out the rust, repair panels were needed. Scott made these and welded them into place before dressing the welds. Once this was done, the welded-in panels fit smoothly into the car while also resolving the rust issues.
Finally, Scott primed and painted the areas where new panels had been fitted before re-installing the interior.
Our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 has made good progress since first arriving in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. Its long journey from America to us here in Suffolk was just the beginning as it now continues to make progress through the rest of its restoration journey.
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.
Looking Back On A Long Journey
October 24, 2022
It hasn’t been long since we saw the arrival of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8. Now that it’s been in the workshop for a few days, we have been looking back on its long journey from America to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Suffolk.
The photos below show its arrival at Felixstowe docks ready to begin the last leg of its journey to us.
Even sitting at the docks like this, you can see how nice this classic car is and we are very excited to see it once its been through its restoration journey.
Investigation And Prep Work
October 21, 2022
Classic car technician Scott has been conducting an assessment of our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8.
After noticing some oil leaks, he removed the under trays so he could see where these originated from. While the under trays were removed, an assessment was able to be carried out to see where any welding might be needed on the floor of the car and also on the boot floor too.
Scott then looked at the fuel system in preparation for starting the engine. He found dirt in the fuel filter so a new one has been ordered and the filter housing has been sandblasted.
Next, Scott removed the air filter and inspected its condition. He did the same for the air intake plenum and removed the carb tops to clean out the float bowls.
Scott is now waiting for the new filter to arrive so the engine can be started.
Straight From America – 1976 Aston Martin AMV8
October 14, 2022
Another classic car has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. All the way from America comes our 1976 Aston Martin AMV8.
As always, it will now be checked over by our classic car technicians before a plan of action is put in place to get it back out on the road.
Coming Soon – AMV8
March 3, 2022
We are very excited that a 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 is making its way to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop from America.
We recently purchased the car at an auction and plans are now being made for its travel over the Atlantic, so we can get to work on bringing it back to its former glory.
