2 Classics Go Home
March 22, 2023
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 and our 1970 Bristol 411 have left the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and are now on their way back to their
1986 Daimler DS420
Working On The Calipers Of Our DS420
February 22, 2023
Classic car technician Steve has been working on fitting new brake calipers to our 1986 Daimler DS420. It is quite a tricky job to get
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.
Rebuilding And Rust Protection
February 6, 2023
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 continues to be put back together. Classic car technician Steve carried on putting the front end back together before moving on
Ready For Wheels
January 31, 2023
Classic car technician Chris has been undersealing our 1986 Daimler DS420. Since making its way to us from America, our DS420 has undergone a big
Rebuild Progress
January 23, 2023
Classic car technician Scott has continued rebuilding our 1986 Daimler DS420. While rebuilding our American limo, Scott also completed some of the trim and other
Inside the Bridge Classic Cars Workshop – January 2023
January 20, 2023
Molly recently spent some time in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and took a closer look at some of our current projects.
The Rebuild Continues
January 16, 2023
The rebuild of our 1986 Daimler DS420 has continued over the last week. Classic car technician Scott has been busy putting this imposing vehicle back
Being Put Back Together
November 28, 2022
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 has been going through the process of being put back together after recently getting a new coat of paint. The doors
1986 Daimler DS420 – Prep And Paint
November 21, 2022
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 has had a new coat of paint! Before its final coat could be applied though, the entire car and its components
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
Body Shaping Begins
October 26, 2022
Classic car technician Chris recently started the body shaping process on our 1986 Daimler DS420. Quite a bit of restoration work has already been completed
Epoxy Primer
October 11, 2022
Chris has been working on our 1986 Daimler DS420, putting on the epoxy primer ready for further painting. He first masked the car and gave
Front Crossmember Removal
September 26, 2022
In order to carry on getting our 1986 Daimler DS420 restored, classic car technician, Dave, has had to remove the front crossmember. This is an
Gaining Access To Corrosion Areas On The 1986 Daimler DS420
September 22, 2022
The team of classic car technicians at Bridge Classic Cars found some areas of corrosion on our 1986 Daimler DS420 a little while ago. In
New bottom section fitted
September 16, 2022
Monty and Christian are working together on our Daimler project. We are hoping that the body repairs will be completed within the next week or
Work continues on the metal fabrication
September 14, 2022
The metal fabrication work continues on the body of our Daimler DS420. Old, corroded metal is being cut out and replaced by brand new panels
Intricacy – Further Metal Repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420
September 7, 2022
The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars have been continuing the lower metal repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420 which is in at our Suffolk
The Other Side – Metal Repairs on the Passenger Side of the 1986 Daimler DS420
September 1, 2022
As the work is being carried out on the other side of the 1986 Daimler DS420, our fabrication team have been working on the passenger
Capped – Repairing the Arches and Sills on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 31, 2022
The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy carrying out further metal repairs to the sides of the classic Daimler limousine. The team
New Metal – Repairing the Drivers Rear Wheel Arch on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 23, 2022
The fabrication team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been busy working on repairing the inner and outer wheel arch on the 1986
Inch Perfect – Handmaking Rear Sills on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 17, 2022
The 1986 Daimler DS420, which is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop, has had its rear sills and parts of the floors made
Underneath – Repairing the Rear Valance on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 9, 2022
The fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been continuing to work on the 1986 Daimler DS420 in for restoration. This time,
Going Deeper – Assessing the Rear Wings and Sills of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 28, 2022
The fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk restoration HQ have begun to look deeper into the corrosion on the bottom of the 1986
Repairs – Inspecting and Repairing the Arch and Sill on the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 28, 2022
The 1986 Daimler DS420 in with Bridge Classic Cars for restoration has been in with our fabrication team to have its arches and sills repaired.
At the Ready – Priming the Bonnet and Boot of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 22, 2022
The boot and bonnet of the 1986 Daimler DS420 have been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop for their next round of work in
Fresh Metal – Door Repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 22, 2022
The other door of the 1986 Daimler DS420 has been on the bench in the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop to have various metal repairs.
Preparations – Working on the Bonnet and Boot of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 19, 2022
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on preparing the bonnet and boot of the 1986 Daimler DS420 for primer.
Readied – Priming the Doors of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 14, 2022
After their metal repairs were completed by the fabrication shop, the doors for the 1986 Daimler DS420 have been taken into the Bridge Classic Cars
Inch by Inch – Repairing the Doors on the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 14, 2022
As part of the restoration of the 1986 Daimler DS420, the team have been carrying out various metal repairs to the doors of the classic
2 Classics Go Home
March 22, 2023
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 and our 1970 Bristol 411 have left the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and are now on their way back to their owner in the Netherlands.
Both cars have been completely transformed from how they looked when they first arrived with us and we are very excited to see them be reunited with their owner. The 1970 Bristol 411 was a right-hand drive vehicle before our team of classic car technicians converted it to a left-hand drive. Once converted it was rebuilt and eventually turned into the beautiful classic car you can see in the images below.
The 1986 Daimler DS420 originated in America before being brought to us. Since being in the workshop, its colour has changed from white to blue and various other issues have been resolved to get the car into the condition it leaves us in.
After a lot of time and effort, it is always great to see restored cars leaving the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and being returned to their owners.
We hope our customer enjoys their restored classics and we look forward to seeing them being driven on the roads in the Netherlands.
Working On The Calipers Of Our DS420
February 22, 2023
Classic car technician Steve has been working on fitting new brake calipers to our 1986 Daimler DS420.
It is quite a tricky job to get to the calipers so Steve spent quite a bit of time underneath the impressive limousine.
As progress is being made on our DS420, it shouldn’t be too much longer before it is able to leave the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and be returned to 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.
Rebuilding And Rust Protection
February 6, 2023
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 continues to be put back together. Classic car technician Steve carried on putting the front end back together before moving on to apply rust protection in the rear arches.
The rear end was also put back together.
Steve made a new bush for the throttle linkage as he found that the old one was missing. This was causing excessive play. The new bush resolved this issue.
As work continues on rebuilding our 1986 Daimler DS420, it is becoming more apparent that the finished vehicle will be a great-looking limo-style classic car.
Ready For Wheels
January 31, 2023
Classic car technician Chris has been undersealing our 1986 Daimler DS420. Since making its way to us from America, our DS420 has undergone a big transformation including being painted blue instead of its original white colour.
As this mammoth vehicle has been put back together, jobs like the undersealing have kept our workshop team busy.
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 will soon have its wheels put on too. These are also looking good and will make the car look even better as it continues to move through its restoration journey.
Rebuild Progress
January 23, 2023
Classic car technician Scott has continued rebuilding our 1986 Daimler DS420.
While rebuilding our American limo, Scott also completed some of the trim and other interior work. Alongside his rebuilding efforts, Scott stripped the brake master ready for it to be rebuilt too.
Scott wasn’t the only technician working on our DS420 lately, as classic car technician Steve also had his focus on this imposing vehicle.
Steve fitted new thread inserts to the window frame after the corroded panel had been replaced. He also fitted new internal parts of the fuel flap locking mechanism as the old ones were missing. The rear bumper fixings were cleaned and sprayed before Steve went on to replace the old rear subframe mounts that had fallen apart.
The off-side front brake pipe needed to be replaced as it was corroded and broke when the front subframe was removed during welding so Steve did this.
The front inner wings had rust protection applied before the front end was reassembled as well.
Putting our 1986 Daimler DS420 back together is a big job and one that only skilled technicians are able to do. Luckily our workshop team have been restoring classic cars for a long time so it won’t be too long before this one is back in one piece again.
Inside the Bridge Classic Cars Workshop – January 2023
January 20, 2023
Molly recently spent some time in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and took a closer look at some of our current projects.
The Rebuild Continues
January 16, 2023
The rebuild of our 1986 Daimler DS420 has continued over the last week. Classic car technician Scott has been busy putting this imposing vehicle back together.
As well as rebuilding our American DS420, Scott has also been undersealing various parts. He also spent time cleaning and refitting parts of the trim too.
Steve has also been working on our 1986 Daimler DS420. He has been cutting out new door handle gaskets and sealing the seams on the rear quarter lower section of the car. Steve also sealed the new panels in the same section. On both rear quarter window openings, Steve sealed the spot welds too.
This large classic vehicle also had the attention of classic car technician Brian as well. Brian has been looking at the roof of our Daimler limo. He glued the vinyl flaps around the back edge of the rear section before bolting the hood cover to the car. He then glued and riveted the inner cover corners to the car body and screwed the back edge of the hood to the car too.
Once this was complete, Brian moved inside the car to glue the inner cover corners in place and then fitted the roof finisher. The metal channel and rubber seal were fitted to the roof finisher and the rear hood was also fitted.
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 has come a long way since it first arrived in the workshop from America. Not only is it now a different colour (it was initially white), it continues to make good progress through its restoration.
Being Put Back Together
November 28, 2022
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 has been going through the process of being put back together after recently getting a new coat of paint.
The doors of this large classic car have been reattached and the new paintwork is looking good!
Since it first arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, our 1986 Daimler DS420 has undergone lots of restoration work and it now looks very different to how it did when it first arrived.
While its time in the paint shop might be getting closer to coming to an end, there’s still more work to be done on our DS420. Our expert team of classic car technicians will continue working on this classic limousine until it is ready to leave us and get back out on the road.
In the meantime though, the below photos show the new paintwork and the current state of this classic car.
1986 Daimler DS420 – Prep And Paint
November 21, 2022
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 has had a new coat of paint!
Before its final coat could be applied though, the entire car and its components needed to have primer applied,
Some of the parts of this classic car had to be removed and prepped separately from the rest of the vehicle. These were painted on both their interior and external surfaces while they were detached from the main body of the car.
The car itself was also prepped for painting. It was masked up before getting its final coat of paint applied.
To make sure our 1986 Daimler DS420 looks its very best, classic car technician Chris polished the newly painted doors. As you can see from the progress photos below, this makes a big difference to the overall final look of the doors.
Now that our DS420 has been painted, it looks very different to how it did when it first arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop all the way from the United States of America. There is still a good amount of restoration work needing to be done but progress is certainly being made and this classic car continues to get better and better.
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.
Body Shaping Begins
October 26, 2022
Classic car technician Chris recently started the body shaping process on our 1986 Daimler DS420.
Quite a bit of restoration work has already been completed on this classic car and things certainly aren’t slowing down as progress continues to be made.
Epoxy Primer
October 11, 2022
Chris has been working on our 1986 Daimler DS420, putting on the epoxy primer ready for further painting.
He first masked the car and gave it a final rub down before applying the primer. This will create a good base for the top coat of paint to bond to. It will also prevent corrosion and rust from forming which will give a high-quality finish to the car.
Front Crossmember Removal
September 26, 2022
In order to carry on getting our 1986 Daimler DS420 restored, classic car technician, Dave, has had to remove the front crossmember.
This is an important component of the car as it helps maintain stability (among other things) so the repair and replacement is something only skilled technicians, like those at Bridge Classic Cars, should consider doing.
Gaining Access To Corrosion Areas On The 1986 Daimler DS420
September 22, 2022
The team of classic car technicians at Bridge Classic Cars found some areas of corrosion on our 1986 Daimler DS420 a little while ago.
In order to fully inspect all of the corrosion areas, the team have had to gain access to some tricky parts of the car.
Recently, the servo was removed to give our classic car technicians better access to specific areas of corrosion. Once removed, work could begin to resolve some of the corrosion issues as the Daimler continues its journey of restoration.
New bottom section fitted
September 16, 2022
Monty and Christian are working together on our Daimler project. We are hoping that the body repairs will be completed within the next week or so. The front arch lips and rear bottom sections have now been shaped and welded into position.
Work continues on the metal fabrication
September 14, 2022
The metal fabrication work continues on the body of our Daimler DS420. Old, corroded metal is being cut out and replaced by brand new panels that have been meticulously produced by our skilled technicians Christian and Monty.
It is vital that no corrosion is left untouched in a restoration project as any areas that have not been addressed, rust will continue to grow and will eventually get hold of the new metalwork.
Monty and Christian are hoping that they are now on the final straight in the time consuming task of the treating the rust areas. Once this part of the project is done the car will be handed over to the paint team for paint preparation.
Intricacy – Further Metal Repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420
September 7, 2022
The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars have been continuing the lower metal repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420 which is in at our Suffolk HQ.
Our fabricator Monty has been going through each section of the DS420 to get the metalwork in perfect condition. This time, the team have been working on repairing the front lower sill and inner arch.
Any section of corrosion has been carefully cut out and the area treated and neutralised before the handmade patch panels were put together, refined and welded into the car. The team have been working to tight tolerances and making sure that the structure and strength were put back into the areas.
The Other Side – Metal Repairs on the Passenger Side of the 1986 Daimler DS420
September 1, 2022
As the work is being carried out on the other side of the 1986 Daimler DS420, our fabrication team have been working on the passenger side of the car at the same time.
One of our amazing fabricators, Chris, has been working on removing any corrosion from the classic limousine. Much like the other side of the car, the team have been focusing on the rear arches, inner arches, sills and front arches. Every time an area is in need of repair, Chris would create handmade patch panels specifically for the area they were needed in recreating much of the sills and inner arches by hand.
Capped – Repairing the Arches and Sills on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 31, 2022
The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy carrying out further metal repairs to the sides of the classic Daimler limousine.
The team are working their way through repairing the inner and outer wheel arches along with extensive repairs to the sills of the car. These have been cut back the area to expose any corrosion which ad begun to run deep into the underside of the car. All of the area was then treated to neutralise any rust issues before the team began to make the various patch pieces needed to rebuild the structure into the car.
Both wheel arches have also been cut out and repaired as part of the work.
New Metal – Repairing the Drivers Rear Wheel Arch on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 23, 2022
The fabrication team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been busy working on repairing the inner and outer wheel arch on the 1986 Daimler DS420.
The team have uncovered areas of heavy corrosion in the lower parts of the classic Daimler. These are being systematically cut out of the car and replaced with new handmade patch panels, including the rear arches.
The team have thoroughly inspected any areas of corrosion and removed any affected material to bring it back to clean, strong metal to work from. From there, the team have made up the individual pieces needed to recreate the missing parts. Each of these is then carefully tacked into place to avoid warping certain areas and then finish welded.
Inch Perfect – Handmaking Rear Sills on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 17, 2022
The 1986 Daimler DS420, which is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop, has had its rear sills and parts of the floors made from scratch.
The bottom of the classic Daimler has areas of heavy corrosion which must be addressed and repaired by the team. For this, our fabricator Monty has made up and hand-shaped these pieces specifically for the car. With carefully bending and working the material to get into shape while also adding the beading to give the metal strength when welded into the body.
Each piece was spot welded into the car to avoid warping which can cause the subsequent pieces to fit incorrectly into the car.
The team will continue to get the classic DS420 back into new metal in the areas needed.
Underneath – Repairing the Rear Valance on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 9, 2022
The fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been continuing to work on the 1986 Daimler DS420 in for restoration.
This time, the team have been handmaking several patch panels to the inner structure of the rear wings which were then plug welded into the body for strength. Then, they could move on to hand making one of the bigger patch panels needed.
This piece runs along the entire bottom edge at the back of the car. From a flat sheet of steel, the team have shaped and tweaked the panel into shape for a direct replacement. Shrinking and stretching the bottom edges to match the curve of the panel. Once in shape, the team could weld and smooth in the end caps which have been completely made by hand by our fabricator Monty.
Then, the whole piece could be test fit to see if any areas needed clearancing the bodywork to accept the new piece.
Going Deeper – Assessing the Rear Wings and Sills of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 28, 2022
The fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk restoration HQ have begun to look deeper into the corrosion on the bottom of the 1986 Daimler DS420.
The fabrication team began by cutting a section of the bottom of the Offside Rear Wing which had corroded on the bottom before removing the outer skin of the wing around the entire arch all the way down to the sill.
At the sill, they have trimmed back the outer sill to expose the inner structure to check for any corrosion or damage to that area.
Repairs – Inspecting and Repairing the Arch and Sill on the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 28, 2022
The 1986 Daimler DS420 in with Bridge Classic Cars for restoration has been in with our fabrication team to have its arches and sills repaired.
The team have begun the process of stripping back and removing any affected metal to a solid starting point to build out from. The first piece was replacing the wheel arch which had corroded before then moving rearward along the bottom of the classic limousine.
A new handmade patch panel, which was shaped to perfectly match the gentle flair at the bottom of the arch was carefully made and fitted onto the car.
As the team began to inspect and assess the sills of the DS420, they noted the corrosion was quite deep in some areas and would require the area to be repaired and built back up in stages to retain the rigidity of the car.
Working from the rear, the team have begun to cut away any affected areas to gain more access to inspect and repair the sills and channels.
At the Ready – Priming the Bonnet and Boot of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 22, 2022
The boot and bonnet of the 1986 Daimler DS420 have been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop for their next round of work in the lead-up to paint.
The team have carefully rubbed back all of the pannels on-top and underneath before getting the pieces into primer followed by a light coat of Polyfan. This will act as a guide coat for the team when sanding to help identify any low spots which will need to be addressed in order to achieve a perfect finish on the car.
Fresh Metal – Door Repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 22, 2022
The other door of the 1986 Daimler DS420 has been on the bench in the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop to have various metal repairs.
The door of the classic Daimler has suffered some quite serious corrosion in places which have been carefully cut from the door for the team to begin making hand-made patches for the car.
Each of these pieces, after being formed, is then test fit and adjusted to make sure the final fitment is perfect before Monty, one of our fabricators, final welds them into their place making sure each individual piece interacts with any other pieces around it.
Preparations – Working on the Bonnet and Boot of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 19, 2022
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on preparing the bonnet and boot of the 1986 Daimler DS420 for primer.
Both were removed from the car, which is in our fabrication department, to be moved to the body area for the team to finesse. The panels were carefully inspected before their hardware was stripped back and catalogued and the sanding could begin.
A guide coat was applied before sanding to highlight any low spots which could be addressed before the first stay of epoxy primer which will be done shortly.
Readied – Priming the Doors of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 14, 2022
After their metal repairs were completed by the fabrication shop, the doors for the 1986 Daimler DS420 have been taken into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop to be primered.
The doors were first thoroughly cleaned down before the team set them onto the door jigs to be sprayed. The first stage is to get the panels into Epoxy Primer to stop any rust from forming on the bare metal doors. These will then go on to be reworked by the team until perfect and keep going through various sanding and priming stages until they’re ready for paint and then reunited with the body.
Inch by Inch – Repairing the Doors on the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 14, 2022
As part of the restoration of the 1986 Daimler DS420, the team have been carrying out various metal repairs to the doors of the classic limo.
Our fabrication shop has made multiple patch pieces for the car which all have to be perfect fits to work around the complex compound curves which make up door jams and recesses, while also having the correct orientation to fit into the door openings on the body once closed.
The fabrication team have also replaced the bottom corner of the door due to quite heavy corrosion.
With all of the metal repairs done on the doors, it was time to get them moved over to our paint and body shop for the team to continue the restorative work.
