Coming Together

Our 2022 Bridge C-type Replica has been making good progress recently.

Our team of classic car technicians have been busy putting everything together and this very special vehicle is starting to take shape.

Despite there still being quite a bit more work to do, it is already very obvious that this is an extremely exciting and great-looking car!

Piecing Together – Finishing the Wiring and Dashboard of the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The workshop team have been carrying on with the work on our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica.

They have been carefully running each part of the custom wiring harness for the car and making sure all of its routing is precise and orderly throughout the car and under the dashboard and around the steering column.

At the same time, the team have been putting together the dashboard and instrument cluster to go into the car and be completely wired up.

Coming Together – Fitting Up Our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

Priming the Pump – Painting the Water Pump on the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The water pump from the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica has been prepared and painted by the Bridge Classic Cars paint team ready for the car.

The team carefully prepped the classic Jaguar pump on the bench before it was then hung in the paint shop to first be finished in a hard, durable primer and then finished in a tough-wearing black ready to go back on the car.

Milestone – Test Fitting the Exhaust to the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

As part of the build-up of the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, the team have test-fit the new side exit exhausts.

After fitting up the manifold through to the downpipe, the workshop team had to carefully and accurately open up the recess in the body for the new exhaust to fit through. The exhaust on the C-Type Replica runs along the side and is tucked up inside of a recess on the passenger side of the car. This took several stages, each time making the hole slightly wider to fit the exhaust through safely and within the original spec of the car.

From there, the team could fit up the exhaust hangers to the body and put everything together for its final test fit!

Braking Point – Making Brake Lines for our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The team at Bridge Classic Cars have moved their attention to plumbing up the brake lines on the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica.

Jon, one of our workshop technicians, has handmade all the various brake hard lines needed for the classic Le Mans racer. Each of these lines was measured, cut and bent to work around the various pieces of the frame and other systems within the engine bay of the car.

From the master cylinder out to the fittings, each pieces was made by hand and test fit into the car before the inner wings are to be removed and readied for their first stages of paint.

In Place – Fitting the Straight-Six into our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The team in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop have begun to put the straight-six into the nose of our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica. Jon worked alongside Josh, during his work experience, to install the gearbox onto the engine before hooking it up to our engine hoist to begin the process of getting the whole assembly into the car.

The team masked up and covered over any freshly painted pieces to avoid damaging them while also making sure anything needed to be removed for the installation was taken off the engine or the car before-hand. During the lowering process, the team discovered the oil pump would need to be changed to the alternative ”bowl” style in order to clear the frame. So, the engine came back out once more for the team to make the changes and try again.

After the oil pump was changed, the team could begin the process again of getting the engine into its final place. Inch by inch, the engine and gearbox were brought forwards toward the engine bay. Jon made the slightest of adjustments to the chains that suspended it above the delicate frame.

After the gearbox had slipped past the firewall, the team got together to slowly lower the engine block down into place. In order to get enough angle for the engine to sit perfectly in place, Jon had removed the gearbox mounts in the cockpit of the classic Le Mans car. The team then had to remove one engine mount in order to slip behind the steering column and then rebolt and tighten the bracket into place.

Finally, the help of a few sets of hands and some careful pushing and pulling, the glorious heart of our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica was firmly in place.

With the engine now firmly in place on the C-Type Replica, our workshop and fabricators could begin work on getting the brakes and electrical system into the car for a test fit. But, it wouldn’t be complete without trying the beautiful new manifolds on the engine just to get a feel for what the engine bay of this incredible project will look like when finished.

We can’t wait to bring you more very soon on the build of our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica!

Somewhere to Sit – Making the Seats for the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

Brian, our lead trimmer at Bridge Classic Cars, has been making the seats for our latest project – the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica.

Brian has been on trying to make the seats fit exactly as they would have on the original car it is based on. Handmaking each of the pieces that will make up the seats for our C-Type Replica is what truly makes our in-house trim shop, what we believe, the best in the business.

As the project moves forward, we’re excited to see the car take shape.

From the Ground Up – Making Seat Backs for our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

Brian, our lead trimmer at Bridge Classic Cars, has been working on creating the seatbacks for the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica.

The pieces have been made by Brian and are being entirely trimmed and fitted by hand to the very highest specification for this very special project. The padding for the bolsters on the C-Type Replica is trimmed, shaped and folded onto the seats to perfectly fit under the new covers which are also being worked on.

Just wait until you see the covers…

Coming Together – Body Has Arrived for our Bridge C-Type Replica

The body for our personal project has arrived! This will form the outer skin for our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica.

This is a project we are going to be working on for ourselves. Allowing each member of the team here at Bridge to work on the car towards a single goal.

Complete Set – Seats for the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica are Finished

If the hard work and craft of our in-house trim expert Lydia could be been summed up in one single project it would be the seats for the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica.

These seats were templated and handmade from the original seats we borrowed from a good friend of Bridge Classic Cars. These pieces, finished in striking vibrant red look absolutely sensational just sat on the trim shop bench let alone in the cockpit of this incredible car.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Guard Duty – Handmaking Splash Guards in the Bonnet of our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The fabrication team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on creating several bespoke handmade pieces under the bonnet of the C-Type Replica.

Clinton, one of our fabricators, has hand-formed each of these splash guards to make sure they have a tight and flush fit under the bonnet. These pieces were then test fit into the car with pull clips during mockup to make sure none of the other pieces currently underway will interfere with the guards.

Structures – Building Up The Bonnet Of Our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on getting the support pieces and substructures made and installed on the C-Type Replica.

The team began by fixing the aluminium edge supports into the tub which makes up the bonnet of the car. These are used to strengthen the piece as well as help it locate into the bonnet catches and edge.

Once these pieces had been test fit and held in place, the fabrication shop could work on the other aluminium pieces and braces into the classic Le Mans car.

Moving Along – Progress on Our Very Special 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The team at Bridge Classic Cars have been making progress on our very special C-Type Replica.

The fabrication and body teams have worked on getting the front clamshell onto the nose of the classic racer. This was just a rough fitting of the piece onto the car along with the fitting of the newly finished wire wheels onto the hubs of the car. The team fit these up after the nose was put on the car to check clearances and the steering system for any binding or interference.

Then, the classic Le Mans racer was pushed out of the fabrication bay and moved on its wheels for the first time in the project. It was then taken around to our restoration workshops to be fitted with its custom made placement jig. This is being used to perfectly align the large front clamshell to the rest of the body during its adjustments.

Stuck Together – Welding Aluminium Parts for the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

Our fabricator, Clinton, has been working on more of the aluminium pieces for our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica. Each of the hand-made pieces has been test fitted into the car to double-check tolerances before being taken out and cleaned.

After cleaning, Clinton could weld them up on the bench to create their final and complete shape before rechecking their fitment in the car.

Straight and Narrow – Aligning the Nose of the 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica

The Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop have worked on creating a series of alignment spars for the nose of our very special C-Type Replica.

The team have have formed an aluminium rib which runs around the edge of the clamshell and will help with the alignment of the one piece front end and help the entire piece close evenly and accurately.

Sneak Peek – Behind the Scenes of an Upcoming Project

We’ll let you in on something but you need to promise to keep it a secret. Promise? Ok, we’ll tell you then.

Our in-house engine builder is pulling this straight-six from our donor parts car for a project that we’re going to be doing for ourselves. Since the E Type Racer has left to its new home, everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars needed something we could call our own.

What is it? Well, you’ll need to keep an eye on our news page for updates on this and our other projects.