Tamas and Paul, our in-house restoration technicians have been busy refitting the wiring harness, accessories, engine and gearbox back into the 1998 Honda Integra Type
The in-house trim experts at Bridge Classic Cars have been hard at work. Teaming up to conquer the interior of the 1970 Dodge Charger. One
Peony Red, the 1960 Jensen 541S, is reaching the end of its restoration and its pre-delivery inspection. So it’s time to get the last few
Our in-house engine builder at Bridge Classic Cars, Ady, has been working at trying to get to the bottom of the oil leak with the
The frame and body for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 that is with us here at Bridge Classic Cars have been separated ahead of the
The 1954 Jaguar MkVII that was in with us for restoration is back in the workshop to look into a leak from under the car.
Chris and the paint shop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been hard at work on the front bumper of the 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera
There’s always certain parts of any build that can be classed as milestone moments. That rings especially true for the first time the chassis is
Those who have been following the blog for a while may remember the 1994 Piaggio Ape we talked about back in July. Well, it is
Our incredibly talented trim-shop experts have been hard at work on the 1970 Dodge Charger currently in at Bridge Classic Cars. Next on the list
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body experts have been busy assessing the 1977 MGB Roadster that is in with us for Aesthetic restoration. Chris
The doors on the 1951 Riley RMB have got some beautiful wooden trims inset around the window openings. Sometimes it’s best to leave things like
Kath has been working on test fitting the carpet on the 1970 Dodge Charger in the trim shop of Bridge Classic Cars. To check the
The freshly painted 1998 Honda Integra Type R is out of the paint booth after its sympathetic respray here at Bridge Classic Cars. Now it’s
Our incredible in-house paint team have begun work on the part repairs to the 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera S at Bridge Classic Cars. There were
We’ve been waiting on the radiator/gearbox cooler for the 1999 Mercedes E55 AMG, but it is now in the car ready for it to be
Our master fabricator James has been busy in the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop carefully and methodically recreating the windshield surround on the 1951 Riley
Our 1966 Sunbeam Alpine is freshly back from its time at the 78th Goodwood Members Meeting last weekend and it’s now time to have its
Just into the workshop is this stunning 2008 Porsche 997 911 Carrera S in black that has got a small bit of damage to the
This 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible is having a list of things done to it by Bridge Classic Cars in Suffolk, UK but next up on
Coming soon to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this stunning 1969 Mercedes Benz 250SE Automatic W111 Coupe! This will be making its way into
The 1970 Dodge Charger is in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop to be fitted out with its interior. Brian, one of our in-house
This 1930 Packard 740 Series Waterfield Convertible has been in at Bridge Classic Cars recently for a check over and service. Currently, our Workshop Manager
This 1963 Jaguar MkII 3.4 is back in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop after its recent overhaul to investigate an oil leak from underneath this
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body specialists need to know they’ve done a job absolutely right. So, once the 1984 BMW 635CSi came in
New to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this 1977 MG B Roadster. It is in with us for a full aesthetic restoration which will
This is one of the seats from the 1971 Morris Traveller 1000 which has been announced as the latest car to be won on Bridge
This 1974 Triumph was in with us to have a look into a wiring issue caused by a mouse while being stored in a customer’s
As with any classic car, you want to try and exercise a certain amount of reserve and caution when working on them. Try to be
Our dear friends at Calm Indian Cow have been in Cornwall recently! They were catering a wedding down in the West Country so of course,
Tamas and Paul, our in-house restoration technicians have been busy refitting the wiring harness, accessories, engine and gearbox back into the 1998 Honda Integra Type R that is in at Bridge Classic Cars.
Using reference photos and the catalogued parts from the dismantling of the car, the whole engine bay now looks as good as new.
Next stages for the Integra will be to get the vehicle back together before final check overs. Expect to see more here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
The in-house trim experts at Bridge Classic Cars have been hard at work. Teaming up to conquer the interior of the 1970 Dodge Charger.
One of the jobs on the list for the interior refit was to fit the signature dome light. This involved a small hole in the brand new headliner for the wires to be passed through. Thankfully with the skill of our trim fitters, you would never know it was ever there and the outings all lined up to be able to secure the light to the roof.
Next up, Brian began to work on getting the new rearview mirrors to the doors of the Charger. These mirrors are so iconic to the Charger that their placement is crucial. Brian, one of our in house trim experts, carefully measured up and mocked up the mirrors countless times before drilling the holes for the fixings to pass through. Once in place, the mechanisms to control the mirrors can be installed to make them fully functional.
Peony Red, the 1960 Jensen 541S, is reaching the end of its restoration and its pre-delivery inspection. So it’s time to get the last few finishing touches completed and in the car.
One of these systems that is being finished by our in-house trim experts is the sound system. Peony Red has got a modern stereo unit, although it is a classic-looking head unit it is thoroughly up to date. With that, it does require a set of new speakers.
Kath has been working on making new speaker boxes from scratch for the car. These were made from a simple wooden box but finished in matching carpet to the rest of the interior to blend into the car and be completely useable for her new owner.
Just because it’s a classic car, doesn’t mean you can’t have some of the modern luxuries. We think its a good balance of old and new in this stunning 1960 Jensen 541S
Our in-house engine builder at Bridge Classic Cars, Ady, has been working at trying to get to the bottom of the oil leak with the 1963 Jaguar MkII 3.4.
At idle, the engine would behave itself perfectly. Not a spot of oil but any higher in the revs and it would begin to leak. Ady has spent countless hours hanging over the engine bay of the MkII trying to get to the root cause of the issue. He believes he has found the cause.
Upon inspection for the oil leak, Ady has found the bores in several cylinders to be heavily scored.
With some of the pistons, the rings have too much play in them and allow a lot of the cylinder head pressure to escape past the rings, down the cylinder and into the crankcase. With this added pressure, it begins to push the oil out to any opening that may have a weakness.
The rear main seal on the MkII 3.4’s is a split seal design. Meaning at the bottom engine they are cut to allow them to be slipped into place during installation. This, with the added crankcase pressure, has been pushing the oil from the crankcase through the rear seal and out. So a combination of pistons slop, ring movement and too much crankcase pressure have been causing the leak we have been searching for.
The only remedy for this in Ady’s experience, is a full engine rebuild with new parts including a rebore to clean up the cylinder walls.
Keep an eye on the Bridge Classic Cars blog for more updates on the MkII 3.4.
The frame and body for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 that is with us here at Bridge Classic Cars have been separated ahead of the frame being sent off for powder coating.
The body will remain here with our in-house paint and body teams to continue work while we wait for the other parts to come back.
Powder coating frames gives not only the best finish but the best protection for the chassis so it’s worthwhile having it done to this amazing car.
The 1954 Jaguar MkVII that was in with us for restoration is back in the workshop to look into a leak from under the car.
Upon inspection by the Bridge Classic Cars restoration team, it was found to be an issue with a gearbox seal. This has been sent away to a specialist gearbox expert to have the proper rectified in order to the engine and gearbox back in the car as soon as possible.
Keep a look out on the News Page for more updates on the Jaguar MkVII
Chris and the paint shop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been hard at work on the front bumper of the 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera S in for some paint repairs on the front bumper.
Rather than try to blend the paint into the existing finish, Chris thought to get a better result would be to entirely repaint the bumper and match it to the body.
As you can see, the results look fantastic. Now, the Carrera is ready to go back home to its adoring owner.
There’s always certain parts of any build that can be classed as milestone moments. That rings especially true for the first time the chassis is reunited with its powertrain.
This 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster being built by us here at Bridge Classic Cars has just met that fabled milestone. The built 5 litre V12 is now safely in place between the immaculately restored frame rails and securely in the car. Scott has been working hard to get all the necessary systems in place for a few days before the engine was carefully lowered into position. Firstly to ensure they will fit and secondly so that no damage is done to the long list of refurbished or brand new parts.
The engine looks incredible inside the car. In terms of its packaging, it is a feat of engineering to fit an engine this large in such a compact but stylish skin.
Once Scott has finalised the installation into the car, it will then be time to get everything hooked up and ready to be tested.
Those who have been following the blog for a while may remember the 1994 Piaggio Ape we talked about back in July.
Well, it is now in our workshop being inspected ahead of its MOT. Our in-house restoration team at Bridge Classic Cars wanted to check over all the systems on the van/scooter to make sure there would be no problems.
During loading at our storage unit at RAF Bentwaters, Mauro (whose grandfather originally owned this amazing little car) found the throttle cable had snapped so as soon as he got back to the workshop, a new replacement was put on order. While waiting for the cable, Mauro began to strip down the brakes and bearings on the Ape to inspect all of the components and make sure everything was in tip-top condition.
The front drum apparently needs a new shoe but apart from that the little machine seems to be in very good condition.
We’re looking forward to having fun with this one!
Our incredibly talented trim-shop experts have been hard at work on the 1970 Dodge Charger currently in at Bridge Classic Cars.
Next on the list of pieces that need to be done in order is the rear parcel shelf. For this, Kath had to make it from scratch. Creating a tight-fitting template, it was then cut from ply and covered to match the rest of the interior.
Kath even repainted the original fixings to make sure all originality could be kept and create a uniform look to the car.
After it was wrapped in matching material, the trim team fit it into the car and it looks absolutely amazing in the back of this wonderful muscle car.
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body experts have been busy assessing the 1977 MGB Roadster that is in with us for Aesthetic restoration.
Chris and the team careful began to take apart and inspect every aspect of the car. Removing the interior to assess condition but also to gain access to vital structural parts of the car’s chassis. In all, the car’s underpinnings were in relatively good shape. However, some of the body panels will require work done to them in order for this stunning little roadster to be in the best condition possible.
Chris and Lydia then began to remove the paint for each of the panels to assess any more repairs that will be needed in terms of bodywork.
The doors on the 1951 Riley RMB have got some beautiful wooden trims inset around the window openings. Sometimes it’s best to leave things like carpentry to the specialists who know and understand the material they’re working with more than anyone else.
So, the doors have been sent off to local joiners Ashbocking Joinery to be refurbished. These are a very important part of the aesthetic of the car not only the door so as with everything we do, we only want it to be the highest standard for our client.
We can’t wait to show you what they look like when we get them back! Keep an eye out here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
Kath has been working on test fitting the carpet on the 1970 Dodge Charger in the trim shop of Bridge Classic Cars.
To check the best fit on the carpet, she has had to mock up the rear seat in place. It looks incredible! The carpet does need to be stretched and skillfully manipulated into its final place but the results so far are looking amazing.
More very soon on the 1970 Dodge Charger here at Bridge Classic Cars.
The freshly painted 1998 Honda Integra Type R is out of the paint booth after its sympathetic respray here at Bridge Classic Cars. Now it’s time for our in-house restoration technicians to begin putting everything back together.
As you may have seen previously, the engine bay on the Integra Type R has been cleaned up and resprayed in its factory Championship White. Now the paint has cured it’s time to refit all the systems under the bonnet. Tom and Paul have been working on getting all the pipework and components back to their original locations while also taking extreme care as to not undo any of the hard work done by our in-house painters.
Soon, it will be time drop the engine back in…
Our incredible in-house paint team have begun work on the part repairs to the 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera S at Bridge Classic Cars.
There were a few small scuffs and scratches in several areas of the bump. Carefully, Chris and his team removed the bumper from the car in order to prepare it for assessment and the repairs needed.
With that, the plan was made to entirely repaint the front bumper. Carefully colour matching the paint to the rest of the car, Chris got the bumper into the booth and laid down several coats of gloss black onto the panel.
We’ve been waiting on the radiator/gearbox cooler for the 1999 Mercedes E55 AMG, but it is now in the car ready for it to be tested.
Some may remember from the previous post, our technician Paul, found a leak coming from the radiator which on the E55’s also acts as a gearbox cooler. Unfortunately, this required it to be replaced with a brand new unit to ensure both the V8 and its gearbox remain well within their operating temperatures.
Now that the new unit is in the car, our in house technicians can begin testing the various systems to ensure that this ’90s super wagon is ready to be used and enjoyed.
Our master fabricator James has been busy in the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop carefully and methodically recreating the windshield surround on the 1951 Riley RMB.
Using traditional shaping methods, James has recreated the original tops of the cowl/windshield surround. The shape is complex with many compound curves and edges but that is no trouble for our in-house fabrication shop. Carefully manipulating the metal through the English wheel and the shrink/stretcher, James managed to create the same sweeps and bends of the original.
Then with the hammer and dolly, finessing the final shape into place. Then, it was time to do it all over again for the otherside. The only way to create this piece was in two separate parts. The skill that our master fabricators have is the seamlessly blend them together.
The two halves were then welded together to create one entire panel that can be fitted into the windshield surround. Later, the welds will be ground back to create a smooth finished piece and then cut down to size for the perfect fit.
Our 1966 Sunbeam Alpine is freshly back from its time at the 78th Goodwood Members Meeting last weekend and it’s now time to have its tonneau cover fitted.
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim experts worked hard to get the new cover fitted and sitting just right on the back of this bright blue ’60s sportscar. Brian worked on getting the hardware fitted into the body of the car in just the right place to tightly pull the black cover in each way to make sure it flowed and sat well on the car.
Our in-house trim team can work wonders with just about any material they are given for a job. This, is a perfect example of the time, care and dedication given to a job by Brian, Kath and Lydia.
On Thursday (October 21st) the car will be part of a live draw over on our Facebook page where we will find out who the next lucky owner of this wonderful little sports car will be.
Tickets are still available! Just click the link below to head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website.
Just into the workshop is this stunning 2008 Porsche 997 911 Carrera S in black that has got a small bit of damage to the front bumper.
Not a problem for the Bridge Classic Cars paint team who will assess the damage to the panel and work their magic to get this immaculate example of the worldwide loved sportscar back to perfect condition.
Follow along on the Bridge Classic Cars blog page.
This 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible is having a list of things done to it by Bridge Classic Cars in Suffolk, UK but next up on the jobs is a spark plug change.
Mauro, our in-house restoration technician, has been working deep in the engine bay of the Mustang. As you can see by the photos, the sparkplugs that were in the Mustang had been in there for quite some time. With that, it was decided to renew them as part of the refresh being done on the car. As with all old spark plugs, you need to be very careful as they can be quite fragile.
So, Mauro gently eased the plugs out of the cylinder head ready to be inspected. They were heavily corroded on the mounts and also the ground straps and electrodes were covered in carbon. New plugs it was for this unique muscle car. Mauro also decided to inspect and clean up the threads in the cylinder head ready for the new spark plugs.
With the new spark plugs in the car, it was just a case of getting the leads back on the car according to its firing order ready for when we first fire up the V8.
Coming soon to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this stunning 1969 Mercedes Benz 250SE Automatic W111 Coupe!
This will be making its way into us for assessment ahead of the plans that are being considered for its future. This is an incredible example of the W111 and 1960s German luxury which Mercedes were renowned for from its earliest days all the way to the present day.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for any updates on this gorgeous example.
The 1970 Dodge Charger is in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop to be fitted out with its interior.
Brian, one of our in-house trim experts, has been cleaning up the Dashboard and Centre Console ready to be put into the car when that point comes. With such effort being put into the fit and finish of the pieces for the rest of the interior, Brian got to work getting the dash and console up to the same standard.
Now with these and the kick panels all up to the same standard as the rest of the car, it was time to safely store these pieces away for when the time comes to install them into the car.
This 1930 Packard 740 Series Waterfield Convertible has been in at Bridge Classic Cars recently for a check over and service.
Currently, our Workshop Manager John has been looking into an issue with the alignment of the front end. The front end of the car isn’t quite right, so some adjustment is needed on the car to make sure it tracks straight and true. Normally this can be done quite easily but with the Packard, everything is slightly different.
The steering arm located under the front axle won’t rotate enough for John to adjust the alignment on the car. For that, John tried to remove the ball joint on one side in order to unscrew one side and then adjust it out that way. Except the ball joint won’t come loose.
These pre-war cars carry a lot of weight on the front axle so their alignment is very important. John is trying several different ways to get the steering arm loose to make sure this beautiful piece of 1930s American luxury, tracks absolutely straight.
This 1963 Jaguar MkII 3.4 is back in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop after its recent overhaul to investigate an oil leak from underneath this impressive tourer.
Our workshop manager John and in-house engine builder are on hand to look into the issue and will advise on the next steps to take to resolve the issue.
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body specialists need to know they’ve done a job absolutely right. So, once the 1984 BMW 635CSi came in to be assessed it was clear its first stop was going to be with Chris.
Chris carefully stripped back the paint in very specific sections to expose a series of questionable body repairs as well as addressing some very light rust bubbles beneath the rear lights. Behind the rear lights, a lot of damage had been done by the rust. So, a new section of the light cluster housing had to be made and out into the bodywork of this 1980s icon.
After the rust repair section was in, Chris turned his attention to the areas that stood out to him. Mainly where large amounts of body filler had been packed in previous damage. Painstakingly and slowly, Chris removed the filler in order to work the panels back into shape with only the most minimal amount of filler to be used.
Then it was time to tape and mask up the car in the booth. The results are incredible. But, you’ll have to wait for the next update to get a look at the makeover on the 1984 BMW 635CSi at Bridge Classic Cars.
New to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this 1977 MG B Roadster. It is in with us for a full aesthetic restoration which will include a brand new paint job along with a full interior, a new convertible hood and a new radio.
Work will begin shortly and getting this iconic sportscar stripped down and ready for our in-house paint team to work their magic on the car.
Expect to see much more on this MG B Roadster on the news page on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
This is one of the seats from the 1971 Morris Traveller 1000 which has been announced as the latest car to be won on Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.
Before then, this seat is going to need to visit our in-house trim shop where Kath will work her magic.
After assessing the damage to the top part of the seat, Kath said it could be repaired. Carefully, Kath removed the seat cover in order to have it laid out flat to come up with a plan to fix the tear.
Each of the pieces was removed one by one and labelled for the reassembly. The tear was skillfully repaired by Kath, whose experience and knowledge of trim work meant that there is almost no evidence that it was ever there.
Then, it was time to start putting everything back together. Kath gathered the closest thread to the original and began to reseam the seat to match the rest of the seats.
And here is the end result! Every part of the seat has been checked by Kath before its reassembly and all seemed to be ok. The finish on the repaired seat is fitting for the Traveller. It’s still original and perfectly useable for such a fun and quirky little car.
You can enter the draw for the 1971 Morris Traveller by clicking the link below!
This 1974 Triumph was in with us to have a look into a wiring issue caused by a mouse while being stored in a customer’s Carcoon.
Well, after careful inspection and checks by our Workshop Manager and electrical specialist John, he found that nearly half the wiring loom behind the dashboard was affected. Because of this, it is best practice to replace the entire loom. Both for the sake of time to the customer and for peace of mind when it comes to the electrical system of the car.
The loom is now on order from a specialist in TR6 wiring looms and will be fitted and tested once it arrives with us here at Bridge Classic Cars.
As with any classic car, you want to try and exercise a certain amount of reserve and caution when working on them. Try to be sympathetic to their age and their condition. So, when the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 that we have had in at Bridge Classic Cars developed a misfire our in-house restoration team did everything they could before having to dive deep.
The XJ6 has had its fuel tanks replaced, new fuel lines and was tested by our technicians. Before the tanks were replaced this classic Jaguar had real trouble staying running. Now though, it will run for as long as there is fuel in it. However, now that it was running long enough, Dave noticed a misfire on the big straight-six.
Originally Dave thought it to be connected to the ignition system. It would arc out to the nearest metal point. We also discovered exposed wires in the connectors that join the condenser. Those were all then replaced along with the HT leads but to no avail. It had got marginally better but the misfire was still rather prominent.
With that, our in-house engine guru Ady was called in to take a look at the straight-six. The only thing left to do was to gently remove the cylinder head. Carefully and patiently, Ady eased the head from the block to expose the pistons but more importantly the head gasket. On the cylinder closest to the firewall, the gasket was in tatters. The XJ6 had blown a head gasket. Also, Ady had noticed coolant marks down the side of the block. Another sign that the gasket is not sitting correctly between the cylinder head and the engine block.
With that, it also damaged the chamber of the corresponding cylinder in the head. A large chunk of material is missing from between the leading edges of the valve. But, all may not be lost. The head is currently in the process of being stripped down and assessed so that a plan can be made to get this wonderful straight-six back in action.
Once the plan for the XJ6 engine has been confirmed, work will begin to get the car back to its former glory.
Our dear friends at Calm Indian Cow have been in Cornwall recently!
They were catering a wedding down in the West Country so of course, they took their gorgeous blue truck with them.
Some of you may remember a while back when we helped to build this amazing 1971 Bedford J Type into the mobile home of Calm Indian Cow. So, it’s always lovely to see it and Mahesh out there spreading the love.
Safe trip!
Bridge Classic Cars are award winning Classic Car Restoration and Maintenance specialists. Your pride and joy is in safe hands with our expert Classic Car Technicians. Take a look at our awards here.
