Update on the 1975 Cobra Replica
October 21, 2024
Our technician Steve has been working on the 1975 Cobra Replica, checking off the jobs needed to get the ready for its inspection and certification.
Projects
The Right Gear – Transmission for our 1960 Jensen 541R Back from Specialist
October 21, 2024
The gearbox for our 1960 Jensen 541R project is back in the building. The transmission had been with a trusted specialist for a rebuild as
Jensen Doors And Window Frames
October 21, 2024
Paul has been continuing his work on our 1956 Jensen 541. He has now fitted the nearside and off-side doors before he started to assemble
Updates on the 1979 Ferrari 400
October 21, 2024
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop team have been going full steam ahead with preparing the 1979 Ferrari 400. Our technician, Jon, has been heading up
Devon Going Back Together
October 21, 2024
After our 1951 Austin Devon was brought back to the workshop, it was reunited with the other part of itself. After being with us for
P5 On The Move
October 21, 2024
After being transported to our friends at Auto Transmissions, our 1973 Rover P5 had some mobile work completed by Jonn and John. Here are Jonn’s
Behind The Scenes Of A Double Live Draw
October 16, 2024
Yesterday, we had a double live draw as we found the lucky winners of our 2003 MG ZT V8 260 and our 2007 Caterham Seven
Putting The Story Together
October 16, 2024
A few weeks ago, I became the new owner of my 1976 MGB GT. Since then, I have driven it lots, tinkered, cleaned, and generally
Our 1970 MGC GT is now live!
October 15, 2024
Filming this MGC GT was a pleasure as always. When getting to shoot with the picturesque Pettistree House as a backdrop it always elevates the
2 More Arrivals
October 14, 2024
We have welcomed two more new arrivals into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in the form of our 1968 MGC Roadster and our 1957 AC
XK120 Parts
October 14, 2024
Tony has collected the body and various parts of our 1954 Jaguar XK120 from the sandblasters. These will stay in storage for a short while
Transporting A Rare Classic
October 14, 2024
Our very special and very rare 1929 Dodge DA has recently been transported to our secure storage facility and placed safely into a Carcoon.
Transporting A Classic Mini
October 14, 2024
Tony recently collected our 1961 Austin Mini and brought it to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
E-Type PDI
October 14, 2024
Jonn recently carried out the pre-delivery inspection on our 1970 Jaguar E-Type.
Aston Martin Bodyshell Work
October 14, 2024
Rob has continued his work on our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe. He has carried on fabricating and welding on the rear bodyshell.
Ferrari Heater Valve
October 14, 2024
Jonn has been spending some time looking at the heater valve of our 1979 Ferrari 400 GT. Here are his notes: Carry out pressure test
New Exhaust
October 14, 2024
Steve recently fitted a new stainless steel exhaust to our 1952 Fiat 1900A. This wasn’t quite as straightforward as he had hoped though as the
E-Type Fuel Filter
October 14, 2024
After Jonn had removed the fuel filter bowl from our 1973 Jaguar E-Type for cleaning, he noticed that the filter had come loose and the
500SL Headights And Heater
October 14, 2024
Our 1987 Mercedes 500SL has been in the hands of Bridge Classic Cars workshop manager, John. He has been stripping down the headlights ready to
Aston Martin Sand Blasting
October 14, 2024
Various parts of our 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 have been prepared for sandblasting. This is an important step in the restoration of this rare car
Stripping our 1973 MG B Roadster – engine, carbs, heater box, wheels
October 14, 2024
Week 1 for new guy Dave has already been a busy one as his first project is our 1973 MG B Roadster. Gordon has not
Triumph 2500TC Appraisal
October 14, 2024
After Tony collected our 1977 Triumph 2500TC from our secure storage facility and brought it back tot he Bridge Classic Cars workshop, classic car technician
Assessing A Jensen 541
October 14, 2024
Jonn has been appraising our 1956 Jensen 541. Here are his notes: Grease all points. Remove all wheels and strip and check brakes. Wash down
Test Driving MG Cyberster
October 14, 2024
On Saturday, we welcomed Darren and Anthony from EMG Ipswich to Bridge Classic Cars, as we teamed up to host our MG Cyberster Test Drive
Arrivals And Departures
October 11, 2024
We have recently welcomed several new vehicles into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. The first is our 2013 Land Rover Defender 110 and, as you
And Another…
October 11, 2024
Once again, we delivered a special car to one of our lucky winners. This time, it was Stephen who was taking delivery of his 2001
Another Happy Winner
October 11, 2024
Tony recently delivered our 1973 MGB Roadster to lucky winner Graham. Tony says this is always the best part about his job here at Bridge
WIN Our Caterham
October 10, 2024
You have the opportunity to win our 2007 Caterham Seven Roadsport 120 or, for the first time, a cash alternative of £15,000. Caterham models are
Behind The Scenes Of Our E Type Draw
October 9, 2024
Yesterday, we did the live draw of our 1970 Jaguar E-Type when we randomly selected winning ticket number 5592, which belonged to the very lucky
More Classic Pick Up Progress
October 9, 2024
Our 1951 Austin Devon continues to make progress on its restoration journey.
Update on the 1975 Cobra Replica
October 21, 2024
Our technician Steve has been working on the 1975 Cobra Replica, checking off the jobs needed to get the ready for its inspection and certification. At this point, Steve has been working on the throttle cable to control that thunderous V8 that lives under the bonnet.
After test fitting, Steve noted that the access hole for the cable in the bulkhead/pedal box doesn’t actually land anywhere near the accelerator pedal. So, Steve had to remove most of the pedal assembly to redrill a new access hole for the cable to run.
Whilst working under the dash, Steve has worked his magic on the heater for the car. After testing the unit and pressurizing the system, he could strip it all back down and paint it in matching black ahead of it being installed back onto the car.
The Right Gear – Transmission for our 1960 Jensen 541R Back from Specialist
October 21, 2024
The gearbox for our 1960 Jensen 541R project is back in the building. The transmission had been with a trusted specialist for a rebuild as part of the project to get this incredible classic GT back on the road.
Jensen Doors And Window Frames
October 21, 2024
Paul has been continuing his work on our 1956 Jensen 541.
He has now fitted the nearside and off-side doors before he started to assemble the window frames. He then had to modify the door frame to make sure that the glass didn’t rub.
The door window frames were then fitted.
Updates on the 1979 Ferrari 400
October 21, 2024
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop team have been going full steam ahead with preparing the 1979 Ferrari 400. Our technician, Jon, has been heading up the project from the moment the car came into our workshop a couple of months ago.
To begin with, Jon has had to replace the heater valve nestled deep under the scuttle of the classic Ferrari and on the back corner of the glorious V12. Once the new heater valve arrived, Jon had to make some modifications to get the unit to fit and operate correctly while also modifying the clamp attachment before getting it ready to fit back into the car.
After it was back in the car, Jon could begin testing. The first stage was to refill the coolant and pressurize the system to check for any leaks and then he can began to tune and check over the V12, but on a brief start up Jon noted that the car is now running on all 12 cylinders.
With the engine now ready to run, levels topped off in both the V12 and the automatic gearbox, Jon could turn his attention to making sure the luxury classic GT car stopped. He inspected each individual caliper as well as tracing all the brake lines and pipes back to check for corrosion, pinches or leaks. Once Jon got to the nearside front caliper, he noticed a very slight weep when the caliper was under pressure. Upon inspection, he found that previous to the car coming to us someone had stripped out the threads on the caliper and retapped it from 7/16th to 1/2 inch, Jon found a suitable bolt and had our technician Paul turn it down in a lathe to make a suitable union.
While waiting for Paul to machine the bolt, Jon stripped down the speedometer which he found small shards of plastic obscuring the warning lights. Once he had cleaned out the unit, he reassembled and got it back into the car.
With the new union suitably modified, Jon could remake the brake line which runs to the caliper. After bending up new pipework, he found that with the new union in place the top brake pipe would not tighten where someone had previously modified the unit and the threads were very badly worn.
Devon Going Back Together
October 21, 2024
After our 1951 Austin Devon was brought back to the workshop, it was reunited with the other part of itself.
After being with us for a little while now, it’s fantastic to see this classic pickup coming back together.
P5 On The Move
October 21, 2024
After being transported to our friends at Auto Transmissions, our 1973 Rover P5 had some mobile work completed by Jonn and John.
Here are Jonn’s notes about the repair:
Travel to Mersea island to attend to car. Poor running reported. Strip carbs and remove float bowl tops. Clean out. Remove suction Chambers and blow through jets and float bowls. Reassemble both carbs. John remove and clean spark plugs and refit. Remove fuel filter and clean out. Refit and fill with 10ltrs fuel. Turn ignition on to fill filter and carbs and check for leaks, ok. Road test but engine pinking under acceleration. Adjust timing and raise idle speed and retest, ok. Return to workshop.
Behind The Scenes Of A Double Live Draw
October 16, 2024
Yesterday, we had a double live draw as we found the lucky winners of our 2003 MG ZT V8 260 and our 2007 Caterham Seven Roadsport 120.
Robert Dover won our MG ZT with ticket number 4242 and Luis Vieira won our Caterham Roadsport with ticket number 5244.
We would like to congratulate Robert and Luis on their new cars and we hope they have many fun miles with them.
Putting The Story Together
October 16, 2024
A few weeks ago, I became the new owner of my 1976 MGB GT.
Since then, I have driven it lots, tinkered, cleaned, and generally admired it. The car came with a pretty substantial history file containing receipts, invoices, MOT certificates, etc covering a good amount of time.
However, other than invoices for parts and work, I don’t know much about my new classic. As someone who loves the story of old and historic things, I’ve begun my research into finding out the story of my MGB GT.
So far, I’ve got the heritage certificate, reached out to some of the garages that have worked on the car in the past, and looked at the information I already have.
While there are still big gaps in the story of ORB 790P, I can now see what it looked like in its original specification with rubber bumpers – it has since been converted to chrome (which, I have to say, looks much more sophisticated).
There’s still a long way to go but I now have some photographic records from a day in December 2006 when my car had a windscreen repair completed as well as some paintwork.
Our 1970 MGC GT is now live!
October 15, 2024
Filming this MGC GT was a pleasure as always. When getting to shoot with the picturesque Pettistree House as a backdrop it always elevates the beauty of the car. You could win this very classic, grab your tickets from the competitions section of the website now.
2 More Arrivals
October 14, 2024
We have welcomed two more new arrivals into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in the form of our 1968 MGC Roadster and our 1957 AC Ace.
Both look incredible and we’re very excited to see what the future holds for these two classics.
XK120 Parts
October 14, 2024
Tony has collected the body and various parts of our 1954 Jaguar XK120 from the sandblasters.
These will stay in storage for a short while until they are ready to be put back onto the car.
Transporting A Rare Classic
October 14, 2024
Our very special and very rare 1929 Dodge DA has recently been transported to our secure storage facility and placed safely into a Carcoon.
Transporting A Classic Mini
October 14, 2024
Tony recently collected our 1961 Austin Mini and brought it to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
E-Type PDI
October 14, 2024
Jonn recently carried out the pre-delivery inspection on our 1970 Jaguar E-Type.
Aston Martin Bodyshell Work
October 14, 2024
Rob has continued his work on our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe. He has carried on fabricating and welding on the rear bodyshell.
Ferrari Heater Valve
October 14, 2024
Jonn has been spending some time looking at the heater valve of our 1979 Ferrari 400 GT.
Here are his notes:
Carry out pressure test on cooling system. Attend to minor leaks found. System now sealed. Drain coolant. Strip and remove heater valve from under scuttle panel. Valve unserviceable. Strip and remove heater control from centre console. Found lever control broken. Repair and leave to go off. Refit control to centre console and secure. Clear area. Remove offside distributor cap to aid access to broken points wire. Crimpmon new terminal and connect and secure. Refit distributor cap. Raise in air and apply sealer to exhaust front pipes.
New Exhaust
October 14, 2024
Steve recently fitted a new stainless steel exhaust to our 1952 Fiat 1900A. This wasn’t quite as straightforward as he had hoped though as the exhaust had to be made in-house as it is not possible to source one of these from elsewhere.
E-Type Fuel Filter
October 14, 2024
After Jonn had removed the fuel filter bowl from our 1973 Jaguar E-Type for cleaning, he noticed that the filter had come loose and the bowl seal was leaking. He fitted a new unit to cure both faults.
500SL Headights And Heater
October 14, 2024
Our 1987 Mercedes 500SL has been in the hands of Bridge Classic Cars workshop manager, John.
He has been stripping down the headlights ready to send the reflector away to be refurbished.
John also rebuilt and refitted the refurbished heater box to the car.
Aston Martin Sand Blasting
October 14, 2024
Various parts of our 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 have been prepared for sandblasting.
This is an important step in the restoration of this rare car and we are very excited to see the results back on the car.
There has also been progress made on the engine and gearbox.
Stripping our 1973 MG B Roadster – engine, carbs, heater box, wheels
October 14, 2024
Week 1 for new guy Dave has already been a busy one as his first project is our 1973 MG B Roadster. Gordon has not started Dave off lightly. The MG B is needing a serious amount of attention but that hasn’t seemed to phase Dave so far. The engine and gearbox have been removed. The radiator and surrounding panels and hoses are all now out. We have removed the heater box, bulkhead parts, blanking plates and covers. The body is now stripped ready for welding, the windscreen, door glass, all chrome and trims, soft top and rear trims are all removed.
The suspension has been removed and will be completely rebuilt. The engine is out and work has begun on stripping down to component level.
The heater box has been stripped down to component level and will be prepared for rebuild.
Stripped down carburettors, cleaned manifold gasket surfaces, cleaned carburettors, polished dash pots and rebuilt carburettors new jets and fuel line’s replaced gaskets.
Wheel refurb
Triumph 2500TC Appraisal
October 14, 2024
After Tony collected our 1977 Triumph 2500TC from our secure storage facility and brought it back tot he Bridge Classic Cars workshop, classic car technician Jonn completed a thorough appraisal of it.
Here are his notes:
Wiper blades split. Bonnet stay broken. Spare wheel 13″, wheels on car 14″. Steering column cowling loose. Indicators not working properly. Reverse lights not working. Nearside stop light not working. Brake pressure warning valve disconnected. Engine oil level low and oil black. Carb breather pipes kinked. Oil leak. Battery terminal loose. Wheel trims don’t fit wheels properly. Coolant level low. Radiator looks in poor condition. Brake fluid dark. Both seatbelts have no snatch function. Mud and snow tyres fitted with date code from 2018. Offside bottom ball joint rubber split. Play in nearside front wheel bearing. Play in offside front wheel bearing. Steering a bit rough from lock to lock (without engine running). Both rear drums lipped. Nearside rear wheel cylinder leaking. Rear brake shoes gone hard. Front discs scored. Front pads 90% worn. Gearbox sweaty. Rear diff pinion weeping. Offside rear sill/arch holed badly. Nearsidenrearvsill/arch holed badly. Nearside front sill/floor/arch holed. Offside front sill/arch holed. NOTE; Welding may extend beyond areas of note when stripped and prepared. Rear suspension and interior will require removing to facilitate welding. This requires attention first and foremost.
Look into getting engine running before proceeding with any repairs. Remove carburettor suction Chambers and pistons. Clean thoroughly and lubricate. Manually operate fuel lift pump primer. Found rear carb float bowl has a leak from jet tube to float bowl seal. Strip and remove old parts. Unable to find suitable parts in workshop. After attempting and failing to make new seal refit original parts but with a small O Ring behind seal and test. Appears to seal at present. Fill both float bowls with fresh petrol and refit float bowl lids, pistons and Chambers. Remove spark plugs, clean and regap for both sides. Refit and put battery on charge. Attempt to start car it fired and sounded fine. Tidy area. Compile list of parts for required work.
Assessing A Jensen 541
October 14, 2024
Jonn has been appraising our 1956 Jensen 541.
Here are his notes:
Grease all points. Remove all wheels and strip and check brakes. Wash down engine and gearbox areas. Refit all brake drums. Start up and check clutch bite point. Confirm bite point high.
Finish inspection. Run for a further 10 mins. Oil pressure ok. Temp upto 70 degrees. Brakes appear to all work. Switch off and inspect for signs of oil leaks. Findings… Anti freeze content low. No sun visors fitted. Exhaust downpipes hitting engine. Oil leaks, nothing serious just a few drips. Fuel filter black in bottom. Slight blows from exhaust system in various places. Play/knock in steering idler offside. Both steering idlers very close to chassis rails. All tyres starting to perish. Front brakes binding slightly. Front brake shoes glazed. Handbrake requires adjusting. Rear brake shoes worn. Rear diff sweaty. Drivers door panel loose at top edge. Clutch bite point high. Fuel guage not working. Runs not too bad but would benefit from service and tune up. Engine side covers, nearside wet and oily at bottom edge. Body and chassis all appear OK. Not run up to full temperature to check engine running hot as car inside workshop, but coolant will require changing as anti freeze content low, so will carry out a system flush at the same time.
Test Driving MG Cyberster
October 14, 2024
On Saturday, we welcomed Darren and Anthony from EMG Ipswich to Bridge Classic Cars, as we teamed up to host our MG Cyberster Test Drive Day. Based at The Classic Lounge, the day was all about giving people the opportunity to experience what could very well be the future of electric sports cars.
The MG Cyberster
The Cyberster, MG’s eye-catching electric roadster, looked great surrounded by classic cars and out on the road. We had two examples available on Saturday, a Camden Grey example that was on static display (this is my personal favourite colour choice) and a Dynamic red version that was taken out by around 20 people for test drives throughout the day.
The main feedback that was given about the car…it’s fast…very fast!
It’s not just about its speed though. I was fortunate enough to take the Cyberster out for a drive and I found it incredibly easy to drive. For a car that sounds so complex and sophisticated, I was expecting to work hard behind the wheel but, in fact, it was an extremely relaxed and comfortable drive. The only thing to be careful of is that you can quite easily find yourself going very fast in a very short period of time!
Test Driving The Future
It was a fantastic experience to be surrounded by both the past and the future of MG as we had a collection of classic MGs (and others) on display alongside the Cyberster. I really enjoyed the conversations about the potential future of the automotive industry and how EVs, like the Cyberster, might fit into that.
Anthony and Darren were on hand to provide detailed insights into the technical aspects of the Cyberster, guiding guests through the car’s features, battery life, charging options, and performance stats. This collaborative event marks what I hope is an ongoing relationship between Bridge Classic Cars and EMG Ipswich, as bringing the classic and modern motoring worlds together is something that is an exciting prospect.
Thank You
We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who came along and took the Cyberster out for a drive. We hope you enjoyed the experience and we hope that we will see you all again very soon.
Another thank you to Anthony and Darren for joining us on Saturday and for demonstrating what the Cyberster can do!
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Arrivals And Departures
October 11, 2024
We have recently welcomed several new vehicles into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
The first is our 2013 Land Rover Defender 110 and, as you can see, it is quite the beast! After our 90 went into competition, it was decided that this is the one that will take its place.
The next to arrive was our 1961 Austin Mini 850.
Everyone here loves a classic Mini and this one looks to be in great shape. We are very excited for this to be won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions in the very near future.
Another future competition car arrived in the form of our 1960 Triumph TR3.
Again, a beautiful classic that someone is going to win very soon.
After all these arrivals, we also said goodbye to one of our projects. Our 1966 MG Midget left the workshop to be delivered back to its owner.
And Another…
October 11, 2024
Once again, we delivered a special car to one of our lucky winners.
This time, it was Stephen who was taking delivery of his 2001 Aston Martin DB7 that he won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.
Congratulations Stephen, enjoy your DB7.
Another Happy Winner
October 11, 2024
Tony recently delivered our 1973 MGB Roadster to lucky winner Graham.
Tony says this is always the best part about his job here at Bridge Classic Cars – seeing the winners see their new classic for the very first time.
Congratulations again Graham, enjoy your MGB.
WIN Our Caterham
October 10, 2024
You have the opportunity to win our 2007 Caterham Seven Roadsport 120 or, for the first time, a cash alternative of £15,000.
Caterham models are known for their interiors being extremely sparse, offering only the essential instruments needed for driving. There’s little in terms of comfort or technology, but that’s by design and is exactly what you would expect from a car meant for a pure and very raw driving experience.
This particular example has been in the ownership of a long-time customer and friend (and former MD of Vauxhall, among other high-profile jobs within the automotive world) of Bridge Classic Cars since 2008, so we know it has been very well looked after. Since arriving at the workshop, we have completed some minor paint repairs and our 2007 Caterham Seven Roadsport 120 is ready to give the lucky winner a driving experience to remember!
You can enter the draw for just £9.00 on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website.
Behind The Scenes Of Our E Type Draw
October 9, 2024
Yesterday, we did the live draw of our 1970 Jaguar E-Type when we randomly selected winning ticket number 5592, which belonged to the very lucky Andrew Graves.
It’s always great fun finding out who wins our cars through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions and, with a car like the E-Type, it’s an extra special day!
More Classic Pick Up Progress
October 9, 2024
Our 1951 Austin Devon continues to make progress on its restoration journey.
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