Beneath the Surface – Stripping Back the 1969 Bentley T1

February 1, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint and body team have been working on stripping down the 1969 Bentley T1. What they’ve found isn’t looking good.

The Bentley is showing signs of several repairs which did not have the cars best interest in mind. So, with this, Chris began diving deeper into the car to come up with a plan on how to best get this beautiful classic Bentley back into the best shape possible befitting a car of its standing.

Chris has meticulously and cautiously stripped back all of the paint on every single body panel to find every piece of sub-par previous work on the car. That way, moving forward the car can be repaired and restored correctly and last another 50+ years.

Whilst the body has been being worked on, Chris and Alan had some of the other panels and pieces for the Bentley inside the spray booth after perfecting them on the sanding tables. They are now shot in hard-wearing and durable modern epoxy primer.

Bridge Classic Cars ensure that during one of our restorations, the cars best interest is kept at the forefront of our work. So, keep a lookout here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1969 Bentley T1.

This Just In – 1965 Porsche 912

February 1, 2022

This morning, Bridge Classic Cars collected its latest project. A beautiful 1965 Porsche 912 will be heading into our Suffolk HQ to be assessed and worked on by our in-house restoration teams.

Tom and Nick headed to the Suffolk/Essex borders to collect the car in our enclosed transporter for its journey back to the workshop. The sun was sharp and bright which only added to the beauty of the car as it sat dormant in the shed. So, it was the perfect opportunity to show you the care and attention we give to every car that Bridge Classic Cars transports and to take you behind the scenes of a make and model we are seeing more and more of.

This car is being worked on by ourselves on behalf of our friend Garry and noted Porsche specialist Howard Watts. We’re excited to play our role in the project of getting the 912 to look its absolute best for the project.

The car was carefully moved out and into position behind the transporter before inch-by-inch moving forward into its temporary shelter.

Once the 912 arrived back at our Pettistree workshop, it was unloaded ready for its inspection by our paint and body team. From there, it will be worked on, perfected and then finished in a stunning dark red.

We cannot wait to show you the progress that the in-house team at Bridge Classic Cars makes on the 1965 Porsche 912. So, make sure you keep a lookout here on our News Page and also on our Social Media pages.

Behind The Scenes – Shooting the 1959 MGA Twin Cam

February 1, 2022

It was a cold and damp January morning as the 1959 MGA Twin Cam fired into life outside the Bridge Classic Cars hangar. As the 1600cc 4 cylinder thumped away to warm up, the Bridge Classic Cars team got ready to capture just how beautiful this little sports car really was.

As Freddie got his camera gear ready to film, Nick gave Hayley the rundown on the car. The engine was snappy and responsive and this car had disc brakes all around. That was the only thing that our presenter needed to know because it was about as perfect as an MGA Twin Cam can be.

Hayley got in the bright blue, low slung sports car. And with a simple push forward on the gearstick, it slipped straight into 1st. The car began rolling down the runway towards our filming location with the camera car in hot pursuit. The now 62-year-old ex-race car wanted to stretch its legs…

Once the convoy had reached the outskirts of the airbase, the team went through the plan. All the while, the B series engine sat there idling perfectly. Throughout the whole time, it never missed a beat. It put the biggest smile on Hayley’s face despite the sub-zero temperature.

From every angle, the car looked fast. It had grace, it had presence and it had a purpose. The dark, black, all business interior just went further to compliment the stunning pale blue exterior in the mid-winter sun.

And best of all? You could win this very car. Just head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website for your chance to be part of the next chapter in our 1959 MGA Twin Cam’s story.

www.bridgeclassiccarscompetitions.co.uk

A New Look – Wheels for the 2005 Aston Martin DB9 Refinished

January 31, 2022

The wheels for the 2005 Aston Martin DB9 have come back from refurbished by the guys over at WheelWorx.

The wheels for the DB9, which belongs to our Director Craig, have made their way back to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop to be fitted by WheelWorx master tech, Jamie. The wheels have been finished in a smoke grey, high shine finish to add a new look to the overall feel of this stunning Aston Martin GT car. Bridge Classic Cars have worked closely with the guys at WheelWorx for many years on projects that require wheel refurbishment or refinishing.

Now that the wheels are back onto the car, the DB9 will be cleaned and put away into storage until better weather.

Remove and Inspect – Teardown of the Blaze Orange MGB GT

January 31, 2022

Mauro, one of the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, has been working on getting the Blaze Orange MGB GT stripped down for assessment by the team.

The MGB GT has been stripped back piece by piece for the in-house restorations teams to inspect and assess for the project moving forward. Each piece that came off the car has been catalogued and put into storage for when it is needed as with all of our restoration projects.

The bare shell will also be looked at by our paint and body experts to begin the list of jobs that will need to be done to this wonderfully characterful car.

Expect to see a lot more on the Blaze Orange MGB GT here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon.

Little Details – Chrome Headlight Bezzles on the 1977 MGB Roadster

January 31, 2022

The 1977 MGB Roadster currently undergoing restoration at Bridge Classic Cars has had a couple of its finishing details put on the car before it heads into our in-house trim shop.

Jon, one of our in-house restoration technicians, has been working on finishing up the front end of the classic convertible. One of those jobs is to install the brightwork. This time, he has installed the headlight surrounds onto the bezzles for the car. This small detail goes a long way to add to the look of the car.

The team at Bridge Classic Cars have revitalised the small roadster through hours of hard work and skill our amazing in-house teams.

Expect to see much more about the 1977 MGB Roadster here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Arch Repairs – Fixing the Rust Issues on the 1987 Daimler Double Six

January 31, 2022

The arches of the 1987 Daimler Double Six are in need of some TLC. So, with the car in the hands of our in-house fabrication team, Monty has begun the process of getting them back to better than new.

Monty carefully removed any affected sections from the sills all the way up the inner wheel arch, making sure to remove material in such a way it could be templated from.

With these sections cut out, Monty began making the replacement pieces by hand to ensure a tight, safe fit to the luxury Daimler.

Then, inch by inch he welded the new sections into the car and ground them down so once the car is painted, you will never know they are there.

Featured – 1967 Austin Mini 850 in the Ipswich Star

January 31, 2022

It’s always a lovely sight to see our previous projects out in the world. An example of this is the 1967 Austin Mini 850 owned by our friend Simon Benton.

This Mini was aesthetically restored by Bridge Classic Cars last year in preparation for its all-electric conversion done by Team C Racing and Electric Classic Cars. The car arrived at our workshop as a shell, then our in-house paint and body team got to work getting this wonderful classic Mini back to better than new condition before its date with the workshop in Wales for the conversion.

You can see more on this project in the upcoming Discovery Channel series about the car.

To read the full article, click the link below.

Ipswich Star: Classic Electric Mini Article

Begin Again – Remaking the Seats for the 1955 Jensen 541

January 31, 2022

A while ago, we said goodbye to the beautiful Jensen 541. It was sold as a project to its very lucky new owner who plans on restoring the car.

Well, now the interior is back in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop. Brian is making a brand new rear seat for the car while
Lydia is busy stripping down the original bucket seats to assess the fibreglass mouldings for any cracks or damage.

Either way, it’s always nice to see a car (or parts) find their way back into our workshop here in Suffolk.

Love and Support – Strengthening the Sunroof of the Blaze Orange MGB GT

January 28, 2022

Brian, our lead in-house trimmer, has been working on retrimming and strengthening the sunroof surround of the Blaze Orange MGB GT.

Brian has completely stripped the piece back to its wooden frame and began to add some rigidity back into the piece using calico. This will help the sunroof opening to keep its shape and is a good process to perform on sunroofs when they’re being refurbished.

Now that this process is complete, the team can begin to look at retrimming it.

Complete Circuit – Fitting the new Brake Servo to the 1973 MGB GT V8

January 28, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration team have been getting the 1973 MGB GT V8 in our workshop ready to be driven. And one of the jobs that needed doing was to replace the brake servo.

Dave, our senior technician, has been working on the car. He carefully removed the old unit out of the nose of the bright purple 1970s sports car and made sure all the hoses and fittings were in good working order before replacing it with a brand new unit we had sourced for the car.

With this part in the car and tested, the MGB GT V8 can now begin its road tests and be driven safely.

Keeping an Eye Out – Fitting the Temperature Sender to the 1934 MG PA

January 28, 2022

Dave, our senior technician at Bridge Classic Cars, has been working on the 1934 MG PA.

The latest job is to fit a new temperature sender to a gauge on the dash. That way, it’s easier to see the coolant temperatures when out driving than looking for the needle at the end of the radiator. Dave has run all brand new brass piping to and from the sender to link it up to the gauge in the dash.

This simple addition to the car makes a massive difference to any classic.

Good as New – Painting the Rear Dums on the 1977 MGB Roadster

January 28, 2022

While Paul was working on rebuilding the rear drums of the 1977 MGB Roadster, the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop have also been working on parts and pieces of the 1977 MGB Roadster.

Alan, one of the painters, has refinished the drums in their original satin black. First, he carefully sanded the drums to clear them of any corrosion. Then, after thoroughly cleaning the parts, he could shoot the extremely durable satin black coating. Now, the pieces will be left to cure and then put back onto the car.

In Paint – Parts of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL in the Paint Shop

January 28, 2022

The in-house paint shop at Bridge Classic Cars has always got something in the state of the art spray booth. This time, it’s some of the parts for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL.

Alan, one of our paint experts, has been working on preparing the parts from the legendary German luxury convertible to go in front of his paint gun. He made sure to clean each part thoroughly and ensure they had all been dried and warmed before beginning laying the first coats onto the pieces.

Expect much more on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page,

Stop and Go – Rebuilding the Brakes on the 1977 MGB Roadster

January 28, 2022

Paul, one of the in-house restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been working on the list of jobs to do on the 1977 MGB Roadster that is in with us for restoration.

Paul carefully took apart the old drum brakes to inspect them and found the wheel cylinders to be leaking and some of the original hardware was close to seizing. So, Paul rebuilt the brakes with all new parts and hardware to make sure that when this classic roadster is back on the road it stops as good as it goes.

Behind The Scenes – 1964 Triumph TR4 & 1976 Mercedes 350SL Live Draw

January 28, 2022

Last night, 27th January 2022, Bridge Classic Cars welcomed the first-ever live studio audience to one of our Bridge Classic Cars Competitions live draws.

This time, it was the 1964 Triumph TR4 and 1976 Mercedes 350SL which would be finding their way to their new lucky owners.

Close friends, clients and previous winners were all invited to the event which took place in the new home of Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, the as-yet-unnamed extension. Being January, the evenings are cold but thanks to Carmello Coffee we all managed to keep warm and fed while everyone looked around some of our cars in both the extension and the workshop.

Then, as the clock struck 7 pm, it was time to go live to all our followers. Hayley and Craig, with Freddie behind the camera, took everyone on a tour around our current lineup and a few sneak peeks at what is coming in the future with Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. Hayley then had a chat with our friend Simon Benton, owner of the all-electric Mini which will soon be appearing on the Discovery Channel, about the background on the car and its connection to Bridge Classic Cars.

Next was the bit everyone was waiting for. Finding out who was about to get a phone call that would make their dreams come true.

First, was the draw of the 1976 Mercedes 350SL. As Hayley put the numbers into the random number generator, you could feel the air filled with excitement. Then, as the numbers whirred round in a flash, they stopped on number 3461. That, belong to Zhuman Zamiri.

Then we decided to find out who the new owner of the stunning 1964 Triumph TR4 would be. As Hayley put the new set of numbers into the number generators, we wished everyone luck. Then, with one click of a button. The future of the TR4 was sealed. Stuart Brown was now the proud new owner of the beautiful ’60s sports car with ticket 3338.

Hard to Reach – Fitting the Lower Pipework to the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda Engine

January 28, 2022

The engine and gearbox for the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda are one step closer to going into the car!

The iconic Mercedes which is in at Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ has had all of the new and refinished pipework installed on the lower parts of the engine and gearbox while they are out of the car. This is to make sure everything fits up where it should do and will allow our technicians to accurately tighten them down.

Many of the hydraulic lines have to be run in a very specific routing around the engine and gearbox, so using original reference photos our team took when the engine was originally taken out, Jon has managed to retrace the steps and get them all neatly and safely put in place.

Not long now, and the glorious 2.8-litre straight-six will be dropped into the nose for the Pagoda.

From Top to Bottom – Inspecting the Blaze Orange MGB GT before Teardown

January 28, 2022

The Blaze Orange MGB GT is in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop to begin its teardown for assessment.

The car is in remarkably good shape from what our technicians can see however, we take a full gallery of images for each project to use for cataloguing any parts or pieces that come off the car.

This also helps during the cars reassembly as we have reference photos to refer back to and ensure all the right pieces are back where they should be.

First Fit – Checking the Bonnet on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1

January 27, 2022

The bonnet of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 currently in with Bridge Classic Cars for restoration has finally been reunited with the body of the 1950s sports car.

The bonnet has been placed onto the body before it is adjusted and fitted. This is to make sure all the amazing work Alan has done on the single-piece clamshell goes with the work Chris has done on the body. But, the results look fantastic. Both the body and the bonnet are completely uniform and evenly shaped which will allow our in-house paint team to get the colour laid just perfectly for this car when the time comes.

Systems Check – Check Over of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

January 27, 2022

The Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster ‘Fern Grey’ is getting closer to beginning its road tests here at Bridge Classic Cars.

Scott, our in-house restoration technician in charge of the build of Fern Grey, has begun going through and completing his electrics and wiring checks on the one of a kind E Type. Scott has also been going through and fitting all the necessary covers and shields under the bonnet of the E Type.

After Scott has completed all of these tests and checks on the Roadster, it will then begin its series of road tests and inspections to make sure the car is 100% ready for handover to its very lucky owner.

Cleaned Up – Preparing the Engine Bay of the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda

January 27, 2022

The Mercedes 280SL Pagoda is an iconic piece of design and automotive history. Effortlessly stylish and has cultural importance within the car world. This particular 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda is in with Bridge Classic Cars for an engine rebuild which is nearing completion. But, we want the heart and soul of this beauty to be as clean and crisp as the rest of the car.

So, the team at Viper Auto Valet came over to our Suffolk workshop to clean up the engine bay of this classic Mercedes. Colin from Viper has been methodically going through each part of the bay to make sure it is clean of any oil, grease or any other containments. Using specialist treatments, he is working on completely rejuvenating and thoroughly cleaning up this area for when the engine is finished.

With this step in progress, we can’t wait to share with you the results of the treatment. Keep a lookout on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1969 Mercedes 2680SL Pagoda very soon.

Taking Care – Teardown of the Blaze Orange MGB GT

January 27, 2022

The in-house restoration team at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy carefully dismantling this beautiful Blaze Orange MGB GT.

Mauro, has been put in charge of removing all the trim, glass and panels from the MGB GT for it to be inspected by our other in-house teams to find out what the future holds for this iconic fastback.

Expect to see more on this bright orange sports car soon on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Pulled into Place – Finishing the Armrests and Doorcaps on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

January 27, 2022

Brian is our lead in-house trimmer at Bridge Classic Cars. From our Suffolk HQ, Brian and Lydia create handmade, bespoke interiors for our customer’s restoration projects which are well and truly world-class.

Today on Brian’s table is the armrest covers of the 1987 Mercedes R107 500SL. Lydia and Brian have worked together to create these pieces for the ’80s luxury convertible. The covers were hand-cut and sewn for the best fit possible around the original armrests themselves. Tailored perfectly to suit each component. Brian, using his years of skill and craft, carefully stretched and moved the leather around every curve to get it laying just right. Then, with the minimal amount of heat possible, he began working the leather into place across the adhesive behind it.

After both the covers were finished with their bright new chromework, Brian could begin work on the next stage of the interior of the R107. The door caps, these pieces were carefully stripped back to their core and assessed by Brian to see if they were reusable. They were actually in fantastic shape!

Going Back Together – Reassembling the Front Suspension of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4

January 27, 2022

Scott, one of our amazing in-house restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been skillfully and carefully putting the front suspension of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 back together for the next phase of its restoration.

Scott began by getting the front hubs of the classic sports car built on the bench. With this, the knuckle had to be reworked to accept the new pin but apart from that everything slotted together perfectly. Piece by piece, Scott put every component together until both assemblies were ready to go back onto the car.

Then, Scott positioned each assembly in place to be connected up to the steering box. Along with that, he fitted the springs into place and connected up the torsion arms.

This is all in preparation for the next phase of the 1955 DB2/4 Mk1 Restoration which you will all see very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Piece by Piece – Reassembling the 1977 MGB Roadster

January 27, 2022

The 1977 MGB Roadster that is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is piece by piece being reassembled.

Our technicians Jon and Paul have been carefully piecing back together this wonderful 1970s convertible.

Jon has been working on repairing the bumpers which had heavy surface corrosion. For that, he stripped back all of the loose rust on the piece and applied several coats of neutralising agent to the rust to help it from corroding any further. With the bumper braces sorted, Jon had them painted back and refit the rubber surrounds which give the MGB’s of this era their distinctive look.

Then, Jon and Paul began refitting components to the front and rear of the MGB. At the rear, the bumpers, lights and fuel tank have all been carefully secured into place on the car. While Paul was sorting out the wiring inside the car (under the dash, the rear speakers etc), Jon was working on getting the front bumper into place and secured to the car.

For this, Jon has made a series of special brackets to better support the nose of the MGB. These also help to align the front bumper and have it sit perfectly on the car. Whilst the bumper was being adjusted, Jon fit the grilles and headlights into the car, to have everything in place for when he began to wire the car.

The wiring was done and neatly secured out of sight but also in a safe and easily accessible place.

It’s all moving ahead on this wondef

One More Step – Number Plate Lights on the Alfa Romeo Spyder

January 26, 2022

Mauro, one of the in-house restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been working on the Alfa Romeo Spyder we have in our workshop.

As part of the list of work needed, Mauro began looking into the rear number plate lights. Apart from being severely discoloured, the didn’t really work. So, a set of replacements were ordered.

Now that these have arrived into stock with us here at Bridge Classic Cars, Mauro can begin fitting them to the car. These were exact replacements so it was simply a case of removing the old ones and fitting the new ones in their places then plugging them in.

With these lights in, Mauro began to test them and all the other lighting systems and everything worked perfectly on this stunning classic Italian convertible.

Handmade – Armrest Covers for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

January 26, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop has recently been making several new interior pieces for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL currently in for restoration.

Lydia, has taken the hand-cut pieces which Brian had previously made for the armrest covers and began to stitch to the pieces to cover to create the new covers which will be stretched and secured onto the armrests of the classic Mercedes convertible.

Keep a lookout on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL restoration.

Top to Bottom – Priming the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Bonnet

January 26, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop have been busy continuing work on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 we have at our Suffolk HQ for restoration.

Alan, one of our incredible in-house paint experts, has been working on the underside of the bonnet for the DB2/4. This part of the bonnet has had the same treatment as the top of the piece. Alan has carefully sanded, filled and resanded every square inch of the bonnet included the wheel arches to make sure the piece has the best foundation for the primer.

Like the top, it had a layer of epoxy primer followed by a polyester primer laid on top of the beautiful front clamshell.

This piece of the DB2/4 is a piece of art in its own right and we cannot wait to see the bonnet laid onto the body which is being worked on by our restoration technicians in our workshop.

Unpleasant Find – Rust Inside the Bumpers of the 1977 MGB Roadster

January 26, 2022

With the reassembly of the 1977 MGB Roadster going on in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, our technician Jon has been working on refitting the bumpers to the car.

Whilst refitting the bumpers, Jon made a rather unpleasant discovery. We were aware of some corrosion in the back of the bumpers but that had been treated and neutralised. However, when Jon took the bumpers apart during refit to try and best align them on the car, the backside of the bracket/support was covered in rust. The extent of the rust was something we were not aware of.

With this, the team have decided to repair the bumpers. The rust itself is thick surface rust mainly so the team will strip them all back and prepare them for reassembly.

Expect to see more on the process of repairing the bumpers very soon on the Bridge Classic Cars News Page.

Going Together – Preparing Parts and Fitting the Gearbox for the Engine of the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda

January 26, 2022

The 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda might just be one of the most beautiful cars we’ve had in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ. But, we want to hear it run and drive.

So, our in-house restoration technician Jon has been working on getting all the parts ready for the car and fitting up the automatic gearbox.

Jon has carefully inspected and refinished most of the reusable metal hoses for the 280SL so that each individual piece looks as good as the day it was new. He also dismantled many of the air and oil boxes/cans so they could be taken into our in-house paint shop and refinished.

Once all the pieces were back on Jon’s bench, he began to reassemble them ready for the engine installation into the car. But before then, a big piece of the puzzle had to be put in.

Jon and Paul prepped the engine to be mated to its automatic gearbox. This has been rebuilt and refinished so it looks as good as the newly built engine. Once the technicians had got the gearbox secured to the back of the engine block with all the internals correctly fitted up and spaced, Jon then began to test fit the various pipes and wires that go to and from the gearbox to make sure everything was present and correct before the next phase begins…

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