One Last Photoshoot
June 16, 2023
As our 1978 MGB GT is leaving us again, after returning for some repairs to the paint and the engine, we thought it would be
1978 MGB GT
Engine Out & Radio In
June 12, 2023
Since our 1978 MGB GT returned to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop recently, classic car technician Rob has removed the engine and installed a new
Finishing A Paint Job
June 5, 2023
After recently returning to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, our 1978 MGB GT has been in the paint shop with technician Chris. The paintwork that
A New Sunroof
January 10, 2023
Our 1978 MGB GT is getting even closer to leaving the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. Classic car technician Brian has been busy making and fitting
Nearly There – 1978 MGB GT
November 28, 2022
Classic car technician Rob has been looking at our 1978 MGB GT. As this car is getting very close to being ready to leave us,
New Hardboard Panels And Badges Refurbished
October 26, 2022
The interior trim of our 1978 MGB GT has had new hardboard panels made. The finish of the new panels goes a long way in
Progressing Nicely
October 12, 2022
As our 1978 MGB GT continues to move through the restoration process, things are progressing well and more tasks have been ticked off the checklist.
New Lines And Trim
October 7, 2022
Classic car technician Rob has been making and fitting the new brake and fuel lines for our 1978 MGB GT. He also fitted the brake
Clean Look – Parts of the 1978 MG B GT Refinished
August 9, 2022
Some of the pieces of the 1978 MG B GT have been refurbished by the team before being handed over to our paint team at
Replaced – Metal Work on the 1978 MG B GT
June 8, 2022
The restoration workshop at Bridge Classic Cars has been continuing with the metal repairs to the 1978 MG B GT in with us for restoration.
Piece by Piece – Metalwork Continues on the 1978 MG B GT
April 20, 2022
The bodyshell of the 1978 MG B GT in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ has had more metal work
Solid Foundations – Further Metal Work on the 1978 MG B GT
April 14, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars restoration teams have been continuing work on the metal repairs to the 1978 MG B GT. Our technician, Rob, has been
Progress – Body Repairs to the 1978 MGB GT Continue
April 13, 2022
The restoration team at Bridge Classic Cars have made good progress on the body repairs to the 1978 MGB GT which is in for restoration.
Piece by Piece – Body Repairs on the 1978 MGB GT
March 22, 2022
The bodywork on the 1978 MGB GT which is in for restoration with Bridge Classic Cars continues while the rest of the car is being
Refinished – Painting and Refinishing the Block and Parts of the 1978 MGB GT Engine
March 22, 2022
Once the engine and parts had been thoroughly cleaned by our restoration workshop for the 1978 MGB GT in with Bridge Classic Cars for restoration,
Rebuilt – Rebuilding the Distributor and Carburettors of the 1978 MGB GT
March 22, 2022
The restoration technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ have been busy rebuilding and cleaning up the distributor and carburettors of
Checking Over – Inspecting the Pieces Removed from the 1978 MGB GT
March 16, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop team have been working on inspecting pieces from the 1978 MGB GT which were removed before it entered the body
Finished Up – Refoaming and Recovering the Rear Seat of the 1978 MGB GT
March 16, 2022
The rear seat of the 1978 MGB GT in for restoration at Bridge Classic Cars has been refoamed and recovered by our in-house trim shop
From Scratch – Making the New Rear Seat Coverings for the 1978 MGB GT
March 15, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on handmaking the new rear seat cover for the 1978 MGB GT in for restoration.
Clean Down – Cleaning Up the Engine and Gearbox from the 1978 MGB GT
March 11, 2022
With the bodywork on the 1978 MGB GT currently happening in the Bridge Classic Cars body shop, the restoration technicians in the workshop have taken
Assess and Repair – Removing and Repairing the Interior of the 1978 MGB GT
March 9, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars worked on removing the interior of the 1978 MGB GT before it headed to our body shop to
Blackout – Refinishing Trim Pieces for the 1978 MGB GT
February 18, 2022
The paint team at Bridge Classic Cars have some of the trims and pieces from the 1978 MGB GT in the paint booth to be
From Scratch – Refurbishing the Soft Top on the 1978 MGB GT
February 16, 2022
The sunroof for the 1978 MGB GT is on the workbench of the trim shop here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ and it
Moving Forward – Fabrication Work on the 1978 MGB GT Begins
February 15, 2022
The metalwork on the 1978 Blaze Orange MGB GT has begun! All of the new panels and pieces have arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars
Special Delivery – New Panels for the 1978 MGB GT
February 14, 2022
The new panels for the 1978 MGB GT have arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. These pieces were ordered for the restoration of the
Tanked – Removing the Fuel Tank of the 1978 MGB GT
February 9, 2022
The final pieces for the restoration of the 1978 MGB GT are out of the car! Our in-house restoration teams have worked on getting the
One Last Photoshoot
June 16, 2023
As our 1978 MGB GT is leaving us again, after returning for some repairs to the paint and the engine, we thought it would be great to take some photos of this beautiful classic car before it goes back to its owner.
It has come a long way since it first arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and we are very happy to see it in its finished form.
Engine Out & Radio In
June 12, 2023
Since our 1978 MGB GT returned to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop recently, classic car technician Rob has removed the engine and installed a new DAB radio.
The engine was removed in order to replace the crankshaft rear oil seal. Removing the engine from a classic car is never a small job but the experienced workshop team were able to get things done in preparation for our MGB GT to go back to its owner again soon.
Finishing A Paint Job
June 5, 2023
After recently returning to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, our 1978 MGB GT has been in the paint shop with technician Chris.
The paintwork that our classic MGB GT needed has now been completed and the car looks great and will soon be returned to its owner.
A New Sunroof
January 10, 2023
Our 1978 MGB GT is getting even closer to leaving the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Classic car technician Brian has been busy making and fitting a new sunroof for this eye-catching classic car. Brian started by fitting the wood sections to the metal brackets that surround the sunroof opening. He then laid the frame bars onto the old cover to see where they were positioned.
He went on to fit the wood and brackets around the sunroof opening before trial-fitting the roof bars to check everything was the perfect fit.
Brian riveted the roof cables to the front rail before fitting the lock and handle too. The front rail was also trial-fitted so Brian could make sure that it locked into position.
The rubber handle was fitted to the underside of the lock handle before Brian turned his attention to a new headliner board.
He made a new pattern for this and then cut out the new sunroof headliner, glueing the edges ready to be sewn. The frame bars were then laid onto the sewn headliner and the front wood trim was glued into place.
Wood trim and a chrome surround for the handle were installed before Brian fitted the roof bars in place and glued the headliner flaps around the bars. The sunroof cover was then cut out ready to have its edges sewn.
The front rail was then glued to the hood material and fitting straps were fitted to the sides of the material to hold the frame in place. The cover was glued to the frame and the corners were trimmed before the cover was fitted to the car.
The sunroof was bolted to the car before being sealed with mastic.
The headliner could then be glued and stapled in place while the new headliner board was marked out. The headliner board was cut out and had holes drilled in it for the clips to be fitted. This was then trial-fitted before being covered.
With the addition of the sunroof, our 1978 MGB GT is looking great and will very likely soon be leaving the workshop to be reunited with its owner.
Nearly There – 1978 MGB GT
November 28, 2022
Classic car technician Rob has been looking at our 1978 MGB GT. As this car is getting very close to being ready to leave us, he has been double-checking that everything is working exactly as it should.
While there is still some work needing to be done on this eye-catching classic car (the sunroof being the main one), it is clear to see that it won’t be too much longer before it drives out of our workshop and back to its owner.
The workshop team here at Bridge Classic Cars have put a lot of time and effort into bringing this classic car back to life. It has recently been started and, like Rob has been doing recently, checks will continue to be done until everyone is satisfied it is good to go.
We love a classic MG so we always love having them come into the workshop. However, it is equally as exciting to see a fully restored MG as beautiful as this one leave us and move on to the next chapter of its life on the road.
Our 1978 MGB GT might not be quite ready to leave us just yet but, once the sunroof is installed by classic car technician Brian, and Rob has finished his checks, we will have to say goodbye to this beautiful classic car. Until then though, we will continue to enjoy having it with us.
New Hardboard Panels And Badges Refurbished
October 26, 2022
The interior trim of our 1978 MGB GT has had new hardboard panels made. The finish of the new panels goes a long way in making this classic car look refined and very appealing.
The badges of the car have also been undergoing refurbishment.
Seemingly small tasks like this do a great job of bringing a restored classic car back to its original state so they are very important.
Our 1978 MGB GT continues to make good progress and we are very excited to see it back out on the road in the near future.
Progressing Nicely
October 12, 2022
As our 1978 MGB GT continues to move through the restoration process, things are progressing well and more tasks have been ticked off the checklist.
Classic car technician Rob has painted and fitted the number plate backing panels, fitted the door trim and handles on the right-hand side of the vehicle, as well as making new backing panels for the C pillar trim.
Rob has been extra busy as he also assembled and fitted the rear anti-roll bar and fitted the rear roof trim too.
New Lines And Trim
October 7, 2022
Classic car technician Rob has been making and fitting the new brake and fuel lines for our 1978 MGB GT.
He also fitted the brake master cylinder, which brings the car one step closer to being able to get back out on the road.
Other work continues on the MGB GT in the form of more trim being installed. This helps the car look much closer to how the finished restoration will look.
Clean Look – Parts of the 1978 MG B GT Refinished
August 9, 2022
Some of the pieces of the 1978 MG B GT have been refurbished by the team before being handed over to our paint team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ.
The paint team have refinished the parts in hard-wearing and durable black as part of the restoration.
Replaced – Metal Work on the 1978 MG B GT
June 8, 2022
The restoration workshop at Bridge Classic Cars has been continuing with the metal repairs to the 1978 MG B GT in with us for restoration.
The team have been working on the right-hand side of the car to remove the areas of corrosion to key parts of the bodyshell. This begun with cutting out the corrosion at the rear of the car in the valance. These were cut out of the car to create new templates for replacements, so the team could make the new pieces as close as possible to the originals.
Then the team could move on the car’s windshield pillars which had areas of corrosion at their base. This was peeled back to expose just how in-depth it had gone into the piece before the team replaced it.
Along with this, some pieces at the top of the inner wing was also replaced due to corrosion and to allow for the best fitment of the new wings which have been test fitted to the body to check alignment.
Piece by Piece – Metalwork Continues on the 1978 MG B GT
April 20, 2022
The bodyshell of the 1978 MG B GT in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ has had more metal work repairs.
Rob, one of our restoration technicians, has been working his way methodically through the repairs needed to the car. The team have been working their way from the bottom to the top to make sure that everything is square and secure to the chassis. The biggest job tackled recently was remaking and resecuring the bottom of the drivers-side A-pillar which was heavily corroded and was allowing a lot of flex through the inner wheel arch and many of the pickup points for the door.
Along with that, Rob has finished welding the new door skin to the repaired door frame for the passenger side of the car. And with that, could bolt the door up to the car to double-check fitment and alignment.
Solid Foundations – Further Metal Work on the 1978 MG B GT
April 14, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars restoration teams have been continuing work on the metal repairs to the 1978 MG B GT.
Our technician, Rob, has been systematically carrying on with removal and repairs to the body shell and doors for the classic sports car. Rob has worked on remaking several key flanges and plates which had corroded away on the car and would be needed not only for the structure but also for the alignment of the panels once the MG B enters our in-house body shop.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1978 MG B GT.
Progress – Body Repairs to the 1978 MGB GT Continue
April 13, 2022
The restoration team at Bridge Classic Cars have made good progress on the body repairs to the 1978 MGB GT which is in for restoration.
The team have been systematically and methodically working through the classic sports car to get the shell into the best shape possible before it is taken into our body team to be refinished further.
Rob, one of our technicians, has been carefully removing any areas of the car which hold any current or questionable corrosion and replacing them with replacement panels or hand fabricated patch panels to ensure that the whole car is back to being in solid metal.
Included in that, is reskinning the doors. The outer skin on one particular door had become heavily corroded but the frame it was attached to was in solid condition. So, Rob carefully removed the old skin and fit up the new replacement stamping which will be welded in and finished.
Piece by Piece – Body Repairs on the 1978 MGB GT
March 22, 2022
The bodywork on the 1978 MGB GT which is in for restoration with Bridge Classic Cars continues while the rest of the car is being worked on by the various other restoration departments.
The bodywork on the car has been worked on piece by piece, with any remnants of corrosion or rust completely removed from the shell of the classic sports car.
Using replacement patch panels, the areas were carefully cut out and the metal replaced piece by piece.
Refinished – Painting and Refinishing the Block and Parts of the 1978 MGB GT Engine
March 22, 2022
Once the engine and parts had been thoroughly cleaned by our restoration workshop for the 1978 MGB GT in with Bridge Classic Cars for restoration, they could be transferred over to the paint shop to be refinished.
Chris and the paint team worked on getting each piece cleaned and prepared before being taken into the paint booth. Each piece was individually painted whether in the maroon heavy-duty paint or the deep, silky black for some of the accessories.
Once everything had correctly cured, they were taken back into the restoration workshop for the engine to be reassembled ready for when the time comes to be reinstalled into the restored body.
Rebuilt – Rebuilding the Distributor and Carburettors of the 1978 MGB GT
March 22, 2022
The restoration technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ have been busy rebuilding and cleaning up the distributor and carburettors of the 1978 MGB GT.
Rob began by carefully disassembling the distributor on the classic MGB. The internals of the distributor was assessed and inspected, with the decision being to entirely rebuild the whole component and clean up the casing.
The next job was to work on stripping down the SU carburettors and manifolds to assess them. Once the assessment was complete, our technician Rob cleaned up each and every piece of the carburettors before beginning the process of rebuilding and recommissioning the vital intake components.
With these jobs complete, Rob could begin to prepare the engine block for refurbishment and paint.
Checking Over – Inspecting the Pieces Removed from the 1978 MGB GT
March 16, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop team have been working on inspecting pieces from the 1978 MGB GT which were removed before it entered the body shop.
Our restoration technician Rob has been going through each of the parts to decide if new parts will be required or if they can be refurbished for use in the restoration of the classic sports car.
Finished Up – Refoaming and Recovering the Rear Seat of the 1978 MGB GT
March 16, 2022
The rear seat of the 1978 MGB GT in for restoration at Bridge Classic Cars has been refoamed and recovered by our in-house trim shop to match the rest of the car.
Whilst the body is in with our body shop, the interior is being revamped by the team in the trim shop. Lydia has completely remade the foam for the rear seat of the classic MGB. This was all for recovering the rear seat in black leather to match the front seats of the car.
Each piece has been finished by hand to make sure the best fit and finish for the piece is achieved.
Now with this piece finished, it will be wrapped and put into storage for when the car is ready for reassembly.
From Scratch – Making the New Rear Seat Coverings for the 1978 MGB GT
March 15, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on handmaking the new rear seat cover for the 1978 MGB GT in for restoration.
The rear seat is being refinished in black leather to match the rest of the car. For this, Lydia used the original cover as a template to work from to get the best fit for the seat. Along with the new covering is new leather straps and a felt/carpet base piece to cover the wooden base board of the seat.
Clean Down – Cleaning Up the Engine and Gearbox from the 1978 MGB GT
March 11, 2022
With the bodywork on the 1978 MGB GT currently happening in the Bridge Classic Cars body shop, the restoration technicians in the workshop have taken the opportunity to clean up the engine and gearbox in preparation to go back in the car at a later date.
Our technician Rob has completely steam cleaned both the engine block, cylinder head and gearbox of the classic MGB. After plugging up any oil galleys and vital ports (as well as the exposed valvetrain), he could use our high pressured steam clean to knock the years of dirt and road grime off the 4 cylinder powertrain from the car.
Once thoroughly cleaned and dried, the engine and gearbox were put back together and stored ready for when the restoration calls for the drivetrain and the body to meet again.
Assess and Repair – Removing and Repairing the Interior of the 1978 MGB GT
March 9, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars worked on removing the interior of the 1978 MGB GT before it headed to our body shop to begin its rust repairs.
With the interior of the classic MGB removed and safely upstairs into our in-house trim shop, the team could begin working through the interior for the car.
The front seats of the sports car are in incredible condition, all that was needed was to tighten up the clips to pull the covers a touch tighter and regrease the mechanisms to avoid any unpleasant squeaking.
The rear seat of the MGB GT had slightly more wear, however. The ends of the foam panel underneath had deteriorated away so the trim team removed the cover and carefully cut and sectioned in new pieces to the ends of the base.
The next job was to strip back and inspect the rear squab panel. This involved the removal of all hardware, covers and foam from the panel.
Blackout – Refinishing Trim Pieces for the 1978 MGB GT
February 18, 2022
The paint team at Bridge Classic Cars have some of the trims and pieces from the 1978 MGB GT in the paint booth to be refinished.
Whilst the body of the MGB is having its metalwork completed, the paint team took the opportunity to refinish several of the trims and fixings in a new heavy-duty black finish for the classic sports car. This not only is aesthetic but also will help protect the pieces, which were taken back to bare metal, while they’re in storage until reassembly begins.
From Scratch – Refurbishing the Soft Top on the 1978 MGB GT
February 16, 2022
The sunroof for the 1978 MGB GT is on the workbench of the trim shop here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ and it needs more work than first thought.
Lydia had been working on entirely refurbishing the soft top for the Blaze Orange MGB. As she began to disassemble the piece, the metal railings literally started to crumble in her hands. So, with that, she worked on getting everything broken down into its components and went to our fabrication department to make new rails for the soft top.
Once these had been made and given back to Lydia, she could start to put the refurbished soft top back together and safely put into storage for when our body team have finished the metal repairs on the sports car.
Moving Forward – Fabrication Work on the 1978 MGB GT Begins
February 15, 2022
The metalwork on the 1978 Blaze Orange MGB GT has begun!
All of the new panels and pieces have arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for the team to begin work on the classic 1970s sports car. Once all of the welding is complete on the car, it will then be turned over to our body shop to make sure every line and curve on the car is absolutely perfect.
There will be more updates on the 1978 Blaze Orange MGB GT very soon
Special Delivery – New Panels for the 1978 MGB GT
February 14, 2022
The new panels for the 1978 MGB GT have arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. These pieces were ordered for the restoration of the sports car being done by our workshop.
All of these pieces are being checked and catalogued for the car by the team for when bodywork begins as part of the restoration project.
Tanked – Removing the Fuel Tank of the 1978 MGB GT
February 9, 2022
The final pieces for the restoration of the 1978 MGB GT are out of the car! Our in-house restoration teams have worked on getting the entire car stripped down to a bare shell over the past couple of weeks.
One of the last bits to be removed is some of the most crucial. After our technician Paul removed the fuel pump and fuel lines from the car, Mauro took over the task of getting the fuel tank and filler out of the car. Although this had been completely drained, we always remove the fuel tanks of cars that require any bodywork doing to them for safety reasons.
With this all removed, the team can now get the beautiful bright orange sports car around to our in-house body shop for them to begin working on the car.
