As we await the next stage in the process of the restoration of our Ampicar, classic car technician Monty has provided more photos of the repair work that took place before the car was painted.
As you can see, the repairs took a lot of skill, time, and patience. Monty and Christian worked on the vehicle until it was completely ready to be painted and it is now making good progress.
Classic car technician Chris has been repairing the door and rear arch of our 1964 Amphicar 7-70.
Once these were repaired, the car was moved into our paintshop where epoxy primer was applied ready for a new coat of paint.
After a recent visit from the owner of this interesting vehicle, some additional work has been planned for the restoration of our Amphicar 7-70.
With new parts being ordered from America, work continues on our Amphicar and we are looking forward to seeing it continue on its restoration journey in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Now that our 1964 Amphicar 7-70 has been stripped back to bare metal for rust repair, our classic car technicians have been able to closely inspect and assess each part of this interesting vehicle.
Once many of the components had been stripped, we could see which parts need to be replaced.
We have used Gordon Imports in America to successfully source Amphicar parts previously. Shellee at Gordon’s has always been extremely helpful so we are confident that all of the parts pictured below can be sourced and replaced very soon.
It is now live! The auction of our 1965 Amphicar that was completely restored in-house by Bridge Classic Cars is live on the Car & Classic website.
This car has had everything imaginable done to it. Not a single system hasn’t been made the best it can possibly be. To the point where it is completely road legal and water certified.
Also, this particular Amphicar (one of just 4000 built) is one of the first known to be completely E10 compliant. Meaning this is really the most useable classic car and a classic boat you could find.
Head over to the Car & Classic Auction by clicking the link below!
The 1965 Amphicar is already quite a unique and rare piece of automotive history. But, an original convertible hood cover? Slightly rare than hen’s teeth. However, after some research, we found a company in the States who make them!
We had one shipped to us here for our 1965 Amphicar which was installed by our in-house master trimmers. As you can see, it looks absolutely brilliant!
Our 1965 Amphicar had a dip in the pool to test its seals against the water. The result was small ingress of water and we’ve discovered that a few small holes we’d filled in thinking they were holes, actually happen to be integral to the water flow and buoyancy of the Amphicar as they allow water to flow through the car and out another side.
We’ve started repainting the floor on our 1965 Amphicar. Chris began by taking out the bolts and masking up the struts that would remain cream.
We’ve applied a black sealant paint on the inside which is the same as the underside. This resin based paint provides better protection against water ingress and allows for easier cleaning.
We are also endeavouring to repair the handbrake after the cable broke.
Our 1965 Amphicar has had a sudden issue with a carb fuel leak so we’ve taken it apart, cleaned it and rebuilt it, adding in some fresh sealant. We hope that it can now go for an MOT and then have its first water test.
Our 1965 Amphicar has had its brakes and suspension rebuilt recently to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Soon we will be carrying out a water test to test if the sealing around the doors is fully waterproof. If all goes well, we will see how it fairs out on the river.
Scott has been working on the engine of the Amphicar, converting the dynamo to an alternator to make the charge more reliable.
Scott has also fitted and wired the fuel gage:
The underside of the Amphicar has also been masked and painted to make it water-resistant and ready for the water. MarineWare came to assist with the application of this.
Amphicar’s are known for leaking, predominantly through door seals or other gaps. As this is a totally newly restored Amphicar, there is always risk of water ingress from other areas. Whilst taking the advice from others who have restored Amphicars, we were advised if possible, to apply a sealant to the underside of the vehicle. We contacted MarineWare to come and apply 2K Durepox sealant.
We bought the product and Glen Keefe from Technical Sales at MarineWare came to the workshop to go through the process with our paint technicians, Chris and Matt. The process included keying off the already applied paintwork and applying a primer followed by the Durepox resin and hardener in black to match the original paint. This hard and long-lasting sealant will aid our Amphicar in its seaworthy adventures and make sure there are no unwanted leaks.
Stuck between buying a boat or a car? Or maybe you fancy the idea of an all-encompassing road trip vehicle that’s up to any terrain? Well, if that’s so, this GMC DUKW is going up for auction.
The Motorious article explains it was “Originally designed by Rod Stephens Jr, a famous yacht designer from Sparkman & Stephens, along with Frank W. Speir of MIT and Dennis Puleston, a British deep-water sailor, the DUKW was created to be tough. It had to be capable of transporting over 2 tons of troops and supplies not only across the water but also over rough terrain. The tires had to negotiate soft, sandy beaches and muddy jungle floors without becoming stuck. Perhaps most critical and challenging, the DUKW had to be made in mass quickly, so the design had to be simple as well as effective.”
Maybe you fancy something a little..smaller? You can always look for something like our charming Amphicar that we’re currently restoring for a customer.
Our Amphicar has taken the back bench since Christmas whilst we waited for the gearbox to come back after we encountered a bushing stuck inside the gearbox which needed the entire element to be taken apart and re-built.
Now with the gearbox back, we can start to reassemble the gearbox and engine.
Ady has also cleaned the floor of the Amphicar engine bay and Chris has painted it black. The engine can now be placed back in.
February 11, 2021 2:59 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Our Amphicar has been taking a temporary back seat in our workshop whilst we wait for the gearbox to come back. Our plan moving forwards is to re-seal the underside with a resin seal, ensuring that this iconic car is watertight and water ready.
January 20, 2021 12:57 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Just before Christmas, we discovered an issue with the Amphicar’s gearbox which had become noisy. We decided to take it out and inspect the elements. You can read about the diagnosis here.
The gearbox has been sent to Last Transmissions to be overhauled and replace the bearings. Once this has been done and is back with us, we hope to get it back together again and put on the water.
Our Amphicar is having a few adjustments as we’ve discovered a gearbox issue whilst testing. We noticed a noise which we originally thought was linked to the thrust bearing however it turns out it’s due to the first motion shaft bearing that needs repairing.
We’ve taken out the engine and gearbox, and will now begin the process of fixing the gearbox.
December 24, 2020 12:30 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
On Friday, we had our friend Sam come in to intricately paint on the word ‘Acrobat’ onto either side. The beautiful wording is done in red with a white shadow that makes the word stand out from the cream bodywork.
This was a surprise for the owner, who had cleverly named the Amphicar ‘Acrobat’, an anagram for ‘Car’ and ‘Boat’. This clever play on words and personalised artwork really does make an already special car stand out even more.
The owner was delighted when he was shown the new addition! We’re looking forward to seeing this acrobatic land to water vehicle take on its next adventure.
December 14, 2020 2:04 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
We’re delighted to announce that our Amphicar has graduated to become a boat! After its previous inspection by Colin from Wherry Boat Yard, we got the final thumbs-up last week to confirm that the Amphicar passed its certificate to classify it as a boat!
You can take a look at the official paperwork below to see the exact classifications. There’s also been some other small work such as the Bilge pump switches being prewired and the holes prepped by our electric specialist Adam. He’s also made sure that the lights work too.
Our trim shop has added a piece of vinyl in behind the rear seat to tidy it up as seen below.
All the switches have now been labelled with bespoke colour coordinated labels.
You can also see here its first start up. We’re excited to get it out on the water for the first time, soon, to see how it fairs and what needs to be done next.
In order to pass the assessment we needed to make the necessary changes below. The fuel hose needed to be fitted that could withstand 600 degrees, ISO7840 for two hours. Due to the age of the car we considered the existing bilge pump not to be adequate and capable of adhering to the latest legislation so we decided to fit two pulse operated bilge pumps that look for water and when detecting it will start and pump out of the rear. We decided to fit two of these as always health and safety is our paramount concern and have given two totally independent systems with separate exit from the rear of the vehicle.
The fire extinguisher has also been fitted and the pipe flaring has been carried out. To comply with current legislation we have changed the set up of the fuel system to withdraw fuel from the top of the tank through a stainless steel shut off valve.
We have also installed an electrical cut off switch and solder jointed cables to the battery terminal.
December 14, 2020 1:04 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Our trim team has been fitting the rear centre section in place, cutting out sound deadening and glueing it to bodywork behind where seats go.
The rear squab section has also been fitted in place, the carpet has been cut to be placed in front of the rear seat base, the rear seat section has been fitted in place, and the leather has been glued to the seat subframes.
Sound deadening has been installed in the rear footwell & tunnel sides, passenger side, passenger side bulkhead, and the front footwells.
The door frames are also undergoing some modifications so that the window glass sits more comfortably. The doors will need to be taken apart and re-welded back together.
Peony Red Jensen
Our Peony Red 1960 Jensen 541s has had new door catch fixing plates installed. Our technicians have also made a cover to go over them to stop them from falling down into the sills of the car. They have then been welded into position.
TR6
The Triumph TR6 is on the road to recovery with the final tweaks being done. The engine levels have been checked as have the gearbox and rear axels. This stage is mostly a pre-drive service to make sure everything is in the right place and ready for the car to be driven for the first time. The battery holder needs to be installed and the engine to be tuned. Once these last details are done we can turn it on and see how it drives and address any teething problems that may arise.
Amphicar
The Amphicar is currently going through another in-depth stage of troubleshooting the electrics. Much like the TR6, our technicians’ are applying the final checks in preparation for starting the car up for the first time.
Peugeot 504
The Peugeot 504 is almost finished! The exhaust and break lines have been installed as well as the seat belts which have been added by our technician Scott.
Black Jensen
The black 1960 Jensen 541R has come out of paintwork recently to address the corrections made. All the chrome has now been re-installed so it’s looking shiny and new!
1984 Lada 1200
Our Lada is one of our most recent patients. We diagnosed it with rusting sills and floor, which is being addressed and corrected by one of our fabricators, Ant. These refurbishments are done through a series of stages that include welding and applying filler to resolve the ageing. Think of it like getting a dermatological facial!
1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12
Our blue jaguar e-type is awaiting its chrome bumper and new steering rack to be fitted. The sun roof has also been fixed. This included taking apart the faulty switch and cleaning the components and then insulating the terminal. Once fitted back together, the sun roof was back to working perfectly again.
Gold Jensen
Our gold and red 1962 Jensen 541S has had its oil changed and water purged from the engine by our engine specialist, Ady.
Austin 7 Nippy
Ady is also working on the Austin 7 Nippy engine which is currently at COLTEC to be assessed.
Nissan 300ZX
The exhaust has been reinstalled into our Nissan as well as the link pipe between the two exhaust manifolds.
Two bilge pumps have been added to the Amphicar. The original bilge pump remains in its original position in the engine bay and is still in working condition. The old pump still has its wires connected and can be connected at any point in the future, however, it is currently disconnected from the car. The old pump has been kept in for peace of mind.
December 3, 2020 12:44 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Our trim technician Kath has made and fitted the convertible roof hood cover that can be placed over the roof when its collapsed down.
Making this included measuring it up, attaching stud buttons, and finally fitting it in place.
Our technician Tom has fitted a radiator surround, air filter and pipe as well as refreshing the paint on the bumper brackets and refurbished the bonnet chrome pieces.
The Amphicar has had a new fuel out let pipe and tank vent pipe installed, with fresh welding in the fuel tank so the vehicle now complies with the regulations to allow it to go on the water. We ran some tests on the new pieces and all the welding held up fine however we discovered a leak coming from the fuel tank. In response to this, we removed the rust and retested for leaks. Once we ensured everything was good, it was sent to the paint shop!
November 19, 2020 4:31 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The Amphicar is getting closer to being water worthy! We’ve installed a bow light with a stern light also optional, which can be taken on and off when needed. This means when the Amphicar is out on the water at night, other ships can see it!
Adam, our electrical specialist has also redone the connection block. This has been refurbished to make them easier to access if any repairs or tweaking has to be done in future!
With these fixes made, the Amphicar is steadily getting closer to completion after its recent boat MOT. You can see the check list we were provided below:
November 17, 2020 1:57 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
We had Colin from Wherry boatyard on behalf of CC Marine and Industrial Supply come in to survey our 1965 Amphicar. As a BSS (Boat Safety Scheme) Examiner, its Colins job to tell us what is needed to make the Amphicar water worthy.
It’s a bit like an MOT but for boats and it’ll allow our Amphicar to be one step closer to getting its tires wet.
The amends includes relocating the battery cut-off switch changing the fuel entry removal system from a bottom to a top entry, replacing rubber hoses with copper pipes to allow a 2 hour 100 degrees safety bracket, installing a fire extinguisher, modify the main battery wiring, replacing the fuel arrester to the fuel tank, general labeling, adding an override switch to the dashboard and installing a modern Bilge pump and float switch.
This morning we took a walk around the workshop to take a peak at how our engineers are getting on with the current projects.
1996 Nissan Patrol
The Nissan Patrol is almost ready to be set free on adventures again. Pete has given it a general ‘health check’ and service to ensure its exploration spirit is still intact.
The last stage on the Nissan is to ‘blacken’ the underside to protect it from rust and erosion, which is all the more important for adventurous vehicles like this Patrol!
1972 MGB Blaze Orange
Tamas has been working hard on the latest refurbishments to the MGB which has recently included a new radiator as the old one had developed some rust and holes.
The thermostat has also been refurbished along with its housing and the grill. Tamas has also installed new reversing lights as well.
The Rosytle wheels are currently in the hands of our paint specialist Darren who’s just finished applying the first layer of paint to neaten them up.
1960 MGA
The Red MGA has had a seasonal refurbishment with a heater being added to accommodate for the cold months approaching!
Paul tells us that “the car originally never had a heater in, so the parts have been shipped in from America.”
Its not uncommon to see our classic cars fitted with modern creature comforts such as heaters and radios.
1972 Peugeot 504
Scott has been working on fitting the doors, making sure the latches catch and shut efficiently.
Darren has also been working on the Peugeot, painting the engine bay. This needed two sets of paint, one for the inner parts and a separate colour for the outer parts to match the body of the car.
1957 Jensen541R
The Jensen is still in the trimming shop where Brian is installing the leather padding that sits just above the windscreen. This piece followed the original design but still had to be cut and made by hand.
Brian tells us ‘It’s quite a fiddly job to fit this panel’.
We can’t wait to see the Jensen completed with its smart new leather from our trim experts.
1965 Amphicar
Our classic car electrician Adam has been working on tidying up the Amphicar’s wires and installing a second pump to ensure enough water is removed from within the vehicle. This means a custom made pump bracket will have to be designed and fitted when the second pump is installed.
1987 Mercedes 500SL
Our engineer Anthony is currently applying a filler to the engine bay to smooth out any bumps.
A keen eye for detail from Anthony is needed to ensure that the Mercedes doesn’t leave the fabrication bay with any imperfections.
October 28, 2020 11:01 amPublished by Craig Ranson
If you haven’t already, say hello to our Amphicar! Part boat, part car, this curious little vehicle can drive both on land and on water. Jovially referred to as ‘the fastest car on the water’.
The Amphicar was only in production from 1961 to 1968, so our 1965 model is an incredibly rare find. We’re so lucky to have the opportunity to be doing a full restoration on this intriguing little car (or is it a boat!?)
Along with returning the car to her former glory by doing a complete bodywork restoration, the team have also returned her to her original colour- ‘Beach Strand White’. We think she looks gorgeous!
Our Amphicar has been in the trim shop this week having her new roof fitted. Brian’s been working on the task. “I’ve fitted the locating pins around the roof edge” Brian describes “then glued and turned the corners of the roofs front rail”.
Brian’s then trimmed off any excess material and screwed the metal trim in place. The edges looking nice a neat now. “I then fitted the metal trim round the bottom of the back of the roof using Tenax fasteners” he explains.
“I’ve then glued flaps around the rear window frame” Brian continues “again adding the neat metal trim to smarten up the edges and also, to hold the window rubber in”.
Even though the roof was a ready-made, it still had to be custom fitted and therefore provided it’s own challenges! Brian told us how tricky it was to get the roof liner to fit. “When we make our own parts we can measure against the car and use those exact patters” Brian explains. “But, when it’s ‘off the shelf’ the product arrives and we have to work with what we’re presented with.”
Brian’s also fitted the back seat “I glued the rubber down first” he explains “then fitted the seat Kath and I have made onto it.”
Raise your hand if you want to take this swimmingly fun car for a test-dive!?
Tom has been making progress on our rare Amphicar restoration.
After installing the new floor he has fitted the rubber lining to the floor, vehicle sides and door cards. Being an amphibious vehicle, the interior needs to be waterproof should any spray enterer the vehicle cabin.
Tom has also adjusted the handbrake to bite sooner and for pressure to be applied evenly across both of the rear brakes. We’ve aligned the metal exterior trim to sit as a perfect pinstripe across the side of the car.
The front seats have also been now been installed. The next steps in our Amphicar restoration will be to install the seatbelts, make rubber matting to cover the soft top well and install front and rear chrome light surrounds.
February 14, 2020 10:50 amPublished by Craig Ranson
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