This beautiful 1929 Dodge Brothers DA is the latest arrival into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
This car is due to be inspected and assessed by our in-house restoration teams to bring this stunning pre-war Dodge up to scratch. The teams will go through each aspect of the car and report back on their findings.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars newspage for more updates on the 1929 Dodge Brothers DA.
January 12, 2022 10:47 am
The 1977 MGB Roadster that is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop is moving along quickly!
Whilst Alan is busy preparing the body for its turn in the paint booth, Chris is working on getting the first layers of colour onto the front wings and doors of the sports car. The entire body has been sanded back down to make sure the shape of each of the panels flows perfectly.
The colour on the wings and doors will have its colour slowly built up to get the correct depth of colour.
January 12, 2022 10:34 am
Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technician, Mauro, has been investigating a leak from the rear differential of the 1975 MGB GT V8.
Mauro found the seal/gasket on the rear end had deteriorated over time and was allowing the rear end to weep slightly. So, with a new gasket ordered as well as the correct spec and weight of gear oil, Mauro got to work on sorting out the issue and getting this fantastic deep red sports car back to perfect running and driving for its new owner.
January 12, 2022 9:51 am
Jon, one of our amazing Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, has been working on getting the last few bits and pieces done on the 1990 Austin Mini 30 before it heads off to its very lucky new owner.
The last job to complete underneath this fantastic Mini is to install a new exhaust mount onto the car. The old one had become loose and wasn’t in the best state so our workshop ordered up a replacement piece and got it into the car. This particular clamp also acts as a hang and is secure to the gearbox, so it’s crucial in keeping the exhaust spaced far enough away from the gearbox as to not rattle or chafe.
With this done, it will have its pre-delivery inspection and very soon be off to its new home!
January 12, 2022 8:42 am
Bridge Classic Cars have welcomed this 1975 Volkswagen Beetle into our Pettistree workshop recently for our in-house restoration teams to assess and report on the condition of the car for its owner.
After the team has assessed the car and thoroughly inspected it, they will come up with a list of jobs that need to be undertaken on the classic aircooled Volkswagen to get it back into safe and running order.
January 12, 2022 8:31 am
This 1972 Chevrolet El Camino has been stored at our secure storage facility, The Hangar, for some time now. But today it was time to get the classic American muscle car out and off to a local automatic gearbox specialist to have a look into why it won’t select any gears.
The customer had been taking the car to a show locally when all of a sudden the car just lost all forward and reverse gears. It was bought to us to investigate why this has happened so we have got a local specialist who works with all of our automatic gearboxes to help out on this project.
January 11, 2022 2:28 pm
Progress is continuing on the 1973 MGB GT V8 that is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. Our technicians have been going through to check all the systems required for its testing and found a couple of issues.
Paul has been looking into an issue with the oil pressure gauge and some peculiar issues with the wiring. Look into the gauge to begin with, Paul has cleaned out and rewired the pressure sender which he believes has sorted the problem but it will be reevaluated during the cars tests.
The wiring was some issues down to the routing of certain wires through the engine bay which was causing the car to blow fuses during the cars fire up. Paul went through each of the wires in the engine bay and behind the dash in order to trace back any problems to get them fixed. After this and a couple of repairs to the wiring, Paul is moving forward with his checks on this amazing 1973 MGB GT V8.
January 11, 2022 12:16 pm
Bridge Classic Cars have welcomed this iconic 1970 Porsche 911T into our in-house trim shop at our Pettistree, Suffolk HQ. The car, which belongs to a local customer has been brought to us for a special job.
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim team will be fitting a complete 911 carpet set into the cockpit of one of the most recognisable sports cars of all time. As you can see, there isn’t a lot on the inside of the car but all around the car is filled with massive amounts of character. There are so many pieces on the car that give it a personality all of its own.
Expect to see lots more on this car here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
January 11, 2022 11:43 am
Work on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 continues with Bridge Classic Cars as our in-house restoration technician Scott begins to put together the front suspension of the DB2 back into its freshly powdercoated frame.
Scott has been carefully refitting the newly refurbished pieces into the DB2 so as not to mar either the frame of the piece itself. Scott has taken the time to even test fit mounting bolts before installation to see whether the powdercoating will need to be taken down to allow the bolt to neatly and securely go into its allotted place.
With so many newly refurbished parts, Scott has methodically worked through the front end of the car so as not to have to remove any components to install others around it. The first piece, is the stunning cast steering rack.
There will be more very soon on the progress of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
January 11, 2022 11:01 am
The 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster, Fern Grey, is getting closer to completion by the day. Recently our in-house restoration technicians have been working on completing the exhaust for this amazing project.
Our technician Paul has been working on cleaning, preparing and coating the exhausts for the 5 litre V12 that sits at the heart of this E Type. Paul carefully cleaned and prepared the original headers for the car before applying several coats of glossy black exhaust paint. This paint is specific for the use on exhausts as it can withstand incredible high temperatures and the environment.
Paul also worked on cleaning and painting the exhaust brackets for Fern Grey to match the rest of the immaculate underside of the car.
January 11, 2022 10:29 am
Dave, one of our most experienced technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on replacing the rear pinion seal of the 1954 Jaguar MkVII.
We noted the seal was leaking during an inspection and with the newly refurbished gearbox soon to be back in the car, Dave took this opportunity to get the rear pinion seal into the rear end before the gearbox is fitted and the driver shaft installed.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars newspage for more updates soon on the 1954 Jaguar MkVII.
January 11, 2022 10:21 am
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians are not new to the world of Jensen 541’s, after restoring several of the 541, 541S and 541R’s we have some experience in doing jobs on them.
This particular 1962 Jensen 541S came into us to have a few jobs carried out on it.
Firstly it was the job of our technician Tamas to remove the old steering column from the car as the customer had requested it be replaced in favour of a new power steering unit. Carefully and with the old wiring harness out of the way, Tamas worked on getting the new unit fitted up to the dark green, luxury GT. After that, Tamas made sure that everything fit up to the car with the new harness in place to ensure nothing caught or bound up on the new column and also to check the column-mounted shifter all worked seamlessly.
Then it was time to get the new wiring harness fitted to the car. Our workshop manager John, began with completely removing the old harness from the car and preparing each piece for the brand new harness to be put into the car. Then, it was the turn of our restoration technician Tamas to get the new harness entirely installed into the car. He began by wiring up the new harness into the back of the dashboard and gauges whilst on the work bench. Then with this, he carefully refit the original dash back into the making sure to drape the specific wires through the dash structure to keep them all neat and organised. Then, he systematically went through the harness to connect it into the relevant systems of the car and began testing. Everything worked perfectly!
January 7, 2022 12:17 pm
Our restoration technician Paul has been working on inspecting and assessing the running of the 1970 Land Rover Series IIA that is at Bridge Classic Cars for restoration.
Before any further work is carried out, Paul wanted to check and see whether the diesel engine that has been fitted is running properly and safely. We have previously replaced the injector pump, so following on from that Paul checked the glow plugs located in the engine block.
January 7, 2022 8:59 am
Monty, one of our incredible in-house bodywork experts here at Bridge Classic Cars, has begun the process of repairing any rust on the 1987 Daimler Double Six that is currently in our Bodyshop.
Beginning with the inner arches, Monty has carefully cut out only the affected area, leaving as much of the original, solid metal as possible. All of the area was then rust treated before Monty began making a template for a new piece to be grafted into the 1980s super saloon. Using the template, Monty rough cut a new piece of metal of the same thickness and began to work on refining the shape and the fitment for the best fit and ultimately the best result for the client.
Once happy with the fitment of the new piece, Monty began to carefully weld it into the car. Ensuring the piece has enough time to cool evenly for the best finish. Although this is for the inner wheel arch, it’s the attention to detail our body shop and all of our restoration teams give to each project that we believe sets us apart. After the new patch piece had been fully welded, Monty carefully smoothed down the welds so that when the area has its paint/treatment, you will never even know it’s there.
January 7, 2022 8:34 am
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth has been busy working on several projects that we currently have in. One of those is some of the components from the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4.
After the pieces have come back from their various cleaning treatments, our paint shop has finished them all in matte lacquer in order to protect them from any moisture or contaminants. Once the lacquer had completely cured, they could then safely be handled and given over to our restoration technicians to put back on the car during its assembly.
January 6, 2022 12:36 pm
Bridge Classic Cars is welcoming this beautiful 1974 MGB GT to our workshops very soon. This car has been owned by the same gentleman for the last 25 years who has clearly adored and enjoyed the car.
It will be coming into our workshop soon for our in-house restoration teams to begin assessing the car and coming up with a plan of what to do next.
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars newspage for more on this fantastic MGB.
January 6, 2022 11:42 am
The team here at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy working on getting the 1973 MGB GT V8 that is currently in our workshop all finished up. Some of the final jobs to be completed involved renewing some of the trims.
The original chrome bumpers had seen better days, and with good quality replacement readily available the restoration teams made the decision to replace them with all new pieces. As with most classic cars, the original brackets for the new bumpers caused a slight issue. They weren’t allowing the bonnet to close completely and securely. So, our technician Paul fabricated a new set of brackets which allowed the bumpers to sit in their original position along with having the space for the bonnet to shut entirely.
Also, Paul removed the tarnished and pitted original MG BGT badge from the back of this iconic sports car so it could be replaced with a new, shiny reproduction piece we had ordered.
January 6, 2022 11:27 am
Our head trimmer here at Bridge Classic Cars, Brian, has been perfectly tailoring a tonneau cover to protect the interior of Fearn Grey. The 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster we have been restoring in-house.
Brian has masterfully created the new cover entirely from scratch using his wealth of knowledge and experience to produce a tight, elegant fit on the cover. Just like every piece on Fearn Grey, our restorations teams have tailored everything around the car and for the lucky owner of this stunning roadster.
There are a couple more jobs to do in our trim shop on the E Type and then it will be going into the workshop for the team to begin final assembly.
January 6, 2022 11:05 am
John, our workshop manager at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on the steering coupler of the 1967 Ford Mustang GT350 Tribute. On inspection, John found that the coupler which had been fitted was binding when the steering approached full lock. This would need attention.
John removed the original coupler and noted it had the incorrect sized coupler on one end and a selection of mismatched pieces on the other. So, because safety is paramount for any Bridge Classic Cars projects, John got a specially made new coupler specifically made for the car and its bespoke right-hand drive conversion. Now, with the new component in the car, John could begin to test. After checking and rechecking, the new piece worked perfectly and didn’t bind up the coupler.
January 5, 2022 3:49 pm
Alan, one of our expert painters here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been hard at work preparing and painting the wings on the 1930 Packard 740 Waterfield Convertible.
Carefully, Alan masked off the wing and began to take back the deep maroon paintwork step by step. After the piece had been taken back far enough, Alan got to work getting the panel into primer. Using our state of the art paint matching computer, Alan was able to exactly match the same tone and shade of maroon that features so prominently on this incredible pre-war car.
Once the paint had cured properly, Alan could then begin the process of cutting the paint back using a series of abrasives. Beginning with a 1500 grit wet and dry paper to remove any imperfection, he then step up to 3000 grit and then 6000 grit in order to achieve the perfect finish before it was then machine polished.
January 5, 2022 3:36 pm
The 1977 MGB Roadster which is in for aesthetic restoration, has now been prepared and taken into the paint booth where Chris and the paint team have applied the first coats of primer to the car.
Now, there’s a process of sanding the primer back and preparing it for the next stage in its aesthetic restoration which will build up the layers of primer before finally the colour is applied and make this iconic sports car dazzle once again.
More very soon on the 1977 MGB Roadster in on the Bridge Classic Cars news page
January 5, 2022 3:22 pm
The 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 that is in with Bridge Classic Cars for full restoration has hit an important milestone today. The body, which has been worked on by our paint and body experts for several months, has finally been reunited with its stunning freshly powder coated frame.
Scott, one of our restoration experts has been working on getting the body and several of the bigger panels back onto the frame in preparation for its next stage of bodywork. With so much work done to the body of the DB2/4, it’s also crucial for our technicians to check mounts and placements for when the car is in final assembly. With so much hard work and effort put into the car, it’s worth taking the time to make sure each delicate part fits exactly right to show just how beautiful this stunning sports car truly is.
Expect to see more updates on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
January 5, 2022 2:47 pm
It’s always incredible when old projects come back to visit. Especially ones that have gone out there and developing a life of their own. For example, this bright blue 1967 Austin Mini 850 belongs to our dear friend Simon. Simon owns this incredible little car that hides a small secret.
Well, it’s not a small secret at all. This Mini has been converted to have an electric drive train out of a Tesla… The equivalent of 300BHP in a tiny package is always guaranteed to put a smile on your face. We here at Bridge Classic Cars did the bodywork and paint for the project. It was delivered to us as basically a bare shell with all the potential in the world ahead of it. Our expert restoration teams set about preparing the car for its new electrified life.
The conversion itself was handled by our friends over at Team C (formally the East Anglian Mini Centre) and also by Electric Classic Cars in Wales.
With the project gaining popularity across the world (it was also recently at the Classic Show at the Birmingham NEC) several media outlets have picked up the story of this wonderful car and its sentimental attachment to Simon. Recently it was featured in The Telegraph and very soon it will be beamed into your homes on the Discovery Channel. Before then, however, it will appear on ITV news in a segment filmed in our workshop.
So, we wanted to take you behind the scenes of the shoot along with Freddie, Nick and Gordon from Bridge Classic Cars to give you a sneak peek at what you can expect. This Mini is truly beautiful, the colour was incredible in the winter sun. The brightwork glistened and all of its small and special details were on display for everyone to see. After speaking to Simon on his own about the car, the guys from ITV had a quick chat with Ted from Team C and our very own director, Gordon who shared their thoughts on being involved in such an incredible project and just how far this little car has come from when it first rolled into our workshop in February 2020.
It will be broadcast on ITV Anglia News at 6pm on January 6th 2022. Be sure to tune in and watch!
January 5, 2022 2:24 pm
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians have been working on getting to the bottom of some noises that have been noted by the owner of this 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4.
After looking into the issue, our senior technician Dave found several components that could cause the sound. The biggest one was that there was a pin missing and perished rubber isolators from the gearbox mount which can allow the vibrations and movement of the gearbox to transfer through the chassis and into the cabin and present as a sound. Along with that, Dave also noted that the exhausts would move occasionally and when they touched each other would also cause noise.
Whilst under the car, Dave also noted that the Universal Joints had become severely worn. For that, the prop shaft had to be removed in order to replace the joints. Whilst out of the car, Dave also cleaned up the splines and assembly to make sure everything was in good condition before reinstalling back into the car.
January 4, 2022 2:07 pm
Our Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians were busy testing the 1966 Mercedes 250SE W111 Coupe before its delivery to its new owner when they noted a slight water leak coming from the car.
Once the thermostat was inspected, it was found that this was the cause of the leak. Paul, one of our technicians, removed the component carefully from the car and prepared it for a replacement gasket and reinstalled back into the car. After this has been put back into the car, it will be tested and checked over again.
January 4, 2022 12:52 pm
Our in-house paint and body experts have been busy preparing the 1977 MGB Roadster for its date with the Bridge Classic Cars in-house spray booth.
Chris has been busy working on the back half of the MGB getting all the new metalwork to sit correctly and flow neatly and gently into the other panels. This is a crucial part of any aesthetic restoration so that when the primer and paint are applied to the car there is no change in the laying of either.
Soon, the car will soon go into the booth to have its epoxy primer laid and then it will all be prepared for its colour and clear coat.
January 4, 2022 11:42 am
Our expert trimmer, Kath, has been hard at work creating a crucial piece for the 1934 MG PA Midget. The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop pride itself on the high standard that every single piece is finished to and the tonneau cover for the MG is no exception.
Kath made the cover entirely by hand in order for it using a handmade template in order to get the best fit for the final piece. Each of the pieces made by our trim shop is hand-finished and made using traditional techniques and materials if needed. Kath managed to completely remake to better than the original spec.
Now, it can keep all the amazing trim work underneath safe and dry for many more years to come.
January 4, 2022 11:24 am
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been incredibly busy just before Christmas. One of the jobs that has been done was fitting the foldable soft top into Fearn Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster.
Brian, our head trimmer, has been carefully pulling and stretching the new material into place and securing it to the spars on the hood to make sure that the fit and finish on the soft top is perfect with no creases or loose spots. Once it was in place, Brian could then focus on testing the mechanism worked flawlessly up and down without binding up or damaging the new soft top material in any way.
Along with the completely refurbished hard top, Fearn Grey is looking absolutely sensational! and the interior is definitely a massive part of that process.
January 4, 2022 10:51 am
Brian, one of our legendary in-house trim experts at Bridge Classic Cars, is a true master of his craft. Brian is currently working on the rear trim panels and pieces for the 1956 Jensen 541 being built by us here at Bridge Classic Cars. The interior is one of those pieces being handcrafted to fit the car.
The rear quarter pieces have been entirely made by hand by Brian. We have a long history of restoring Jensen 541’s to a world-class standard and part of that is the interiors our team create for these bespoke sportscars. Each piece for the interior of the ’56 has been made by hand by the team, whether it be the coverings or literally panels for the car like these rear quarter pieces.
Brian made these panels to perfectly fit into the car and also to work alongside the other pieces of trim which are going to be alongside them in the car. After hand forming them, Brian then cuts and wraps them by hand to ensure the best possible fit and finish to each piece for such a special car.
December 20, 2021 2:40 pm
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop have been working the magic on the 1934 Riley 12/4 Lynx. With the rest of the car in the workshop with our restoration technicians, some of the interior pieces have been handed over to our very own Kath to do what she does best.
First across the trim table is the Tourneau cover. This piece needed a few repairs doing to it which Kath has managed to get done by combining traditional techniques with modern materials and approaches. The edges of the pieces had become heavily frayed so Kath created all new edging to surround the deep back cover. Also, several small leather pieces inside the cover had deteriorated, which Kath managed to create a template for and replace with new material.
Kath also replaced several of the tin snaps which fix the cover to the body when the soft top is folded down and stowed. So, with that completed and pressed. It was time to get it back into the car and on to the next job for this beautiful 4 door tourer.
December 20, 2021 2:14 pm
