Whilst the 1954 MG TF was being worked on by Jon in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, the door cards were in our in-house trim shop being worked on by our trimmer Kath.
The door cards it was found were actually causing a slight issue with getting the door to close correctly. Kath began by inspecting the part of the door which interfered with the hinge and the striker, using her experience and skill Kath managed to rectify the issue and then re-edge and retrim the door card ready to be installed back into the car.
Whilst working on the door cards, Kath also made some new check straps for the doors. Finding the closest colour hide we had in stock, Kath remade the pieces entirely from scratch so that when the doors are opened the will not over extend and risk damaging the pins or the hinges.
December 20, 2021 12:21 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop here in Pettistree, Suffolk has had an incredible delivery. A set of refurbished genuine Ferrari Daytona wheels.
These will be fitted to the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona which is undergoing a thorough and complete restoration by our in-house restoration teams. These wheels have been refurbished which must be done by specialists due to their magnesium construction.
This is going to be an amazing addition to the car once the restoration is complete by the team.
December 17, 2021 11:42 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Brian in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop has been continuing on his highly skilled work on the interior of Fern Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster.
Brian has been working on test and final fitting the various small trim pieces onto the car. One of the big jobs is making sure the recently finished dash and windscreen trim to fit and flow correctly across the front of the interior of this stunning sports car. With the pieces in their final place, Brian could begin working his way towards the back of the car.
Brian also worked on the soft top where it meets the windscreen trims to ensure all of the trims for the soft top also worked alongside the various windscreen pieces. Any adjustments or refinements could be completed piece by piece to get the best fit for every different aspect of the interior.
Then, in the rear of Fern Grey, Brian began to get the new rear panels into place and make sure they perfectly fit around the hinges and mechanism for the soft top while up, but also when it is folded down into place.
As you can see, its full steam ahead on Fern Grey in the trim shop! And it is looking fantastic.
December 17, 2021 10:57 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Bridge Classic Cars have acquired one of the most complete, original and low mileage Sunbeam Rapier’s that we have ever seen or known of. This 1969 Sunbeam Rapier is finished in white with a black interior and still holds many of its original trims, panels and parts.
The car was bought new by the previous owner’s aunt for her 80th birthday in 1969 as a gift to herself on such a milestone. She then proceeded to use the car for the next 13 years until it finally went into long term hibernation when the driver turned 93 years old. After the car had been docile for nearly 10 years, the family drug the Rapier out and got it running again in order for it to take it on a rally to France with a reported round trip of around 1200 miles achieved with no problems – An amazing story for such an amazing and rare car to see these days. And when you think the odometer has only just surpassed 27,000 miles in 52 years.
The car, as stated, is in very original condition. Only records and evidenced are small Bodywork repairs possibly done in period and minor mechanical changes either routine or completely necessary throughout the car’s driving life.
The car doesn’t appear to have any form of rust anywhere on the body (and especially the strut towers). The engine, however, is in an unknown condition but we are confident that with a small amount of effort and perhaps parts the glorious 1725cc 4-Cylinder would fire into life once more.
If you would be interested in owning this incredible piece of British sportscar history and a true survivor car. Please get in touch with the Bridge Classic Cars team by either calling us on 01473 742038 or Emailing Us at info@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk
December 17, 2021 10:52 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The vast, imposing and elegant figure of the 1930 Packard 740 Waterfield Convertible is now present in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. This pre-war icon has been stored at our secure and private classic car storage facility, The Hangar, whilst the in-house restoration teams waiting for some specialist parts.
Now, these have arrived, the teams can begin work again on the glorious tourer.
Expect to see much more very soon on the incredible 1930 Packard 740 here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
December 17, 2021 9:03 amPublished by Craig Ranson
While the seats were removed from the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 which is in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, our in-house trim expert, Brian, could begin work on retrimming the floors and installing the sound deadening into the floor of this classic Jaguar.
Previously, Brian had stripped out the floors of the car in our trim shop in preparation for the welding repairs needed. Now, Brian could begin his work getting the inside of the car looking as good as the outside. Using original style sound deadening, Brian laid the material into all of the areas that can be affected or are known for transmitting sound into the cabin. Using a series of specialist trim tools, Brian managed to neatly secure the sound deadening into the car. This, allowed Brian to carry on to the next phase of the interior in the 1968 MkII 2.4.
Next up, was getting the carpet panels in the least accessible places throughout the interior. Trimming the rear seat edges, driveshaft tunnel and seat cross members in the stunning, vibrant red which was closely matched to the original pieces. Brian also hand trimmed the gearbox tunnel as well. Using the original pieces as a template to work from but would trim and adjust the pieces to ensure the best fit and finish once all of the accompanying trim has been fitted.
December 17, 2021 8:38 amPublished by Craig Ranson
We love the 1934 MG PA Midget here at Bridge Classic Cars. Whilst work is continuing on the classic sports car in the workshop, our in-house trim expert Brian has the seat in the trim shop.
Underneath the driver’s seat, the original leather liner and edging were missing. No problem for Brian and the trim team. Brian made the new piece from high-quality black leather and then hand made the edging which surrounded the outer edge of the seat base.
Our trim shop do an amazing job. Brian’s work really finishes off the seat from the 1934 MG PA, but expect to see a lot more on this car in the coming weeks here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
December 16, 2021 11:54 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The steering box for the stunning 1966 Mercedes 250SE W111 Coupe is back at Bridge Classic Cars after being refurbished by a local specialist. Now, it’s time to get it back into the car ahead of tonight’s live draw!
Paul, one of our in-house restoration technicians, was given the task of getting the classic Mercedes pointed in the right direction. Carefully pull rechecked the condition of all the splines and arms to make sure once the new steering box went in, it would work perfectly and only add to the experience of driving this incredible classic German coupe.
With the box fitted up into the car and everything tightened, rechecked and tested it was Paul’s job to road test the car and make sure everything was working just as it should. Success! this historic piece of automotive style, luxury and engineering was all set to find it’s new owner later this evening.
December 16, 2021 10:39 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Charlotte, our Bridge Classic Cars Competitions presenter, has been off on holiday but she’ll always manage to find something cool and classic for us back home. This time, she found a familiar friend in the Big Apple.
Whilst in New York, Charlotte went to MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) and one of the exhibitions was to do with AutoMania and what better way to sum that up than with a gorgeous early E Type Droptop. A car we here at Bridge Classic Cars have an undeniable soft spot for and definitely deserves its place in a museum dedicated to modern works of art.
Hope you had an amazing time Charlotte! but you’ll all be able to see her tomorrow night for the live draw of the Mustang and the Mercedes 250SE. There is still time to get your tickets!
Click the link below for your chance to win your very own dream classic.
Jon, one of the in-house restoration experts here at Bridge Classic Cars has spent some time working to get the doors on the 1954 MG TF to fit and close properly.
Firstly, Jon removed the door card from the classic sports car where it was then given over to one of our in-house trim experts, Kath, to repair. Whilst this was being done, Jon got to work on the doors. The first thing Jon noticed was that the spot welds that attach the door skin to the frame had popped and allowed the door to not sit level. So, Jon quickly spot welded the door skin back on before beginning work on the hinges.
Jon, upon inspection, noted that the lower hinge of the door had too much movement. So, Jon made up a spacer to sit between the door and hinge allowing a much tighter fit and better alignment between the door striker and the hinge.
Whilst Kath in the trim shop had the door card, it was decided to create a new check strap for the door in as close of a match as possible to the existing leather.
While waiting for the door card and check strap, Jon began work on adjusting the strikers and hinges so the door would shut evenly and level. With some small modifications needed to one of the latches, everything was eventually right in place to line up perfectly for the little sports car.
December 15, 2021 3:12 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration teams have been inspecting and assessing the 1954 MG TF after getting the car started.
Our technician Jon had a look at each component within the engine bay, and that includes all the hoses. Upon inspection, Jon found one of the heater hoses had become very deteriorated over time and for the sake of safety will need to be replaced. The condition of the hoses is crucial for the longevity of any classic car’s engine so this is a must-do job.
December 15, 2021 11:31 amPublished by Craig Ranson
There’s been a hive of activity in recent weeks around the new extension on the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Pettistree, Suffolk.
The new ramps and edging have had their concrete laid and cured by the builders meaning we will be able to get any car into the extension regardless of its ride height and if it needs pushing, the angle isn’t too bad for our technicians!
The cladding has also been finished all the way around the building, and seamlessly blends into our existing workshop just next door. It’s our first purpose-built, from scratch building so we are very proud and excited about this project.
The other big change is that the doors have started to go into the building. Our colour-matched brown fire door is securely put into the building to the exacting building codes it must meet and the large roller doors have begun to be installed into the building this week.
It’s all coming together on the Workshop Extension and we’re very excited to show you more on the build as it progresses.
December 15, 2021 9:40 amPublished by Craig Ranson
This absolutely stunning 1954 MG TF has got a bit of a starting issue. So, it has been bought in for the amazing Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians to get to the bottom of it.
The job of looking into why the TF wouldn’t start was given to Jon, one of the amazing in-house technicians who has a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to the overall health of a classic car. After troubleshooting and checking the various systems responsible for starting this plucky little sports car and putting the car on a deep cycle charge, Jon found the start solenoid had an internal fault. He also found the cable that controls the solenoid needed adjusting as well.
While adjusting the starter cables, Jon noted the dash would actually move with the cable so to make sure the adjustment was correct and working as it should he resecured the dash into the car and retested. After this, the MG TF started every time with little effort from this nearly 70 year old sports car.
December 15, 2021 9:30 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1934 MG PA Midget which belongs to our Director, Gordon, is in the workshop for our in-house teams to tackle the next jobs.
The first is our technicians have removed the hubs on the classic sports car so that our amazingly talented in-house paint team can get them to look as good as new for the car. This also gives our restoration technicians the chance to inspect and clean the hubs and spindles on the MG.
Another job on the list was to look into the battery of the car. Our team have been working on a way of better securing it into the car.
December 14, 2021 3:42 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1989 TVR S2 which was won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions has left the secure storage facility, The Hangar, on its way to its new home with its new owner, Jarlath. But, before it goes anywhere our in-house restoration technicians just want to check something.
When the car was pulled out of The Hangar, the alternator light was showing on the dash. This unit had been replaced during its preparation so Tom and John decided to go through and double-check the charging system. Methodically, our restoration teams worked through each component and wire.
After investigating, John and Tom found that one of the connectors had been slightly dirty/corroded was the cause of the light on the dashboard of this vibrant red sports car. After this had been cleaned and tested, all was ok and ready for delivery.
December 14, 2021 12:36 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
James Dean was one of the brightest stars of 1950s Hollywood. With dashing good looks and an air of charm and ruggedness, he captured the hearts of movie-goers within the span of his tragically short career. What the public may not have known, was his love of speed. During his short career, he had amassed an impressive stable of sports and racing cars which he would regularly exercise on the public roads which would sadly be his undoing many believe.
On September 30th 1955, Dean had intended to take his latest purchase to a race in Northern California. However, before he had even begun his journey there were signs of something impending. Famously, the legendary actor Alec Guinness would meet Dean shortly after he had taken delivery of his Porsche Spyder. Guinness would later comment in his diary that the car felt ”ominous” and ”looked sinister” while at the time claiming to have said to the young actor ”… if you get in that car, you will be found dead in it by this time next week”. A sense of foreboding drove itself deep into the core of Guinness as his friend laughed it off, got into his car and drove away.
The car had been painted by a legendary signwriter and car stylist named Dean Jeffries who emblazoned its flanks with the racing number 130 and the now infamous nickname for the sports car, Little Bastard. This was while the car was being prepared by James Dean and his mechanic Rolf Wuterich in anticipation for that weekend’s Salinas Sports Car Races in California. Although the original plan had been to tow the 550 Spyder to the race, it was decided it would be street driven to the race to give the young actor more time behind the wheel and to help break in the new engine before it would be pushed even harder on the race track over the coming weekend. On the Friday, the team set out with legendary Hollywood stuntman Bill Hickman driving his pickup truck and trailer trying to keep up with the exotic European racer. Dean was at the controls of the 550 while his mechanic Wulterich sat next to him to keep an eye on the health of the delicate race car.
During that trip, Dean would be pulled over by the police and issued with a speeding ticket. Another omen that this trip maybe should have been put on its trailer for the rest of the journey. However, after taking the ticket, Dean fired up his Porsche and kept going…
Out on the flat desert plains sits an intersection. The convergence of two stories would happen in this space and this time which would change history from that point on and began the legend of the Dean Spyder.
While turning off the highway at around 85MPH, Donald Turnupspeed’s Ford Tudor suddenly turned into the path of the small, fast Spyder. Although the 550 Spyder is known for being lightweight and not particularly overpowered, it managed to send the Ford Tudor almost 40 feet back from the scene of the impact. Wulterich was thrown from the car on impact, and the young actor who had been at the helm at the time of the accident had passed before they reached the hospital with his body at 620PM that night.
Despite the insurance company investigating the crash and then assessing the car, determining it to be a total loss, it was actually bought from a salvage yard and parted out for various street and race cars. But, it would appear something would follow any pieces related to the events of September 30th 1955.
The man who bought the remains of the 550 Spyder was an avid racer himself. William Eschrich raced a Lotus IX in local California sports car races, but from the remains of Little Bastard he would remove the engine for his own use. With so many spares he would also lend the gearbox and some of the suspension parts to his friend and fellow racer Troy McHenry. Here begins the notion of a curse attached to anyone or anything associated with the Dean Spyder. In the 1956 Pomona Sports Car Race, Eschrich and McHenry were competing. When out of nowhere, something went wrong. Eschrich’s Lotus crashed and completely destroyed the car but its owner and driver would survive the horrific impact. However, his friend McHenry would not be so lucky. His car lost control and struck the only tree on the track, killing the driver. So, began the whispered rumours of a curse…
What was left of the Porsche Spyder was quickly sold on. A legend in the LA car scene, George Barris, bought the car with promises of restoring the car for prosperity. However, even the self-proclaimed King of the Kustoms couldn’t save it. But, the notorious hypeman used this to his advantage. He traded in on the horrific beginnings of its curse, the death of Dean. Barris loaned the car to the National Safety Council to be used as a showpiece reminding people of the dangers of speeding and driving unsafely on the public roads. From 1957 until 1959, the mangled wreckage of the Porsche was paraded around for on-lookers to see and be reminded of what happens if it all goes wrong.
In 1959, while in storage, there was a massive fire at the facility. However, Little Bastard was barely hurt. A melted tyre and some scorch marks on its silver bodywork were the only marks yet the building around it was severely damaged. Along with that, before the fire, some tyres were taken off the Porsche and put onto one of Barris’s customers’ cars. Within a few miles, the tyres which had been in perfect condition before mysteriously blew and caused the car to violently career off the road nearly injuring the driver.
From this point, there are several unconfirmed stories about Little Bastard. Stories of it breaking loose from its shackles while being shown at exhibits and injuring bystanders to it falling from its transport and killing the driver responsible for its shipment to and from an exhibition. However, what is known is that at some point in 1960, Little Bastard simply disappeared…
Reportedly, the car had been at an exhibition in Miami for the National Safety Council. After the show was over the car was loaded into a sealed railway container to be shipped out west back to its home of Los Angeles. However, when its transport team arrived to take the car back to it’s storage space, Little Bastard has simply disappeared into thin air. Allegedly the seals on the boxcar were still intact when it was opened by the team and no marks or any evidence was ever found of just how the most famous car wreck of all time had simply vanished. Some claim that Barris, had a hand in the car disappearing, spinning the tale in order to keep the cars now-notorious reputation alive and keep people interested in coming to see the alleged haunted/cursed remains of the 550 Spyder. However, right up until his recent death, Barris denied all knowledge of where the car might be. Even going as far as to issue a $1m reward for any information which may help them find the car.
Wherever the car is, we hope it is finally at peace with its first and only driver in that great racetrack in the sky.
December 14, 2021 11:55 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1934 Riley Lynx is in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop today to begin work on the list of jobs that need doing on this amazing classic tourer.
First off for the Riley, is a full service and set up to make sure it’s running in perfect condition. For this, our in-house restoration technician Jonn has begun to inspect and replace the serviceable items on the car. Many will purely need cleaning up as they are in amazing condition but it will still be thoroughly gone over and serviced by Jonn.
There will be more updates very soon on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
December 14, 2021 11:16 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Our 1976 Mercedes Benz 350SL is back from Derrick Wells, a local Mercedes Specialist, to have a look into some electrical issues with the car.
Now that it is electrical working exactly as it should, it’s time for our Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration teams to assess the car and come up with a plan to move forward with. First up, it will be mechanically inspected before moving to the other teams for their expert eyes to look over this incredible classic convertible.
The car has so many amazing and wonderful details it’s difficult to capture them but the original Aztec Gold paint looks incredible in the winter sun.
Expect to see more on this amazing 1976 Mercedes 350SL in at Bridge Classic Cars very soon.
December 13, 2021 12:55 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Over the weekend, Gordon (one of our directors) has been working on installing the newly painted headlight buckets to his 1934 MG PA that is having some other jobs done by the in-house technicians at Bridge Classic Cars.
The original headlight buckets were chrome but Gordon want some colour matched units for his new pride and joy. So, with the replacements found they were handed over to our in-house paint and body team to perfectly match the oak green paint already on the car.
With the headlights transferred into the new buckets, they would absolutely phenomenal on this classic sportscar!
Expect to see more on the 1934 MG PA Midget here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
December 13, 2021 11:42 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The next job to be done on the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 by Bridge Classic Cars is to replace the steering coupler. This will help to tighten up the loose steering for its owner.
This job is being done by our master tech, Dave. Dave has a huge wealth of knowledge and experience working on classic cars so a job as delicate and crucial as this was given to him. Carefully, Dave began by removing the shaft from the coupler in order to gain access to the bushes and balls inside the steering box. As opposed to some MkII’s that we have worked on in the past, this MkII remains as a steering-box car.
After removing the original parts from the car, Dave began to check the new replacements would work with the car and were correct. Then, it was a case of getting everything back together and into the car. Dave took his time to make sure that every component cleared the steering box and its boot so it remained happy for many years to come.
After the job was complete, Dave manually checked that the box rotated as it should and also meshed together with as little play as possible thanks to the new parts.
There will be more updates soon as work continues on this stunning MkII 2.4.
December 10, 2021 11:26 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 has been in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop where our paint expert Alan has worked his magic on the rear valance.
The valance had been coated with a thick black stone chip protection across the lower parts, so Alan pulled out his trusty DA sander and got to work. Carefully knocking back the stone chip, Alan exposed the paintwork underneath. Because of the thickness of the protection, Alan had to take it back quite a way. Once the area had been thoroughly cleaned down and smoothed out, Alan could begin his detailed and meticulous work.
Carefully, Alan applied the new stone chip to the area to protect the car from any possible marks or damage while it’s being enjoyed by its very lucky owner.
After the area around the new stone protection had been masked off, Alan carefully colour matched a small amount of paint to the rest of the car in order to seamlessly blend the new area into the existing rear panels and behind the rear bumper.
There’s always a buzz around a new competition car. Especially one as special as this… a 1975 MGB GT V8.
This small, V8 powered British sports car is the latest prize to be won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions by one very lucky winner. This is the story behind the amazing photos and video of the car.
Although the winter morning was damp and the sun hid its bright rays behind grey lumbering clouds, it couldn’t dampen the spirits of the team ready to shoot the new competition car. The V8 burbled into life after it had been pushed out of The Hangar. Gently, the aluminium V8 warmed up on the tarmac. Making sure the pressures and temperatures were all correct before being driven to the South Loop, Charlotte eased the sports car into gear and pulled away from the shadow of the hangar.
The wonderful noise from the V8 wound its way through the trees in the Suffolk forest. The early morning light left the highlights across its vibrant, rich red bodywork soft but with a certain crispness from the moisture in the air. While photographing the car, you couldn’t help but fall in love with the simplicity of an MGB GT. It does however have a certain elegance and sophistication with that simplicity. The sloping back which then rolls into the bumpers that wrap around its rear and the long elegant bonnet that stretches towards the horizon but not to the scale where visible is difficult. Perfectly useable as a classic or even every day.
The interior shows the story of the car. The seats have a character to them that matches the personality of the car, they show that the car has been used and adored since its earliest days.
As the MGB moved out and Charlotte gently rolled it through the gears, the car has a majesty as it moved. A gracefulness that all MGB’s seem to have but is amplified by the low, ambling noise from its 3.5 litre V8. As the clouds grew darker and the sun drifted further and further away, it was time to take the car back to The Hangar. Ready, for it’s next lucky owner.
This 1975 MGB GT V8 could well be yours. Click the link below and enter now for your chance to win this and other dream classics with Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.
Brian, Kath and Lydia have been working on the next phase of the interior for the 1973 Jaguar E Type Roadster that Bridge Classic Cars calls Fern Grey. Now that the windscreen has been fitted and cured, it’s time to start getting the trim, dash and hood in place.
Using the original dash panels and A-Pillar trims, Brian stripped apart the panels ready to be recovered. The original foam for these pieces was in remarkably good condition so they were refreshed and reused. The trimming in the rich black leather however is all brand new. Brian selected a hide that compliments the rest of the interior but also matches closely what would have originally been used on the E Type’s to trim the pieces with.
Each of the panels and trims was hand-cut and finished by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim team to ensure the best fit. Including the dash pad which now that the windscreen is safely in place could be secured to the top of the dash after test fitting multiple times.
With all of the dash and trim around the windscreen fitted, Brian and the team began to work on getting the foldable hood mechanism in place. Checking the mounting points for the front and back of the hood, Brian began the task of gently manipulating the mounts to ensure the best possible fit as well as making sure each of the spars sat level and true. Thankfully after some skilled moving, the hood sat perfectly inside the gorgeous roadster.
The mid to late 1930s were a heyday of Automotive design. Bespoke, futuristic interpretations of personal transport heavily influenced by art-nouveau and the art deco school of design. Elegant answers to a simple question of moving people from one place to another. One of those at the forefront of this was a small French manufacturer by the name of Bugatti.
Bugatti had risen to prominence with its massively successful, lightweight Grand Prix cars along with super luxurious elegant limousines in the 1920s and early 1930s. The founder Ettore Bugatti came from a long line of artisans and craftsmen who plied their various styles and trades to all manner of things, but for Ettore it was cars. By the 1930s, Ettore had begun to step back from his role as the man in charge of Molsheim. His son, Jean would rise through the ranks as a talented designer, engineer and driver in his own right away from his father’s shadow. Culminating in what many believe to be the most beautiful series of Bugattis ever made. The 57SC Atlantics.
Using influences from both Art Deco and Art Nouveau, the Atlantics were a new style for a new type of owner. For this new car and new owners, only 4 57SC Atlantics would be built. Each of them was heavily personalised to their owner’s tastes and styles, their story begins with a special one-off. The 1935 Aerolithe Concept. A magnesium bodied show car which was set to usher in a new era of Bugatti’s by using advanced materials and techniques to blend the worlds of Grand Prix and Grand Tour.
The 4 Atlantics would use this technique to begin their construction, however, they were soon swapped for aluminium bodies made in the same style as the Aerolithe. With the identifiable riveted dorsal fin of the concept car displayed prominently on the Atlantics. Out of those 4 cars, three are accounted for and have gone on to be concours and show winners in their own rights around the world.
The fourth was given the name ”La Voiture Noire” or, The Black Car. It had originally been used by Bugatti as the show car to demonstrate to potential customers and the world the new age of Bugatti under Jean’s leadership and also happened to be Jean Bugatti’s personal car whilst doing so. La Voiture Noire’s early history is well documented.
The cars official Bugatti name is chassis 57453 and was gifted to Bugatti factory driver Robert Benoist for winning the 1937 24 hours of Le Mans and then was later given to fellow driver William Grover-Williams before his return to England just before the outbreak of World War 2. From the outset of the war until 1941, La Voiture Noire was kept as a test car for Bugatti after the death of its master Jean in 1939 whilst testing a racing prototype. But after 1938, no official records have ever been kept of the car. This is where the ghost story begins…
Rumours have circulated for the better part of 80 years about the journey La Voiture Noir would take into its own mystery. The last records speculate the chassis number was changed to 57454 and the whole car was to be dismantled for parts to be used on other projects and what was left was to be boxed up and stored. Other stories say the complete car had apparently made its way south to Bourdeaux, possibly in an attempt to conceal the car away from the factory and the furious pass of the German Army as it began planning its march into Europe on the eve of war. Some have also said it could have been sent as far away as the Middle East to be protected under the eyes of trusted Bugatti owners. But, no evidence or any form of lead has ever been found for the resting place of the car. Rumours of deserted railway cars, french barns, bricked up buildings, fake basements and even burying the car alive have circulated over the years throughout the enthusiasts. Ghost stories and treasure tales handed down from one generation of petrolhead to another. But alas, no news.
Until recently. A mysterious post on social media revealed a very strange looking body sitting in the back of a Connecticut, USA body shop claiming to be the missing Bugatti. However, leading Bugatti experts fervently rebuke that this is in any way La Voiture Noire. It is estimated that if Chassis 57453 (or 57454 if the history is correct) were to be rediscovered somehow, it could expect to fetch anywhere north of $100 million at auction because of its importance.
But, to most diehard enthusiasts, its story remains priceless.
Bridge Classic Cars have today welcomed its latest guest to the Pettistree workshop. This 1934 Riley 12/4 Lynx has come to us all the way from South Africa where it has spent parts of its long life.
The car will be going in to be assessed by our in-house restoration teams to determine what jobs will need to be done to this classic tourer to get it into a useable and safe condition. The Riley is finished in an incredible French blue with a black interior. The 4 door tourer is a wonderful example of pre-war open-top travel in both style and comfort by a long-gone marque.
The car was cherished and used in South Africa being part of the local enthusiast groups and taking part in several classic car rallies. For now, the Bridge Classic Cars technicians will begin to reassemble the car to be able to check and confirm all parts and pieces for the 1930s tourer are there and in good order.
Expect to see more on this amazing 1934 Riley 12/4 Lynx on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
The restoration technicians at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy working on a couple of jobs on the 1960 Jensen 541S before it goes to The Hangar for its winter storage.
One of the most important jobs to be done was to fit a rearview mirror at the request of the owner. The mirrors for the 541’s did not come as standard, however, because of our history with their restorations, we managed to source a piece for the owners’ peace of mind while driving.
Carefully, the mirror was placed into the door at the right place after dozens of test fits to ensure the part sat properly and also looked right. The detailing on the mirror itself is a beautiful part of its story. With exposed, bright hardware and a simple flat disc but with the base coming to a sharply defined point, it looks completely at home on the 541.
There are a couple of other jobs to have a look at on Peony Red, which will you’ll be able to see about here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
December 8, 2021 12:04 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The windscreen of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster is now in the car!
This moment has been a long time coming. The curving and elegant windscreen for the E Type is like a jewel in its crown. This completely bespoke Jaguar has been cherished by the in-house restoration teams at Bridge Classic Cars throughout its build so, having one of the final aesthetic pieces complete was a true milestone.
For windscreen removal and installs, we use a local specialist called Car Glass and Trim who we have worked with for many years. Their technicians came out to install the glass into Fern Grey with the same attention to detail and care as our very own technicians. With the windscreen and its seals in place, it was time to let the adhesives cure while Kath and Brian in the trim shop carry on fitting out the E Type.
December 8, 2021 11:14 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1962 Jensen 541S that is currently in at Bridge Classic Cars for some work has been handed over to our technician Tom to begin preparing the car for its new components.
The first job for Tom is to strip the original wiring harness out of the car as we have ordered an entire new loom for the car to make sure all the electrical system works absolutely spot on. A key point for all classic cars. With such a handbuilt car, Tom has had to almost trace every wire individually from front to back in order to make sure everything is removed and safe. After this, each part of the harness is catalogued and stored just in case.
Next, Tom has removed the steering column which is due to be replaced on this particular car. For that Tom had to carefully remove the entire dash to gain access to the gear linkage which is controlled via the column. With everything disconnected and the dash out of the car, Tom could begin to also catalogue and assess each individual component.
There will be more happening on the 1962 Jensen 541S very soon so keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more.
Jonn, one of our in-house restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been busy preparing both the car and the engine for the pair to be reacquainted.
Previously, after testing the 1973 MG B GT V8 our technicians found metal shavings in the oil after it was drained as part of our testing procedures. Since then, Jonn has replaced the bearings which had been found to be deeply grooved as well as fixing a problem with the oil pickup which had caused the issue in the first place.
Since that, the engine has been prepared to go back into the front of this beautiful purple sports car.
Keep an eye out here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates very soon on the 1973 MG B GT V8.
December 7, 2021 11:35 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Bridge Classic Cars have the honour of being the current caretakers of the incredible 1905 Riley 9HP believed to be one of only three remaining in the world.
The car has many unique brass pieces which make up its antique charm. These irreplaceable pieces are being documented and catalogued ready to be sent off for refurbishment for the project. The pieces will be sent to a specialist of early brass automotive parts to be brought back to their former stunning glory.
Although the car is now 116 years old, it is an amazing reference piece for our restoration teams to look back on and see how these types of vehicle were handmade.
December 7, 2021 11:21 amPublished by Craig Ranson
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