The Jensen 541R receives new interior trimmings in its latest restoration step.
The Jensen 541R’s next pitstop in its renovation journey has been in the trim shop where it had the full works done.
The makeover included fitting the side window panel, rear seats, rear quarter and side panels installed, side scuttle panel, ashtray in the rear side panel, chrome panel trim, center panel, leather into the rear pockets, and the parcel tray leather fitted.
Kath and Brian, our interior trim specialists took time to modify each piece of leather interior, measuring it up by hand to fitting each bespoke trimming. Aside from the centre panel, which retained the original design, everything else had to specially designed for this Jensen, making it one of a kind!
With new trimmings now fully installed, the Jensen is starting to resemble the beautiful car it used to be.
In our new feature, Thursday Time capsule, we look at classic cars celebrating significant birthdays in 2020.
2020 marks the 70th anniversary of the classic Morgan Plus 4, a classic that was developed and released in 1950. This highly sought after sports car graced the scene with its 2088cc standard Vanguard engine which was installed on a 4/4 chassis.
To mark its 70th anniversary, Morgan released 20 special edition Plus 4’s in March which sport a Platinum Metallic paint to promote the nuances in Morgan’s iconic visual design. What is particularly unique about this limited edition model is the gold chassis. It is the first time they’ve been developed in this colour, and will also be the last as they commemorate the end of their steel chassis production that has been going since the original Morgan 4/4 in 1936.
These rare models were handcrafted in Morgan’s workshop in Malvern, the UK, which we visited back in September.
Morgan Plus 4’s have been in and out of production since 1950 but were most recently revived after a break in 2005. The new production Plus 4’s feature a BMW powered engine instead of the popular Ford engine.
Our Morgan 4/4
Although we haven’t had the pleasure of working on a Plus 4, we have had several 4/4’s in, which are the older model to the Plus 4. Morgan released their 4/4 as a groundbreaking vehicle in 1936 which premiered their steel chassis technology and have been in production, without breaks since.
The 4/4 is the worlds longest running production car, with the 4/4 standing for ‘4 cylinder, 4 wheel’ as it was the first of its kind in Morgan’s development as they moved away from the bike powered 3 wheels.
Although there’s little difference between the 4/4 and the Plus 4, the latter of the two was developed to be faster and more powerful, making it less mainstream and typically a touring option.
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
The 1967 Jaguar MKII lives on to purr another day.
This 1967 Jaguar MKII arrived after having been broken into and its interior gutted. After some careful surgery, the Jaguar’s interior was repaired to its previous pristine condition.
The next stage was restoring the paintwork that had suffered over the years. A small job for Chris in our paint-shop, he’ll have this beautiful classic looking her very best in no time.
With the paintwork done, the Jaguar can move onto its final stage of restoration; nursing those bumps and scratches out.
The 1971 Lotus Europa is set to travel to Scotland for restoration with its new owners.
Back in September, a dusty 1971 Lotus Europa barn-find found its way into the Bridge Classic Car family. After a thorough clean, it started to resemble its original self.
When the car first arrived, it had be collecting dust in a barn in Stonham Aspal for some years. You can read more about it here.
The 1971 Lotus Europa ready to begin its journey up north.
Soon the Lotus was purchased by Mr. Kerr Davidson and transported to Scotland by Lets Go Automotive.
Now residing on the outskirts of Pentland Hills National Reserve near Edinburgh, the Lotus will begin its restoration journey by the father and son duo.
The Morris Minor is in its final stages of restoration.
So far, we have already fitted the gearbox, installed new handles, latches, wheels. The paintwork has been refreshed, wings and rubbers restored, and front grills replaced.
The most recent work has included replacing the fuel lines, hand-break, rear breaks, rear gearbox engine and steady cable.
Now the next step is reassembly, allowing the Morris Minor to be put back together and complete its restoration journey.
After being with us for almost 12 months, it will be rewarding to see it finally completed.
We were recently mentioned in Vision Suffolk’s magazine in an article about two recent Mini winners.
Chris Allitt and Courtney Barker both won Minis as a result of entering our monthly competitions.
You can see the article in edition 28 available here.
We run our competitions each month. By entering you could win a classic car for under £20! You can find out more by visiting our competition website here.
With cold weather approaching, Paul, one of our master classic car technicians was asked by the owner of this majestic MGA to fit a heater box. We elected to import a period correct Smiths heater box from the US. Paul has had to adapt the bracket between the heater unit and the fan motor to perfectly fit the engine bay of our MGA.
After the full engine rebuild, Ady has now installed the engine back into the vehicle. A weak casting caused one of the piston skirts to break. Unfortunately this required a full engine rebuild.
Congratulations to the winner of our 1979 Ford Escort RS2000, Mike Hill
We delivered the RS2000 up to Mike in Manchester today. Our covered vehicle transporter kept the RS nice and clean on its journey. Mike won with ticket number 1676.
We have three stunning cars live on the website, two of them will be won next week!
💚 1957 Triumph TR3 (Won in just 8 days time! 640 tickets left)
We’ve teamed up with Electric Classic Cars to build the ultimate 300hp electric powered classic Mini. Our 1967 Austin Mini will appear on the upcoming series of Vintage Voltage, due to air in June 2020 on Quest.
Bridge Classic Cars has undertaken the bodywork preparation and paintwork. Our Paint Shop finished the vehicle in this dazzling ‘Surf Blue’.
The team at Electric Classic Cars have now begun installing the braking system. With 300+ horsepower now coursing through the wheels, this Mini was going to need a bit of an upgrade!
With over 3,000 likes, comments and shares, this little electric Mini certainly is a talking point! What do you think of the build? Spoiling an iconic classic or adapting to survive in the 21st century? We’ll keep you updated as the build progresses.
Antony has been toiling away, repairing every sight of rust that has plagued the underside of our 1996 Nissan Patrol chassis. With fresh metal now let in, this superb off-roader will be ready to tackle many years of punishment from the elements.
After it’s stay in the fabrication bay, the vehicle has now made its way into our paint-shop. Pete has noticed a major leak from the front offside hub seal and has notified the workshop team. Once the Nissan leaves the paint shop it will have a full workshop inspection to correct any issues needed to get this car back at it’s best.
Being a rare left hand drive model, our Patrol came with chrome bumpers. Now incredibly difficult to find a replacement, the team will be repairing and re-chroming the original bumper.
Two beautiful classic Jaguars have arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars Workshop today. Both very different cars, but both undeniably special examples.
Firstly we have the 1963 Jaguar SS100. In for a couple of minor repairs highlighted by a MOT test. This lovely classic has already received a new steering boot and a new air filter. To fit within the SS100’s engine bay, Paul has modified the filter slightly to perfectly fit. Superb work, Paul!
The 2nd Jaguar of the day is this rare XJRS TWR. Featuring a Jaguar 6.0l V12 Engine, this big cat certainly can roar.
The XJRS is in the workshop for a general health check, as well as investigating some unwanted noises coming from the underside of the car.
The TWR in this Jaguar’s name stands for Tom Walkinshaw Racing. TWR were a race team and engineering firm founded in 1976 by touring car racer Tom Walkinshaw.
TWR became associated with Jaguar in 1982. Partnering with the successful entry of the Jaguar XJS into the European Touring Car Championship.
TWR and Jaguar formed JaguarSport initially to build tuned versions of Jaguar road-cars, such as this gorgeous XJRS. They also produced upgraded versions of the XJ220 and XJR-15 sports cars at a new facility at Bloxham. By 1994, JaguarSport had been liquidated, with the Bloxham factory being overhauled for production of Aston Martin automobiles.
Take a look at the full galleries below of these stunning Jaguars.
September 29, 2020 2:59 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Sunday saw Classics at Glemham return for another year. Held at the fabulous Glemham Hall grounds in Suffolk, the event was one of the first car shows to go ahead since the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of this summer’s shows had been canceled, so it was delightful to see the one of the first classic car events return.
The sun was shining, some spectacular classic cars were on display and it was a superb meet for the regions classic car enthusiasts. With special COVID-19 precautions in place, it was a superb family day out.
As so often found when restoring classic cars, many components simply cannot be sourced and need to be fabricated in-house.
Mauro, one of Bridge Classic Cars vehicle technicians has today been fabricating a new window bracket on our Triumph TR6 restoration, in place of the original bracket that has rotted away. Fortunately, a matching bracket on the passengers side window was still in tact so Mauro was able to replicate the bracket’s design. It’s the little details that make all the difference to the final result. Superb work, Mauro!
Mauro has now also fitted the restored steering column into the vehicle.
The wiper engine, washer fluid reservoir and fuse box have also been fitted to the car.
Mauro then moved onto installing the heating ventilation system.
After completing the ventilation system, Mauro moved onto restoring the TR6’s windows. He’s cleaned up the glass and restored the metal brackets to beautiful condition. The windscreen surround has also now been fitted into the car, ready for the windscreen to be fitted.
Another major stage in the restoration of our 1961 Mini has been hit. Darren has completed painting the body shell. After a polish it’s looking absolutely stunning in the sunlight.
Our Mini has been painted in the original cherry red paint colour. This is a much stronger red than the more maroon tone of the Mini 30’s cherry red paint.
Smashing work, Darren. When paired with the cream wheels and details, this little mini will look incredible.
Pete has been working on our 1967 Jaguar E-Type. There was a leak coming from the choke unit. We have identified it was a failing washer that was causing the leak. Pete’s installed new copper washers to remedy the fuel leak. Top work, Pete.
Our gorgeous 1957 Triumph TR3 is the latest classic car available to be won. Our competitions give you the chance of winning a classic car for just a few pounds. We limit the maximum number of tickets that can be sold so the odds of you winning are clear to see.
For your chance of winning our 1957 Triumph TR3 for just £9 a ticket follow the link below:
Having serviced and maintained the TR3 for some time here at Bridge Classic Cars, we have first hand experience of this truly special example of one of the finest and most iconic British sportscars.
Restored in 2017 to exceptionally high standards by Triumph TR3 Specialists ‘TR Trader’ at a cost of over £42,000, the car is a greatly sought after and a rare find in right hand drive. Over 90% of TR3’s were left hand drive, predominantly made for the US market.
To add to the already incredible back story of the car, being a 1957 Triumph TR3, it also qualifies for the world famous Mille Miglia which having that credibility, hugely increases the value of this special car.
Finished in British Racing Green with Biscuit trim and Biscuit piping the car has undergone a serious transformation in it’s lifetime and is a credit to it’s former keepers.
Specification:
British Racing Green
Full Biscuit leather re-trim, Biscuit piping and wool carpet
4 speed synchromesh gearbox with overdrive on 3rd and 4th gear
Equipped with all weather protection including tonneau cover, stowage cover, hood cover, side screens and all vinyl roof
Standard lead free engine fully rebuilt in 2017 with H4 Carburettors, balanced crank/rods/pistons
Original steering wheel refurbished in 2017
Replacement switch gear and dials
High output heater
Wire wheels
Modern starter motor and ignition
Girling rear axle
Uprated water pump
Replacement wiring loom throughout
With only 1,137 miles on the clock since its complete restoration in 2017
Recent MOT and full workshop inspection
Tickets are limited to a maximum of 6875
Don’t miss out on your chance of winning this gorgeous British classic. Pick up your tickets today!
Paul and Scott are both working on our 1957 Jensen 541R restoration. Today Scott is fitting in the headlights while Paul is installing the handbrake lever. Paul has had to shorten the realise button rod to perfectly fit. It’s now being fitted back into the car.
The next major steps will be to complete wiring up the car and prepare the interior for Kath and Brian in the Trim Shop to install interior trim.
Brian has been making some superb progress on lots of smaller jobs on our Jensen interior restoration. He firstly stripped down the scuttle air vent covers ready to retrim.
Brian has also stripped down and recovered the main Jensen dash panel. He has re-trimmed this in black vinyl. This black vinyl is extremely tactile, providing a luxurious, understated finish that will offset the chrome work superbly.
Brian has restored the original glovebox, re-trimming the glovebox with new carpet.
Brian has also made one pair of rear door capping from 9mm ply wood. He chiselled the correct cutouts and shaped the wood to perfectly match the original. Great work, Brian!
Brian, one of our Classic Car Technicians who specialises in Interior Trim has been making superb progress on the interior of our 541R.
Brian has fabricated new footpanels with back supports screwed in. He’s also stripped down the old scuttle panels.
He’s cut new scuttle panels and drilled correctly placed holes.
Brian has dismantled the original under-dash panels and is making new under-dash panels from millboard. He’s stripped down the original door panel infills and trimmed in black leather. The attention to detail is second to none. Beautifully done, Brian.
This beautiful 1982 Porsche 911 has just left the paint shop after it’s repairs by Darren.
The front nearside wing had a nasty scratch that needed addressing. The rear spoiler had suffered the effects of having slight moisture and also needed repainting. Using our State-Of-The-Art paint matching system, Darren has been able to perfectly repaint the effected areas in the exact colour matched paint. The best compliment with repairs like this is not knowing any work was ever done. As always, a superb job from the Paint Shop.
This lovely vehicle is now in our Trim Shop for a roof-lining repair.
The team have done an incredible job re-trimming this Ford Capri wheel. The wheel firstly went down to the paint shop to be sanded down and repainted black. Once fully painted it headed through into the trim shop for Kath to pick up work on the leather. She stripped off the leather and applied the brand new leather before stitching the seams together. The exact sticking pattern was matched to keep this wheel looking original.
Brian and Kath have continued working on our gorgeous 1960 MGA interior restoration.
They’ve glued and fitted the rear wheel arch carpets and fitted the rear bulkhead carpet, making sure to perfectly cut around the gearbox tunnel.
They then fitted the armrest, cutting around the handbrake lever. The gearstick surround carpet and the gearbox fennel carpet were then fitted. The black is beautifully offset by red piping to match the MGA’s exterior colour. The interior is really starting to come together as this restoration approaches completion.
The wheel arch panels have been fitted while the front door pockets were screwed into place.
The drivers footwell carpet required a 30mm hole for the front driver mat cap. Kath has sewn in a grommet to allow the carpet to be secured to the floor of the car. It’s in the little details that ensure the overall presentation of this car is excellent.
Moving down the rear of the car the boot is now complete. Kath and Brian made a bespoke great wheel cover and boot board.
As a thank you to all of the hardworking NHS staff and Key workers we’re giving away £100 of competition credit for you and a NHS / Key Worker of your choice. To win, simply go to our facebook post below and follow these simple steps.
Make sure you have ‘LIKED’ Bridge Classic Cars on Facebook.
TAG as many NHS and Key Workers in the comments as you like.
Wow, what a car! The condition of this 1966 Ford Mustang GT is simply incredible. The interior is immaculate, as is the paintwork.
Revealed to the public in 1964, the Ford Mustang would go on to become a cult classic. Each iteration provided a slightly different take on the Mustang but most enthusiasts would agree, this first generation is one of the best!
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