Welcome Back
July 24, 2023
We have recently welcomed back a beautiful classic car into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. Our 1971 Bristol 411 has returned to us for some
Bristol 411
Bristol 411 Progress
February 27, 2023
Classic car technician John has been working on getting our 1970 Bristol 411 running. A new air filter needed to be fitted, however, as the
Exhaust Manifold
February 22, 2023
Our 1970 Bristol 411 has been in the very capable hands of classic car technician John. While working on this beautiful classic car, John prepared
Repaired – Fixing the Stitching on the 1970 Bristol 411 Steering Wheel
August 30, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the steering wheel of the 1970 Bristol 411 which is in our workshops. The
Underfoot – New Rear Carpets on the 1970 Bristol 411
June 20, 2022
The trim team have been working on making the brand new carpet set for the 1970 Bristol 411 which is in the Bridge Classic Cars
Continual development of our Bristol LHD conversion
May 19, 2022
More images have made their way over to Gary and the guys at Re-Go Autoparts as we continue with the development works on our 1970
Finishing Up – Finish Welding the Sills of the 1970 Bristol 411
April 28, 2022
The workshop and fabrication teams at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been working together on the repairs to the 1970 Bristol 411. After
All By Hand – Hand Stitching Dash Pieces for the 1970 Bristol 411
April 13, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working alongside the workshop team on the left-hand-drive conversion of the 1970 Bristol 411. In the
Changes – Modifying Dash Trim and Making the Glove Box Insert on the 1970 Bristol 411
April 1, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on modifying and creating parts for the dash of the 1970 Bristol 411 for a
Fabrication – Brackets and Mounts Fabricated for the 1970 Bristol 411
March 22, 2022
The Bristol 411 left-hand drive conversion is moving forward with new mounts and brackets being fabricated by the restoration team in the Bridge Classic Cars
Progress – Brake Lines, Wiring Harness, Steering Locks and Brake Reservoirs on the 1970 Bristol 411
March 16, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been progressing on the left-hand drive conversion of the 1970 Bristol 411. Paul has been working on
Making Room – New Throttle Pedal on the 1970 Bristol 411
March 11, 2022
As part of the left-hand drive conversion on the 1970 Bristol 411 currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, the team have had to make
Changes – Working on the Steering Column of the 1970 Bristol 411
March 9, 2022
As part of the left-hand drive conversion of the Bristol 411, the Bridge Classic Cars workshop technicians have had to adapt the original column and
Piecing Together – Relocating the Heater Box of the 1970 Bristol 411
March 4, 2022
The 1970 Bristol 411 in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop is continuing with the modifications needed for its LHD conversion. Paul is working on
Removals – Removing the Suspension and Steering from the 1970 Bristol 411
February 18, 2022
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on getting the suspension and steering system out of the 1970 Bristol 411. Paul has removed
Coming Soon: 1970 Bristol 411
November 8, 2021
Bridge Classic Cars have acquired this 1970 Bristol 411 on behalf of a customer of ours who lives in Europe. This particular car will be
Bristol gets a service!
July 29, 2021
Mauro has been finishing his work on the 1971 Bristol 411. He’s given it a full service, put new break pads on and the contact
Bristol Series 3 411 Completed
June 24, 2021
We’re delighted to see that our 1973 Bristol Series 3 411 has been completed, detailed and is now ready to go back to its owners,
Bristol’s Door Disassembly
June 23, 2021
We’ve been stripping the door of our 1974 Bristol so that we can access the rubber to replace it. This includes Mauro taking apart both
Bristol’s New Exhaust
June 17, 2021
Mauro has been working on our 1973 Bristol which has had its exhaust manifold refacing due to leaking. He’s also added new spark plugs.
Bristol Dent Correction
June 10, 2021
Our 1973 Bristol has gone into the paint shop to have a small dent repaired. Now finished, you’d never know it had been there.
Bristol In For Service
June 4, 2021
Our 1973 Bristol 411 Series 3 is in for a service and a dent repair. Mauro has been working on fixing the door which is
Bristol Arrival
June 4, 2021
This 1973 Bristol has arrived with us for a service and a tidy up.
Bristol Cars Secret Stash
September 2, 2020
A predicted £1m worth of classic cars has been discovered in an old garage belonging to Bristol Cars Ltd, according to an article by The
New Arrival – 1971 Bristol 411
January 28, 2020
In our restoration workshop this week is our lovely Bristol 411. The Bristol 411 was built in Britian between 1989 to 1976 by Bristol Cars.
Welcome Back
July 24, 2023
We have recently welcomed back a beautiful classic car into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Our 1971 Bristol 411 has returned to us for some work to be completed. Classic car technician Jonn had the car up on the ramp so he could thoroughly inspect it. He also rubbed down and painted the flexi hose ferrules.
The oil pressure gauge was refitted and tested too.
Bristol 411 Progress
February 27, 2023
Classic car technician John has been working on getting our 1970 Bristol 411 running.
A new air filter needed to be fitted, however, as the filter base plate has been modified, it fouled the throttle. To overcome this, John used the base plate from the original air filter and cut it down to the right size. He then drilled and located the breather elbow before painting the base plate black.
The modified base plate, breather connection, and filter were then all fitted and secured in the car.
John continues to work on our 1970 Bristol 411 and we are looking forward to progress continuing to be made on this beautiful classic car.
Exhaust Manifold
February 22, 2023
Our 1970 Bristol 411 has been in the very capable hands of classic car technician John.
While working on this beautiful classic car, John prepared the repaired offside exhaust manifold before fitting it back onto the car with new gaskets and bolts.
Once the manifold was fitted and secured, John ran the car up to temperature and checked for blow. Following the test run, he was pleased that everything was working as it should.
Work will continue on our 1970 Bristol 411 and we look forward to seeing its continued progress through the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Repaired – Fixing the Stitching on the 1970 Bristol 411 Steering Wheel
August 30, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the steering wheel of the 1970 Bristol 411 which is in our workshops.
The stitching on the backside of the steering wheel had come apart and begun to separate. So, the team have removed the steering wheel in order to pull the material back together and make it look as good as new for its owner.
Underfoot – New Rear Carpets on the 1970 Bristol 411
June 20, 2022
The trim team have been working on making the brand new carpet set for the 1970 Bristol 411 which is in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for light restorative work and left-hand drive conversion.
Brian, one of our trimmers, has carefully taken the carpet set under the rear seats out of the car and up to our in-house trim shop in order to template and remake the pieces.
After they had been cut out of new material, the pieces were taken back down to be fitted into the car. The carpet panels need to go into the car in a specific order to sit correctly and fit perfectly inside the cabin of the classic V8 British GT car.
Continual development of our Bristol LHD conversion
May 19, 2022
More images have made their way over to Gary and the guys at Re-Go Autoparts as we continue with the development works on our 1970 Bristol 411. Faced with a lot of challenges so far, Gary has been paramount at assisting with our needs and working alongside us to achieve the desired outcome.
A brief history of Re-Go Autoparts – established in 1985, Rego Autoparts is synonymous with high-quality remanufactured steering components. The Lenco brand carried by the owners of Rego Autoparts has been trading since the 1970’s.
Specialists in the left-hand-drive market, Lenco has comprehensive catalogues listing models of every car manufacturer from Alfa to Volvo, for steering racks, steering boxes and steering pumps.
Lenco is a Certified TecDoc Data Supplier. Since 2004 we have continued to uphold the standards for ISO9001 with incorporation of TS16949, ISO14001 and ISO18001.
Lenco reconditions steering components made by all O-E-manufacturers, e.g. TRW, Koyo, Saginaw, ZF, SMI, Mando, Atsugi, Hitachi, Young-Shin etc.
Specializing in supply to large distributors who in turn service buying groups, wholesalers and garages, Lenco has an extensive range of reconditioned stock in mainland Europe enabling supply of orders quickly and efficiently.
Lenco has a vast stock of ‘old core’ units covering the majority of its catalogue applications, enabling us to supply rare and high-demand applications without hassle. In the unlikely event that we do not have an old unit to recondition, we can recondition the customer’s unit.
Lenco has remanufacturing facilities in the UK and Belgium. In addition to the factories there is a logistics warehouse in Belgium handling the stock and distribution of the combined factory outputs.
Every unit produced by the factories is tested and warranted with a 2-year unlimited mileage.
Finishing Up – Finish Welding the Sills of the 1970 Bristol 411
April 28, 2022
The workshop and fabrication teams at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been working together on the repairs to the 1970 Bristol 411.
After beginning to weld the newly fabricated sill into the classic Bristol, the team have now begun to finish welding the new metal in the car. This needs to be done very carefully so as to not affect the existing metal around it and cause any form of heat warping. So, the fabrication team are systematically welding the panels into the car allowing it time to cool and shrink back into place.
Once this is complete, the team can move on with the work needed to be done on the 1970 Bristol 411.
All By Hand – Hand Stitching Dash Pieces for the 1970 Bristol 411
April 13, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working alongside the workshop team on the left-hand-drive conversion of the 1970 Bristol 411.
In the last update, we showed you getting the dash panel pieces test fit into the car but our trimmer Lydia took some detailed photos showing the process of hand-cutting and stitching these beautiful black leather pieces together to make the final covers.
Changes – Modifying Dash Trim and Making the Glove Box Insert on the 1970 Bristol 411
April 1, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on modifying and creating parts for the dash of the 1970 Bristol 411 for a left-hand drive conversion.
The dash cover and panel have been modified and stripped in order to work with the new placement of the ignition barrel and steering column. The ignition barrel also needed several small brackets made to reattach it to the column after the change over from right to left which after this was completed, meaning the whole piece could be recovered.
The team also handmade a new glovebox insert to work around the different bracketry and supports which now lay behind it.
Fabrication – Brackets and Mounts Fabricated for the 1970 Bristol 411
March 22, 2022
The Bristol 411 left-hand drive conversion is moving forward with new mounts and brackets being fabricated by the restoration team in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Paul has made new glovebox brackets to reinforce behind the dashboard now the dash has rotated.
The biggest change has been underneath the car. Paul has made new plates that will be used to attach the all-new steering rack for the conversion. The pieces were cut to shape and then carefully refined to fit into the car.
Progress – Brake Lines, Wiring Harness, Steering Locks and Brake Reservoirs on the 1970 Bristol 411
March 16, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been progressing on the left-hand drive conversion of the 1970 Bristol 411.
Paul has been working on getting several key pieces of the conversion completed. Firstly he has made all new brake lines for the car since the master cylinder and reservoir have been moved in the engine bay. Each of these was handmade and flared to the exact needs of the car.
Next up was the wiring harness for the dashboard. Each of the wires will need to be precisely lengthened with the change in position for several key components.
In preparation for the new steering rack for the car, the existing lock stops on the steering box had to be removed for space to fit the new system into the classic Bristol.
Finally, with everything in the correct place orientation, Paul could lengthen the wires which go to and from the brake reservoir.
Making Room – New Throttle Pedal on the 1970 Bristol 411
March 11, 2022
As part of the left-hand drive conversion on the 1970 Bristol 411 currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, the team have had to make a new throttle pedal for the car.
The conversion to the classic Bristol is moving along quickly, but part of the changeover is relocating the throttle pedal of the classic car. Paul has had to remanufacturer a throttle pedal to get the new set up to work correctly. Along with this, the routing of the wiring loom has also had to be changed to allow the throttle mechanism and the pedal itself free movement without risk of being caught on any part of the loom.
Changes – Working on the Steering Column of the 1970 Bristol 411
March 9, 2022
As part of the left-hand drive conversion of the Bristol 411, the Bridge Classic Cars workshop technicians have had to adapt the original column and shrowd to the new orientation.
Whilst the majority of the bulkhead and firewall have been adapted to the new left-hand drive conversion of the car, our restoration technician Paul has turned his attention to the steering column of the car. Especially the ignition barrel.
When the car was right-hand drive, the barrel would sit out at an angle and allow the driver to easily insert the key but, after the shrowd had been moved to the other side of the column as part of the conversion, the key couldn’t be easily put into the ignition. So, Paul worked on reworking the shrowd, column and barrel to get the access to the ignition as easy as possible for the new owner.
Piecing Together – Relocating the Heater Box of the 1970 Bristol 411
March 4, 2022
The 1970 Bristol 411 in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop is continuing with the modifications needed for its LHD conversion.
Paul is working on moving each of the components over from one side of the engine bay to the other. This not only involves modifying the firewall/bulkhead but also the components themselves. A lot of the pieces needed to be adapted for left-hand drive use by being rotated and changed in order for the necessary lines and vents to line up after moving from one side of the car to another.
All of these pieces are first test fit onto the car before being welded in to complete the conversion on this unique 1970 Bristol 411.
Removals – Removing the Suspension and Steering from the 1970 Bristol 411
February 18, 2022
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on getting the suspension and steering system out of the 1970 Bristol 411.
Paul has removed the springs and dampers from the classic British GT ready for its left-hand-drive conversion. Along with that, he has removed the steering box out of the car. All of these pieces are being carefully inspected and put into storage to go along with the car after its conversion.
It’s exciting to see this project moving forward on such a unique but more frequently requested job.
Coming Soon: 1970 Bristol 411
November 8, 2021
Bridge Classic Cars have acquired this 1970 Bristol 411 on behalf of a customer of ours who lives in Europe.
This particular car will be arriving soon into our workshop here in Suffolk for full assessment and inspection. Also, with the car being sent over to Europe we will be undertaking a very special project on this Bristol.
This car is going to be converted to Left Hand Drive for the customer to enjoy over on the continent.
Be sure to check out more on this car here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog once it arrives here with us.
Bristol gets a service!
July 29, 2021
Mauro has been finishing his work on the 1971 Bristol 411. He’s given it a full service, put new break pads on and the contact points got changed. It’s been for a test drive and is looking good!
Bristol Series 3 411 Completed
June 24, 2021
We’re delighted to see that our 1973 Bristol Series 3 411 has been completed, detailed and is now ready to go back to its owners, looking good as new.
Mauro spent this morning tightening the wheel bearings as Mauro felt some play so made some adjustments.
Bristol’s Door Disassembly
June 23, 2021
We’ve been stripping the door of our 1974 Bristol so that we can access the rubber to replace it. This includes Mauro taking apart both door cards to fit fresh seals.
Bristol’s New Exhaust
June 17, 2021
Mauro has been working on our 1973 Bristol which has had its exhaust manifold refacing due to leaking. He’s also added new spark plugs.
Bristol Dent Correction
June 10, 2021
Our 1973 Bristol has gone into the paint shop to have a small dent repaired. Now finished, you’d never know it had been there.
Bristol In For Service
June 4, 2021
Our 1973 Bristol 411 Series 3 is in for a service and a dent repair. Mauro has been working on fixing the door which is hard to open. This has meant Mauro has had to adjust the rod and linkage. He is also replacing the window seal. We’ve sent the exhaust manifold off to be refaced to solve the leak.
Next up the Bristol will head to our body shop to have a small dent repaired.
Bristol Cars Secret Stash
September 2, 2020
A predicted £1m worth of classic cars has been discovered in an old garage belonging to Bristol Cars Ltd, according to an article by The Daily Mail Online.
Amongst the discovery was a 1982 Bristol Fighter, a 1964 Bristol 409 Bullet Speeder and a 2016 Bristol bullet, all prototypes that never made it to market. A spokesperson for Bristol Cars referred to the stock as ‘junk’ but classic car valuers think the lot could bring up to £1m in total. What a find!
Since 2018, Bristol Cars had been working on a new prototype they called the ‘Bullet’ having not focused on automotive builds since their last liquidation in 2011. But faced another liquidation this year following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bristol Cars, who at their peak produced 100 hand-built cars a year, were the last independent hand-build car manufacturer left in the UK.
Here at Bridge Classic Cars we had the privilege of working on this 1971 Bristol 411 earlier this year. We just hope we’ll get the chance to see more of these beautiful cars in the future, maybe even some from their secret stash.
New Arrival – 1971 Bristol 411
January 28, 2020
In our restoration workshop this week is our lovely Bristol 411.
The Bristol 411 was built in Britian between 1989 to 1976 by Bristol Cars. The 411 is a luxurious vehicle with a good amount of power produced form its 6.3l V8 engine.
This wonderful Bristol 411 is in with us for a full service and MOT.
