The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars are continuing with the refit of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 in for total restoration.
Our technician Scott has been working on getting the various pieces for the washer bottle and wiper mechanism in place as part of its rebuild. With the bottle and mount in place, Scott could begin to make the various lines needed to run up the firewall of the classic GT car but also work around the wooden framing which lies behind and above it.
The 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 has been getting refit and plumbed up by our workshop here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ.
The team have refit and rebuilt the drum brake system for the car along with running the necessary linkages and cable for the handbrake. Along with that, our technician Scott has made up brand new brake hardlines which have been routed throughout the car and neatly tucked close to the body and rear axle not only for aesthetics but for fitment.
After all of the brakes were put together and plumbed in, Scott could turn his attention to the fuel system.
He fit the classic Aston Martins fuel tank, which was test fit and gently bolted down into place before making up the various fuel lines and again, routing them safely and neatly throughout the car.
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team have put countless hours of hard work, skill and craft into the bodywork and paint of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI that when our painter Chris had finished polishing the entire car, we had to take it outside into the sun to get a proper look.
The weather had been absolutely perfect all week. A few light, playful clouds strewn across the endless blue of the Suffolk sky made the perfect lighting rig for such an amazing car. The depth of the paint, the subtlety of the colour and the bright shine of the metallic paint stopped all of the team who walked past it.
Our marketing manager, Freddie decided to grab his camera and get some photos of the stunning 1950s GT car which look incredible but it has to be seen to truly be believed.
The 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI has been moved into the Bridge Classic Cars paint and body preparation area for the team to being colour sanding the car.
The process of colour sanding is key in the visual aspect of the restoration of the classic Aston Martin to make the paintwork match the incredible work that each and every panel has had done to it by the team.
Our painter Chris, who painted the car, has headed up the colour sanding of the Aston Martin. Using finer and finer abrasives to remove any imperfections and even out any areas of the car.
The 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI has been in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth for a key part of its restoration. The classic Aston Martin has now been painted in its final colour!
The team have spent hours preparing the beautiful 1950s GT for this stage of the work to make sure every surface, panel and piece of the car is in perfect shape. Once the team had built up the colour layer by layer, it was then left in our oven to cure completely before it will be moved into our preparation bay to begin colour-sanding.
This is a huge step in the project and we’re excited to show you the next stages of the paintwork on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI.
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have got the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI into the in-house paint booth for some of the final stages before colour begins.
The team sanded down the body and bonnet for the final time before it was prepared and pushed into the paint booth. There, the team laid down the final coat of primer onto the car before the colour is laid down onto the panels of the classic Aston Martin.
After the primer had settled and cured, the team brought the bonnet of the DB2/4 back into the paint booth to prepare and begin work on the underside. The team reprimed the underside before applying the hardwearing and durable Raptorguard to the bonnet of the DB2/4.
The paint and body team have worked on getting the body and bonnet of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 as close to perfect as possible in the build-up of the car going into paint.
The car is being completely restored by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration teams. The paint and body team have worked on several rounds of primer and minimal filler work in order to get the rare Aston Martin into the best condition aesthetically.
The process involves priming, sanding, filler work, more sanding and then back in for primer again to build low areas of the panelwork which sit on top of the delicate framework beneath the Aston Martin.
With this process done, the team can continue on the process of getting the car ready for paint.
The trim pieces and parts for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 have been replaced as part of the classic sports cars restoration by Bridge Classic Cars.
Each piece has been carefully inspected and any repairs performed on them before being cleaned and then going through the process of being re-plated to make sure they’re at the same standard and finish as the rest of the car done by our restoration workshop.
The paint and body at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on getting the various refinished brackets for the bonnet onto the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI.
The team have expertly refinished the parts and pieces for the car all in-house to give them a uniform, clean look. The parts are now being installed onto the car as the team move toward getting the panels aligned and in place to check fitment and if any adjustments will need to be made to the hinges or latches.
We are very excited that a 1976 Aston Martin AMV8 is making its way to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop from America.
We recently purchased the car at an auction and plans are now being made for its travel over the Atlantic, so we can get to work on bringing it back to its former glory.
The bonnet of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 currently in with Bridge Classic Cars for restoration has finally been reunited with the body of the 1950s sports car.
The bonnet has been placed onto the body before it is adjusted and fitted. This is to make sure all the amazing work Alan has done on the single-piece clamshell goes with the work Chris has done on the body. But, the results look fantastic. Both the body and the bonnet are completely uniform and evenly shaped which will allow our in-house paint team to get the colour laid just perfectly for this car when the time comes.
January 27, 2022 11:55 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Scott, one of our amazing in-house restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been skillfully and carefully putting the front suspension of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 back together for the next phase of its restoration.
Scott began by getting the front hubs of the classic sports car built on the bench. With this, the knuckle had to be reworked to accept the new pin but apart from that everything slotted together perfectly. Piece by piece, Scott put every component together until both assemblies were ready to go back onto the car.
Then, Scott positioned each assembly in place to be connected up to the steering box. Along with that, he fitted the springs into place and connected up the torsion arms.
This is all in preparation for the next phase of the 1955 DB2/4 Mk1 Restoration which you will all see very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop have been busy continuing work on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 we have at our Suffolk HQ for restoration.
Alan, one of our incredible in-house paint experts, has been working on the underside of the bonnet for the DB2/4. This part of the bonnet has had the same treatment as the top of the piece. Alan has carefully sanded, filled and resanded every square inch of the bonnet included the wheel arches to make sure the piece has the best foundation for the primer.
Like the top, it had a layer of epoxy primer followed by a polyester primer laid on top of the beautiful front clamshell.
This piece of the DB2/4 is a piece of art in its own right and we cannot wait to see the bonnet laid onto the body which is being worked on by our restoration technicians in our workshop.
January 26, 2022 11:20 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The gauges for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 currently undergoing restoration at Bridge Classic Cars have returned from being refurbished.
We sent the dials and units off to a specialist refurbisher and the results look absolutely incredible. Along with being restored, they have all been perfectly calibrated to a very small tolerance. It’s beautiful to see the craft and skill that our trusted specialist partners put into pieces.
The gauges will eventually go into the dashboard of the classic Aston Martin which is being finished to the same very high, very process standard.
Expect to see more on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon.
January 25, 2022 11:50 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars incredible in-house paint team have been working hard to get the bonnet of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 into each stage of primer.
Our in-house painter Alan has been working on the one-piece front clamshell of the DB2/4, perfecting every line and surface on the panel getting it ready for the first stage before it is painted.
The first stage is a normal epoxy primer which is a standard primer used on most projects. But, over the top, the DB2/4 Bonnet is then covered in a Polyester primer.
After the primer has properly cured, Alan can then begin the next stage before the final colour is shot on the panel. So, expect to see more updates on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 restoration here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon.
Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint team have been working on the bonnet of the stunning 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 currently in with ourselves for restoration.
Alan, one of our incredible Paint team, has been working on getting every surface of the bonnet as perfect as possible. And that is literally every single surface, including the wheel arches and the underside of the bonnet.
The work put into the classic Aston Martin is reflected in every single panel and piece on this gorgeous sports car. Alan has worked meticulously on every surface of the single-piece panel to make sure that once painted, it is all works together.
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint team have been hell-bent on achieving perfection for the bonnet of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 that is in with ourselves for full restoration.
Alan, one of our incredibly talented painters and bodywork specialists, has spent hours perfecting every line and curve on the single-piece clamshell that makes up the whole front end of the classic Aston Martin.
This piece is crucial because it is one single piece and has no adjustment as you would do with a front end made of several pieces. So, each of the body lines and curves must sit perfectly with the rest of the body which is in our workshop with Scott, one of our restoration technicians.
So, Alan has been meticulous working on sections to get them perfect.
January 14, 2022 11:25 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint team have just finished working on the hubs for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1.
Chris, our head painter, has delivered the freshly refinished hubs for the Aston Martin to Scott, our restoration technician, in our workshop for when final assembly calls for the hubs to be fitted up to the car.
Finished in a stunning satin black, the hubs look better than new!
January 12, 2022 12:45 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
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 amPublished by Craig Ranson
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.
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.
It’s one of the most instantly recognisable classic cars of all time. A car that is so synonymous with a single character it became its own personality. The car which became so connected with Ian Fleming’s character James Bond has supposedly been found.
Famously, BMT 216A went missing in 1997 after it had been stored in a Florida aeroplane hangar by its then-owner. It is claimed that in the middle of the night, thieves broke in and removed the iconic sportscar leaving only a set of tire tracks, the last remaining signs of the 1963 DB5.
There are several stories which as of the time of writing, are still valid as the car has not been verified. The first was that as it left the hangar in the dead of night in 1996, it was dragged onto a trailer and smuggled out of the airfield onto a life still within the US. Others say that as it was pulled away out of the roller doors, it was loaded into a waiting Cargo Plane… very apt for the character who first drove it.
There was also a rumour that because its current owner had put a $2.4m policy on the car and was facing financial troubles. They staged the robbery and dropped the car out in the Atlantic. Many don’t believe the DB5 did meet its watery grave in June of 1997. If the owner had needed to, he could have easily sold such an important piece of film history as well as a true automotive icon.
Previously there’s been reports of it in Russian billionaires front rooms, in a dilapidated barn in South East Asia or the wildest and most shocking one? It’s been hiding in plain sight all these years after being turned back into a regular DB5 (or DB4) and then sold with a VIN change all of which were kept completely undocumented. What’s easier, a stolen DB5 or the stolen Goldfinger DB5 to try and hide?
However, a recent statement by Art Recovery International (a company that specialises in the finding and securing of lost or stolen collectables) stated that a car bearing many of the identifying marks of Chassis DP/216/1 had been spotted in a private collection in the Middle East. What are those identifying marks? Well, this particular car was the DB5 fitted with the swathes of gadgets needed for the stunt team while shooting the James Bond 007 film Goldfinger (which we have talked out previously here). Also, during this brief encounter, the whistleblower made a note of the cars VIN and according to some it exactly matches that of the missing ’63 DB5.
How would it have gotten out of the US? Lots of ways. Piece by piece or even in an illegal shipment completely off the books. Some say the car was in fact stolen to order instead of an opportunistic crime and the would-be robbers hoped they could get rid of the car, with something this identifiable and recognisable it would have to have been specially ordered.
In the statement, Art Recovery International’s Christopher Marinello said they were hopeful that the car will be recovered soon. Adding that ”I’m hopeful that the possessor will come forward voluntarily before I have to make an announcement” whilst talking to The Telegraph stating that with all investigations they give those in possesions of the items time to come forward before being publicly outed.
But, what if this is indeed the missing Goldfinger DB5? What could it be worth? Well, current estimates have claimed that if the car were to be returned and come up for sale at any point it could fetch as much as £18.5m.
Either way, we’ll keep our eyes and ears out to see what the final outcome is in this new development.
Chris and the team in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop have been busy at work preparing and priming the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mark 1 for the next phase in the restoration.
Chris and the team carefully prepared each panel and part individually to make sure they were properly prepped before entering the spray booth. Each part has been given a coat epoxy primer to help seal the material beneath which has been so carefully worked on by the Bridge Classic Cars restoration teams.
With everything primed, it was time to move on to the protective coating on some of the other pieces and parts of the shell. For the most durable protection against road grime and weather, the team here use Raptor Guard. Applied to specific pieces, it helps to protect any of the pieces from moisture and is well worth using for a classic that is destined to be used and enjoyed.
Whilst the primer and the raptor guard on the shell were left to cure, Chris began to prepare and spray Raptor on some of the floor panels, the transmission tunnel and other pieces which will be exposed to the elements.
The trim work on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 is absolutely beautiful. Simple and elegant but there is quite a bit of it.
These are the latest pieces of the DB2/4 Mark 1 to be sent out to a local specialist for replating and polishing. This is being done to make sure that every piece of the brightwork on this stunning 1950s sportscar will be uniform and stunning. Although they may seem small, every piece of the car must be perfect to match the work the team here at Bridge Classic Cars have done on the car during its restoration.
There will be more updates very soon on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
December 8, 2021 11:49 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Mauro, one of the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, has been stripping down the bumpers, grille and brightwork on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 that is undergoing restoration at Bridge Classic Cars.
These pieces have been carefully broken down into individual components to be sent off for various treatments for them to be refinished to a standard fitting of the car. The brightwork on the Aston Martin is a key focal point to such an iconic sports car that they need to fit just right as well as look the best.
With that, Mauro has been carefully removing each bolt from the bumpers and brackets to make sure they are in good condition and if not, they are replaced. The bumpers, grille and all other parts are carefully catalogued and stored until they are ready to be sent off to local specialists that we have been working with for many years on our other world class restoration projects.
The level of detail that Bridge Classic Cars holds itself to, even in terms of the breakdown of each component, is purposely high to ensure the best final finish of our restorations.
Keep a look out here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 soon.
December 2, 2021 10:38 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The gauges and dials in the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 are some of the most beautiful out there. Simple black Smiths units with white lettering and easy to see layout. This style of dial is so synonymous with classic sportscar that anything else would look amiss in such an elegant and deserving car.
The rest of the car is currently undergoing a full restoration at Bridge Classic Cars but these units are being sent away to a specialist to be rebuilt and entirely refurbished to match the high level of fit and finish our in-house restoration teams will be doing to the car.
Once the dials are back from their refurbishment, they will be carefully stored until our in-house trim team is ready to fit them into the stunning dash and get them securely placed in the car.
November 17, 2021 3:55 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Bridge Classic Cars take pride in that our in-house restoration technicians will go the extra mile to make sure that all of our restoration work is done to a world-class standard. Take, for example, these suspension components on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 that is in at Bridge Classic Cars for complete restoration.
Our restoration technician Mauro has been carefully taking apart each of the suspension components down to their bare bones before these parts are sent off to be sandblasted. All though these could be simply cleaned up and repainted, this DB2/4 Mark 1 is having the full treatment that Bridge Classic Cars is known for. Piece by piece, Mauro took apart every component to be inspected for any damage or defect and then catalogued.
Every bearing or bushing was pressed out of the housings before it goes off to be stripped all the way back to bare metal.
Expect to see more on the DB2/4 Mark 1 very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
November 17, 2021 12:02 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The frame and body for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 that is with us here at Bridge Classic Cars have been separated ahead of the frame being sent off for powder coating.
The body will remain here with our in-house paint and body teams to continue work while we wait for the other parts to come back.
Powder coating frames gives not only the best finish but the best protection for the chassis so it’s worthwhile having it done to this amazing car.
Here at Bridge Classic Cars, our in-house restoration technician Mauro is hard at work continuing to teardown, inspect and catalogue the front end parts of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2.
The steering on any sportscar is what is known to give that feel we all know and love. And for that, it needs to be in perfect shape. So, it’s now the turn of the steering rack of the DB2. Mauro has carefully removed each component from the rack itself.
These will be inspected thoroughly before refurbishment begins.
It’s crucial with a restoration to take note of what you take off the car. Our in-house restoration technician Mauro is fanatical about this. So, the job of tearing down the front axle of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 that we have at Bridge Classic Cars naturally fell to him.
Bolt by bolt, piece by piece Mauro has gone through the entire assembly on the ’50s sportscar. Carefully and meticulously Mauro labelled and catalogued each piece ready for assessment and refurbishment.
This DB2 is having a full restoration in-house by our incredible teams. Keep a lookout for more updates on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 on our News Page
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