Search
Close this search box.

classic bristol

Bristol Engine Work

October 13, 2023

Classic car technician James has been working on the engine of our 1954 Bristol 405. The carburettors and refurbished/correct air filters arrived back at the

Read More »

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

Read More »

2 Classics Go Home

March 22, 2023

Our 1986 Daimler DS420 and our 1970 Bristol 411 have left the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and are now on their way back to their

Read More »

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

Read More »

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

Read More »

Bristol Engine Work

October 13, 2023

Classic car technician James has been working on the engine of our 1954 Bristol 405.

The carburettors and refurbished/correct air filters arrived back at the workshop and were fitted to the engine. The three mounting brackets were cleaned thoroughly, and then fitted with the carbs using new gaskets. Then, the linkages were added and adjusted, and finally the air intake pipe and air filter housing.

James also tidied the ignition leads and secured them.

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.

2 Classics Go Home

March 22, 2023

Our 1986 Daimler DS420 and our 1970 Bristol 411 have left the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and are now on their way back to their owner in the Netherlands.

Both cars have been completely transformed from how they looked when they first arrived with us and we are very excited to see them be reunited with their owner. The 1970 Bristol 411 was a right-hand drive vehicle before our team of classic car technicians converted it to a left-hand drive. Once converted it was rebuilt and eventually turned into the beautiful classic car you can see in the images below.

The 1986 Daimler DS420 originated in America before being brought to us. Since being in the workshop, its colour has changed from white to blue and various other issues have been resolved to get the car into the condition it leaves us in.

After a lot of time and effort, it is always great to see restored cars leaving the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and being returned to their owners.

We hope our customer enjoys their restored classics and we look forward to seeing them being driven on the roads in the Netherlands.

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.

A Makeover For The Seats Of Our 1954 Bristol 405

November 14, 2022

Quite a bit of interior work has been done on our 1954 Bristol 405 lately. The seats have been a focus of Lydia as she has been working hard to get them into a much more presentable condition.

She has been busy sewing calico onto the front seats and fitting them onto their foams and frames. Lydia has also been cleaning up and re-painting the metal parts of the seats too.

Once the front seats were done, the rear seats, which are also fluted, went through the same process of having a small draft of the flutes made to check measurements before being made for real out of leather. The rear seats have a calico backing and are stuffed with foam and wadding (like the front seats).

Finally, the piping was sewn on before Lydia marked and cut out the leather for the skirt pieces.

While Lydia was busy working on the seats of our 1954 Bristol 405, Brian was making door panels. He first marked these out using paper patterns before cutting out the rear door panel. He also had to cut holes for the handles and armrests.

While Lydia and Brian were working on the interior components of our 405, Paul was working on the outer doors.

Paul spent some time assessing the doors and coming up with a plan of action to get them back into the shape they need to be in order for this classic car to be driven back out on the road.

Our 1954 Bristol 405 still has a long way to go but progress continues and we look forward to seeing what the future has in store.

Interior Work On Our 1954 Bristol 405

October 19, 2022

Lydia has once again been busy working on some of the interior components of our 1954 Bristol 405.

This time, her attention turned to the front seat base faces.

Lydia first made a vinyl draft so she was able to check the sizing of the flutes. She then went on to mark out the leather and calico backing before drawing guidelines which she will follow when sewing the flute lines.

On The Way To The Workshop

October 11, 2022

The main body of our 1954 Bristol 405 has been transported to our workshop.

Now it is here with the team, it can begin the next phase of its restoration. With work already done on the seats, it’s time to get the rest of the car in order so it can be one step closer to being back out on the road.

There will be lots more updates coming soon as this classic car returns to its full former glory.

Classic Car Technician In Action – 1970 Bristol 411

September 26, 2022

Our classic car technicians are always busy working on restoring classic cars.

Every now and again, we are able to get a few photos of them doing what they do best, and the below photos of Paul working on parts for our 1970 Bristol 411 are great examples of this.

A Repositioned Steering Arm For Improved Geometry – 1970 Bristol 411

September 22, 2022

Now that the 1970 Bristol 411 has been converted to a left-hand drive, our classic car technicians have repositioned the steering arm.

Doing this improves the steering geometry, which can make a big difference in how the finished car will drive when it is returned to its owner.

Progress – Wiring and New Latches on the 1971 Bristol 411

August 31, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars workshop team have been continuing to work on the wiring of the 1971 Bristol 411 along with some other jobs on the classic GT car.

The team have been asked to replace the wiring harness through the entire car. John has been going through each of the systems to make sure everything is working correctly and then installing the new harness while carrying out any necessary repairs.

The team have also adjusted and installed some new latches and hinges throughout the car.

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.

Routing – Running the New Wiring Harness in the 1971 Bristol 411

August 12, 2022

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on routing the new wiring harness on the 1971 Bristol 411.

At our Suffolk HQ, the Bristol has come in to be rewired and with that, the team have paid careful attention to the routing of each individual wire and its placement/length. The team have used period correct ‘P’ clips to clamp the wiring runs and separate them into the various systems for the car. Along with that, the team have made up some new wires and added them into the harness for the temperature sensor and the ignition coil.

Each of the wires was then prepared and tightened down into the power blocks in advance of the car being tested soon.

Going Back Together – 1970 Bristol 411 Reassembly

July 28, 2022

The workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ have begun the process of getting the interior of the 1970 Bristol 411 following its in-house LHD conversion.

The trim team recently installed the carpet set into the floor of the classic GT car, and from there the workshop team could start to put the seats and all other pieces into the car. Along with that, they can start to align all the panels as part of its aesthetic work and finish off getting the trims and wiring/plumbing routed in the engine bay.

Removal – Stripping the Interior Wiring from the 1971 Bristol 411

July 26, 2022

The workshop team have been working on removing the wiring harness from the interior of the 1971 Bristol 411.

The wiring harness, which runs all up and inside the dashboard, has been taken out of the car connector by connector in preparation for the rewiring of the entire car. Each switch, gauge and light on the dashboard has been removed and disconnected from the harness for the team to safely remove and evaluate the dash harness on the bench before working in reverse to get the brand new unit in.

Put Back – Dash Reassembled and Hoses Back in the 1970 Bristol 411

July 22, 2022

The 1970 Bristol 411 which is in with Bridge Classic Cars to have its left-hand drive conversion done has been worked on by the workshop to complete some of the smaller jobs.

The team have reassembled the dashboard with the various dials and switches fitted back into the wooden surround.

In the engine bay, the team have fit up several new hoses to the classic Bristols V8 engine. The first is the new power steering hoses for the PAS system as part of its left-hand drive conversion with a custom-made steering rack. The hoses for this were made by a local specialist company who we have a good relationship with and have all been properly tested before being fit to the car.

Next, the team could route the new radiator hoses. This were changed over as standard procedure and some small changes to routing due to the PAS system.

Rewire – Removing the Old Wiring from the 1971 Bristol 411

July 22, 2022

The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars are busy removing the old wiring from the 1971 Bristol 411 ahead of its rewire by the team.

Our workshop manager John has been carefully tracing the wiring from front to back on the classic Bristol to make notes on how the new harness will need to be laid out into the car and routed. This involved removing the interior and some of the carpet in order to fully chase the old harness and make a full map of the wiring.

Finishing Touches – Final Dash Panels on the 1970 Bristol 411

July 20, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been fitting up the final trimmed panels onto the dash of the 1970 Bristol 411.

Brian, one of our in-house trimmers, has been up new dash ends and corners to go along with the leather trimmed panels which cap the bottom edge of the dashboard in the classic Bristol. Each of these pieces has been entirely made and trimmed by hand by the in-house team and now installed on the car.

Up on the Ramp – 1971 Bristol 411 Back at the Workshop

July 19, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars team welcomed back the 1971 Bristol 411 to our Suffolk HQ to carry out some more work on the car.

The classic Bristol will be having a new wiring loom fitted alongside being servicing and inspected ahead of its MOT.

Alongside this is a list of small jobs for our workshop team to carry out on the car for its owner.

From the Inside – Painting the Battery Box on the 1970 Bristol 411

July 13, 2022

While the 1970 Bristol 411 was in the Bridge Classic Cars paint booth, the team finished off the painting jobs by finishing the battery box, hidden away in the inner wing.

The floor of the battery base had been replaced by the team previously as part of some corrosion repairs. This was then prepared and primed by the paint and body team, before being finished in deep hard wearing black to finish off its look.

Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon for more updates on the 1970 Bristol 411 very soon.

Underside – Painting the Sills on the 1970 Bristol 411

July 12, 2022

The 1970 Bristol 411 had some work done to repair some areas of corrosion on its sills. The Bridge Classic Cars team cut out any of the questionable areas and replaced them with hand-fabricated pieces which were then welded into the car.

Now, the whole car has moved in our in-house Paint Shop for the paint and body team to treat, prime and painted the sills on the classic GT car. The team were careful to mask off any areas where the paint was in perfect condition and only work on the bare metal areas.

Small Details – Fitting Pieces Back into the 1970 Bristol 411

July 6, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars workshop have been fitting back and wiring up some of the smaller features in the cabin of the 1970 Bristol 411.

The team have wired up the headlight switch on the floorboard of the classic GT car and all of its wiring carefully routed beneath the carpet set.

Then, the team could fit the beautiful wooden glovebox back into the dashboard

Stopping Power – Overhauling the Rear Brake Calipers on the 1970 Bristol 411

July 5, 2022

The 1970 Bristol 411, which is for restoration and left-hand drive conversion at Bridge Classic Cars, has had its rear brakes completely overhauled by the team in the workshop.

The technicians at our Suffolk HQ have completely gone through the rear callipers on the car before getting reinstalled back on the classic GT. After double checking the tolerances, the team confirmed everything would work on the classic Bristol.

Matched – Finishing the Other Squab Seat on the 1954 Bristol 405

July 1, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have completed the 2nd squab seat for the 1954 Bristol 405 which is in for restoration with us at our Suffolk HQ.

The team have made an exact copy of the other squab seat which was completed earlier. Both of these pieces have been carefully wrapped up and stored ready for the cars reassmebly.

Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more on the 1954 Bristol 405 very soon.

Like New – Making the Squab Seats for the 1954 Bristol 405

June 29, 2022

The 1954 Bristol 405, in for restoration at Bridge Classic Cars, has had the trim team finish off the first off 2 squab seats for the car.

Lydia, one of our trimmers, has made the whole seat by hand using the original as a template to work from. Each individual piece has been made by hand specifically for the car and the results look absolutely incredible.

In & Out – Fitting the Sound Deadening and Cabin Vents to the 1970 Bristol 411

June 29, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the interior of the 1970 Bristol 411 which is in for its left-hand drive conversion.

The team have fit new original-style sound deadening into the floors and tunnel of the classic Bristol as part of the restoration side of the project. Also while fitting the sound deadening to the car, the team refurbished and refit the cabin vents which sit in the footwell kick panels.

Bound – Binding the Carpet Edges of the 1970 Bristol 411

June 24, 2022

The new carpet set for the 1968 Morris Minor Van has been taken up from the workshop to the trim shop in order for the team to finish off the pieces for the car.

Lydia, has taken the individual pieces which were made Brian to create the neat hand-bound edges which run all the way rough each carpet panel that make up the entire set. Now with these finished, they can go back down into the workshop to be installed into the car.

Full Set – Making the New Carpet Set for the 1970 Bristol 411

June 24, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on carefully removing the original carpets from the 1970 Bristol 411 in order to template replacement pieces as part of its restorative works.

Brian, one of our trimmers, has been removing the pieces from the classic GT in order to separate them into their basic parts for pattern making and to work out the plan of how they all lay into the cockpit of the car.

Once out, the original pieces are laid onto new carpeting and carefully cut, test fit and then bound before being put back into the car over the top of the replacement sound deadening material.

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.

Reimagined – Repairing the Rear Seat and New Front Seat Foams For the 1954 Bristol 405

May 30, 2022

The interior technicians at Bridge Classic Cars have recreated several key parts for the interior of the 1954 Bristol 405.

To begin with, the team have made brand new foam pieces for the front seats of the classic Bristol as part of its restoration.

Then, the team could keep stripping down the rear seat base of the car to get to the frame that lay beneath. The next part for the trim shop to look into was the foldable armrest. Stripped back to its core, the hinge and piece itself could be assessed and then remade.

From there, the team could use the baseboard as a template to make a new piece entirely from scratch. Transfering the main shape to new wood, the trim shop soaked the ends in water so as to allow the wood to bend into place without snapping or cracking in any way before being pinned to the framework to rest and dry into the needed shape.

Bridge Classic Cars are award winning Classic Car Restoration and Maintenance specialists. Your pride and joy is in safe hands with our expert Classic Car Technicians. Take a look at our awards here.

As seen on
As seen on the Daily Mail