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
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
One of the jobs to be done on the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 was to paint the wheels to a colour matched off white, just the same as the body. So, it was off to the paint shop under the watchful eye of our in-house paint expert Alan.
Finished in a healthy layer of primer, to begin with, the wheels were then prepared to be put in the booth ready for painting. Alan used our state of the art paint mixing computer to find the closest match possible to the existing paint of the MkII in order to get the best match.
Then, with the right amount of paint mixed up and in the gun, it was time to start laying down the first of many coats to get these wheels to look perfect. Alan took his time to make sure the paint fell evenly and was given enough time in-between coats to achieve the best results straight out the gun. And, as you can see the results are absolutely incredible.
December 10, 2021 10:57 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.
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.
Over the coming weeks and months, there are some changes beginning to happen at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Pettistree, Suffolk. Apart from our new workshop extension, the changes have already started to begin.
The trim shop, where Brian and Kath create some of the most incredible automotive upholstery you have ever seen, is now accessible from our in-house paint booth and vice versa. This allows for better movement around the building and also a better flow for the restoration teams.
There are more changes coming soon to the building but you’ll have to wait and see. Keep an eye here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on our very special workshop.
Chris has got the latest pieces for the 1935 MG PA Midget in the Bridge Classic Cars paint booth. These are the new headlight covers for the 1934 MG PA Midget!
The MG PA will be getting colour matched headlight covers that Chris has worked hard to try and colour match to the rest of the amazing early sports car. Chris prepped the pieces thoroughly to make sure that during the primer and colour coats it would lay evenly and match the finish of the existing paint on the car.
They look absolutely phenomenal. Once these have cured, they will be handed our to our in-house restoration technicians to begin fitting them to the car as they work their way through the list of things to do on this amazing car.
December 1, 2021 10:16 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The wheels for the 1998 Honda Integra Type R that has been here at Bridge Classic Cars to be restored are done in the paint shop!
Chris has been hard at work getting the correct colour and finish on the classic wheels to exactly match the white they needed to be. The wheels themselves have been refurbished so the colour was the final step of the process.
Through Chris’s hard work and dedication, the wheels have come out absolutely fantastic and will match the finish and standard of the rest of the car.
Stay tuned for more on the Integra here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
November 29, 2021 8:28 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Chris and the incredible team at the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop have been hard at work preparing the 1977 MGB Roadster for its new coat of paint.
With all classic car paintwork, it is all in the prep. Chris is meticulous in his preparation of each individual panel that is on each and every classic car that goes through his team’s paint booth. It was the turn of the 1977 MGB Roadster.
Chris has been busy preparing each panel on the car to ensure they are perfect in terms of smoothness and their fit back onto the car. The wings have had their first coat of colour and are looking absolutely incredible! This is a very light base coat to begin with and most of it will be sanded back off during its preparation to then go back into the booth to be finished.
The bonnet on the MGB has also been in the paint booth with Chris’s team. This is now primed and ready to be sanded back to ensure everything is exactly where it needs to be.
November 18, 2021 10:58 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Tamas and Paul have been hard at work putting the 1998 Honda Integra Type R back together after its recent bodywork here at Bridge Classic Cars.
The car is being put together in our workshop piece by piece to factory specification as part of its aesthetic overhaul. This wonderful example of 1990s Japanese engineering has been with us for some time and has grown in the hearts of many who have worked on it.
During it’s final assembly, every component and system will be thoroughly checked over to ensure everything on this DC2 Integra works exactly as it should.
November 15, 2021 1:55 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The chassis for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 at Bridge Classic Cars is back from being powder coated by a local specialist. The results are absolutely amazing.
The benefits of powder coating are seen in this example. The even, glossy and complete coverage is the results you get when a chassis is coated and is also more weather-safe than traditional methods.
Now that the frame is back, Lydia is working on preparing the body in our in-house paint shop ready for its slot in the paint booth.
Keep a lookout on the Bridge Classic Cars Blog for more updates on this amazing DB2.
Some of you may remember the 1984 Jaguar XJ bonnet and boot that a customer had asked us to refinish. The rest of the car had been painted elsewhere but that isn’t a problem for our in-house paint team.
After working on the rust repairs for the panels and making sure the surfaces were flat and true, Chris and the team got to the meticulous job of paint matching.
Thanks to our state of the art paint system as well as years of experience, Chris managed to exactly match the shade and hue of deep, vibrant maroon for this classic Jaguar. The results look incredible.
Chris and the team take their time with the prepping of each individual piece that needs painting and that also includes laying the primer in just the right way that it sits and shines just in the right way for the colour coat to achieve the best finish.
Chris and the paint shop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been hard at work on the front bumper of the 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera S in for some paint repairs on the front bumper.
Rather than try to blend the paint into the existing finish, Chris thought to get a better result would be to entirely repaint the bumper and match it to the body.
As you can see, the results look fantastic. Now, the Carrera is ready to go back home to its adoring owner.
October 21, 2021 11:15 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body specialists need to know they’ve done a job absolutely right. So, once the 1984 BMW 635CSi came in to be assessed it was clear its first stop was going to be with Chris.
Chris carefully stripped back the paint in very specific sections to expose a series of questionable body repairs as well as addressing some very light rust bubbles beneath the rear lights. Behind the rear lights, a lot of damage had been done by the rust. So, a new section of the light cluster housing had to be made and out into the bodywork of this 1980s icon.
After the rust repair section was in, Chris turned his attention to the areas that stood out to him. Mainly where large amounts of body filler had been packed in previous damage. Painstakingly and slowly, Chris removed the filler in order to work the panels back into shape with only the most minimal amount of filler to be used.
Then it was time to tape and mask up the car in the booth. The results are incredible. But, you’ll have to wait for the next update to get a look at the makeover on the 1984 BMW 635CSi at Bridge Classic Cars.
October 14, 2021 11:09 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Bridge Classic Cars have been working on a bit of a modern classic recently. This 1998 Honda Integra Type R has previously had a list of metal work done to it by our in-house body shop along with a full engine bay clean up and resprayed in its factory Championship White.
Now though, it is time for the back and the top of the car to receive the same treatment. The rear quarter panels needed some attention from the Bodyshop so to make sure it all looked as good if not better than the day it arrived on the showroom floor 23 years ago.
Our in-house paint expert Chris carefully prepared each panel to make sure the best results were achieved for our customer. The results are absolutely sensational.
September 29, 2021 11:35 amPublished by Craig Ranson
This is probably the nicest 1998 Honda Integra Type R you will see. After having all its metalwork done, it was turned over to our amazing and talented in-house paint team to work their skills on.
This Integra Type R had the engine bay prepped for painting the last time you saw it on an update. Now, thanks to our in-house master painter Chris, it is back out of the booth and looks absolutely stunning finished in its original Championship White under the late summer sun.
Next up for the Integra is to begin putting this undervalued future classic back together! Look out for more updates on the News Page.
September 24, 2021 8:11 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Rust repairs. One of the biggest fears when it comes to classic car ownership. However, it doesn’t always have to be that way.
Take for example this 1989 Porsche 911 we have with us at Bridge Classic Cars. There was a small area of rust bubbling up from under the rear window seal. In our last post, you saw the removal of the rear screen so our incredible in-house technicians could assess what would need to be done.
From that, our paint and body specialist Matt determined that it was merely surface rust from the seal doing its intended job. Not a problem, our in-house paint and body team stripped back the area and treated it with a rust preventative agent to ensure it will be neutralised.
After that, all that was need to seal the area was a quick blow over with the appropriately mixed primer. But as we all know, you can’t just leave that area in primer. A Paint match was needed.
For this, we called in Dean from GB Refinish. He came around to our paint shop to digitally scan the closest panel to the affected area to get the close match our paint system has. After the analysis was done and loaded into our on-site mixing computer. The closest match for the now 32-year-old Grand Prix White paint was found for this amazing 911.
Next up, painting the area and putting everything back just right for this very lucky owner.
September 17, 2021 2:56 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Our stunning 1954 Jaguar MKVII has been full painted and the panels have been smoothed and flattened. The rest of the body now needs to be flattened and shaped before it goes back into the workshop to have its chrome and trim fitted back in as well as the mechanics.
This 2000 Honda S2000 has come in for some paint and rust corrections on its wheel arches, boot, bonnet and side panels. These minor imperfections are best caught early before the rust spreads to something more insidious.
The fabrication bay and paint shop will be working together to ensure that these minor imperfections don’t become major.
Our stunning 1982 Porsche 911SC has come in recently for some paint TLC. The paint shop have been accessing what needs doing and in the process, have identified some rust, micro-bubbling, cosmetic imperfections and chips.
The team have sent a sample off to be colour matched at our paint manufacturers at Lechler to replace the worn-out paint and correct the imperfections. Our Porsche will be looking good as new in no time!
The body has been masked and prepped in readiness for paint. We’re aiming for this to be painted next week.
Our new 1971 Triumph Stag needs a small neaten up around the windscreen surround, so Matt masked up the Stag ready for paint.
The paint, the same colour as the body, is sprayed on in an efficient yet methodical manner, evenly covering the surround. Working his way around the frame, Matt ensures that the paint covers the windshield frame.
February 17, 2021 2:39 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
We’re delighted to announce that after being smoothed and polished, our beautiful Peony Red Jensen has entered the trim shop.
Chris spent yesterday smoothing and polishing the body so that the paint looks smooth and perfect. We’re loving the richness of the red contrasting with the soft grey roof.
This 1960 541S Jensen is now sat in our trim shop ready to start its interior restoration journey.
February 11, 2021 2:36 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Scott has continued blocking out the Ferrari Daytona after its recent visit to the paint bay. All the primer has now been blocked down on the body. There’s a few more imperfections to smooth down before the next primer coat but otherwise, its almost ready for the next step!
The term blocking out refers to smoothing over the body and filing out any imperfections to make sure the body is all straight and ready to be painted.
February 11, 2021 1:50 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Step by step, our Peony red 1960 541S Jensen gets closer to actually being Peony Red. We’ve been referring to it with its colour but its been nothing more than various shades of white or metal for quite a while. Soon, we’ll be able to honestly call it Peony Red.
Chris has been applying the guide coat onto the body and smoothing down all the surfaces, ready for it to be masked and painted.
The Jensen is now sat in primer and once dried, will be painted the infamous Peony Red.
February 3, 2021 11:31 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Parts of our 1960 541S Jensen are sat in our paint bay whilst Chris works on them. The door hinges have been sandblasted, the door frames and door skins have been painted, and the boot, front bumper part and wheels are ready for primer. The black part for the boot rubber has also been painted.
January 26, 2021 10:24 amPublished by Craig Ranson
“Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.” – Wassily Kandinsky
Our TR5 has been colour matched today by our friend and partner, Dean, from GB Refinish. Before Dean was able to assess the colour, one of our paint technicians had to polish part of the car so that the CME Colour Matcher can work its magic without picking up any dust, as that will affect its accuracy. We’re needing to add some paint touch-ups to the TR5 but didn’t know the exact colour as it was painted elsewhere but this is where Dean comes in!
Dean uses a nifty piece of equipment called the CME – Colour Explorer. This clever device used LED technology which asses the colour and creates unique codes for the surface that it has scanned. This scanning is done at several angles and when complete, Dean will then plug the device into his computer where it will provide the unique codes that will relate to an exact colour.
This is an incredibly useful tool when trying to colour match on classic cars that may have bespoke or ‘extinct’ colours that would otherwise be impossible to find. Dean’s expertise and equipment mean we can find the exact colour needed to ensure that each classic retains its original colour. Having Dean as a partner and contact at Bridge Classic Cars means we can provide specialist paint services.
January 21, 2021 12:25 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
As we prepare to shut for Christmas, our workshop team are doing a thorough festive clean. Although we always keep our workspaces clean and sanitised, spending extra time on Friday afternoons, we know it’s essential to give our workshop a deep clean before we head home.
We couldn’t forget to share with you Rosie looking very festive! There’s no need for reindeer here as we’ve got plenty horsepower between all our cars, but we do have the important edition of a Christmas pup who provides festive cheer whilst we prepare the workshop for Christmas closure. You can see our opening times here.
December 24, 2020 12:12 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Our 1998 BMW Z3 M Roadster has been sent to the Paint Shop to be stripped down for respray, primed, bumps, and scrapes fixed and rust removed.
Once the dents had been corrected and the body sanded and stripped, it was time for the BMW to receive a high build primer coat which allows the paint to stick. The next stage will be for the BMW to go back to the spray booth for masking and respray.
This stunning car will soon be up for grabs in one of our competitions! Keep your eyes peeled for a smart red modern classic coming your way!
November 12, 2020 3:23 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
It’s another Meet The Team Monday! This Monday we’re pleased to introduce our Paint Shop Manager, Darren!
Darren started his career with cars in a similar way to many of our technicians did, by studying an apprenticeship, “I’ve always been into vehicles since I was a teenager” Daren tells us.
Darren studied his apprenticeship at the formerly known Potters Ford dealership in Framlingham, Suffolk, and has kept it local ever since. Darren joined our team in January 2019.
During his time studying general mechanics, Darren was given the choice to specialise and took the option to focus on Strip Fitting. From there he progressed to working with the paintwork.
“I still prefer doing body and paintwork because you get to see the rewards at the end.”
As our Paint Shop Manager, it’s down to Darren to ensure that the paintwork on each of our cars is matched, made, and added, as well as overseeing all the work that goes on in our Paint Shop.
Fun fact: one of the most popular cars in Darren’s birth year was the Ferrari 1973 Berlinetta Boxer. When launched, it competed with the Lamborghini Countach to be the fastest supercar you could buy.
November 9, 2020 11:09 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Our iconic 1963 Morris Minor 1000 is being treated to her final paint job this week at the hands of our very own specialist painter Chris.
“I prepped and painted all the odd bits and pieces this week” explains Chris, “including the door panels, door hinges and other smaller parts of the body itself.”
See if you can spot hanging up the wheel arches, doors and even bumpers.
These various Morris Minor parts have also been prepped and primed by Chris, ready for their final paintwork.
Chris has since completed the entire shell’s paintwork too. “It was all prepped and primed last week” Chris tells us “so she’s now had her final coat throughout”
Now Chris has fitted the additional bits and pieces back onto the shell, next up is her newly recommissioned engine – she’ll be needing that!
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