The cylinder head for the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 is back at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. This has been away at a local specialist to be assessed and repaired ready for the car.
Some may remember that our in-house restoration teams found a large chunk of material missing from the leading edge of two valves in the front cylinder. Also, it was discovered along with this that a blown head gasket had been what caused the misfire and running issue noted on the straight-six.
In preparation, Jonn had cleaned up the entire engine block which was discovered to be completely packed with sludge in every coolant galley and water jacket. Jonn has spent hours clearing out all the debris and flushing through the engine block to ensure all is ok when the engine is finally fired up for testing.
Now, it is down to Paul to install the cylinder head on top of the straight-six. For that, he will prepare the new head gasket and double-check all tolerances before the head is finally bolted down.
Expect to see more on the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon.
December 7, 2021 12:23 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
There are more arrivals this week at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Pettistree this week! We’ve welcomed this absolutely stunning 1964 Triumph TR4 which is for some work to be recommissioned.
The TR4 is finished in a stunning, bright, vibrant red with a complimenting and classic black leather interior. The weathered Moto-Lita steering wheel adds to the story and the history of this stunning sports car which our in-house restoration technicians are eager to begin work on.
There are a few wiring jobs that need to be carried out along with a small running issue which will begin as soon as possible.
There will be more updates on the 1964 Triumph TR4 very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
November 25, 2021 11:51 amPublished by Craig Ranson
This is not an MG TD. In fact, it’s quite an early MG PA. This particular car belongs to one of our directors, Gordon, who has decided there are few jobs he would like doing on his new pride and joy.
The first stop will be into our in-house trim shop for a few bits and pieces that need sorting out and then it will be into the main workshop where our in-house restoration technicians will work on this wonderful 87-year-old Sports car.
Keep your eye out here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog for more updates on the MG PA.
November 25, 2021 11:32 amPublished by Craig Ranson
In the last update on the 1992 Toyota MR2: Paul, our in-house restoration technician, was busy cutting out the corroded and damaged sills of the bright red sportscar in preparation for its date with the Paint Shop.
Chris, who runs our in-house paint shop, has worked his magic on the JDM icon to seamlessly blend in the new sills that paul had grafted into the bottom of the car. Thanks to our state of the art paint mixing computer, Chris could get the colour as close to the existing paint on the car to best make it flow together. Then, the bottom part of the sills were finished in a glossy black hard coating to ensure their protection for many years to come.
I think we can all agree that if you hadn’t read the previous stories about the MR2, you’d think it was a brand new car. That is the magic of our in-house restoration teams.
November 25, 2021 8:25 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Well, it’s always sad to say goodbye. Our wonderful little 1965 Amphicar that we completely restored in-house here at Bridge Classic Cars has gone off to its new home.
The whole car was restored by our in-house restoration team, each playing a role in making this car not only look the absolute business but also fully functional.
It was up for auction recently on Car & Classic and which was by its lucky new owner. So, it was time for her to start a new journey. Sad to see her go but happy that we got the privilege to restore and work on such a unique and interesting classic.
Our Director Gordon’s new 1934 MG PA Midget is now safe and sound in our classic and collectable vehicle storage facility known as The Hangar.
Since its arrival, the Bridge Classic Cars team have had a chance to pour over all the small details of this stunning early British sports car. Along with its arrival is the routine clean which all cars have before entering our storage facility by Viper Valet.
There are literally hundreds of amazing bits and pieces on this beautifully proportioned sports car. The large Jaeger clocks, the enormous steering wheels and the temperature gauge mounted on top of the radiator. There is just so many! So, have a look here through a gallery of this brilliant car.
Those who have been following the blog for a while may remember the 1994 Piaggio Ape we talked about back in July.
Well, it is now in our workshop being inspected ahead of its MOT. Our in-house restoration team at Bridge Classic Cars wanted to check over all the systems on the van/scooter to make sure there would be no problems.
During loading at our storage unit at RAF Bentwaters, Mauro (whose grandfather originally owned this amazing little car) found the throttle cable had snapped so as soon as he got back to the workshop, a new replacement was put on order. While waiting for the cable, Mauro began to strip down the brakes and bearings on the Ape to inspect all of the components and make sure everything was in tip-top condition.
The front drum apparently needs a new shoe but apart from that the little machine seems to be in very good condition.
We’re looking forward to having fun with this one!
October 21, 2021 10:46 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Kath has been working on test fitting the carpet on the 1970 Dodge Charger in the trim shop of Bridge Classic Cars.
To check the best fit on the carpet, she has had to mock up the rear seat in place. It looks incredible! The carpet does need to be stretched and skillfully manipulated into its final place but the results so far are looking amazing.
More very soon on the 1970 Dodge Charger here at Bridge Classic Cars.
We’ve been waiting on the radiator/gearbox cooler for the 1999 Mercedes E55 AMG, but it is now in the car ready for it to be tested.
Some may remember from the previous post, our technician Paul, found a leak coming from the radiator which on the E55’s also acts as a gearbox cooler. Unfortunately, this required it to be replaced with a brand new unit to ensure both the V8 and its gearbox remain well within their operating temperatures.
Now that the new unit is in the car, our in house technicians can begin testing the various systems to ensure that this ’90s super wagon is ready to be used and enjoyed.
This 1930 Packard 740 Series Waterfield Convertible has been in at Bridge Classic Cars recently for a check over and service.
Currently, our Workshop Manager John has been looking into an issue with the alignment of the front end. The front end of the car isn’t quite right, so some adjustment is needed on the car to make sure it tracks straight and true. Normally this can be done quite easily but with the Packard, everything is slightly different.
The steering arm located under the front axle won’t rotate enough for John to adjust the alignment on the car. For that, John tried to remove the ball joint on one side in order to unscrew one side and then adjust it out that way. Except the ball joint won’t come loose.
These pre-war cars carry a lot of weight on the front axle so their alignment is very important. John is trying several different ways to get the steering arm loose to make sure this beautiful piece of 1930s American luxury, tracks absolutely straight.
October 14, 2021 11:43 amPublished by Craig Ranson
As with any classic car, you want to try and exercise a certain amount of reserve and caution when working on them. Try to be sympathetic to their age and their condition. So, when the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 that we have had in at Bridge Classic Cars developed a misfire our in-house restoration team did everything they could before having to dive deep.
The XJ6 has had its fuel tanks replaced, new fuel lines and was tested by our technicians. Before the tanks were replaced this classic Jaguar had real trouble staying running. Now though, it will run for as long as there is fuel in it. However, now that it was running long enough, Dave noticed a misfire on the big straight-six.
Originally Dave thought it to be connected to the ignition system. It would arc out to the nearest metal point. We also discovered exposed wires in the connectors that join the condenser. Those were all then replaced along with the HT leads but to no avail. It had got marginally better but the misfire was still rather prominent.
With that, our in-house engine guru Ady was called in to take a look at the straight-six. The only thing left to do was to gently remove the cylinder head. Carefully and patiently, Ady eased the head from the block to expose the pistons but more importantly the head gasket. On the cylinder closest to the firewall, the gasket was in tatters. The XJ6 had blown a head gasket. Also, Ady had noticed coolant marks down the side of the block. Another sign that the gasket is not sitting correctly between the cylinder head and the engine block.
With that, it also damaged the chamber of the corresponding cylinder in the head. A large chunk of material is missing from between the leading edges of the valve. But, all may not be lost. The head is currently in the process of being stripped down and assessed so that a plan can be made to get this wonderful straight-six back in action.
Once the plan for the XJ6 engine has been confirmed, work will begin to get the car back to its former glory.
Our technician Mauro has been waiting on some parts for the 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible for some time now. These parts have all had to be sourced from the US so there is bound to be a bit of a wait for them.
The car was assessed and inspected so that all the parts could be ordered in one go but first on the list is the rear axle seals and wheel cylinders. Mauro had noted down a small leak coming from the rear axle and while the rear drums have to be removed for the axles to come out, we thought it best practice to service the rear brakes. In all, their condition was fine. The shoes had plenty of material and all the hardware looked straight and in good order.
So, Mauro decided that just the wheel cylinders would need replacement. As we got the axle out, the backing plates off the drums it was time to pull the old leaking seals out. Carefully, Mauro removed the old seals and prepped the area to receive the brand new seals. They went in perfectly.
Working back out, Mauro began to put the drums back together. As he did, he replaced the wheel cylinders and bled the system. So now, there’s just one more job to do on the back end of the Mustang…
October 11, 2021 11:37 amPublished by Craig Ranson
We are currently in discussion on a couple of exciting projects that may be entering the Bridge Classic Cars workshops in the not too distant future.
Having been parked up for sometime we have our Renault 5 GT Turbo in need of some serious sill repairs. As you can see from the pictures, the areas underneath have suffered from corrosion and this will most certainly have affected the strength. These will need to be addressed in order to get the car successfully through an MOT and back on the roads.
It is most definitely a car worth saving and would bring a smile to many many faces if seen back on the road.
Next we have a dry stored Triumph 2000. Having been in the same family for many years the current owner would like to see phase 1 of the project being to get the car back on the Suffolk roads safely. A good, thorough clean will unveil what work will need to be carried out but we certainly expect a bit of welding and brake work to be key milestones on this one. Another great car to see back on the road and hopefully with us sometime in the future.
Scott has been busy rebuilding the hub carriers for the Jaguar E Type 4.2.
He started by fitting the universal joints, and then cleaned up all the parts because they were covered in old grease! Scott then inspected all the parts and found that the near side rear wheel bearing was worn from sitting. Handily, there was already another one in stock, so that was fitted. He then reassembled it all and greased it so it was ready to go back together.
This barn find Ford Model T is a turn of the 20th Century classic. Dating back to 1926, this unique green Ford is part of local history, with its life both beginning and being in Suffolk as an agricultural and taxi vehicle, hence the unique green. Henry Ford famously said that “Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants, so long as it is black.“, making this green unique to work vehicles.
This Model T has had quite the life, being owned or looked after by the Potters for the majority of its life. In 1915, this Ford was delivered by train from Old Trafford and was bought by A.G Potter, who then supplied it to Mr Funden Self of Marlseford who used it for deliveries, provisions and as a taxi service once a week to Ipswich Market, an exciting journey from Framlingham at the time. Mr Self used it until he died. In the early 1930’s this Ford became the property of Mr Walker, Sir Colin’s father. It then remained in a barn until 1954 when A.G Potter was employed to look after and restore the car with the agreement that he could use it as and when he wished. In 1963, the car was used in A.G Potters Golden Jubilee celebrations where it was used to collect Lord Cranbrook in Great Glemham to perform the opening ceremony.
Mr Potter, who handed his beloved Ford over to us today for recommissioning, owns a selection of other classics including Ford Popular, a Willies Jeep and another Model T, this one being a black 1926 model. All of which have been stored in his barn at his house, making these classics almost barn finds.
You can read more about the history of the car, here:
The black 1926 Ford was his fathers who acquired it from Rv. John Waller from Walderingfield, who had, in turn, bought it new in 1926. The Waller family still reside in Suffolk. Both of these Ford Model T’s have spent their whole life in Suffolk and mostly owned by the same family. Such a sentimental and personal link to these cars is always lovely to see as their history and their stories become more tangible.
The Ford Popular is unfortunately in a great state of disrepair and cannot be restored however the Willie’s Jeep is in running order.
This stunning 1986 420SL has just come in for a re-commission. Our technicians will take a look over this classic to evaluate what needs to be done. At a first glance there are some serious signs of rust on the lower sills, worn and torn interior, paint bubbling, chips and blemishes as well as cracks in the glass. We’re looking forward to getting this charming classic back on the road and looking healthy again.
John has worked on a full and thorough assessment of our 1960 AC Aceca. We will present our findings to the car’s owners on Friday afternoon and a decision will then be made for the future of the car. Will it passed on to a new owner, will it be recommissioned or will it undergo a full restoration.
John and Paul have arrived to our Rendlesham hangar with our latest addition to the workshops, our 1960 AC Aceca barn find.
First things first, we have been asked to carry out a full and thorough re-clean of the car, inside and out. The owner would like to remove 35 years of dust build up so we can get a good insight into what condition the car is currently in.
Once clean, the car will be transported to our Pettistree workshops where it will undergo a full assessment and to report on all of our findings.
We will also test the engine to see what, if any, damage was caused when the head gasket blew 35 years ago.
Arriving into our Suffolk workshops very soon we have our very special and rare 1960 AC Aceca BE 812 barn find.
The car has been dry stored since it was taken off the road in 1985. Previously owned and residing in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia the car was shipped to the UK in 1962 and has remained with the same owner ever since.
We will be working alongside the family who own this beautiful car to assess it’s current condition and come up with a plan which may see the possible return to the UK roads in the not too distant future.
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