The paint shop at Bridge Classic Cars have got some new parts in the in-house paint booth. Our paint technician, Mauro, has cleaned down and
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been working on more pieces of the 1958 Jensen 541R. Lydia first worked on the seats of the
The bodyshell of the 1958 Jensen 541R has been moved into the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth. The team carefully cleaned off any dust,
The Bridge Classic Cars Competitions team have just launched this! Our 1969 Sunbeam Rapier. The team took the fully inspected Rapier fastback to our filming
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked on the fine alterations to the framework of the 1956 Jensen 541 in for restoration at
The first panels from the 1958 Jensen 541R have been moved into the in-house paint booth/oven here at Bridge Classic Cars for its next step
As part of the paint side of its restoration, the 1978 MG B GT has had its inner arches sprayed. The paint team cleaned down
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 fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars are making progress on the sheet metal parts of our C-Type Replica. The C-Type Replica’s gearbox tunnel has
Seeing as how our 1957 MG A Roadster is going to be won tomorrow, we thought we would take a look at some interesting facts
The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been starting on the rust repairs to the classic 1986 Daimler DS420. The team have spent some
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop have finished up the mechanical work on the 1955 Triumph TR2 which is in with us. To begin with, the
Coming soon to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this beautiful Black & Bronze 2017 Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer. This bike is for our director
The Bridge Classic Cars storage facility, The Hangar, received some new residents yesterday. These classics belong to a good friend of Bridge Classic Cars, Karl.
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have worked their skill and craft in making the brand new seats foams for the 1958 Jensen 541R.
Slightly out of synch with the usual competition calendar this week. The Bridge Classic Cars team are bringing you two live draws! This Thursday the
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have got the 1978 MG B GT refinished in its original colour, Blaze Orange. The team
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
Our 1955 Jensen 541 ”Number 8” has an amazing history. Through reference materials and historical documents, EX9090 is believed to be only the 8th Jensen
The body shop team at Bridge Classic Cars have handed over the 1978 MG B GT to our in-house paint team to get the classic
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on refurbishing the front seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R which is in at our
The Bridge Classic Cars team spotted this fantastic classic Jaguar over the weekend. One of the team was working in Woodbridge, a town just down
Just arrived at our Suffolk HQ is this beautiful 2003 Lexus SC430 for the teams to have a look at. The early 2000s V8 convertible
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars has been making the fine adjustments to the inner framework of the 1956 Jensen 541 in with us
The in-house body shop at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the process of refining the bodywork on the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible. After its time
The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working with our workshop to carefully and completely remove the interior from the 1959 Jensen
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the process of carefully stripping down the 1959 Jensen 541R ahead of its restoration beginning. The
This week at Bridge Classic Cars we’ve welcomed new team member Josh. He’s been here to do his week’s work experience shadowing the technicians across
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
The body shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been refining the bodywork on the 1958 Jensen 541 after its fibreglass repairs have cured. The team
The paint shop at Bridge Classic Cars have got some new parts in the in-house paint booth.
Our paint technician, Mauro, has cleaned down and repainted the front brake callipers on the 1998 Honda Integra Type R. The team have sprayed them in the colour coded hard-wearing red to match the other callipers on the car as a finishing touch.
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been working on more pieces of the 1958 Jensen 541R.
Lydia first worked on the seats of the 541R with stripping down the backrests and beginning to re-foam the piece.
Then, it was time to strip down and completely refurbish the centre-console cubby for the interior of the classic Jensen. Stripping everything back to its base components, remaking some parts and cleaning up others in order to get all the parts ready to be retrimmed.
The bodyshell of the 1958 Jensen 541R has been moved into the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth.
The team carefully cleaned off any dust, debris or dirt from the classic GT before it was then masked up and cleaned down once more in preparation for the team to begin laying the epoxy primer on the fibreglass shell.
The Bridge Classic Cars Competitions team have just launched this! Our 1969 Sunbeam Rapier.
The team took the fully inspected Rapier fastback to our filming location to begin getting the necessary photos and videos to bring you the latest competition car.
The bright red coupe looked incredible in the summer sun. Its paintwork is only complemented further by the exceptional black interior and black/silver wheels.
The 1.7-litre 4-cylinder engine pulled strong as it made its way across the ex-airfield. The twin Weber carburettors gave their signature snarl with every blip of the throttle much to the delight of the team. It was a perfect machine for the best time of year. A low-slung and sleek fastback. A micro-muscle car with strong, chiselled looks but on a delicate and nimble scale.
And now, all of this could be yours. Bridge Classic Cars Competitions wants you to win this 1969 Sunbeam Rapier! Head over to the website and get your tickets now!
Or, to check out the official gallery and video, see below:
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked on the fine alterations to the framework of the 1956 Jensen 541 in for restoration at our Suffolk HQ.
The team have test fit the rear fibreglass clamshell and with that, they could make small changes to the framework which gives the body panels structure and helps to align them. These were carefully cut, trimmed and reframed to get each section of the rear bodywork line up just right onto the new chassis.
The first panels from the 1958 Jensen 541R have been moved into the in-house paint booth/oven here at Bridge Classic Cars for its next step into colour.
After numerous hours perfecting the panels and body of the classic Jensen, the pieces were handed over to the paint team for their work to begin. Beginning, with epoxy primer. Each of these parts had several coats of the hard wearing base coat for the team to rework and then repeat the process with several different primers in order to have a perfect base to lay down the Ice Blue Metallic soon.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars website very soon for more on the incredible 1958 Jensen 541R.
As part of the paint side of its restoration, the 1978 MG B GT has had its inner arches sprayed.
The paint team cleaned down the insides of both the front and rear arches on the classic MG before applying the raptorguard to help protect the metal from any form of moisture which may find its way into the newly refurbished shell.
The team do this on nearly all of our restoration as we’ve found it is the best process to securing the longevity of the inner wings on classic cars.
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
The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars are making progress on the sheet metal parts of our C-Type Replica.
The C-Type Replica’s gearbox tunnel has had its final shape finished and set, so with that Clinton could then line up each piece and drill the carefully measured holes ready for all of the pieces to be riveted together.
Along with this key piece, he has begun working on securing the inner rear wings to the rear tub of the C-Type Replica. These have to be laid accurately into the rear tub to then have the rear tub line up perfectly with the spaceframe chassis it lays on top of.
Seeing as how our 1957 MG A Roadster is going to be won tomorrow, we thought we would take a look at some interesting facts about the MG A and why it is so important in the world of sports cars.
Firstly, the MG A was born with motorsports at its heart. In the years following WWII, MG wanted to be more involved in competition and gain a presence across the world at every level of motorsport. So, they began to develop sportscars with racing in mind which would ultimately lead to the creation of the MG A.
Another fact about the MG A’s past, it was always intended to be exported. Since the MG TD & TF’s, MG wanted more of a foothold in the American sports car market. Post-WWII, the Americans had experienced these new adventures in speed and handling thanks to the lightweight, nimble and progressive sportscars they had been exposed to during their time in Europe.
The MG A would be a new and radical departure from the pre-war and immediate post-war sports cars. Gone were the days of archaic and traditional handling, only to be replaced by new, modern ways of thinking. Fully independent suspension at the front for better control, and a new sleek and stylish body. Its chassis was an all-new affair, gone were the days of up-right and ‘traditional’ drivers positions – replaced with low-slung bucket seats for better feel.
Even the looks of the MG A are based in motorsport. The styling of the MG A was based on a 1951 Le Mans car. People were so taken aback by this new way of thinking and styling by MG that the car was green-lit for development.
So, in 1955 MG took the decision to debut its new sports car in full competition. 3 MG A 1500 Roadsters were entered into the 24 hours of Le Mans. 2 of the 3 cars would finish, proving their endurance and competitiveness.
From there, the legend of the MG A would only grow further. Beloved by club racers, speed junkies and back-road warriors throughout the generations. The MG A sits in a special place in a petrol-fuelled Shangri-La.
Now, it could be yours to experience all of this history, engineering and beauty rolled into one incredible bright red package. Enter now and you could win our 1957 MG A Roadster live at 7pm tomorrow night here on our Facebook page!
The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been starting on the rust repairs to the classic 1986 Daimler DS420.
The team have spent some time assessing and inspecting the corrosion on the bodywork of the classic limo before beginning the intricate metal work.
Work began around the rear window frames which saw quite heavy corrosion around the channels. These areas were cut out and replaced with handmade pieces to perfectly fit the size and contour of the car. Carefully they were welded in to avoid any warping of surrounding areas which are heavy with trim.
Then, work could begin on the bottoms of the doors. These had seen quite substantial corrosion, with a whole new bottom lip having to be made by our fabricators and grafted onto the doors itself. Because of the corrosion in the bottoms of the door, the door jam area of the large rear doors also needed work by the team. This area was cut out and then taken back to fresh metal, the surround being used as a template for our fabricator Monty to make a one-off, handmade piece that fit perfectly into the gap.
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars News Page very soon for more updates on the 1986 Daimler DS420.
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop have finished up the mechanical work on the 1955 Triumph TR2 which is in with us.
To begin with, the team worked on getting to the bottom of a concern from the customer of the car pulling to one side under braking. The team found that the wheel cylinders were leaking quite badly and on one side no longer allowed the shoes to make proper contact with the drums. A new set was ordered along with a complete set of front brakes shoes. Once installed, the team could readjust the brakes and retest. This sorted out the pulling issue on the classic Triumph. At the same time the team adjusted the rear brakes to spec
While under the car, the team discovered several ball joint rubbers had split quite badly. In total, 5 were replaced on the front suspension including the top ball joints and track rod ends.
In the engine bay, the team discovered a leak from the radiator of the TR2. The radiator was removed from the car, having to remove the front fascia from the car to get access. This was sent of to a specialist to be refurbished for the car. Whilst in the engine bay, it was discovered to have some debris (what appeared to be leaves/flowers) inside the sight glass of the carburettor which acts also as a filter. The team cleaned out the fuel lines properly and inspected the tank to make sure everything was all ok and replaced a split in the brake servo pipe.
Whilst awaiting the radiator to come back from repairs, our technician Jon fixed an issue with the seat runner the customer had mentioned. Jon repaired the seat runner the best he could.
Once the radiator returned, the team could get it back into the front of the classic sports car. With the radiator in place, the team could also sort out some wiring which had to be cut for the front fascia to be removed.
After everything was back in place and levels topped up and checked, it was given the all-clear to go back to the customer.
Coming soon to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this beautiful Black & Bronze 2017 Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer.
This bike is for our director Craig, but before that the team will give it a full check over and make sure its in tip-top working order.
Expect to see more very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
The Bridge Classic Cars storage facility, The Hangar, received some new residents yesterday.
These classics belong to a good friend of Bridge Classic Cars, Karl. Karl won our 1957 Triumph TR3A as part of our Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. Karl is having some work done on his house so has had his classics sent up to us here in Suffolk to be cared for in our Hangar.
They’re all now covered up, ready and waiting for their owner to welcome them home.
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have worked their skill and craft in making the brand new seats foams for the 1958 Jensen 541R. The team discovered what was left of the original cushion material after the covers were removed and could then begin to build them out of new, more modern materials.
Lydia, one of our amazing trimmers, carefully put together the combinations of foams in different thicknesses and densities to give the right amount of support once the seat base is all back together.
Once the pieces had been put together, Lydia could begin to hand shape the foams to their original contours to slip under the new covers which will be made by our in-house team.
Slightly out of synch with the usual competition calendar this week. The Bridge Classic Cars team are bringing you two live draws! This Thursday the 1957 MG A Roadster and 1997 Rover Mini will be won at 7pm on our Facebook page. But last night, we found out who the lucky new owner of our 1993 Land Rover Defender was.
At 7pm exactly, the team went live across the internet. In the hour previously, it almost looked like the Mini was going to be drawn too! But, while we waited to see if this was going to happen Hayley and Freddie took all our amazing followers on a look around the stable of stunning classics which are kept safe and dry in our new competition building. Some of these are customers’ cars which have either been finished by our restoration workshops or are in storage while parts are on their way to our Suffolk HQ.
But, a few of them may or may not be upcoming competition cars…
After going around the eclectic mix of incredible machines, it was time for the team to find out the future of the 1993 Land Rover Defender 90. The competition had actually sold out early that day, so just like all of our competitions the entry lists are published on our website with every ticket number that had been bought with the corresponding name.
To find out who would be getting this stunning Corris Grey off-roader delivered directly to their door, the team use Google Random Number Generator. So, after testing that everything was working correctly with numbers outside the criteria. Hayley entered for the programme to choose between 1 and 3499. With a single click of the button, we had a winner.
Ticket number 2525 – The lucky number allocated to David. As always, we do try to contact the winners live on the Facebook stream but we had to leave David a voicemail to let him know the amazing news.
Remember! You could win a dream classic again this week. Although the 1997 Rover Mini completely sold out overnight, there is still incredible odds on the 1957 MG A Roadster – Enter now and you could be the new owner of this beautiful piece of sports car history.
Or, to rewatch the live draw, check out the video below:
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have got the 1978 MG B GT refinished in its original colour, Blaze Orange.
The team have laid down several layers of bright, vibrant orange on the body shell and panels of the classic MG B. The car will be taken out of the booth after the paint has begun to cure and left to fully harden before being colour sanded and polished.
This is a massive milestone in the restoration of the 1978 MG B GT!
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.
Our 1955 Jensen 541 ”Number 8” has an amazing history. Through reference materials and historical documents, EX9090 is believed to be only the 8th Jensen 541 to be built by the factory. Through the years, it had been worked on, changed, rebuilt, and modified until it was a shadow of its former self.
We found the car in Lincolnshire as a parts car. Missing was the 4-litre straight-six it would have originally been supplied with, replaced with a Jaguar straight-six of the same time. The seats also appeared to be out of another car and its bright red paintwork had flaked, cracked and weathered. We know this from these photos we were sent of the car in what appears to be the early to mid-1990s from the background objects referenced.
But it wasn’t always this way. The other photos we were sent across are of another Jensen 541 which is in a matching colour scheme to how our 1955 Jensen 541 was originally delivered.
After checking documents and reference sources, we too believe that this is how the car was originally supplied in 1955. As part of its eventual restoration commission, this car will be put back to all original specifications, as seen in the photographs, and reunited with the 4-litre straight-six, a hallmark of the character of the car.
Won’t to come
It’s nice to see the old mixed with the new lines of this machine.
Do we have dealers in the US.
The epitome of old world charm in a wonderfully modern package!
Couldn’t agree more Rob, can’t stop progress but there is a place for history as well. The main issue will…
The body shop team at Bridge Classic Cars have handed over the 1978 MG B GT to our in-house paint team to get the classic sports car ready for colour!
The team have been working on refining the lines and form of the MG B GT in our body prep area before it was taken into the paint prep bay to be thoroughly cleaned down for its final stages of primer and reworking.
The team always make sure that every panel is inspected and checked over before the car enters the booth and any dust or debris is removed from the car before mask up and again afterwards. The team then could use Polyfan on the shell to recheck for any low spots once it has been sanded off the body and any adjustments made.
Then after another clean-down, it was taken into the boot/oven once more for the final primer to be laid. Whilst the primer was curing, the team could begin to seam seal the boot and engine bay of the classic M B and another layer of primer laid down in those areas.
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on refurbishing the front seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R which is in at our Suffolk workshops from Holland.
The interior of the car has been put in the hands of our trimmer Lydia who has been working on stripping down the original seat ahead of not only its rebuild but its new colour.
To begin with, the team have separated the front and back of the fibreglass bucket seat in order to begin removing the original black coverings which have been put to one side as use for references in the new templates. Then, the team could begin separating the foam from the bases.
Once completed stripped down to its base components, the team could sand back the pieces and anything that needed to be repainted could be done properly.
After that, Lydia could work on setting the new foam pieces into place before beginning to refine and contour them into the correct shape and form for the new blue coverings which the team will make specifically for the car.
The Bridge Classic Cars team spotted this fantastic classic Jaguar over the weekend.
One of the team was working in Woodbridge, a town just down the road from our workshops, and spotted this stunning white Jaguar MkII parked up on the road.
It’s always a welcomed sight to see a classic out there being used.
Just arrived at our Suffolk HQ is this beautiful 2003 Lexus SC430 for the teams to have a look at.
The early 2000s V8 convertible will be inspected by the various departments here at Bridge Classic Cars who will gather their findings and report back.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon for more on the 2003 Lexus SC430
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars has been making the fine adjustments to the inner framework of the 1956 Jensen 541 in with us at our Suffolk HQ for restoration.
Rob, one of our technicians, has carefully had the fibreglass body panels placed around the framework and on top of the chassis of the classic Jensen to check for any adjustments needed to get the bodywork fit and square on the 541. Bit by bit, he has made adjustments to the steel pieces to allow the body to sit correctly on top of the chassis.
Not only was this for the rear clamshell but for the all-important fibreglass roof and windscreen panel.
The in-house body shop at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the process of refining the bodywork on the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible.
After its time in the fabrication shop, it was transferred across our Suffolk HQ to our body preparation technicians. The team first assessed the Minor Convertible to see where they would need to focus their work. The work has begun with minimal filler work to the pannels to create the right shape and curve to the individual pieces which make up the body of the classic Morris.
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more very soon on the restoration of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible.
The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working with our workshop to carefully and completely remove the interior from the 1959 Jensen 541R as part of its restoration journey.
Brian, one of our trimmers, has removed everything from the inside of the 541R. All of these pieces will be stored to use as a template and if anything can be reused or refurbished for the car. Everything from the headliner to the seat runners have been taken out of the car for the team to carefully look through and assess.
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the process of carefully stripping down the 1959 Jensen 541R ahead of its restoration beginning.
The workshop team have worked alongside our trimmers to remove everything from both the inside and outside of the classic GT car. Even under the front clamshell, the wiring and various hoses have been removed in preparation for the 4 litre straight-six engine to be pulled out.
Once this is complete, the team can begin to remove the bodywork from the frame to assess and inspect the running gear move thoroughly.
To see some more detailed shots from our workshop on the teardown of the 1959 Jensen 541R, check them out below:
This week at Bridge Classic Cars we’ve welcomed new team member Josh. He’s been here to do his week’s work experience shadowing the technicians across our restoration teams.
Josh is currently studying Maths, Physics and IT but has a love for classic cars and in particular Ford Mustangs. He has been working alongside our technicians who have been showing him what goes into restoring and preserving classic cars to the standard we do here at our Suffolk HQ.
Today is Josh’s final day with the team. So we paired him up with our master fabricator Clinton who gave him the task of creating a metal box complete with lid and legs using only hand tools to show him the core elements of fabrication. This involved accurate measuring and cutting as well as understanding that one change has a knock-on effect to the next phase of the piece.
It’s been great having Josh here, with the team happy to share their skills and knowledge with the next generation of petrolhead.
And here’s the results of his hard work under Clinton’s watchful eye!
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.
The body shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been refining the bodywork on the 1958 Jensen 541 after its fibreglass repairs have cured.
The team use a specialist fibreglass filler to perfect the lines on the classic 1950s GT car and make sure that everything is just right for the car. The team will only use filler where absolutely necessary and the vast majority will be completely sanded from the body.
This is the first step into the team getting the car ready for its Ice Blue respray.
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.
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