The interior team at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy making new rear matting for the load bay of the 1980 Austin Mini Van.
The team begun by making a paper template to ensure the matting would fit up tightly to the rear arches and meet perfectly in the centre of the classic Mini. Once each side have been marked out and cut from paper, it could then be transferred onto the matting and cut to size.
The next step involved gently keying the load floor inside the car to give it the best surface to adhere to. Then, very carefully it was put into place with the adhesive and left to cure.
The Bridge Classic Cars trim team have been working on the interior of the 1968 Morris Minor Van at our Suffolk HQ.
The team began by removing the shelf underneath the dashboard of the classic Morris in order to carry out some much needed repairs and revisions. The team retrimmed and reformed certain areas of the shelf to make it as good as new for the beautiful classic van and then revised the brackets and fixings so it held into place perfectly.
After that, the team turned their attention to the back of the car. The rear compartment has hardwood boards which make up the floors in the van. These were removed by the team and taken up to our in-house trim shop to be refinished in matching black coverings.
The interior team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on finishing the firewall/bulkhead on the 1970 Bristol 411 which is having its left-hand drive conversion done at our Suffolk HQ.
The firewall and under dash area of the classic Bristol has been finished off, for the most part, which means the interior team can begin its finishing work. The finishing touch for the modified firewall is the hand-cut and edged hardura panel. This, has been templated and made specifically for the Bristol to work around the various changes which have been made by the restoration workshop.
The Bridge Classic Cars interior team have been making progress on the interior of the 1955 Jensen 541.
Each part of the interior of the car has been entirely made by hand by our trimmers. The team have taken each individual pieces from the kick-boards to the seat bases and turned their skill to not only the strip down but also the evaluation and rebuild. The team carefully strip everything back to their core components before any need repairs are made or wether they will need to be entirely remade for the classic Jensen.
The finish that the Bridge Classic Cars interior trim team can achieve is because of this care and skill from the earliest stages to the final product.
The restoration workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on freeing and fixing the brakes on the 1980 Porsche 924 Turbo.
The car had a concern of the front nearside brake binding on while driving. The team stripped back the calliper and freed it loose. From there, the team inspected the rest of the brakes and began work on the handbrake of the classic Porsche.
Upon inspection, the team found the handbrake shoes were in need of replacement so a new set was ordered and fitted then adjusted to spec.
This beautiful 1973 Triumph TR6, finished in striking Saffron Yellow, has just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ.
The classic Triumph will go through our workshop for our in-house restoration teams to assess and inspect before reporting back on the condition of this wonderful classic sports car.
Keep a look out here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more on the 1973 Triumph TR6.
The Bridge Classic Cars fabrication team have been continuing with the metal repairs to the rear arch and valance panel of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible.
The fabrication team have been working on thoroughly removing the corrosion from around the body shell of the classic Morris. This meant removing panels and closures to be able to inspect, assess and evaluate the condition of the metal structures underneath.
The first stage was to remove the corroded piece at the top of the rear arch. This was meticulously cut out of the car so the team could hand-fabricate a replacement piece that would perfectly fit the car and try to retain as much of the original car as possible.
Once this was in place, the team turned their attention to the rear valance panel. A corner of the piece had become corroded and needed replacement. This piece, like the arch was hand-fabricated to ensure the best fitment and to preserve the originality of the car.
The restoration team in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ have been making progress on the 1970 Bristol 411 in for its left hand drive conversion.
The team have begun the work by rebuilding and fitting out the modified firewall/bulkhead with the necessary systems moved from one side of the firewall to the other. This has been done for the next stage where the team have fitted up the heater hoses and pipes from the heater box under the dashboard of the classic Bristol.
After this, the team moved to the underside of the car to begin work on several jobs that need to be completed. The first, was to fit the newly fabricated jacking plates onto the car. These could now be fitted after the repairs carried out to the sills of the car and everything being structurally sound.
Next, was a quite badly corroded area in the battery compartment of the classic Bristol. This was cut out with a new plate welded in its place to strengthen the floor of the area.
Whilst under the car, the team noticed some corrosion to boot floor support which had been filled with fibreglass but corroded through to the boot floor on the near side rear of the car. This area was carefully marked and cut out of the car in preparation for the new piece to be templated and welded into the car making the boot floor stronger and sealed.
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have turned their attention to the brake system of the 1937 Austin Seven which arrived recently at our Suffolk HQ.
The team began by first inspecting each of the drums of the classic Austin for any leaks, cracks and the overall condition of the wheel cylinders and adjusters. All of the mechanical linkages were also stripped down and inspected for any sort of binding or rubbing which may cause the braking system to not be as effective as it could be.
Each of the drums were individually stripped back and inspected on the work bench and their conditions noted.
The workshop restoration team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on completing several jobs on the beautiful 1959 Jensen 541R in with us.
The first job that need completing was to get the moveable front grille working again. The front grille of the 541R is moveable to vary the airflow into the radiator of the car. This whole mechanism is cable operated and needed to be replaced and tensioned in order to get the system working exactly as it should.
Next, the team turned their attention inside the classic 541R. The team had been tasked with replacing the seat belt mounts in the car. These are a vital safety feature of any car so their mounts must be secure, stable and flat in order to have the belts fixed properly into place. Each of the mounts was removed from the car and replaced by the team. The key mounts go through the gearbox tunnel of the classic Jensen, which were cut out and replaced then painted in rust proofing.
There is something about a classic Mini which cannot help but put a smile across your face and that’s before you’ve even driven it. Just seeing one is a sure-fire way to brighten up your day. So, that’s why the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions team have sourced this. A 1980 Austin Morris Mini Van.
Beneath its humble and unassuming green paintwork though, lies a true athlete. Being a workhorse, the Mini Van was originally fitted with 998cc 4-cylinder engine. It’s previous owner however has fitted the pint-sized prowler with a 1380cc supercharged engine with a sports exhaust system so the whole world can hear about it. The team were very excited to shoot this particular car!
As the team pulled the classic Mini out of our secure storage facility, The Hangar, it happily sat idling in the late-spring sun. After it’s check-over by the restoration workshops at our Suffolk HQ, and given the full green-light, the team could take it out onto the airfield to shoot what needed to be done. The Mini pulled away perfectly, it wasn’t savage or had a throttle like a hair-trigger. It was actually rather civilised. With the sliding front windows open and the engine happily buzzing along this is the type of classic you could quite happily use for longer journeys or even on your commute to work when the weather is nice.
The reversed Cooper S wheels allow for more rubber to be placed under the Mini, which has had recent suspension and steering work done to it by the previous owner, and you can really tell there’s more contact with the tarmac that rushes under your feet. The short, sharp steering gives you all the feedback you need and when you need the brakes, they are right there when you want them.
The interior, is sparse and utilitarian. The single Cooper S style instrument panel is the only form of distraction in an otherwise purposeful setting. A perfect place to be when you experience the pull and whine of the Vmaxscart Supercharger fitted to the car…
But now, Bridge Classic Cars Competitions wants you to experience this. The 1980 Austin Morris Mini Van could very well be yours! One lucky winner will soon be taking delivery of the classic Mini just in time for summer. And it could be you… All you have to do is head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website and enter now for your chance to win the 1980 Austin Morris Mini Van.
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on sorting out a few electrical issues with the 1980 Porsche 924 Turbo.
The team first began with wiring in the front spot lights. This involved an in-depth pin grip and continuity testing through both the dash and bay harness to find why the front spot lights weren’t working correctly. After some wiring repairs and securing the necessary wiring from the lights to the switch, all worked perfectly and allowed the team to move onto the larger job at hand.
One of the concerns for the car was the heater valve and its controls working incorrectly. For this, our technician Jon removed the entire heater valve from the car in order to inspect it for any faults and its operation. The valve itself worked but on the interior panel, the controller for the heater had fallen into the dash itself from behind. Once this had been carefully pulled through from the dash, the team discovered it had seized and was in need of repair.
After this had been carried out, the team retested and got the heater system working just as it should.
The Bridge Classic Cars team recently at the pleasure of attending the final Barons Auctions event at Sandown Racecourse before their move.
The team went to look at all the cars on display. A wonderful mix of modern and vintage with something there to suit everyones taste. From beautiful original Mini’s to a brand new Mini Cooper S JCW which was being auctioned for charity. That’s always the wonderful thing about Barons, they cater to all tastes and styles with a fair few Bentley’s and Rolls Royce’s going across the auction block at this particular event.
We’re excited to see what the future holds for our friends at Barons Auctions and we wish them the best of luck with this new move and new way of auctions in the future.
The Bridge Classic Cara restoration technicians have been working on the 1996 Rover 216 Convertible in our workshops recently.
The team have carried out a full service on the car as well as a full and thorough inspection. Whilst completing the service, the team have also carried out of some vital maintenance work on the car. This included replacing the cam belt and water pump, along with replacing the cap and rotor.
The jobs remaining is a new catalytic converter along with a new exhaust sensor.
This beautiful 1968 Morris Minor Van has been in the Bridge Classic Cars body shop to have its new brightwork kit fitted to get it looking even better!
The Morris Minor Van’s original chrome had begun to pit and tarnish, so the team sourced a new replacement kit for the front end of the classic Van. Carefully, each of the pieces was removed from the fascia of the Morris in order to remove the front grille from the car.
The front grille pieces were taken to the bench and also cleaned up and certain pieces of panel work straightened to get the car in the best shape possible. Then, each section of brightwork was refitted to the car in a specific order until the front of the classic Morris Minor Van looked near enough brand new.
The finishing touch was the new bright, shiny hubcaps.
The paint and body teams at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy preparing the body and panels of the 1987 Daimler Double Six for the final stages of high build primer.
The classic Daimler, which is in with our restoration teams, has been worked on extensively by our paint and body team to get the classic saloon in to perfect condition before the first layers of paint. The body shop have meticulously sanded down, cleaned and prepared each individual part at every stage of its journey into the in-house paint booth.
This step, which is one of the final stages before colour, is the use of high build primer on all panels and in all visible areas or areas which have been worked own by the body and fabrication teams including the inside of the door jams and the all important in arches. With the high build primer now on the car, it will be taken back out of the oven to be inspected and any adjustments made before the next stage begins.
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.
Just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshops in our Suffolk HQ is this beautiful 1970 Jaguar XJ.
The team are going to be looking into a few running issues on the classic XJ for its owner. Since having the fuel tanks replaced, and servicing the carburettors and engine it hasn’t helped the running of the big straight-six or helped with its fuel consumption issue.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates very soon.
This beautiful 1937 Austin Seven has just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in our Suffolk HQ to be worked on by our restoration teams.
Along with the full inspection all cars entering our workshop receive, the team will be focusing mainly on the braking system of the classic pre-war Austin.
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon for more on the 1937 Austin Seven.
The team at Bridge Classic Cars have been making progress on the beautiful 1959 Jensen 541R in our restoration workshop.
Firstly the team began by removing the seats in order to correctly fit the centre console of the classic Jensen. For some reason, it had been previously fitted backwards. So, the team removed the seats to get access and then reinstalled the piece in the right orientation.
Next, the team began work on replacing the rear windows of the car. These are plexiglass pieces which have been made specifically to fit the 541R, the team carefully refined and worked them into place.
The team have also gone through the fuel system of the car. Upon inspection, they found an issue with the several filters and pipes leading from the fuel tank to the carburettors. Our technicians noticed the main feed line had a severe kink in it which was causing a fuel flow issue and along with that, replaced the in-tank fuel filters (both primary and reserve) to make sure the big straight-six is getting all the fuel it needs.
A request by the owner of the car was to fit a new steering wheel to the classic Jensen 541R. For this the team also went into some of the switches and selectors to service and clean them out. Then, they could begin to remove the original steering wheel. Uniquely, the 541 steering wheel is actually riveted to the boss. The team carefully drilled out each individual rivet to separate the steering wheel from its boss. Then, working in reverse with the new steering wheel the team reattached the wheel and got it back into the car.
And while they were working on the interior, they have replaced the handles with new pieces which really set off against the grey/blue inside of the classic 541.
The panels for the 1987 Daimler Double Six have been moved into the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth for primer.
The paint and body team have been working on perfecting each individual part and panel of the classic Daimler. The team have worked on, cleaned down and prepared the pieces for their first layers of epoxy primer to get them into the same stage as the bodyshell which the team are working on alongside.
The first layers of primer have been laid on the panels and will cure before several more stages of refining and working before colour.
The final donation for the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has been sent from Bridge Classic Cars Competitions from our 1989 TVR S2 competition.
The total amount raised has also been calculated and it is over £38,500! An incredible amount which as gone directly to the DEC to help the people of Ukraine during the invasion and the displacement of those affected.
We just want to say a massive thank you from all of us at Bridge Classic Cars to everyone who entered and has massively helped those affected in Ukraine.
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 tank for the 1905 Riley 9HP has been completely refurbished and tested prior to it being painted and reinstalled by Bridge Classic Cars.
Although the original tank was in fairly good condition, it did require a full refurbishment. Old school lead soldering and modern TIG welding in the same piece cause their own unique problems which had to be overcome during the refurbishment.
The tank is actually segregated to hold both petrol and oil in the same unit, so it has to be completely sealed.
The refurbished tank does feature the original brass fittings.
A close friend of Bridge Classic Cars, Stephen Norman, recently spent a weekend away with this stunning 1966 Opel Diplomat V8 Coupe which forms part of the Classic Opel Collection in Germany.
The 1960s V8 coupe was Stephen’s choice of cruiser for a long weekend away as part of his retirement from the company after 45 years.
Throughout the weekend, the classic Opel wracked up about 300 miles to add to its all original and unrestored 95,000km. Stephen reports the car performed faultlessly and was the object of much fanfare and admiration.
Always lovely to see a classic getting out and being used.
This stunning 1996 Rover 216 has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop for our teams to carry out some work on.
The car has seen little use over the last few months but, the team will carry out a full and comprehensive inspection of the car ahead of its MOT and at the same time perform a full engine and gearbox service for the classic Rover.
The Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop has welcomed this rare and unique visitor to our Suffolk HQ today. This incredible 1940 Morris Gun Tractor.
This amazing piece of history has arrived at our workshops for the restoration teams to carry out a full inspection ahead of a requested engine rebuild on the classic military vehicle
We’re very excited to show you more about this project very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
The cambelt and water pump on any car are an important and vital component to the engine’s health and well being. The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars know this so they have replaced those pieces on the 1999 Vauxhall Omega.
Our workshop manager John has many years’ experience working on Vauxhalls so the job fell to him. John removed the timing cover from the engine to expose the belts and water pump which were safely removed and kept for reference against the new replacements. After checking, the new parts were installed back into the 2.5 litre V6 of the Omega and the car run up to temperature to check after all fluids had been topped off and rechecked.
The Jaguar XKR is the perfect example of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. An elegant, sophisticated coupe with the heart of a wild animal hidden underneath its long, flowing aluminium bonnet.
The XKR is special in that the 4.2-litre V8 has been fitted with a supercharger to get more power and more torque directly to the rear wheels. Our 2007 Jaguar XKR, is finished in a beautiful bright silver with a contrasting black leather interior, adding yet another level to its hidden talents.
The team at Bridge Classic Cars Competitions were beyond excited to bring this car up to our filming location and shoot the car ahead of its launch. It had been through our restoration workshop to be checked over and given the green light for the team to drive it for filming.
The weather was perfect for this type of car. Bright sun with a few banks of clouds drifting across the Suffolk countryside while the air filled with a V8 rumble only broken by the characteristic whine of the supercharger. The leather seats, modern controls and easy handling made the XKR a perfect car for any occasion.
For lap after lap, Hayley rumbled her way around the film site with the XKR not so much as even breaking a sweat but underneath, you could tell the big coupe just wanted to stretch its legs but was more than happy to lazily drift around the circuit.
And it could be yours! This is the latest competition car. Head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website now for your chance to win this incredible 2007 Jaguar XKR.
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