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Adventure Time – The 1973 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 Roadster Collected

June 15, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars team have delivered our beautiful 1973 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 Roadster to its owner ahead of the car being taken on holiday.

The team met up with Stephen in Folkstone to hand over Fern Grey on his way to France on holiday where the car will join the 1973 Triumph TR6 on its adventures in France.

Fern Grey has been built entirely to Stephen’s specification by our in-house restoration teams who have spent countless hours building, perfecting and testing the beautiful V12 E-Type for this moment and its life with its owner afterwards.

We look forward to hearing about the Jaguar’s adventures over the summer in France and wish Stephen many happy miles in this incredible GT car.

To go back and look at the entire 1973 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 Roadster project, click here!

Next Phase – Moving the 1978 MG B GT Into Paint Preparation

June 15, 2022

The 1978 MG B GT has moved from the workshop into the Bridge Classic Cars preparation area for our paint and body team to start work.

With all the metal work and repairs complete on the bodyshell, the classic sports car has been transferred into the paint and body department for the team to begin preparing the body for the next phase of its restoration.

We’re excited to show you the beginning of the next phase of the journey with the 1978 MG B GT very soon.

Coming Soon – 1958 Jensen 541R

June 15, 2022

Arriving soon at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this 1958 Jensen 541R.

The car will be coming over from the Netherlands to join our other 541 projects that the workshop teams are hard at work on.

Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page soon for more on this incredible project.

The Winners Circle – Winner of the 1973 Triumph TR6 Comes to Collect Her Car

June 15, 2022

Yesterday, the Bridge Classic Cars team welcomed Valerie to our restoration workshop to collect her 1973 Triumph TR6 she won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.

Valerie came down to take delivery of her beautiful Saffron Yellow TR6 and to have a look around our workshops at some of our restoration projects. Whilst she was collecting the car, we found out it was Valerie’s birthday! What a day it would be. Valerie, her son and her partner made the trip from Norfolk to collect the car and drive it home.

It’s always an incredible part of the story when you get to see someone’s reaction for the first time seeing their new classic in the metal for the first time. As Valerie said, the morning after she had won the car she still couldn’t believe it and had to ask if she had actually won it. This isn’t the first car Valerie won however, in 1991 she won a brand new Rover Metro through a competition by Heinz.

Still, this TR6 is a beautiful addition to the family so this morning Valerie sent us over a photo of ”Caramac” alongside the family Delorean in its new home.

We all want to wish Valerie many happy miles and hope she enjoys her new classic.

And here’s the video of Valerie collecting her 1973 Triumph TR6 from the Bridge Classic Cars workshop:

This Just In – 1951 Jaguar XK120

June 14, 2022

Arriving this afternoon at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ was this breath-taking 1951 Jaguar XK120 for our workshop to look into.

The car has been worked on by various specialists since the current owner purchased the car several years ago but since its last visits with them has developed a few little niggles that the team here at Bridge Classic Cars will be having a look into.

There are also a few areas the workshop technicians will be looking into such as inaccurate gauges and a sticking front brake. Along with that, the team will look into the set-up of the carburettors which feed the straight-six engine (including a small issue with the choke) and servicing of the gearbox.

We’re excited to show you more very soon on the 1951 Jaguar XK120 here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Behind the Scenes – Shooting our 1968 Morris Minor Van

June 14, 2022

It’s the latest competition from Bridge Classic Cars! This wonderful 1968 Morris Minor Van is now up for grabs on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website.

Since all the work had been completed on the classic Morris van by our workshop, it was time to get it ready for competition.

With this, we thought we would take you behind the scenes on the shoot with the Bridge Classic Cars team. Craig, Freddie and Monty headed out to Bentwaters to shoot the classic van under the Suffolk sun.

The little 4-cylinder engine burbled its way round the countryside for lap after lap as the team moved around the site to capture the various stills and video clips that we need for our competitions but every one of us had a huge smile thanks to this beautiful van.

And, it could be yours! Head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website and enter now for the 1968 Morris Minor Van by clicking here!

Getting Sorted – Work on our 2005 Mercedes Benz Vito

June 14, 2022

Our 2005 Mercedes Benz Vito is the trusty workhorse of the Bridge Classic Cars fleet. It is used by our transport team across the country delivering cars or locally to pick up parts or move our classics from the workshop to Bentwaters or specialist etc.

The team thought it was time to address a couple of bits and pieces that needed sorting on the van so it was handed over to our workshop and then to our paint and body team.

The workshop team began by inspecting and overhauling the brakes on the Vito as they needed attention. Tom, one of our technicians, completely stripped back and replaced any components which needed to be replaced. During this time, the team could have a look at a few areas of corrosion on the lower parts of the quarter panels.

Once the fabrication team had cut out all the corrosion, the new panels could be carefully welded into before the paint and body team took over to refine the areas and work on some of the door latches ahead of the van going into paint to have those areas blended in.

With the paint and body team now working on the trusty Vito, the guys could start to prepare the areas which had been worked on as well as areas which had general wear and tear in order to refresh the whole van. A few deep scratches were flattened back and filled along with making sure the areas which had been welded were in perfect shape before going into the booth to be painted.

For the Boys – Not A Girls Night Out Visit Bridge Classic Cars

June 14, 2022

Recently, the Bridge Classic Cars team welcomed Not a Girls Night Out to our Bentwaters and Pettistree sites for an evening social.

The group, which is a friendly club of male members who join in on each other’s passions, came to us due to each event/outing having to be planned by a different member of the group each time. A member of the club, Steve, is a long-time friend of Bridge Classic Cars who trusts our team to work on several of his beloved cars. So, when it was Steve’s turn to organise an evening out he thought he would give us a call to show him and his friends around our sites.

The evening began over at The Hangar, our secure storage facility located on an old air force base, to show the club members around some of our personal collection as well as several cars we hold there awaiting their restoration by the team in the workshop or cars that have been used and are awaiting return to Pettistree.

Then, the whole club travelled in convoy over to our Pettistree site to have a look around our restoration workshops as well as our new building which we host events at throughout the year. Everyone had a brilliant time and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone from Not a Girls Night Out again in the future!

Final Look – The Final Photoshoot with the 1973 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 Roadster

June 14, 2022

The 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 Roadster is due to leave the Bridge Classic Cars workshop any day now so, we thought we would take one final look around the car that the team here have built from the ground up.

Fern Grey, as the car is known to us, arrived from the US as a white and red 1973 V12 E-Type. But, it didn’t stay that way for long. The restoration team began to strip, assess and work on the car for one of our amazing restoration clients who has had several classics hand-built by us specifically for him.

Fern is on another level. There isn’t a single panel, component or piece which hasn’t been worked on by the term in the single-minded and absolute pursuit of perfection we aim to achieve on our projects. This E-Type is very special and it is due to go on and have a very special life with its enthusiast owner.

The car has gone through numerous test hours and checks, double checks and triple checks by the workshop team before being prepared to leave our Suffolk HQ bound for its new life away from us.

So with that, we all that we would have one final look at Fern Grey before it was loaded into our enclosed trailer and buckled in for the drive.

Dedicated Follower of Fashion – The Story of Houndstooth and its Place in the Automotive World

June 13, 2022

Some of you may have seen the Houndstooth pattern on our limited edition T-shirts but do you know why we chose the iconic pattern which has its roots going back over 1500 years and has been used in some of the most sought-after interiors? Well, we thought we would talk to you about it.

The history of houndstooth begins in Scotland with wool weavers in around 400AD. A little-known fact about the timeless pattern is that it’s apparently considered a form of tartan. Known as the ‘Border Tartan’, Houndstooth was connected to a band of settlers along the English/Scottish borders but is more widely associated with its boom in the late 19th-early 20th century. It’s also a form of camouflage! Being part of the inspiration for World War 1 dazzle paint schemes due to its angular and intersecting lines, it can make an object appear smaller or further away than it truly is.

But, where did it all start in terms of being used in modern fashion and ultimately in the interiors of some of legendary sports cars?

In the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s, the Houndstooth pattern was adopted by the upper classes as a form of ”country clothing” alongside the ever-popular Prince of Wales Check and the now infamous Tweed. After somewhat falling from favour, in the late 1940s Christian Dior would use the historic pattern in a modern way which inspired others to find its uses and applications. Houndstooth would find its way from interior design, footwear and overwear for the next 25 years in high fashion across the world. This makes sense when you think about a certain German sports car maker who wanted a more modern interior for their newest model.

In terms of its use in car interiors, the first widely accepted use of the pattern (or actually a variation on the design) was by Porsche during the production of the 356. Porsche had a series of variants of the classic houndstooth look for their interiors. This series of Houndstooth styles would be used all the way from the 1950s until the early-1970s with the famous Pepita Recaro seats. The houndstooth style inserts for Porsche would see a massive resurgence in the 1980s and 1990s, with their ”Dazzle” patterns so synonymous with the decades of excess and statements.

Even to this day, a modern Porsche 992 can be ordered with a ”houndstooth” interior, harking back to its earliest days with the pattern gracing the seats of true driving machines. World-class artisans Singer Vehicle Design also has the ability for clients to spec their bespoke 911s with a houndstooth pattern in their own unique colour.

So there you have it, the history of Houndstooth and its role in the interiors of Porsches. And now, it’s part of our history too with our limited edition Houndstooth T-Shirts.

Click here to grab yours now!

Cleaned Up – Cleaning the Rear Window Surround on the 1991 Nissan Figaro

June 13, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been finishing up their work on the 1991 Nissan Figaro’s roof. But, while they have access to certain places they took the opportunity to get it all looking and fitting perfectly.

The team took the chance to clean up the rear window surround for the customer to blend into the new roof covering on the classic Nissan.

Now with this done, the car has been handed over to our Paint and Body team to begin machine polishing the car.

Coming Soon – 1972 MG Midget, 1969 Morris Minor & 1971 MG B GT

June 13, 2022

Coming soon to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this trio of British classics!

There’s a 1972 MG Midget, a 1969 Morris Minor 1000 and a 1971 MG B GT which will all be coming for the in-house restoration teams to inspect and assess.

Keep a look out here on the news page very soon for more about these classics!

Daily Driver – Lotus Emira Driving Experience Winner’s 2005 Lotus Elise

June 13, 2022

It’s great when our friends send in photos of their cars!

The winner of the Lotus Emira Driving Experience competition on Friday has sent us some photos of his daily driver. A 2005 Lotus Elise.

It’s amazing to see the winner is a true Lotus enthusiast and really excited to get behind the wheel of the brand new Lotus Emira very soon at Hethel.

This Just In – 1958 Jensen 541R

June 13, 2022

This stunning green over white 1958 Jensen 541R has just arrived into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ for the team to have a look at.

The team here are well-versed with the Jensen 541 family, having either restored or worked on over a dozen of the classic sports GT’s so this one is in good hands. We have been tasked with carrying out a full service on the car as well as a complete and total inspection for the owner.

The team will also investigate the possibility of some upgrades in the cabin and a thorough check of the gearbox’s operation as requested by the client.

Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more very soon on the 1958 Jensen 541R.

In the Light – The Finished Paintwork on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI

June 13, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team have put countless hours of hard work, skill and craft into the bodywork and paint of the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI that when our painter Chris had finished polishing the entire car, we had to take it outside into the sun to get a proper look.

The weather had been absolutely perfect all week. A few light, playful clouds strewn across the endless blue of the Suffolk sky made the perfect lighting rig for such an amazing car. The depth of the paint, the subtlety of the colour and the bright shine of the metallic paint stopped all of the team who walked past it.

Our marketing manager, Freddie decided to grab his camera and get some photos of the stunning 1950s GT car which look incredible but it has to be seen to truly be believed.

Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the 1972 Lotus Elan and Lotus Emira Driving Experience

June 13, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars team got together on a Friday night to find our latest winners for our double Lotus draw.

The 1972 Lotus Elan +2 had been a firm favourite with the team here.

The 10th of June, the scheduled draw date, began with a quick walkaround of all of the beautiful machinery in the new competitions building. Walking past previous winners waiting for their delivery to new homes and some upcoming dream classics that we caretaker until their new owners are decided.

With our audience watching along live of our Facebook page, it was time to get down to business. Everyone waited with bated breath to find out if the wheel of fortune would fall on them.

First to be drawn was the Lotus Emira Driving Experience donated by Lotus Cars in aid of various charities. This included a tour of the new production facility, Classic Team Lotus and driving tuition by F1 hero Martin Donnelly. Checking our pre-published Entry Lists, we saw the competition wasn’t sold out entirely but using the random number generator, it was time to find out who was getting this very special first drive experience.

The first try, was an empty number. So was the second try, and the third, fourth but on the 5th random number generator we found that number 426 had been allocated to Martyn Bulbrook.

Finally, it was time to decide the winner of the 1972 Lotus Elan +2. The team reset the number generator and comments of luck and hope flooded the live stream. As Hayley pushed the button and the numbers whirred past in a frenzy, the screen lit up with the number. 1944.

Ticket number 1944 had been bought by Steven Rowat. The new owner of the beautiful 1972 Lotus Elan +2.

Repairs and Remakes – Work on the Seats for the 1954 Bristol 405

June 10, 2022

The Bristol 405 restoration is on its way with our Trim Shop carrying out several bits of work on both the front and rear seats for the classic 4 door saloon.

The Bridge Classic Cars trim team has remade the elastic webbing which sits beneath the front seats in the classic Bristol. These have been secured onto the refurbished seat bases and the hand-cut foams placed in to check for fitment and alignment.

Next, the team worked on repairing some of the wooden arches of the rear seats in the car. Our trimmer Brian carefully cut out some previous repairs from the piece to securely fix the piece ahead of moving onto to replacing some of the woodwork needed for around the cushion openings.

Loose Edges – Sticking Down the Loose Trims in the 1957 MG A Roadster

June 10, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars trim team have also focused on the trims in the 1957 MGA Roadster in our workshop.

Over the years, several of the leather-wrapped trim panels in the classic sports car have begun to loose their adhesive and curl round to the front of the panels or began to fall away from them. So, the trim team have gone through each of the pieces to reglue and secure them adding that little extra touch to the amazingly storied interior of the car.

Cutting Back – Colour Sanding the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI

June 10, 2022

The 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI has been moved into the Bridge Classic Cars paint and body preparation area for the team to being colour sanding the car.

The process of colour sanding is key in the visual aspect of the restoration of the classic Aston Martin to make the paintwork match the incredible work that each and every panel has had done to it by the team.

Our painter Chris, who painted the car, has headed up the colour sanding of the Aston Martin. Using finer and finer abrasives to remove any imperfections and even out any areas of the car.

Rebound – New Binding on the Carpets of the 1957 MG A Roadster

June 10, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked their magic on the interior carpet in 1957 MG A Roadster.

The carpet set on the 1957 MG A had areas where the binding had begun to separate and fray quite badly. So, our in-house trim team have stepped in to get it looking better.

The team have replaced the binding around the edges of the carpet as well as sewing a new set of floor rubbers into place.

Tailored – New Tonneau and Hood Cover for the 1932 Lagonda Tourer Mocked Up

June 10, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked on perfectly tailoring the new tonneau and hood cover for the 1932 Lagonda Tourer.

To begin with, our trimmer Lydia made paper templates to create a rough pattern to work from before was transferred onto black vinyl as part of the drafting process. This allowed the trim team to refine the pieces more and more until it was a perfect fit across the interior and the hood frame of the classic Lagonda.

With these templates now where the team needed to be, they can work on creating the final pieces for the beautiful pre-war tourer.

In Colour – Painting the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI

June 10, 2022

The 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI has been in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth for a key part of its restoration. The classic Aston Martin has now been painted in its final colour!

The team have spent hours preparing the beautiful 1950s GT for this stage of the work to make sure every surface, panel and piece of the car is in perfect shape. Once the team had built up the colour layer by layer, it was then left in our oven to cure completely before it will be moved into our preparation bay to begin colour-sanding.

This is a huge step in the project and we’re excited to show you the next stages of the paintwork on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI.

Delicate Work – Metal Repairs on the 1978 MG B GT

June 10, 2022

The 1978 MG B GT is having some of the final stages of its metal work carried out by the restoration workshop here at Bridge Classic Cars.

Rob, one of our technicians, has carefully been cutting out the corroded areas of the bodyshell to be replaced with hand-made and high-quality patch panels from specialists.

Rob has replaced the area in the rear drivers side pillar which at the base has corroded all the way through itself. For this, he made sure to inspect the piece entirely and form a panel which will fit tightly and also add strength into the area before welding it in.

Then, he could move onto the rear quarter panel. This had a few areas requiring work, some with small handmade patches and others (like the forward section) having high-quality sourced replacements installed into the bodyshell.

Inner Depth – Repairs to the Inner Sill and Frame of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible

June 10, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop have worked on repairing the inner sill and frame of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible in with us at our Suffolk HQ.

The team have worked on removing the corrosion from the key structural areas of the classic Morris Minor with this stage focusing on the drives side rear inner sills and sections of the frame. The work began with carefully removing the affected areas and inspecting just how far the corrosion went into the underside of the Morris Minor.

Piece by piece, the areas were removed and carefully repaired with new replacement or handmade panels to make sure the underside of the convertible was structurally sound and safe.

Thorough Work – Working on the 1968 Morris Minor Van

June 10, 2022

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the 1968 Morris Minor Van at our Suffolk HQ.

Firstly, the car was fully serviced and the valves and tappets were adjusted to specification. After this, the team began to test the classic Morris Minor. Then, upon further inspection further tasks were found.

Firstly, the team discovered a small oil leak coming from the front cover. This was removed from the front of the engine and inspected on the bench for any distortion or cracks which could cause the cover to not seal correctly. Looking further, the team discovered there was a leak coming from the front main seal of the 1000cc engine so a new one was ordered and the front cover’s gasket was stripped back and all the surfaces prepared.

The team also noticed a small issue with the carburettors on the classic Morris. After removing the needle, our team found some corrosion on the end on the needle which was causing the running issue so that was rectified and put back into the carburettor.

The team also replaced several radiator hoses as part of the new heater valve fitted to the back of the engine before the front of the Morris Minor was all put back together.

The car was then thoroughly road tested and inspected by the team who were happy to report all the issues had been resolved.

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