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Suns Out – Some of Our Projects Waiting to Go Home

April 25, 2022

With the weather being perfect last week, we thought we would snap some photos of a handful of classic cars lounging in the sun. Some waiting for collection, some just arrived.

Our restoration workshops at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ are always busy. A constant stream of cars coming in for our team to work on or going back to their owners to be enjoyed so as Nick walked past the eclectic row of cars lining the side of our workshop, he thought he’d grab a few photos to show them off.

Stablemates – Our 1974 Alfa Romeo Spider at Its New Home

April 25, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars Competitions 1974 Alfa Romeo Spider has arrived at its new home with its winner Trevor and a very special stablemate for it to spend its future with.

The classic Alfa Romeo Spider will be sharing its life with a WW2 era Jeep which is part of Trevor’s collection. Well, now that’s quite the variety of cars for different occasions!

We wish Trevor all the best with the classic Alfa Romeo.

The Good Cause – Spotting a Mobile Humanitarian Aid Ambulance in Woodbridge

April 25, 2022

Out and about on our recent travels, our director Craig spotted this Mercedes Humanitarian Medical Ambulance. It’s amazing to see the overwhelming support and generosity pouring out to the people of Ukraine from across Europe and the UK.

Does anyone out there know the charity that it’s connected to at all? We would love to find out more.

Also, our 1989 TVR S2 Ukraine Appeal competition ends this Thursday with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. Like this ambulance, it will be going to help those affected first-hand by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

From Front to Back – Repairing the Wheel Arch and Rear Valance on the 1978 MG B GT

April 25, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop has been busy continuing the bodywork repairs on the 1978 MG B GT in with us for restoration.

The team have worked through the classic MG from front to back removing and replacing any corrosion in the body or sub-structure. Recently the team finished up work on the side sills and pillars before moving on to the rear of the car.

Rob, one of our restoration technicians who has been working on the project, removed the old passenger side rear wheel arch due to its condition. Using this as a rough template for the replacement piece, Rob has precisely cut and fit the new piece into the body of the car which allowed him to keep moving rearward on the car and complete the final fitment of the rear valance.

Green Blue – 1973 Volvo 1800ES Painted

April 25, 2022

The 1973 Volvo 1800ES has been into the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth recently to be refinished in its signature ”Green Blue” finish.

The team have worked hard on getting the classic Volvo prepared and ready to go into the booth with several hours of sanding, minimal filler work and a few welds needed here and there to get each panel absolutely perfect ahead of its date with the paint booth.

Once the whole car had been flattened back, bare areas primed and the whole car cleaned off, our in-house painter Alan could begin the process of laying down the deep, glossy paintwork which gives the 1970s Volvos that incredible look.

Drive It Day 2022 – Kersey Mill

April 25, 2022

All of the team at Bridge Classic Cars love our vintage and classic cars and motorbikes. That’s what sits at the core of what we do here. So, we always try to observe Drive It Day. And international day to celebrate the joy of getting out and driving our beloved classics.

For many years, we have gone to the Kersey Mill meet. And this year, our director Gordon took his newly finished 1934 MG Midget PA to the 2022 Drive It Day meet. Surrounded by countless classics from across our area, some of whom we know well and others we’re excited to get to know.

It is an event on the calendar that we always look forward to. So, take a look below for our full gallery from the 2022 Drive It Day at Kersey Mill.

Changes – Working on the Bonnet and Suspension of the 1958 Jensen 541R ”Navy”

April 25, 2022

The restoration technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ have begun works on the 1958 Jensen 541R known to us as ‘Navy’.

The team began by carrying out several jobs on the rear axle of the classic Jensen. The rear axle strap required a repair to be carried out on it and along with that, repositioning of the brake pipe to a safe location on the rear axle.

The team then began working on preparing the front suspension to be stripped so the team can replace the perished bushes in the upper arms, making sure the front suspension is the best condition possible.

One issue that was noted by the owner of Navy, was that the one-piece fibreglass bonnet was interfering with the driver’s door when opened. The team began the process of adjusting the hinge in order to get the correct spacing and alignment for the panel and not contact the edge of the door.

This Just In – 1980 Mini Van

April 25, 2022

Just arrived into the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this wonderful 1980 Mini Van. But, it’s hiding a secret…

Underneath the beautiful green bodywork lies the heart of a hotrod. This bite-sized bruiser is packing a 1380cc supercharged A-series engine! All of that performance in a small car is a recipe for fun in our books.

The car will of course go through the usual inspections and assessments by our in-house restoration teams who will check over the entire car in order to find out if anything needs to be done to this incredible classic Mini for it to be in absolutely tip-top shape.

Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon for more on this tiny terror!

Pre-clean – 1985 Porsche 911 Prepared for Wash

April 25, 2022

The beautiful 1985 Porsche 911 in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop has gotten a whole lot more beautiful over the weekend as it had its full valet carried out.

The classic air-cooled Porsche was prepped and readied for the valet by our restoration team ahead of the work starting. So, we thought we would show you a few before photos of the classic 911 still with road grime and dust.

Keep an eye out for the after photos on the stunning 1985 Porsche 911 very soon on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Heading Home – Work on the 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite is Complete

April 25, 2022

The 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite has been in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for our restoration technicians to get the amazing little sportscar back into perfect running order.

The team have worked on rebuilding and adjusting the brakes and working on the hydraulic system which not only controls the brakes but also works the clutch as well. The slave cylinder had to be replaced due to a leak from a seal which was causing an issue bleeding the system to make sure the whole circuit remained pressurised.

Along with that, the team found several issues with the suspension of the classic Austin Healey. This required some of the important substructures of the car to be carefully rewelded, as well as removing and correctly installing parts of the wishbones.

To take a look a the entire project, click here!

Refined – Perfecting the Bodywork on the 1987 Daimler Double Six

April 22, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars body shop has been working on getting the 1987 Daimler Double Six into the best possible shape ahead of being moved back into the paint booth.

The team have begin body filler work, which as a rule is used as sparingly as possible and the vast majority of the filler put onto the car is sanded away. But, it is necessary to get each panel the right shape and curve flowing into the next piece.

With this, the team will sand away 99% of the filler and then the car will go back into the spray booth to have its next round of primer applied. The next stage of the process to getting this stunning classic Daimler back in the best shape possible.

This Just In – 1968 Morris Minor 1000 Van

April 22, 2022

Just arrived into the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this beautiful 1968 Morris Minor 1000 Van.

This classic Morris Minor will soon go into the workshops for restoration teams to inspect and assess while also carrying out a series of jobs for the car.

Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1968 Morris Minor 100 Van very soon.

Like New – Continuing the Metal Work on the 1978 MG B GT

April 22, 2022

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been making good progress on the body shell of the 1978 MG B GT in with us for restoration at our Suffolk HQ.

Our restoration technician Rob has been working on cutting out any form of corroded metal from the car to make sure everything is structurally right and lining up properly. Firstly, he worked on getting the rear valance of the classic MG B sorted.

The old valance was heavily corroded and warped so our team sourced a replacement panel and began the process of carefully removing the old piece in such a way as to not damage any of the mounting surfaces behind it. All of the surfaces behind the valance were cleaned and prepared ahead of the new piece firmly welded into place.

Next, Rob finished the work needed to the bottoms of the A-pillars. This needed to be done before the team could begin fitting and placing the new sills. With the old sills cut out of the car and the new ones trimmed and clamped they could be welded into place taking into account the new A-Pillar and the mounted door to ensure there was no overlap or conflict between any of the pieces.

Finally, Rob could cut out the rear arch. This was heavily corroded and in need of replacement. So carefully the spot welds were cut out and the original piece taken out before offering up the replacement arch.

Blended – Paint Repairs on the 1974 Alfa Romeo Spider

April 21, 2022

The 1974 Alfa Romeo Spider has been in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop to have a couple of paint repairs completed ahead of its leaving for its new home.

The paint team noticed a couple of areas on the car which needed some small refining and readjustment work before being taken into the paint booth to be blended into the stunning red bodywork. The team carefully masked off the rest of the classic sports car to first primer and then lay down several coats of matching Red in order to seamlessly blend the paint in.

Lining Up – Fitting the Refinished Bonnet Brackets on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4

April 21, 2022

The paint and body at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on getting the various refinished brackets for the bonnet onto the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkI.

The team have expertly refinished the parts and pieces for the car all in-house to give them a uniform, clean look. The parts are now being installed onto the car as the team move toward getting the panels aligned and in place to check fitment and if any adjustments will need to be made to the hinges or latches.

Heavy Lifting – New Boot Strut for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 21, 2022

The restoration workshop have been working on some of the smaller details of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

This time, it was the boot lid prop/strut. Scott, one of our technicians, has carefully reworked the prop to make sure it extended and locked in place with the full weight of the decklid placed on it. Then, it was taken off and refinished to match the rest of the hardware on the classic Daytona replica.

Gone Through – Inspecting the 1958 Jensen 541R

April 21, 2022

The 1958 Jensen 541R ”Navy” has been into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for our team to inspect and report back on a few bits and pieces for its owner.

First off, the team have noticed a small oil leak coming from the front of the classic Jensen. Looking closer, our technicians Paul believes that this slight weap is coming from the front oil seal on the engine.

Next, Paul looked at a strong smell of fuel from the engine bay and found there to be a leak coming from the carburettors.

Also as part of the inspection of the classic Jensen, it was noted that the rubber bushes which form an important part of the suspension, have been to degraded. These are rubber and exposed to the elements so they do perish over time.

Coming Soon – 1968 Morris Minor 1000 Van

April 21, 2022

Soon to be arriving at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop in Suffolk is this gorgeous 1968 Morris Minor 1000 Van.

The car will be coming in for our restoration teams to inspect and assess the car but it will also have a service, some minor paintwork carried out and reinstalling some new trim pieces for the car.

Keep an eye out very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more on the 1968 Morris Minor 1000 Van.

Closing Up – Replacing the Sill Straps and Closing Panels on the 1970 Bristol 411

April 21, 2022

After carefully opening up the sills of the 1970 Bristol 411 and thoroughly inspecting them, our technicians have begun the process of sealing them back up in the car.

The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have hand fabricated new sills straps and new closing panels for the classic Bristol after inspecting the inner sills for any form of corrosion. The originals had to be cut out of the car and couldn’t be reused so our fabrication team made brand new, tight-fitting and durable panels to replace them.

The original flanges were cleaned up and straightened to give a good mounting surface for the workshop to weld the new panels back into place and seal up the underside of the classic Bristol.

Blocked – Getting to the Bottom of the Fuel Leak in the 1973 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3

April 21, 2022

The restoration technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop have been looking into a fuel leak from the 1973 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3.

The team inspected all the hoses and couplers to do with the fuel system which upon inspection were all found to be okay. From that, the team decided to look inside the tank of the V12 E-Type and found the cause of the issue.

The tank filter had become clogged with stones. This caused fuel to back up in the filter and leak through the seal which was causing the reported issue.

Through the Lens – Fitting the Indicators on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 21, 2022

The restoration team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have made progress on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona. This time, they’ve been perfecting the fitment of the indicator lenses at the front of the classic Ferrari homage.

Our technician Scott has spent several hours getting the lenses just right for Daytona replica. The lenses had to be fixed into place on the car, which Scott made up some small and strong brackets for. These were carefully measured up and put into the car. Along with that, the back of the lens socket was masked up and painted so through the clear part of the lens, the cars stunning pale green cannot be seen.

Guarded – Raptorgaurding the Inner Wings and Bulkhead of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

April 21, 2022

The inner wings and several pieces of the bulkhead from the 1987 Mercedes 500SL have been finished in thick durable Raptorguard by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop.

Alan, one of our painters, has been working on completing this task as part of the final paint stages on the classic Mercedes R107. This stage involved coating several key areas of the car with a thick, durable Raptorguard. This particular product seals the surface from any form of moisture that can find its way inside the metal. So, the team have finished the inside of the front wings and several key parts of the bulkhead and heater matrix.

With this done and now curing, the team can soon begin reassembly of the classic Mercedes 500SL.

The Finer Points – Rust and Wing Mirror Repairs on the 1973 Volvo 1800ES

April 21, 2022

The paint and bodywork team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working several jobs on the 1973 Volvo 1800ES.

The team found several small rust holes around the body which were carefully sanded back, plug welded and finished flat, along with that the team plug welded some wing mirror holes which were no longer needed.

The bodywork team then worked on finishing the panels to be perfectly smooth and then took the car into our in-house paint booth to primer the specific areas and be paint matched.

Details – Inspecting and Servicing the 1964 Morgan 4/4

April 21, 2022

The technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ have been busy inspecting and servicing the 1964 Morgan 4/4 in with us.

The team have begun the service on the classic Morgan, this also involved the inspection and adjustment of the drum brakes.

Then, the team began to look into a couple of issues noted on the car by its owner. Firstly, the team looked into an issue with the car starting. Although some of the connections were slightly loose from the battery, the team have put on order several new parts for the ignition system to try and fix the issue.

Along with that, the team found a split radiator hose in the car.

When the new pieces arrive and are fitted to the car, the team can begin the process of reinstalling and retesting the car to make sure it starts consistently and perfectly each time.

Stronger than Ever – Finishing the Drivers Side Sill and Inner Arch Repairs on the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible

April 21, 2022

The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars have finished up the crucial repairs to the inner arch and door sill of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible.

These two pieces which make up the driver’s A-Pillar is used for not only the structure and mounting of the wings but also dictate the opening in the body for the doors. So, these need to be not only structurally sound and strong but very precise so our body shop technicians can get the panels aligned perfectly when the car is transferred into their department.

The fabrication team have carefully and precisely put the pieces back onto the classic Morris Minor in a particular order to build on the rigidity and strength needed in this particular area.

Now, it’s time to move onto the passenger side.

Service and Inspection – Servicing the 1967 Jaguar MkII and Looking for a Leak

April 21, 2022

The restoration team at Bridge Classic Cars have got to work on servicing the 1967 Jaguar MkII 3.4 which is in with us for service and inspection. The team carried out the service which also included the replacement of the points and condenser in the ignition system to make sure the classic big Jaguar was running at its absolute best.

Along with that, the owner has asked the team to investigate and find the source of a reported leak. Beginning the investigation, our technician Scott inspected all the axle seals as well as any other parts of the driveline. During that inspection, he noticed a weap coming from the rear differential with a suspected leak coming from the pinion seal of the classic Jaguar.

With this, the car will have this investigated further and rectified before being tested and given the all clear.

Primed & Read – 1987 Daimler Double Six in Primer

April 21, 2022

The 1987 Daimler Double Six has been taken back to bare metal in the places where the repairs were carried out by the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication team. Now, in the hands of our body shop technicians, the car has been refined and perfected before being thoroughly cleaned before going into the paint booth.

The classic Daimler is being finished in its first round of epoxy primer ahead of the team paint matching the reworked areas to the original dark blue paintwork. The team laid down the primer layer by layer carefully allowing it to settle flat and evenly across the luxury 4 door saloon. With this stage done, it will be transferred back into the preparation area for the team to begin sanding and finishing before it goes back into the paint booth for the next stage.

Piece by Piece – Metalwork Continues on the 1978 MG B GT

April 20, 2022

The bodyshell of the 1978 MG B GT in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ has had more metal work repairs.

Rob, one of our restoration technicians, has been working his way methodically through the repairs needed to the car. The team have been working their way from the bottom to the top to make sure that everything is square and secure to the chassis. The biggest job tackled recently was remaking and resecuring the bottom of the drivers-side A-pillar which was heavily corroded and was allowing a lot of flex through the inner wheel arch and many of the pickup points for the door.

Along with that, Rob has finished welding the new door skin to the repaired door frame for the passenger side of the car. And with that, could bolt the door up to the car to double-check fitment and alignment.

© Bridge Classic Cars Holdings Ltd, T/ as Bridge Classic Cars. Registered in England and Wales with company number 5047706.