My Account
My Account

classic car restoration near me

The Next Stage – First Colour on the 1965 Porsche 912

March 10, 2022

The body panels of the 1965 Porsche 912 have gone into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop to have the first layers of colour laid onto the meticulously prepared pieces.

The car is being finished in a period-correct Porsche colour Polo Red.

Alan, one of our incredible painters, has been working on preparing the panels and pieces of the classic Porsche in preparation for this stage of the car’s bodywork. Each panel was perfectly sanded, cleaned and positioned inside the booth before he walked into our in-house spray booth/oven.

The first layer was light and delicate on the panels. Creating almost a pink covering before being allowed to set up and let the next coats adhere perfectly to the piece. Then, over time each layer was built up and allowed to flash off before the next round of Polo Red was laid onto and inside each of the pieces.

With these pieces curing in the ovens overnight, the next step is to prepare the body for the booth.

Changes – Modifying the Dash Surround of the 1970 Bristol 411 Left Hand Drive Conversion

March 10, 2022

The trim shop at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ in Suffolk have been working alongside the restoration workshop to convert the 1970 Bristol 411 to left-hand drive.

Part of that is modifying the dashboard of the car to the correct orientation in the cabin. With everything on the dash being moved from right to left, the instrument cluster needed to be reworked to line up with the existing woodwork and supports.

Referencing the car and the original dash pieces, Brian could make the precise and crucial cuts in the cluster to not only allow the wooden panel to sit in place but so that the existing material could be fitted back into the new cut with a perfect fit.

Top Work – Rust Repairs to the Sunroof of the 1987 Daimler Double Six

March 10, 2022

The fabrication team in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ are hard at work repairing the rust issues in the sunroof of the 1987 Daimler Double Six.

Monty has been working his way methodically through the entirety of the classic Daimler. This time he has turned his attention to the sunroof and sunroof opening of the car, which is showing some noticeable signs of corrosion both on the interior and exterior of the car. Firstly, the sunroof panel was removed and stripped back to best assess the piece.

With everything cleaned back, the level of corrosion could be seen and assessed. Monty began handmaking the various patch panels and pieces needed for both the roof panel and the sunroof rails. With all of these pieces carefully templated and made, the process of welding them into the car could begin.

Because of the tolerances in the sunroof mechanism, the welding process has to be precise and accurate as to not warp any of the pieces with the heat generated by welding.

Trimmed – Trimming the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Dash and Transmission Tunnel

March 10, 2022

With all of the preparations made by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop, the dashboard and transmission tunnel for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona has been retrimmed in all-new Alcantara.

Lydia has worked on creating a beautifully fitting and clean template for the new Alcantara covering for the pieces of the classic Ferrari replica. Now, it was time to begin the process of securing the material to the reshaped fibreglass panels.

Using specialist adhesives, the material was carefully stretched and glued down before being pinned in place to let the adhesives cure and strengthen.

Once the material was in place, Lydia could then begin trimming out the openings for things such as the dash vents, switchgear etc. and then proceeded to methodically glue down the tags and get the best finished possible for when the trim pieces were fitted back on to the car.

Coming Soon – 1985 Jaguar Double Six

March 10, 2022

Coming soon to Bridge Classic Cars is this stunning 1985 Jaguar Double Six.

The classic 4 door saloon will be arriving at our Pettistree workshops very soon to go through its full inspection and assessment by the restoration teams.

Expect to see more on the 1985 Jaguar Double Six very soon on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

This Just In – Team C Racing Classic Mini

March 10, 2022

The newest arrival to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Pettistree HQ is the first of the 3 classic Mini shells that the restoration teams will be working on for our friends at Team C Racing.

This car will be worked on by our paint and body teams to be transformed into a brown body/white roof classic Mini for Team C.

Keep a lookout on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates very soon on this classic Mini.

Changes – Working on the Steering Column of the 1970 Bristol 411

March 9, 2022

As part of the left-hand drive conversion of the Bristol 411, the Bridge Classic Cars workshop technicians have had to adapt the original column and shrowd to the new orientation.

Whilst the majority of the bulkhead and firewall have been adapted to the new left-hand drive conversion of the car, our restoration technician Paul has turned his attention to the steering column of the car. Especially the ignition barrel.

When the car was right-hand drive, the barrel would sit out at an angle and allow the driver to easily insert the key but, after the shrowd had been moved to the other side of the column as part of the conversion, the key couldn’t be easily put into the ignition. So, Paul worked on reworking the shrowd, column and barrel to get the access to the ignition as easy as possible for the new owner.

Assess and Repair – Removing and Repairing the Interior of the 1978 MGB GT

March 9, 2022

The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars worked on removing the interior of the 1978 MGB GT before it headed to our body shop to begin its rust repairs.

With the interior of the classic MGB removed and safely upstairs into our in-house trim shop, the team could begin working through the interior for the car.

The front seats of the sports car are in incredible condition, all that was needed was to tighten up the clips to pull the covers a touch tighter and regrease the mechanisms to avoid any unpleasant squeaking.

The rear seat of the MGB GT had slightly more wear, however. The ends of the foam panel underneath had deteriorated away so the trim team removed the cover and carefully cut and sectioned in new pieces to the ends of the base.

The next job was to strip back and inspect the rear squab panel. This involved the removal of all hardware, covers and foam from the panel.

Update – Progress on the 1968 MGC Roadster

March 9, 2022

The 1968 MGC Roadster in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Pettistree HQ has had a series of key jobs finished on the classic roadster.

Jon has been working on getting the MGC Roadster sorted for its new life. Ranging from the engine bay, under the dash and the wheels.

The first job was to fit up the new hoses which lead to the breather tank in the engine bay of the car. This is vital that any excess oil or any fumes are routed into a separate tank. There are several vent tubes associated with the 6-cylinder engine that are required to be routed to the catch can.

Next, he began to look into getting the heater cable fixed in place and linked up to the controller/dial on the dashboard of the MGC. With everything linked up, Jon could test the heating system in the cabin of the classic MGC.

A crucial job that needed to be done on the car was replacing one of the wheel bearings. Jon noticed that the wheel was making some small noises and allowed for some small movement back and forth when rocked.

With all of this done, the car can be completely road tested and signed off.

Teething Issue – Fixing the Door Mechanism on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster

March 9, 2022

The technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ have been working on a slight issue with the driver’s door on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster, Fern Grey.

Jon has been looking into the door mechanism which when the window is closed, cannot be opened from the inside.

Upon inspection, Jon found that the window regulator was interfering with the door latch mechanism and had knocked the release bar out of its guide. After removing the bar to modify and straighten the piece, he reinstalled the mechanism into the door and tested its function.

With the slight changes to the door release bar, everything was all okay after testing.

Stronger Together – Strengthening Panels in the Dash of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

March 8, 2022

The fibreglass dashboard on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona is being worked on by the trim team here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ.

Brian has been working on cutting new ply strengthening plates for the fibreglass to make sure it is rigid and strong for not only the retrimming of the pieces but also for when the dash is installed back into the car and allow for perfect fitment in the cabin of the classic Daytona replica.

Top End – Retrimming the Window and Sunroof Pieces from the 1987 Daimler Double Six

March 8, 2022

Several pieces from the interior of the 1987 Daimler Double Six have been transferred to the in-house trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars.

The trim team have been carefully deconstructing and stripping back the various pieces of trim and panels from the roof of the classic Daimler. The sunroof of the car was removed in order to be inspected and assessed before it will be retrimmed by the team.

Next, the headliner of the car was stripped back and the foam sanded to be readied for the new headliner for the car fitted very soon.

Finally, the trim team carefully took apart the rear window trim and after cleaning up the surface retrimmed it in brand new foam strips.

Top Board – Making the Rear Quarter Panel Top Boards for the 1955 Jensen 541

March 8, 2022

The top boards for the rear quarter panels on the interior of the 1955 Jensen 541 have been made by hand in our in-house trim shop at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.

Brian has made each individual piece by hand using original templates for the interior of the Jensen 541s. After they have been hand finished they will be retrimmed in the matching material to the rest of the car.

All-New – Recovering the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Dash in Alcantara

March 8, 2022

The dash for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona is continuing its journey with Bridge Classic Cars at our in-house trim shop.

The team have been working on transferring the pattern made on the black vinyl to the black Alcantara the owner has chosen. The new covering has been hand cut and stitched by Lydia to create a tight, elegant fit to the synthetic suede.

With these pieces now in their finishing stages, we’re excited to show you the next stage of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

Behind the Scenes – Photoshoot with the 1970 Morris Minor 1000

March 8, 2022

The Morris Minor is a beautiful link to a bygone day of motoring. A simplistic, utilitarian piece of British motoring history, but an icon taken on by driving culture as a source of happiness and easy-going driving joy.

This particular 1970 Morris Minor is possibly one of the nicest Minor 1000s to have ever passed through our workshops. As with all of our competition cars, the Minor has gone through our restoration departments before being cleared for filming and this one passed with flying colours. So, with that, it was taken over to our secure storage facility to have its photoshoot done.

The team at Bridge Classic Cars Competitions pulled the 52-year-old Almond Green Morris out of The Hangar. With a single turn of the key, the 4 cylinder engine cracked into life without the slightest hint of a stutter. Happily, the little 4 cylinder idled outside The Hangar as it warmed up ahead of filming.

Hayley got into the car and straight away began beaming. Her exact words ”This is such a happy little car!” and it certainly is. Everyone who has ever driven a Morris Minor will know that feeling of happily driving around with the world instantly being a better place. The Morris pulled away from The Hangar perfectly, cleanly pulling away in each gear towards our filming location. As we rounded the corner into the filming area, the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions team also couldn’t help but join in with the infectious smile of the dark green Morris.

Going through the process of filming and photoing the car, the Morris was faultless. It happily zoomed off with a rumbling, buzzy exhaust note and when it came time to brake for a corner there wasn’t the slightest hint of any movement in the car. Perfectly balanced.

Lap after lap, the car went perfectly. No matter the speed, no matter the weather, it just kept going happily along. As it bimbled along past the ferns and under the winter sun, it felt like we could have gone back in time. But either way, it was the perfect time with this beautiful Morris Minor.

Now, Bridge Classic Cars Competitions wants you to experience this feeling. This 1970 Morris Minor 1000 could be yours!

Discoveries – Finding a Leak on the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda

March 8, 2022

The 1969 Mercedes 280SL had begun the final stages of its testing since the engine and gearbox rebuild at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshops at our Pettistree HQ. During that testing, our restoration technicians discovered a leak.

Part of the tests on the classic Pagoda was to pressurise the cooling system of the car. During that crucial test, our technician John discovered a leak coming from underneath the dashboard. Removing various pieces of trim, he discovered the heater matrix for the car was leaking due to previous poor repairs at some point in the car’s life. With that, the heater matrix was removed from the car to be fully inspected.

After the inspection, it has been sent away to a Radiator and Heater Matrix specialist to be refurbished for the car.

Refurb – Wheels from the 2012 Mercedes SLK250

March 8, 2022

The wheels on the 2012 Mercedes SLK have seen better days. There’s some corrosion and paint flaking around the hub centres which is a common occurrence on this generation of Mercedes wheels. But, they can be refurbished!

Our good friends over at WheelWorx came down to the Pettistree workshop to assess the wheels and then safely remove them from the car to be taken back to their workshops to be entirely refurbished for this beautiful modern Mercedes convertible. Once these are back on the car, we can’t wait to show you the rest of it.

Auction – 1995 Dodge Viper RT/10 at the H&H Imperial War Museum Auction

March 7, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars 1995 Dodge Viper RT/10 will soon be headed to auction with auctioneers H&H Auctions.

Here’s what H&H’s James McWilliam had to say about our Viper:

”Wonderfully politically incorrect, the Dodge Viper was launched in January 1992. A pure American muscle car, it was conceived by Bob Lutz, Tom Gale, Francois Castaing and Carroll Shelby. Built around a tubular steel backbone frame equipped with all round double-wishbone independent suspension, vented disc brakes and power-assisted rack and pinion steering, it did without ABS or a traction control system. Extensively reworked by Lamborghini (another Chrysler subsidiary at the time), its 8 litre V10 former truck engine gained a new aluminium block and cylinder heads. Quoted as developing some 400bhp and 465lbft of torque, it was mated to a six-speed Borg Warner T-56 manual gearbox. Clad in lightweight resin transfer moulding glassfibre body panels, the targa-roofed RT/10 claimed a 0-60mph time of 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 165mph. Remaining in production until 2017, the Viper has long since attracted a cult following (though, later versions came with a far fuller complement of driver-aid electronics).

Finished in the eye-catching combination of Viper Red with White racing stripes and Dark Grey leather upholstery, ‘M2 EKO’ was imported from its native America in 2020. Riding on ‘chrome effect’ 18-inch alloys shod with low profile tyres, the two-seater features a removable roof panel and side windows and shows just 31,500 miles to its odometer. The steering wheel and seats are said to be in ‘incredible’ condition with minimal signs of wear. Reportedly a real ‘head turner’ whenever it is seen or heard in public, the Alpine stereo has its work cut out competing with the formidable 8 litre V10 rumble which emanates from the side pipe exhausts! Offered for sale with the original drivers’ pack, 2 sets of keys and V5C document. It is estimated that less than 100 Dodge Vipers are currently registered for UK road use.”

The car is presented for auction at the Imperial War Museum on Wednesday March 16th 2022. To view the car or to register your interest, click the link below.

View the 1995 Dodge Viper RT/10 at the H&H Imperial War Museum 2022 auction.

Preparations – The Doors of the 1987 Daimler Double Six in Primer

March 7, 2022

The doors from the 1987 Daimler Double Six have been moved from the body shop to the paint shop at Bridge Classic Cars.

The doors have been prepared for their first coat of primer before being taken back through into the body shop to be perfected and shaped in anticipation for the body shell to be moved into the department from the fabrication shop and readied for primer.

Reshaping – Body Work on the 1969 Bentley T1

March 7, 2022

The 1969 Bentley T1 is in the Bridge Classic Cars body shop to be reworked and perfected before it goes into the in-house paint booth.

The body shop team have been working on sanding and minimally filling the panels on the classic Bentley to ensure each body line and panel seamlessly blends into the next from the front to the back of the car.

Once the preparations are completed, the car will go back into the paint booth and then the team will move onto the next process.

Revisions – Modifying the Heater box of the 1970 Bristol 411

March 7, 2022

The 1970 Bristol 411 which is in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop to be converted to left-hand drive has to have several important pieces in the engine bay modified to fit the application.

One of these pieces is the heater box of the classic Bristol. The inlets and outlets of the heater box, once it has been rotated during its relocation across the firewall, were in entirely the wrong orientation. This means that our restoration technicians have had to modify and relocate each of the individual outlets. Along with that, other openings in the heater box has had to be blanked off and reopened 180 degrees out.

Sealed – The Boot Floor of the 1987 Daimler Double Six Seam Sealed

March 7, 2022

After the repairs to the boot floor of the 1987 Daimler Double Six – The Bridge Classic Cars teams have been working to make sure everything is sealed up tight.

The body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been underneath the and in the boot of the classic Daimler to seal any joints between the panels which make up the boot floor. This is crucial for the longevity of not just our repairs on the car but the longevity of the whole car itself.

Start of the Process – Retrimming the Dash of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

March 7, 2022

The dashboard from the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona is in with the Bridge Classic Cars trim shop to be recovered after its reshaping by the restoration technicians.

The dashboard has undergone several modifications and revisions while in the body shop, so with that, it has gone upstairs to our in-house trim shop to be retrimmed in black vinyl. This retrim is completely bespoke to the dash with every hole, seam and panel hand-cut and templated by the team.

Lydia made individual templates for each piece using reference materials and photos of the original Daytona pieces to first test fit for the vinyl pieces, and so that any revisions could be made to create an entire piece that fit the dashboard perfectly for the classic Daytona replica.

Neat and Tidy – Tidying Up The Engine Bay Wiring of the 1968 MGC Roadster

March 7, 2022

The restoration technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop have the fantastic 1968 MGC Roadster currently on the ramp to complete several jobs on the car. This time, it’s tidying up the wiring in the engine bay.

Jon has been methodically going through the wiring under the bonnet of the classic convertible sports car to make sure everything not only works correctly but is safely routed around the engine bay. System by system, he has grouped together separate parts of the harness and shielded them where necessary.

Final Pieces – Bumpers for the 1965 Porsche 912 in Primer

March 7, 2022

The final pieces for the 1965 Porsche 912 have gone into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop to have their final coat of primer.

The body shop team have worked on perfecting the shape and surface of the bumpers and valance panel from the classic Porsche before it went into the paint booth. This involved hours of shaping and sanding to get each individual piece to the correct shape.

Then, once each had been perfectly cleaned and prepared, Alan could lay the final coats of high build primer on the panels in preparation for the beginning of the colour process.

A Piece of the Puzzle – The 1954 Bristol 405’s Original Engine Returns

March 4, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Pettistree have received a very important shipment today. Not only is it important for the technicians in the restoration of the 1954 Bristol 405, but its important for the car itself.

The team at Bridge Classic Cars have managed to track down the car’s original engine. That’s right, this is the correct engine for the classic Bristol. The car is currently fitted with the engine from a Triumph TR6, but as part of the restoration of the car, its original heart will be put back into the 1950s GT car to live out the rest of its years with.

We’re excited to show you more on the 1954 Bristol 405 project very soon but for now, we get to marvel at the glorious Bristol straight-six.

This Just In – 1957 MGA Roadster

March 4, 2022

The latest arrival into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this beautiful 1957 MG A Roadster. Finished in fiery Red with contrasting white hardtop and wire wheels and perfectly aged red interior.

The car will soon go into the various departments to be inspected and assessed to see if anything needs to be done to this gorgeous 1950s sports car to get it running as good as it looks. Once the teams have looked through the car and given their report, you’ll see much more on this wonderful car here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Adjustments – Adjusting the Door Handles and Rear Lights on the 1968 MGC Roadster

March 4, 2022

The workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on the 1968 MGC Roadster.

Our technician Jon has been getting a series of jobs completed on the rare roadster ahead of its departure from the workshop. Jon has been adjusting the door handles for the car and realigning the strikers so that when the handle is pulled or the door is pushed back into place there’s no binding up of any of the mechanisms.

He has also been making sure all of the rear lights are secured into the car and that each and every function of the clusters works just at it should do.

Isolation – Fitting a Battery Isolator to the 1995 Dodge Viper RT/10

March 4, 2022

As the 1995 Dodge Viper RT10 heads from Bridge Classic Cars to the H&H Auctions, the workshop has fitted the important battery isolator.

As with all our classics and specialist cars, the workshop has fitted a battery isolator to the car. This is so when the car is being stored it won’t have any slow battery drains and also keep the car’s battery in the best possible condition with its new owner.

We get asked by a lot of our restoration clients to fit battery isolators/kill switches to cars. So, if you’re classic would benefit from this upgrade please get in touch!

Before and After – More Pieces of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Refinished

March 4, 2022

Both the workshop and paint teams at Bridge Classic Cars have been working together to clean up and refinish several pieces for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

The parts from the engine bay of the Daytona were meticulously sanded, cleaned and prepared the pieces before they were taken into our spray booth to be refinished in glossy and matte black depending on the piece.

After the pieces had completely cured and hardened, the workshop team could begin putting the parts back together and ready to be put back into the car.

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