Spot Welding Progress On The VW T4
James has been continuing his work with the VW T4 Transporter Campervan. He’s currently tackling the corrosion in the wheel arch by fabricating new elements.
James has been continuing his work with the VW T4 Transporter Campervan. He’s currently tackling the corrosion in the wheel arch by fabricating new elements.
Lydia has completed another seat cover using the same process as before. Brian and Kath have also been working at creating a cover for the
We’ve been contacted by someone with a unique Honda S800 who was enquiring about getting some bodywork repair done. We’re looking forward to seeing where
Eye spy a little turquoise mini! A little while ago, we worked on a 1967 Austin Mini 850 for Electric Classic Cars who aimed to
We recently had a request in for the valuation of this 1983 Ford Escort RS1600i. As part of our services, we offer classic car valuations,
Some American friends of Bridge have recently sent through some interesting stateside car news and stories. Hershey Car Show Our friends across the pond sent
The process of restoring a car is rarely linear, but that’s all part of the car’s journey. The plan for the 1957 Jensen 541R was
We’ve welcomed an iconic 1958 Jaguar XK150 into our trim shop.
As the story goes; the car was discovered having been stored in what looked to be a purpose-built building to hide the car during wartime.
Saturday dawned as a beautiful (and nippy) sunny day, and what better weather for a long-awaited delivery! Mauro drove the lorry over to drop off
This delightful 1963 Morris Minor 1000 came to us back in December 2019 and has undergone and fantastic transformation within the last year. It has
Brian has begun to strip down the interior of the 1979 Arrow Daytona in at Bridge Classic Cars. Carefully Brian and the trim team have
Its Jensen central here in the workshop! Our other Navy Jensen is currently undergoing some more work after the owner gave us the go-ahead to
The Grey Jensen is having some small alterations made to its doors. Currently, as they sit, the doors are slightly too wide to fit into
We weren’t kidding when we said we’re Jensen specialists! We’ve welcomed another beautiful Jensen into the workshop this week. This 1959 Silver Jensen 541R has
Our stunning 1960 Black Jensen 541R is on its final leg of its restoration journey and will soon be returned back to its owner. The
Here at Bridge Classic Cars, we’re a close-knit team and its not uncommon to have multiple family members, close friends and couples working together. Lydia
Our lovely Nissan 300ZX is almost finished. We’re just waiting on an Alternator Belt to arrive, which we will fit once its arrived. We solved
We’re delighted to announce our beautiful 1972 Peugeot 504 is ready to finally leave us! We just need to do a few final road checks
Our lovely 1984 Lada 1200 is leaving today! We’ve completed all the work which included repairing and respraying the rusty floors, replacing the exhaust silencer,
We’ve sent off a collection of our dials back to Speedograph to refurbish them. These all belong to our Lilac Jensen 541R, the Amphicar, the
Just before Christmas, we discovered an issue with the Amphicar’s gearbox which had become noisy. We decided to take it out and inspect the elements.
The Lada 1200 has had new seat belts added in the back. Our technician Paul has also modified the exhaust rear box to make it
We know this year has presented some challenging and difficult times for everyone but we wanted to say thank you to all our clients and
The clutch pedal had worn where the clevis pin goes through which allowed for too much movement on the pedal, so the clutch was not
Our 1957 Grey Jensen 541R has had its dash pad rail, roof pad and boot refurbished by our specialists in the trim shop. Brian has
Receiving letters like the one below is what makes all our hard work even more worth it. We took on Mike’s lovely 1960 MG A
Our new competition car, the 1979 Chevrolet Corvette has come into the workshop for a small repair. We discovered there was an issue with the
The 504 has had its final checks and tuning before its test run. These final tweaks are to ensure that the car is running smoothly
What better way to float along the road, than in your Willow Gold Rolls Royce Corniche. A month or so back we went out to
James has been continuing his work with the VW T4 Transporter Campervan. He’s currently tackling the corrosion in the wheel arch by fabricating new elements. James found that he struggled to get his spot welder into the smaller and more awkward parts of the wheel arch, so instead had to fabricate some bespoke patches.
Here you can see his welding and replacement parts. James will need to do the same on the other side next, and then move onto the wings to ensure that all of the corrosion has been address before it enters the paint bay. With properly engineered components, this beloved TR4 will be able to continue providing memorable adventures.
Lydia has completed another seat cover using the same process as before. Brian and Kath have also been working at creating a cover for the dashboard.
The dashboard process included measuring out and cutting the leather and cutting out holes for the dials, sewing around the edges to make for a neat fold and fit, and then sticking it all to the dash and then turning over the fabric, pulling it tight to create a neat fit.
We’ve been contacted by someone with a unique Honda S800 who was enquiring about getting some bodywork repair done. We’re looking forward to seeing where this enquiry takes us so keep your eyes peeled!
Eye spy a little turquoise mini! A little while ago, we worked on a 1967 Austin Mini 850 for Electric Classic Cars who aimed to turn it into a 300hp electric-powered classic.
Bridge Classic Cars worked on restoring this charming mini and handed it over Electric Classics to finish. Our final touch was the bodywork preparation and paintwork. Our Paint Shop finished the vehicle in a dazzling ‘Surf Blue’.
We love following its progress and can’t wait to see the finished product!
We recently had a request in for the valuation of this 1983 Ford Escort RS1600i. As part of our services, we offer classic car valuations, whether its to help a customer decide whether to sell their car or for insurance policies.
Some American friends of Bridge have recently sent through some interesting stateside car news and stories.
Our friends across the pond sent us these lovely photos from the Hershey Car show in 2019. We love seeing classics from all around the world as every country has such a unique style. Hershey car show is located in Hershey, Pennsylvania and is dedicated to classic and collectors cars. But Hershey is of course also famous for its famous chocolate and sweets.
The Pontiac GTO Survivor is the iconic American muscle car, its embodies everything that muscle cars are. Tom Kennedy wrote a feature for The Legend magazine about his history with his beloved GTO Survivor, which you can read below.
The process of restoring a car is rarely linear, but that’s all part of the car’s journey. The plan for the 1957 Jensen 541R was to have original chrome pieces installed onto the side of the doors however our client decided that he didn’t want these pieces and to leave them off for now. We’ve welded the holes closed and will begin to paint over them. It’s crucial for us that our clients have the ability and freedom to pitch in ideas and change their minds, after all, these restorations are all bespoke for a reason!
This iconic 1958 Jaguar XK150 is known as the grandfather of classic cars, the epitome of class and the ever chased after classics. With only 6,713 ever produced, it lay claim to the greatest post-war sports car ever made. Known for its superb performance, its true testament to great British engineering.
Its currently with us for a partial trim restoration.
As the story goes; the car was discovered having been stored in what looked to be a purpose-built building to hide the car during wartime. Whether this was to protect the car from any war damage or to hide it away from sight. Bought recently by Bridge Classic Cars to restore at leisure is our 1905 Riley 9hp. Let’s face it, it is never going to happen without a new owner eager already secured and a definite date in the diary for us to start.
One of only three in existence; one being in Gaydon Motor Museum, our one and one other. Gaydon Motor Museum was kind enough to give us access to allow us to extensively photograph their car to assist us in this relatively simple restoration project.
Simple as there is not much to it and we have as far as we can see most parts to complete. The main part known to be missing is the superb brass radiator. Which can be re-manufactured.
Amazingly, the car benefits from many brand new parts; five newly manufactured wheels, cycle mud guards, top bonnet area, crown wheel and pinion etc. The wooden body is remarkable for its age and only requires repair and sympathetic restoration. This is not destined to be a new 1905 car. It should be restored, original parts repurposed to show the history and origins of the car. We will use all existing parts that we can.
We have running lights, trembler etc and everything to make her what she was then. The engine has good compression and the gearbox appears to function as we would expect.
The interior will need to be totally renewed but we do have the original to copy and the old will be preserved and framed as a valuable part of her 116-year existence.
We have a current V5 in our name. Three folders of superb history and manuals. This is totally unrepeatable build and history has already proved that a car such as this is very valuable and a growing asset for any collector, enthusiast, but more importantly a major part of any classic collection.
This is as classic as you can get and the only thing missing (well, the main thing) is an owner. We understand that to most people interested in this timeless classic will also want to follow through on the process of restoration. This is why we’ve set the price as POA (Price On Application). We encourage curiosity about this charming motor and would like to hope that an individual who’s interested in purchasing it, would also want to have it fully restored with us.
You can enquire here or send us an email at info@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk
Saturday dawned as a beautiful (and nippy) sunny day, and what better weather for a long-awaited delivery! Mauro drove the lorry over to drop off our charming 1963 Morris Minor 1000 which was received by its delighted owners.
We offer car transportation, logistics and delivery, so if you’re in need of a helping hand to pick up, drop off or transport your car, you can get in touch on 01473 742038 or email us on info@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk
This delightful 1963 Morris Minor 1000 came to us back in December 2019 and has undergone and fantastic transformation within the last year. It has had rust correction, bodywork, new paint, new interiors, engine restoration, new wiring and a chassis rejuvenation during its time with us.
Morris Minor convertibles have always been seen as a premium touring car of that generation. Morris Minors, in general, are full of charm and instantly recognisable. From an engineering and mechanics side, they’re also built extremely well and make a reliable classic that is also suitable for everyday use. The Morris Minor was the first car built in the UK to sell more than one million vehicles.
Now that the restoration has been completed, its time for us to wish this Morris farewell as we send it back to its owner tomorrow. We hope this delightful vehicle will be enjoyed for many years to come.
Brian has begun to strip down the interior of the 1979 Arrow Daytona in at Bridge Classic Cars.
Carefully Brian and the trim team have removed all of the carpeting and necessary trim panels to get access to both the dash and centre console which will be removed and stored before their restoration starts.
Along with the interior trim pieces, the wiring for the cabin has also been removed and catalogued for future reference once the car is back in the workshop to be reassembled.
Its Jensen central here in the workshop! Our other Navy Jensen is currently undergoing some more work after the owner gave us the go-ahead to continue their restoration.
Paul has cleaned the brake discs, removing existing grease sat on the elements. Paul has also taken apart the disks and taken out some other debris that had sat in there. We’ve also fitted new brake lines and callipers on the back. The brake pipes have been redone, as well as the kingpins and bushes replaced. The front brakes have be been upgraded and the new brake lines have been fitted.
The Grey Jensen is having some small alterations made to its doors. Currently, as they sit, the doors are slightly too wide to fit into the B-post, so we have managed to make some subtle alterations to the door and the aluminium trim to allow the door itself to fit more comfortably into the body.
We weren’t kidding when we said we’re Jensen specialists! We’ve welcomed another beautiful Jensen into the workshop this week. This 1959 Silver Jensen 541R has come in for a diagnosis on the engine.
We’ve assessed the vehicle and have discovered a list of faults including the need for new core plugs, new rocker shaft and for an oil leak to be corrected. We’re are glad to find that the engine starts despite the faults. We are currently in conversation to see if the client wants the engine to be taken apart and refurbished or not.
After speaking to the client, we’ve decided to start addressing the faults without carrying out a full engine rebuild as this car will soon be used as an everyday car. Ady, out engine specialist, has had the car up and running as well as removing the old core plugs, cleaning the waterways and fitting new core plugs/
Our stunning 1960 Black Jensen 541R is on its final leg of its restoration journey and will soon be returned back to its owner. The recent additions include the oil filter which has recently been re-fitted, the start motor was installed along with a new exhaust. All the components are currently being put back into the car before it has its final paint correction and can then be road tested.
A large part of the final tweaks in a restoration project is reassembling all of the elements after parts have been fitted, which is usually the last stage before the road test.
Here at Bridge Classic Cars, we’re a close-knit team and its not uncommon to have multiple family members, close friends and couples working together. Lydia and Scott are two of our talented technicians who also happen to be a couple. Like a snapshot from the 1940’s era, Scott and Lydia are fascinated by a vintage way of living. As very hands-on individuals, both have led careers in the trade.
Lydia, who only recently joined us, works in our Trim shop and has joined our team of specialist interior trim technicians. Lydia tells us she’s always been into sewing since she was a child, and has always enjoyed being creative, which she says is what she enjoys about working at Bridge. “I love the free reign and the creativity here, I’d never done any of the fitting before so being able to see the whole process is really interesting.”
“I started getting into classic cars when I began going to classic car shows as a teenager and I just ended up wanting one for myself. I’ve never bought a modern car because of it. My first car was a 1961 Morris Minor 1000, my second car was a 1952 Ford Prefect and now I own a 1953 Austin A40 Somerset.”
Not only is Lydia a talented seamstress and interior technician, but she also loves the classic lifestyle, that comes hand in hand with many of the cars that we work on. Lydia tells us that she really loves the challenge that comes with a restoration workshop as she learns the bespoke process of making and fitting each car’s interior, “I really love learning new and different skills” she tells us.
Lydia’s skills don’t just stop at car interiors as she tells us she used to make her own clothes and is currently in the middle of making home furnishings for their new house which is also a classic.
Scott is also a lover of classic and vintage lifestyles. He tells us that he grew up watching his father fix cars and picked it up from there, “I’ve always loved cars, I’ve never really cared about much else.”
Much like Lydia, Scott lives and breathes classic cars, with it not only his passion and career but also his personal hobby. Scott owns an artillery of classic cars including a 1940 Tudor Sudan and a Series 2 Land Rover, among various others. His Land Rover is his and Lydia’s current day to day, which he tells us he bought when in search of a run-around car whist we worked on his other projects, “You have to think of it as a tractor. Many people think its uncomfortable but I don’t, I’ve enjoyed driving it”
Scott used to work as a panel beater for cars caught in accidents but tells us that being at Bridge has allowed him to grow and learn much more about the overall process of renovating classics. Whilst Scott joined as a fabricator and general technician, he soon found his love for working in the main workshop where he had the ability to do a bit of everything. You can find Scott working on projects that range from fitting interior trims, fixing alignment issues in the fabrication bay or working over an engine in the main workshop, “I learn something new every day”.
“I’ve always loved cars, I’ve never really cared about much else.”
Scott’s own long term project is building a workshop at his house which will allow him to work on his collection of cars. The car that will take centre stage in his new workshop will be building a Ford Model A with a flathead V8 installed. This will be a full rebuild, starting with the Model A chassis and working up. He’s currently got a ‘hopped-up’ flathead V8 in his 1940 ford, meaning the Ford A project will come with some previous transferable skills.
Our lovely Nissan 300ZX is almost finished. We’re just waiting on an Alternator Belt to arrive, which we will fit once its arrived.
We solved the running issues which we originally thought were linked to the cold start motor but were in fact linked to the air filter taking in too much air. Once the alternator belt has been fitted, one of the technicians will take the Nissan for a spin to see how it runs and as long as it passes its road test without any snags, it’ll be sent up to our hanger to be stored until the owner is ready to pick it up.
We’re delighted to announce our beautiful 1972 Peugeot 504 is ready to finally leave us! We just need to do a few final road checks but it’s otherwise completed and will be returned to its owner very soon.
Our lovely 1984 Lada 1200 is leaving today! We’ve completed all the work which included repairing and respraying the rusty floors, replacing the exhaust silencer, fitting rear seatbelts, adjusting the rear brakes and adjusting the handbrake cable. This soviet classic is now ready to get back on the road.
It was another crisp and dreary morning this morning as our technicians loaded the Lada into our new lorry, ready to make its way back to its owner.
With fewer than 200 on the roads in the UK, the Lada is now a rare vehicle. Originally manufactured and popular in Russia, around 134,000 were licenced for UK roads in the 1990s. After a sharp decline over the years, you’d typically struggle to find a classic Lada in the UK however those figures are slowly rising as the value and rarity of these motors increase.
Here’s some photos of when the Lada first came in:
We’ve sent off a collection of our dials back to Speedograph to refurbish them. These all belong to our Lilac Jensen 541R, the Amphicar, the Peony Red Jensen and a Mercedes.
Just before Christmas, we discovered an issue with the Amphicar’s gearbox which had become noisy. We decided to take it out and inspect the elements. You can read about the diagnosis here.
The gearbox has been sent to Last Transmissions to be overhauled and replace the bearings. Once this has been done and is back with us, we hope to get it back together again and put on the water.
The Lada 1200 has had new seat belts added in the back. Our technician Paul has also modified the exhaust rear box to make it shorter as the original, which you cannot buy anymore, was too long.
We know this year has presented some challenging and difficult times for everyone but we wanted to say thank you to all our clients and followers who have continued to support us and keep up to date with our projects. With more areas in the South East going into Tier 4 soon, we hope everyone will keep safe.
With only 2 sleeps until Christmas, we want to let you know that our workshop will be closed from 24th December at 5 pm to 4th January 2021. You can still reach us via our phone number over the festive period if needed.
But until then, have a wonderful Christmas and a happy, and healthy, new year! We’ll be back in the office bright and early on the 4th of January.
The clutch pedal had worn where the clevis pin goes through which allowed for too much movement on the pedal, so the clutch was not releasing as it should.
The remedy was to weld up the elongated slot and re-drill it to the correct size, unfortunately, the whole pedal box had to be removed to do this operation.
The next step is to test the clutch and check its ready to hit the road again!
Our 1957 Grey Jensen 541R has had its dash pad rail, roof pad and boot refurbished by our specialists in the trim shop.
Brian has removed the old cover of the dash rail, added more foam and wadding, glued on a new cover, added leather around the brackets and fit it all back onto the dash board.
The ceiling pad has also been refurbished. The old cover has been removed, as have the brackets and vinyl. New wadding has been glued into place over the original foam. Fresh vinyl has been cut and glued on, the edges folded over and the brackets refitted. Once these steps were completed, the ceiling pad was fitted back in again.
The boot lid has had new foam added into its indentations. The carpet has been glued onto the boot lid, leaving holes for the boot support rods and latch.
Receiving letters like the one below is what makes all our hard work even more worth it. We took on Mike’s lovely 1960 MG A in 2019 as a barn find. In just over a year, we restored it back to its original beauty. Hearing Mike’s story is a treasured reminder of how each and every classic car comes full of fond memories and stories, and it’s our job to keep these vehicles going so they can collect more stories.
The letter reads:
Dear Gordon and Craig,
There are few things in life more gratifying than to sit behind the wheel of your first car, 50 years later and to experience once again the thrill of a 19 year old!
In little over a year, you have transformed my MGA from a wreck into a beautiful machine. I appreciate very much the work you have done for me.
With my thanks and very best wishes,
Mike
P.s Please do post this on your website if you wish.
You can see here what the MG A looked like when we found it and what it looked like afterwards, as well as some sentimental photos of it back in the day.
Our new competition car, the 1979 Chevrolet Corvette has come into the workshop for a small repair. We discovered there was an issue with the power steering wherein a leak had occurred. This was easily resolved by replacing cutting off the cracked part of the hose and reinstalling it as the component was long enough already to amend.
The 504 has had its final checks and tuning before its test run. These final tweaks are to ensure that the car is running smoothly however it’s not uncommon for test drives to uncover more smaller issues. Fingers crossed it passes with flying colours!
What better way to float along the road, than in your Willow Gold Rolls Royce Corniche.
A month or so back we went out to Hintlesham Hall to shoot this stunning Rolls Royce Corniche which we currently have listed for sale.
Sympathetically restored by Bridge Classic Cars’ master vehicle technicians, any poor condition metalwork has been replaced with fresh metal, prior to a full respray. We repainted the car in original Willow Gold but opted to complement this with dual-tone Wendy Brown lower sections.
The interior is a lovely place to be and we have completed no works in this area. The Magnolia seats piped in brown and the woodwork is aged to compliment the whole car. Comes with lambswool over mats. It also has the benefit of LPG but we have not tested this and it will be tested prior to sale. If required, we can remove the LPG system.
The 8-track player and radio are in situ.
The engine and gearbox are superb. There are no unwanted noises from anywhere on this car. She is silky smooth and changes gear effortlessly.
Although not required, it will be MOT’d prior to collection after sale. She has an extensive history and has covered just 71,000 miles from new.
You can find out more here.
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