Some of you may remember the 1984 Jaguar XJ bonnet and boot that a customer had asked us to refinish. The rest of the car had been painted elsewhere but that isn’t a problem for our in-house paint team.
After working on the rust repairs for the panels and making sure the surfaces were flat and true, Chris and the team got to the meticulous job of paint matching.
Thanks to our state of the art paint system as well as years of experience, Chris managed to exactly match the shade and hue of deep, vibrant maroon for this classic Jaguar. The results look incredible.
Chris and the team take their time with the prepping of each individual piece that needs painting and that also includes laying the primer in just the right way that it sits and shines just in the right way for the colour coat to achieve the best finish.
As you might have seen in our previous post on the 1951 Riley RMB here at Bridge Classic Cars, James has been hard at work getting the wings into the best shape possible.
James, our expert in-house fabricator, has been working on the Riley for quite some time. A lot of the panels needed extensive repairs and reworking to be useable in the restoration of this beloved classic. The rear wings are currently the pieces on James’s bench.
After James worked the repair patches into the original wing, he then had to work them carefully and methodically to ensure they met the original shape and dimensions of the car. Also, he has to make sure both sides are identical. This takes a highly skilled hand and incremental adjustments to achieve the finish you see before you.
James has blended new pieces into the originals and almost seamlessly blended new and old together through the medium of metal. Any adjustment to the piece also means that the entire panel must be checked to see if it has caused any sort of distortion elsewhere.
But, these wings are looking absolutely incredible for when they eventually meet back up on the car.
Tamas and Paul, our in-house restoration technicians have been busy refitting the wiring harness, accessories, engine and gearbox back into the 1998 Honda Integra Type R that is in at Bridge Classic Cars.
Using reference photos and the catalogued parts from the dismantling of the car, the whole engine bay now looks as good as new.
Next stages for the Integra will be to get the vehicle back together before final check overs. Expect to see more here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
The in-house trim experts at Bridge Classic Cars have been hard at work. Teaming up to conquer the interior of the 1970 Dodge Charger.
One of the jobs on the list for the interior refit was to fit the signature dome light. This involved a small hole in the brand new headliner for the wires to be passed through. Thankfully with the skill of our trim fitters, you would never know it was ever there and the outings all lined up to be able to secure the light to the roof.
Next up, Brian began to work on getting the new rearview mirrors to the doors of the Charger. These mirrors are so iconic to the Charger that their placement is crucial. Brian, one of our in house trim experts, carefully measured up and mocked up the mirrors countless times before drilling the holes for the fixings to pass through. Once in place, the mechanisms to control the mirrors can be installed to make them fully functional.
Our in-house engine builder at Bridge Classic Cars, Ady, has been working at trying to get to the bottom of the oil leak with the 1963 Jaguar MkII 3.4.
At idle, the engine would behave itself perfectly. Not a spot of oil but any higher in the revs and it would begin to leak. Ady has spent countless hours hanging over the engine bay of the MkII trying to get to the root cause of the issue. He believes he has found the cause.
Upon inspection for the oil leak, Ady has found the bores in several cylinders to be heavily scored.
With some of the pistons, the rings have too much play in them and allow a lot of the cylinder head pressure to escape past the rings, down the cylinder and into the crankcase. With this added pressure, it begins to push the oil out to any opening that may have a weakness.
The rear main seal on the MkII 3.4’s is a split seal design. Meaning at the bottom engine they are cut to allow them to be slipped into place during installation. This, with the added crankcase pressure, has been pushing the oil from the crankcase through the rear seal and out. So a combination of pistons slop, ring movement and too much crankcase pressure have been causing the leak we have been searching for.
The only remedy for this in Ady’s experience, is a full engine rebuild with new parts including a rebore to clean up the cylinder walls.
Keep an eye on the Bridge Classic Cars blog for more updates on the MkII 3.4.
The frame and body for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 that is with us here at Bridge Classic Cars have been separated ahead of the frame being sent off for powder coating.
The body will remain here with our in-house paint and body teams to continue work while we wait for the other parts to come back.
Powder coating frames gives not only the best finish but the best protection for the chassis so it’s worthwhile having it done to this amazing car.
The 1954 Jaguar MkVII that was in with us for restoration is back in the workshop to look into a leak from under the car.
Upon inspection by the Bridge Classic Cars restoration team, it was found to be an issue with a gearbox seal. This has been sent away to a specialist gearbox expert to have the proper rectified in order to the engine and gearbox back in the car as soon as possible.
Keep a look out on the News Page for more updates on the Jaguar MkVII
Bridge Classic Cars will soon be welcoming a new car into our in-house trim shop. Soon, this bright yellow big block 1966 Ford Thunderbird will be coming in to have its dash pad assessed by our trim team.
As you can see, its seen better days. But, our trimmer can work wonders.
Keep an eye on the news page to see more on this amazing American icon.
October 21, 2021 11:54 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Chris and the paint shop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been hard at work on the front bumper of the 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera S in for some paint repairs on the front bumper.
Rather than try to blend the paint into the existing finish, Chris thought to get a better result would be to entirely repaint the bumper and match it to the body.
As you can see, the results look fantastic. Now, the Carrera is ready to go back home to its adoring owner.
October 21, 2021 11:15 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Those who have been following the blog for a while may remember the 1994 Piaggio Ape we talked about back in July.
Well, it is now in our workshop being inspected ahead of its MOT. Our in-house restoration team at Bridge Classic Cars wanted to check over all the systems on the van/scooter to make sure there would be no problems.
During loading at our storage unit at RAF Bentwaters, Mauro (whose grandfather originally owned this amazing little car) found the throttle cable had snapped so as soon as he got back to the workshop, a new replacement was put on order. While waiting for the cable, Mauro began to strip down the brakes and bearings on the Ape to inspect all of the components and make sure everything was in tip-top condition.
The front drum apparently needs a new shoe but apart from that the little machine seems to be in very good condition.
We’re looking forward to having fun with this one!
October 21, 2021 10:46 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Our incredibly talented trim-shop experts have been hard at work on the 1970 Dodge Charger currently in at Bridge Classic Cars.
Next on the list of pieces that need to be done in order is the rear parcel shelf. For this, Kath had to make it from scratch. Creating a tight-fitting template, it was then cut from ply and covered to match the rest of the interior.
Kath even repainted the original fixings to make sure all originality could be kept and create a uniform look to the car.
After it was wrapped in matching material, the trim team fit it into the car and it looks absolutely amazing in the back of this wonderful muscle car.
October 21, 2021 10:29 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body experts have been busy assessing the 1977 MGB Roadster that is in with us for Aesthetic restoration.
Chris and the team careful began to take apart and inspect every aspect of the car. Removing the interior to assess condition but also to gain access to vital structural parts of the car’s chassis. In all, the car’s underpinnings were in relatively good shape. However, some of the body panels will require work done to them in order for this stunning little roadster to be in the best condition possible.
Chris and Lydia then began to remove the paint for each of the panels to assess any more repairs that will be needed in terms of bodywork.
October 21, 2021 10:15 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The doors on the 1951 Riley RMB have got some beautiful wooden trims inset around the window openings. Sometimes it’s best to leave things like carpentry to the specialists who know and understand the material they’re working with more than anyone else.
So, the doors have been sent off to local joiners Ashbocking Joinery to be refurbished. These are a very important part of the aesthetic of the car not only the door so as with everything we do, we only want it to be the highest standard for our client.
We can’t wait to show you what they look like when we get them back! Keep an eye out here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
Kath has been working on test fitting the carpet on the 1970 Dodge Charger in the trim shop of Bridge Classic Cars.
To check the best fit on the carpet, she has had to mock up the rear seat in place. It looks incredible! The carpet does need to be stretched and skillfully manipulated into its final place but the results so far are looking amazing.
More very soon on the 1970 Dodge Charger here at Bridge Classic Cars.
Our incredible in-house paint team have begun work on the part repairs to the 2008 Porsche 911 Carrera S at Bridge Classic Cars.
There were a few small scuffs and scratches in several areas of the bump. Carefully, Chris and his team removed the bumper from the car in order to prepare it for assessment and the repairs needed.
With that, the plan was made to entirely repaint the front bumper. Carefully colour matching the paint to the rest of the car, Chris got the bumper into the booth and laid down several coats of gloss black onto the panel.
We’ve been waiting on the radiator/gearbox cooler for the 1999 Mercedes E55 AMG, but it is now in the car ready for it to be tested.
Some may remember from the previous post, our technician Paul, found a leak coming from the radiator which on the E55’s also acts as a gearbox cooler. Unfortunately, this required it to be replaced with a brand new unit to ensure both the V8 and its gearbox remain well within their operating temperatures.
Now that the new unit is in the car, our in house technicians can begin testing the various systems to ensure that this ’90s super wagon is ready to be used and enjoyed.
Our master fabricator James has been busy in the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop carefully and methodically recreating the windshield surround on the 1951 Riley RMB.
Using traditional shaping methods, James has recreated the original tops of the cowl/windshield surround. The shape is complex with many compound curves and edges but that is no trouble for our in-house fabrication shop. Carefully manipulating the metal through the English wheel and the shrink/stretcher, James managed to create the same sweeps and bends of the original.
Then with the hammer and dolly, finessing the final shape into place. Then, it was time to do it all over again for the otherside. The only way to create this piece was in two separate parts. The skill that our master fabricators have is the seamlessly blend them together.
The two halves were then welded together to create one entire panel that can be fitted into the windshield surround. Later, the welds will be ground back to create a smooth finished piece and then cut down to size for the perfect fit.
Our 1966 Sunbeam Alpine is freshly back from its time at the 78th Goodwood Members Meeting last weekend and it’s now time to have its tonneau cover fitted.
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim experts worked hard to get the new cover fitted and sitting just right on the back of this bright blue ’60s sportscar. Brian worked on getting the hardware fitted into the body of the car in just the right place to tightly pull the black cover in each way to make sure it flowed and sat well on the car.
Our in-house trim team can work wonders with just about any material they are given for a job. This, is a perfect example of the time, care and dedication given to a job by Brian, Kath and Lydia.
On Thursday (October 21st) the car will be part of a live draw over on our Facebook page where we will find out who the next lucky owner of this wonderful little sports car will be.
Tickets are still available! Just click the link below to head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website.
Recently, Bridge Classic Cars were asked to come and view a nearby classic collection including several different Ford Model T’s along with a Chevrolet and a Maxwell.
These were part of a collection by a local gentleman who sadly could not care for the cars and the hundreds if not thousands of pieces of memorabilia and spare parts.
After viewing the collection, we gave the family some advice on what to do with the parts and we hope they all go to good homes.
Interesting to know what’s just around your corner…
After we had built up the stand it was time to get some rest before the first day of the 2021 Goodwood Members Meeting.
We were up before dawn and on-site before the first members had even come through the gates. What surrounded us, was pure motoring heaven. The first group of icons we found were not destined for life on the tarmac. This selection of rally cars was absolutely mind-blowing. From the Peter Solberg 2003 Impreza WRC all the way to the Mk2 Escort driven by the master that was Ari Vatanen.
However, things hadn’t even begun yet…
The morning was cold and the dampness hung in the air. The clouds threatened the morning’s proceedings with their presence alone. As the movements of people ebbed and flowed through the tunnels under the main straight, the excitement built. The stillness of a mid-October morning was broken by the opera that could only come from a herd of classic touring cars.
We had stumbled into the staging for the Gerry Marshall Trophy. This was a practice session before the afternoons qualifying for these Group1 Touring Cars. To be eligible, they must have been raced between 1970 and 1982 with full FIA period history.
A varied stable of classic racers lined up along the leafed road. Before being allowed out to appropriately stretch their legs. The ground shook with the war cries of the 8 cylinder Opels and Mustangs while the buzz of the 4 cylinder cars finished off this symphony of speed.
Find out more about the first day at the 78th Goodwood Members Meeting on our next blog post!
October 18, 2021 11:52 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Coming soon to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this stunning 1969 Mercedes Benz 250SE Automatic W111 Coupe!
This will be making its way into us for assessment ahead of the plans that are being considered for its future. This is an incredible example of the W111 and 1960s German luxury which Mercedes were renowned for from its earliest days all the way to the present day.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for any updates on this gorgeous example.
October 14, 2021 12:44 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1970 Dodge Charger is in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop to be fitted out with its interior.
Brian, one of our in-house trim experts, has been cleaning up the Dashboard and Centre Console ready to be put into the car when that point comes. With such effort being put into the fit and finish of the pieces for the rest of the interior, Brian got to work getting the dash and console up to the same standard.
Now with these and the kick panels all up to the same standard as the rest of the car, it was time to safely store these pieces away for when the time comes to install them into the car.
October 14, 2021 11:45 amPublished by Craig Ranson
This 1930 Packard 740 Series Waterfield Convertible has been in at Bridge Classic Cars recently for a check over and service.
Currently, our Workshop Manager John has been looking into an issue with the alignment of the front end. The front end of the car isn’t quite right, so some adjustment is needed on the car to make sure it tracks straight and true. Normally this can be done quite easily but with the Packard, everything is slightly different.
The steering arm located under the front axle won’t rotate enough for John to adjust the alignment on the car. For that, John tried to remove the ball joint on one side in order to unscrew one side and then adjust it out that way. Except the ball joint won’t come loose.
These pre-war cars carry a lot of weight on the front axle so their alignment is very important. John is trying several different ways to get the steering arm loose to make sure this beautiful piece of 1930s American luxury, tracks absolutely straight.
October 14, 2021 11:43 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body specialists need to know they’ve done a job absolutely right. So, once the 1984 BMW 635CSi came in to be assessed it was clear its first stop was going to be with Chris.
Chris carefully stripped back the paint in very specific sections to expose a series of questionable body repairs as well as addressing some very light rust bubbles beneath the rear lights. Behind the rear lights, a lot of damage had been done by the rust. So, a new section of the light cluster housing had to be made and out into the bodywork of this 1980s icon.
After the rust repair section was in, Chris turned his attention to the areas that stood out to him. Mainly where large amounts of body filler had been packed in previous damage. Painstakingly and slowly, Chris removed the filler in order to work the panels back into shape with only the most minimal amount of filler to be used.
Then it was time to tape and mask up the car in the booth. The results are incredible. But, you’ll have to wait for the next update to get a look at the makeover on the 1984 BMW 635CSi at Bridge Classic Cars.
October 14, 2021 11:09 amPublished by Craig Ranson
New to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this 1977 MG B Roadster. It is in with us for a full aesthetic restoration which will include a brand new paint job along with a full interior, a new convertible hood and a new radio.
Work will begin shortly and getting this iconic sportscar stripped down and ready for our in-house paint team to work their magic on the car.
Expect to see much more on this MG B Roadster on the news page on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
October 14, 2021 10:55 amPublished by Craig Ranson
As with any classic car, you want to try and exercise a certain amount of reserve and caution when working on them. Try to be sympathetic to their age and their condition. So, when the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 that we have had in at Bridge Classic Cars developed a misfire our in-house restoration team did everything they could before having to dive deep.
The XJ6 has had its fuel tanks replaced, new fuel lines and was tested by our technicians. Before the tanks were replaced this classic Jaguar had real trouble staying running. Now though, it will run for as long as there is fuel in it. However, now that it was running long enough, Dave noticed a misfire on the big straight-six.
Originally Dave thought it to be connected to the ignition system. It would arc out to the nearest metal point. We also discovered exposed wires in the connectors that join the condenser. Those were all then replaced along with the HT leads but to no avail. It had got marginally better but the misfire was still rather prominent.
With that, our in-house engine guru Ady was called in to take a look at the straight-six. The only thing left to do was to gently remove the cylinder head. Carefully and patiently, Ady eased the head from the block to expose the pistons but more importantly the head gasket. On the cylinder closest to the firewall, the gasket was in tatters. The XJ6 had blown a head gasket. Also, Ady had noticed coolant marks down the side of the block. Another sign that the gasket is not sitting correctly between the cylinder head and the engine block.
With that, it also damaged the chamber of the corresponding cylinder in the head. A large chunk of material is missing from between the leading edges of the valve. But, all may not be lost. The head is currently in the process of being stripped down and assessed so that a plan can be made to get this wonderful straight-six back in action.
Once the plan for the XJ6 engine has been confirmed, work will begin to get the car back to its former glory.
Our in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working hard to get the interior of the 1970 Dodge Charger back together. One of the key points of the cars looks is the brightwork and the window lines.
The rear quarter windows are pillarless. They must fit up and move perfectly to the window in the door, so they give the best overall look to the car. It’s the speciality of the Bridge Classic Cars trim shop, the fit and finish which completes the look of the car.
Brian has been working on getting the rear quarter windows in the car so all the trim that accompanies it can be fitted. It’s important with these Mopars that the window components are set just right. Thankfully, everything that was needed was in the car. So, with the windows perfectly in place, Brian could now start to work on the trim.
The trim pieces on the Charger come in multiple pieces which all need to be meticulously dry fit in such a way as to not damage either the pieces or the car. After test fitting, Brian then began the process of attaching them permanently onto the car.
Parts of the inner trim structure actually need riveting to the body. Then the covers are put over them to hide the hardware, this takes some time and a steady hand.
Over the course of an afternoon, Brian managed to get all the rear trims and windows in place so it’s time to move on to the next job on the list for the interior of the Charger.
After working so hard on the finish of the 1998 Honda Integra Type R, it is important to protect what has been done here at Bridge Classic Cars.
Chris, our in-house paint expert, has been applying arch liner protection to the wheel arches of the Integra DC2. Chris has put many hours into ensuring that the finish on the paintwork we have done to the DC2 Integra is world-class. The front wings, as well as the engine bay, have been worked on for rust repair and paint so a few coats of arch liner will help to protect not just the paint but the metal work underneath.
This was also done by the factory when the car was new so it makes sense to redo the coating to make sure this Integra lasts for many years to come.
Mauro, our in-house restoration technician, has been working on the 1967 Ford Mustang that we have in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
As part of its mechanical refresh recently, Mauro replaced the rear axle seals and now it’s time to renew the rear pinion seal. A key part of the well being of any rear-wheel drive car.
After removing the old seal and inspecting the mounting surfaces, Mauro then put the new seal in place and check the pinion worked correctly. It all worked perfectly. So with that, the driveshaft and coupling were put back in place and it was time to move on to the next job on the list…
We use cookies to deliver the best possible experience whilst visiting our website. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies, or you can manage your preferences by clicking the link below. You can manage your preferences at any time from out Cookie Policy page.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
