classic car restoration uk

Fitted – New Tonneau Cover on the 1962 Morris Minor Convertible

The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars has fitted the brand new tonneau cover to the 1962 Morris Minor Convertible which recently arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ.

Our trimmer, Brian, carefully cut the necessary holes for the fasteners to go through after carefully measuring out the cover over the lowered hood on the car. This was to achieve the best possible fit for the classic Morris Minor and enhance the amazing condition this wonderful vintage Morris is in.

Final Stage – The 1958 Jensen 541R in Final Primer

The 1958 Jensen 541R has been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint booth to have its final stage of primer laid down onto the bodyshell.

The team have been working hard to prepare the bodywork of the classic GT car. Every surface has been carefully sanded, worked and primed several times over to make sure everything is perfect.

Then the final glass-like primer could be sprayed onto the bodyshell and left to cure properly in our in-house oven.

Out Back – Repairing the Rear Hatch on the 2005 Suzuki Everyvan

The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on addressing a small crack in the rear hatch of the 2005 Suzuki Everyvan.

The team have carefully stripped back the area to expose the bare metal for our fabrication team to weld back up before grinding the area as smooth as possible. From there, the paint and body team took over finessing the area further in order to get it perfectly flat and smooth with minimal filler work needed.

Underneath – Repairing the Rear Valance on the 1986 Daimler DS420

The fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been continuing to work on the 1986 Daimler DS420 in for restoration.

This time, the team have been handmaking several patch panels to the inner structure of the rear wings which were then plug welded into the body for strength. Then, they could move on to hand making one of the bigger patch panels needed.

This piece runs along the entire bottom edge at the back of the car. From a flat sheet of steel, the team have shaped and tweaked the panel into shape for a direct replacement. Shrinking and stretching the bottom edges to match the curve of the panel. Once in shape, the team could weld and smooth in the end caps which have been completely made by hand by our fabricator Monty.

Then, the whole piece could be test fit to see if any areas needed clearancing the bodywork to accept the new piece.

Topped Off – Repainting the Hood Frame on the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible

The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on refurbishing and refinishing the convertible hood frame on the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible in for restoration.

The part was stripped back, cleaned and inspected before being primered and then finished in matching snowberry white to the rest of the car.

Back Together – Points & Condenser and Refitting the Radiator on the 1984 Lada 1200

The Bridge Classic Cars workshop have been working on getting the 1984 Lada 1200 back together to begin testing the classic estate.

To begin with, the team replaced the points and condenser in preparation for road testing the next stage of the work.

The radiator of the classic Lada had been sent off to a local, trusted specialist to be repaired before being delivered back. The team could then put it back into the core support and begin to refit the various hoses in the engine bay before refilling the coolant and checking for any leaks or issues. All was ok on inspection.

The team then took the car out on a road test after correcting the timing and came back with the all-clear.

Behind the Scenes – Shooting the 1981 Alfa Romeo Giulietta

The Bridge Classic Cars team have been working behind the scenes to bring you this, our latest competition car. Our 1981 Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

After being checked over by our in-house workshops and given the all-clear for filming, it was taken over to our filming location at The Hangar. There, it was handed over to Freddie and Molly to get ready for its competition debut.

The stunning Shahini blue paintwork contrasted against the evergreen backgrounds of the former airforce base. Its characterful Alfa Romeo twin-cam 4-cylinder engine gave every sense of personality and music to the occasion. As Molly took it round the loop, the Alfa behaved beautifully. With the windows down, the sunroof open and the sun beaming down, there weren’t many better places to be at that moment in time.

And, all of this could be yours. You could become the lucky new owner of this stunning 1981 Alfa Romeo Giulietta with Bridge Classic Cars Competitions! Head over to the website by clicking here and get your tickets now.

Stopping Power – New Discs, Pads and Calipers on the 1968 Triumph TR5

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been addressing some issues with the 1968 Triumph TR5, starting with the brakes.

The team have removed the old pads, discs and calipers from the classic Triumph for brand new units to help with the stunning convertible stop properly. Once the old units were off the car, the team could also thoroughly inspect all the suspension and running gear on the car.

Strip Down – Cleaning Out the Carburettor on our 1961 Morris Mini Deluxe ‘Little Eva’

As part of getting our 1961 Morris Mini Deluxe ‘Little Eva’ in perfect running order, the Bridge Classic Cars team have stripped and cleaned the carburettor.

Our technician Jon has been carefully taking apart the part and clearing out every passage and venturi to make sure the fuel and air can pass through unchallenged by any dirt or debris that may have built up during its time in storage.

Clean Look – Parts of the 1978 MG B GT Refinished

Some of the pieces of the 1978 MG B GT have been refurbished by the team before being handed over to our paint team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ.

The paint team have refinished the parts in hard-wearing and durable black as part of the restoration.

Final Drive – Getting the 1958 Jensen 541R Ready for Final Primer

The 1958 Jensen 541R has been having its final stages of sanding finished before it is taken into the Bridge Classic Cars paint booth for its last stage of primer.

The classic Jensen has been worked on by the body team to perfect each curve and shape across the entire car as a whole. Then, some of the panels were taken into the booth to have their final coat of primer before the bodyshell is taken in soon.

First Up – Repairing the Hardtop of the 1991 Mercedes Benz SL300

The removable hardtop on the 1991 Mercedes Benz SL300 has been taken off of the car and brought upstairs for the Bridge Classic Cars trim team to work their magic on.

The headliner has separated from the edges of the roof. So, Brian and Lydia will go through the whole piece and assess if it can be repaired or will need to be replaced.

This Just In – 1991 Mercedes Benz SL300

Just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this stunning 1991 Mercedes Benz SL300 R129.

The classic convertible Mercedes will be inspected by our restoration teams to check over the car and compile their condition report to see if anything needs doing to get this beautiful silver sports car in the best shape possible.

Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic News page for more on the 1991 Mercedes Benz SL300 very soon.

Out & About – 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’ at a Car Show

The 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’, which was restored by Bridge Classic Cars, has been to several recent classic car shows with its proud owner sending us over some photos of the gorgeous classic Jensen GT car in pride of place.

Nostalgia – Our 1966 Jaguar Mk2 in South Africa

The former owner of our 1966 Jaguar Mk2 3.8 has sent over some photos of its previous life in South Africa!

The photos show everything from the car taken back to a bare painted shell to being used as a wedding car and at the top of some of the amazing scenery that surrounded its hometown.

It’s always amazing to see the former lives of our cars!

Helmingham Hall Classic & Sports Car Festival 2022

This Sunday, the Bridge Classic Cars team were at the Helmingham Hall Classic & Sports Car Festival 2022.

The team had set up our stand the day before and carefully positioned our collection of competition and restoration cars to show off to everyone walking past.

Our stand was instantly busy as the gates opened at 10 am on Sunday. Crowds and lines of people waiting to get their tickets for our competition cars or to talk to the team about a project they have. In front of us, the rows of concourse cars laid out an incredible sight.

From an original Lamborghini Countach Anniversary to an Mk2 Jaguar with a leopard print interior. Included in those rows of incredible machinery was a 1960 Jensen 541S – It was Peony Red, the car we had restored for its proud owner on display and mentioned as a finalist in the Best in Show later that day.

In the multiple fields and paddocks, all manner of cars were on show. From new supercars to rarely seen and incredible classics from every corner of the automotive world. There was also amazing food, dancing, bands and stands for everyone to look at.

Families lined the shaded driveway, nestled under a long row of oak trees as the sun grew higher throughout the day as the concourse cars would do their exhibition runs. Filling the Suffolk countryside with every type of engine noise imaginable.

At the Bridge Classic Cars stand, the line of people didn’t stop. We love seeing our friends, new and old, so it was always a pleasure for the team to have a chat and enjoy the atmosphere.

As the afternoon went on, it was time to do our annual live draw from the Heveningham Hall Classic & Sports Car Festival. This time, it was for our beautiful 1971 MG B Roadster.

Molly and Freddie went live on our Facebook page to find out who the lucky new owner of the classic sports car. With the tickets having sold out several days before and the entry list being live, it was time to fire up the Google Random Number Generator. As Molly and Freddie hit the button, the future of the MG B was decided. The winner was Richard Hancox with ticket number 1027.

To check out the full gallery from the 2022 Helimgham Hall Classic & Sports Car Festival 2022 have a look below:

This Just In – 1992 Jaguar XJS V12

The latest arrival at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this 1992 Jaguar XJS V12.

The classic Jaguar has come in for our restoration teams to look into and inspect. The teams will be assessing what is needed to be on the car which has been laid up in a garage nearby for a little while.

Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon for more updates.

This Just In – 1969 Mercedes Benz 220

Just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration HQ in Suffolk is this 1969 Mercedes Benz 220.

The classic German saloon will be going into the various departments for our restoration teams to inspect and assess before compiling their findings and reporting back on the car.

Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon for more on the 1969 Mercedes Benz 220.

Off To A New Home – 1962 Humber Hawk

The 1962 Humber Hawk has left the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ bound for its new home.

The car was bought on eBay and will be recommissioned but kept visually very similar to how you see it now according to its new owner!

We’re excited to see what becomes of our 1962 Humber Hawk in the future.

Changes – New Pieces on the 2017 Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer

The team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on some updates for the 2017 Ducati Scrambler 800 Cafe Racer belonging to our director, Craig.

To start with, the team have changed the mirrors on the bike to a style and set up that works better for Craig’s riding position while then removing the carbon racing plates below the seat for a different style which is coming very soon.

The Next Step – Sanding Back the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible

To get the bodywork ready for paint, the paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy sanding back the high-build primer on the bodywork.

This is all in preparation for getting the classic convertible ready to be finished in its original colour of Snowberry White.

Finesse – Sanding the 1958 Jensen 541R

The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the 1958 Jensen 541R in preparation for the colour stage of its work with us.

The team have been sanding and finessing each individual panel in the pursuit of absolute perfection we aim to achieve on all of our restoration projects. Chris, one of our paint and body technicians, has been using varying sandpapers and abrasives to get into every shape and curve across the body of the classic GT car.

Progress – The Team Working on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working their way through some of the smaller jobs on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

These little jobs are as crucial as the larger bits of work in the restoration of a classic car to make sure that every little piece and part of the car is fit perfectly and work correctly when needed.

Panel Work – Panels of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible in High Build Primer

The 1969 Morris Minor Convertible has been in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth to have the last few of its panels finished in high-build primer.

Before laying down the primer, the team have carefully cleaned down each piece of the classic convertible before being put onto the painting jigs and masked up and cleaned down once more to remove any contaminants.

Then, several layers of the high-build primer were laid down and left to cure in the booth.

Stripped Back – Stripping Back the Dashboard on the 1958 Jensen 541R

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked on stripping down and refurbishing the dashboard of the 1958 Jensen 541R.

Everything from the instrument cluster to the wooden structures has been completely stripped back to their core components to be inspected, refurbished and reassembled as part of the car’s aesthetic restoration. Any metal pieces were completely stripped and cleaned down before being sprayed in hardwearing black.

Fine Touch – Working on the 1956 Jensen 541

The 1956 Jensen 541 has been worked on in the Bridge Classic Workshop at our Suffolk HQ to have several parts on the car adjusted and refined.

Our technician Rob first fabricated the new handbrake bracket/mount. This was bent up and shaped before the original piece was cut off the frame and the new piece welded on after having its hole and mounts put in.

Then it was time to move to the outside of the car and finesse the one-piece fibreglass bonnet. Rob has worked on adjusting the panel in every axis possible to get the unit to sit properly on the car. Once roughly in shape, Rob made new strengthening brackets which mount inside the fibreglass clamshell.

The final piece was to adjust and finesse the flange on the gearbox tunnel to perfectly meet up with the large single-piece gearbox cover that mounts up to the firewall.

Coming Out – Teardown Continues on the 1959 Jensen 541R

The 1959 Jensen 541R in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop has been stripped down even further in pursuit of the car’s total restoration.

This time, our technicians have been working on completely clearing out the engine bay. To begin with, all of the simple and easy pieces were removed from the car to be inspected and catalogued. Then, with everything out of the way, the straight-six engine and its gearbox could be gently removed from the car.

Every single piece that comes off the car has been safely put into storage.