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classic car restoration uk

Final Finish – Door Cards on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

May 4, 2022

The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars has worked on finishing off the final pieces for the door cards of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

The final pieces of brightwork and trims have been put onto the door cards of the Daytona as the finish touches are in the process of being applied. The team have used dozens of reference photos and scale measurements to get them as close to the originals as possible while also improving the fit and finish of the original.

With The Current – Fitting a New 12 Volt Power Supply and New Float Arm on the 1959 Jensen 541R

May 4, 2022

The restoration workshop at Bridge Classic Cars has been working through the jobs on the 1959 Jensen 541R in with us. This time, it was fitting a new 12-volt power supply and fixing the issue with the fuel gauge.

Dave fitted a new auxiliary power supply underneath the dash of the classic Jensen for the owner.

Along with this, Dave has worked on resolving an issue with the fuel gauge. Upon inspecting the float arm inside of the fuel tank, he found it had a previous repair carried out. Once he removed the sender from the tank, the old repair actually fell apart in his hands. The issue was that the arm had actually seized in the sender unit and not giving the gauge reading. So, Dave got some new copper pipe and bent up an exact replica of the original and fit it into the sender.

Bedded Down – Carpets into the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

May 4, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on fitting down the handmade carpet sets into the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

The trim shop has spent a lot of time making sure that each individual piece of the interior fits perfectly and aligns just right with the pieces that join into it. For this, our trim team have test fit all of the pieces countless time making revisions and changes to ensure the whole interior works in its entirety.

With everything working together, the team began the process of getting the final parts of the carpet set and trim panels into place inside the classic Daytona replica.

Behind the Scenes – Shooting the 1985 Porsche 911

May 3, 2022
Behind the Scenes Photos of the 1985 Porsche 911 Shoot

It’s a dream car to many, a hero to some and an icon to all. It’s also the latest Bridge Classic Cars Competition. The 1985 Porsche 911.

After the inspection of the car by the restoration teams and given the green light, the car was released to Freddie, Hayley and Nick to begin the process of shooting this legendary air-cooled Porsche 911. the team headed to our filming location to get to work and just to experience this incredible driving machine.

The day was perfect for it. White clouds broke up the endless blue sky as the late spring sunshine draped itself over the glossy black paintwork of the car. From every angle, the car looked just like it had done in countless bedroom posters for generations. To some, the air-cooled 911s are the purest of their design. A common link shared from its earliest days at the beginning of the 1960s up until the late 1990s. But this one is special.

It has been asked for by so many of our followers, we have been waiting for the right one to come along. The car is finished in gloss black with a black/red interior which looked incredible as the team jumped into the car. Then, without so much as a hesitation after the signature key was turned, the 3.2-litre flat-six spat into life with a satisfying crack before the synonymous rumble filled the Suffolk air. All of us that day knew this was going to be an incredible car.

Freddie and Hayley took the car up to our filming location to start shooting with the classic 911. As it pulled away, you could feel the car wanting to stretch its legs. The potential and promise of a driving experience unlike any other at your fingertips.

As the morning continued, the 911 ran faultlessly. Happily going from an idle to speed and back again over and over while Freddie got the exact shots he needed. On different roads around our shoot, the classic Porsche soaked up any bumps or ruts without so much as a wince or gritting of teeth for either the car or the driver. A short, flat out run or a long-legged cruise would suit this 911 down to the ground. It really is a car for all seasons.

And now, Bridge Classic Cars Competitions wants to give you the chance not only to experience this once. But every time you open the garage door and get in it. So head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website now and enter for your chance to own the benchmark which all other sports cars have been set against. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed.

Click here to enter now for the 1985 Porsche 911

Or have a look below for the official photos from the shoot!

Official Photos of the 1985 Porsche 911

This Just In – 1999 Vauxhall Omega 2.5 V6

May 3, 2022

This 1999 Vauxhall Omega 2.5 V6 has arrived in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ for our restoration teams to do an important job on the rare Vauxhall.

The team in the workshop have been asked to replace the heater matrix for the owner. Along with that, the team will also carry out an inspection of the car and report back any findings.

Out & About – Ipswich to Felixstowe Run 2022

May 3, 2022

Gordon, one of the directors here at Bridge Classic Cars, was at the annual Ipswich to Felixstowe run this year.

The Ipswich to Felixstowe run is a must-attend event for any classic car or motorbike enthusiast around the Suffolk/Essex area. All sorts of classic vehicles take part in the run and this year was no exception.

From classic Jaguars to American trucks. Classic Indian motorcycles to a collection of Sinclair C5s. There was something there for everyone and it’s an event we all look forward to attending.

Inspection – Inspecting the 1989 TVR S2 2.9

May 3, 2022

The restoration team at the Bridge Classic Cars have begun their inspection of the 1989 TVR S2 after its live draw last week.

Paul, one of our restoration technicians, gave the car a complete check over and compiled a list of parts that will need to be replaced. Paul found that the starter motor in the classic TVR must be removed and rebuilt for the car and along with that a replacement of some of the fuel lines due to some cracks starting to appear in the surface of the material.

Paul also found that several of the ball joints would also need attention before it leaves our workshop.

Cut Back – Polishing the Body and Painting Final Parts of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

May 3, 2022

The paint and bodywork teams at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the final processes of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL restoration.

Alan, one of our painters, has been working on cutting back the grey paintwork on the classic R107 in preparation for its polishing. This has to be done very carefully as to not damage the edges of the lacquer/clear coat on the car. A series of finer and finer wet sandpapers are used until the clearcoat is flat, uniform and flawless and then machine polished to a mirror polish.

Also, the team have painted the final pieces of trim on the car in the heavily durable black that other pieces of the car have been finished in.

Best Fit – Sound Deadening, Carpets and B Pillar Trims on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

May 3, 2022

The interior trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona to get each of the new pieces to work in the car.

The trim team have worked on getting the carpet panels fitted into the car backed with high-quality sound deadening. This means each individual piece had to be tried in place and any adjustments made to make sure that each panel would fit and fit perfectly with the others around it.

With the side panels now in place, the team could get the footwell carpet panels into place and work on finessing the carpets in.

Then work could move on fitting the B Pillar trims. Each of these had test fit and worked on to match the rest of the car.

Freshly Made – The Fresh Chassis for the 1956 Jensen 541 Back at the Workshop

May 3, 2022

Bridge Classic Cars are pleased to unveil the newly completed chassis for the 1956 Jensen 541 has arrived back at our Suffolk restoration workshop.

The newly completed chassis has been made especially for this project as the car will be converted to a left-hand drive. The custom-made bulkhead has not been drilled or cut for the conversion so our workshop team can make sure that all the necessary systems can be worked into the car in real space.

It’s amazing to see this key piece of the project returning to our restoration workshop.

Behind the Scenes – East Coast Mini Club Visit & Live Draw of the 1993 Rover Mini and 2012 Mercedes Benz SLK250 CDI

May 3, 2022

Over the bank holiday weekend, the Bridge Classic Cars team welcomed East Coast Mini Club to our restoration workshops in Suffolk.

The club were doing their annual charity run with this year’s run being in aid of the Addenbrookes Charitable Trust which had helped 2 of its members in need of their expert help. So, to help out the East Coast Mini club raised nearly £900 through a raffle and an auction to help their Transport Unit with fundraising.

After the meet was done, a few of the members stayed around for the live draw of our 1993 Rover Mini and 2012 Mercedes SLK250CDI. A few of the members even had tickets for the Mini!

Hayley and Freddie gave everyone joining in on the live stream a look around our competition building and the beautiful classics that we have in. We were also joined by our friend Simon’s all-electric Mini which has recently starred in a Discovery Channel series and appeared in a video with YouTuber PetrolPed.

But it was then time to find out who the very lucky new owners of the 1993 Rover Mini and 2012 Mercedes SLK250 CDI. Both had completely sold out before the draw and the Mercedes actually sold out nearly a week before its scheduled draw!

First, was the Mercedes. The pre-published entry list was checked and Hayley set the numbers in the Random Number Generator. And, with one single click, we found who the winner was. Number 3204 belonging to Andy Wells.

Then the car everyone in the room was waiting for. The 1993 Rover Mini.

As the entry list was checked and the number generator reset, the anticipation built. With a few words of good luck and a single click, it was done. The new owner of the Mini was Jake Lees with ticket number 614.

Reinstalled – Putting the Hydraulic System Back in the 1963 Morris LD

April 29, 2022

The hydraulic system of the 1963 Morris LD, which arrived back at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop recently, has been put back into the classic van.

Our restoration team have worked on putting the brand new master cylinders and from there, the team could begin getting everything else back into place. Next, the team have installed the new wheel cylinders along with new front shoes. With that, the brake system of the LD was complete with several new pipes also made for the system.

However, the team did discover during the installation that the clutch slave cylinder was in need of a rebuild. So, it has been removed and set off to be refurbished.

Clear Out – Cleaning Out the Sills of the 1958 Jensen 541R Navy

April 29, 2022

The 1958 Jensen 541R Navy has been with the Bridge Classic Cars restoration team to have the final part of its work completed by our workshop team.

Part of the work is to clean out and inspect the sills of the classic Jensen 541R. The team have a series of areas where they know road dirt and debris can build up and in the long run cause issues so as part of its work, we have cleared out these areas.

The team also checked over a suspected fuel leak that couldn’t be identified and all was found to be ok on inspection. And with that, all levels were checked and topped off before being made ready to go home to its owner.

Good as New – New Brake Pads and Gearbox Oil for the 1970 Jaguar E-Type

April 29, 2022

The beautiful dark green 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 has been in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop recently for the team to do a couple of jobs on the car.

First up, was to replace the front brake pads with a customer-specified pad compound from our friends over at EBC Brakes. The owner of this E-Type uses this car quite a bit and the car has been known to see some serious track time, so a set of EBC Green pads were chosen for the car.

After that, the team performed a gearbox service for the classic Jaguar. A full oil change for the big overdrive gearbox, and along with that the team could clean up some pieces and look into an ongoing issue with the overdrive unit itself. The restoration team removed the various springs and plungers for the overdrive unit and could get them on the bench to clean and inspect them closely. On inspection, the technician noted nothing of concern but once back in the car did make a record of the overdrive being sluggish to engage. The car will return to us later for some more pieces of work and the team can completely go through the overdrive system at that time.

But, with that, the work needed for the 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 was complete and the car was ready to head back home to its owner. Always a pleasure seeing this car in our workshops.

Finishing Work – Cleaning Up the Welds on the New 1970 Bristol 411

April 29, 2022

The restoration workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on finishing the welds on the 1970 Bristol 411’s new sills.

The fabrication team have been working alongside the restoration technicians to get the new sills into the classic Bristol. Although as much is done as possible during the process of welding to ensure the pieces sit properly and flush, some finishing is needed to make sure there is no valley between the two pieces. This is achieved with subtle heat and a series of body working tools.

Along with that, the team have started to fabricate the new closing panels underneath the 1970s GT car.

Trimmed – Making and Finishing New Trims for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 29, 2022

The trim team at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been busy installing the finer details of the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

Our trimmer Briand has worked on wrapping and finishing the rear parcel shelf, which as been made entirely from scratch in order to get the perfect fit for the classic Daytona replica.

Brian has also worked on trimming the new centre console extension, roof pillar surrounds as well as making leather-wrapped sill plates from scratch for the Daytona.

Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal 1989 TVR S2 & 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo

April 29, 2022

Last night, the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions team and a load of our friends all got together to find the new lucky owners of two dream classics and one of them, was for a very special cause.

For the past few weeks, we have been raising much-needed funds in support of the DEC Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal. This all started when a previous Bridge Classic Cars Competitions winner saw the situation in Ukraine coming to light after the invasion and the devastation and displacement it had caused to the people of Ukraine. So, Jar decided to get in touch and asked us to put the 1989 TVR S2 back into competition with 100% of the proceeds going directly every week to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. Thanks to your help, support and involvement plus the help from amazing companies such as Hagerty UK, Car & Classic, Classic and Sportscar Magazine and countless others across the industry, at 7 pm last night we raised a total of just over £38,500!

An amazing amount that will go a long way to help those needlessly and senselessly caught up in the conflict/invasion.

The other dream classic to be won was the incredible 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo. This car has one of the most extensive history folders we have ever come across. Detailed correspondence from the previous owner with the specialist who undertook all work on the classic Porsche, parts lists, turbo specification, dyno printouts and, its feature in the April 2017 issue of Practical Classics magazine.

So, with everyone eagerly awaiting the draw, the team began by firing up the random number generator to find out just who the lucky new owners of these beauties were. First was the 944.

This was a very popular competition with nearly all of the 3888 tickets going in just over a week. As Hayley did a few test runs of the random number generator for everyone in the room and at everyone watching along on the live stream, the tension rose.

Hayley entered the criteria between 1 and 3888. With a single click and a whir of numbers on the big screen, it was decided. Ticket number 770. This belonged to Lee Brown. The new owner of the 1990 Porsche 944 Turbo.

Then, it was time to find out who had not only donated to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal but also entered to win the 1989 TVR S2. Hayley reset the random number generator. And with a flash on the screen, the future of the car had been decided. It would now belong to Brian Swain with ticket 346.

Covered – Carpets In and Wrapping the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Centre Console

April 28, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona with several key jobs finished off for the car.

The team have fitted in the final carpet pieces to the cockpit of the Daytona. The trim team have hand-finished each of these pieces which includes fixing the rubber panels and installing the clips onto the pieces before being fitted into the car.

From there, the team could turn their attention to the centre console. This was trimmed in match green leather to the rest of the car. Each individual piece of the centre console has been perfectly made and trimmed by hand to make sure that it fits the console beautifully and is tailored specifically for it. Even down to perfecting and refining the handbrake lever cover.

Then, the team could begin to work on the door cards of the classic Daytona. The fibreglass cores that sit at the heart of the panels have been reworked by our body team to allow them to sit in just the right place and flush to the tops of the doors. Then the interior team could begin to fit the handmade ribbed panels and grab handles onto the doorcards. Once everything had been fit up properly onto the door cards, 3mm thick foam could be cut and formed to be fixed onto the fibreglass pieces for the car.

Level Checks – Fueling Issue with the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series III Roadster

April 28, 2022

The workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ has been getting to the bottom of a fueling issue found on the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series III Roadster during final testing.

After noticing an issue with the fueling on the Stromberg carburettors, the team began by stripping the carburettors back apart to double-check adjustments. After removal, the team noticed that one of the carburettor bowls was completely dry as opposed to the others which were full as intended.

Our technician John then began to replace the all-important needle valves and work on perfectly resetting the float levels to ensure the bowl is properly filled at the correct rate and then stopped when it is supposed to.

After that, the team could put the carburettors back together and resume testing the classic E-Type.

Refit – Putting the 1973 Volvo 1800ES Back Together and Fitting the New Foglights

April 28, 2022

The 1973 Volvo 1800ES has been moved from the Bridge Classic Cars in-house Paintshop into the restoration workshop.

After being painted, the team have got a few jobs to do on the classic Volvo. The first is the fitment of new aftermarket Fog Lights to the front of the 1800ES. Our technician Scott worked on getting these in the right place and securely fitted to the underside of the front bumpers and wired in.

Next, the team could begin to get the rest of the bumpers, chromework and trims installed back onto the car and secured into place.

Finishing Up – Finish Welding the Sills of the 1970 Bristol 411

April 28, 2022

The workshop and fabrication teams at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been working together on the repairs to the 1970 Bristol 411.

After beginning to weld the newly fabricated sill into the classic Bristol, the team have now begun to finish welding the new metal in the car. This needs to be done very carefully so as to not affect the existing metal around it and cause any form of heat warping. So, the fabrication team are systematically welding the panels into the car allowing it time to cool and shrink back into place.

Once this is complete, the team can move on with the work needed to be done on the 1970 Bristol 411.

Good as New – Paint Repairs on the 1958 Jensen 541R Navy

April 28, 2022

The 1958 Jensen 541R Navy has been in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop for some paint repairs following the hinge adjustments to the classic Jensen by the restoration workshop.

The hinge had fallen out of adjustment and caused some paint damage to the edges of the bonnet and driver’s door. Not a problem for the paint team.

After carefully colour matching the existing Navy Blue paintwork, the team then began to sand and prepare the area meticulously to get the area perfectly flat and into shape before primering could start.

After primer, the area was sanded down once more before being cleaned and masked off and the whole car was taken into our in-house spray booth for the colour to be laid down. After several coats of matched Navy Blue, the area could be clear coated and polished ready for the car to be finished by the restoration workshop.

Progress – The Restoration Team Begins Inspecting and Working on the 1959 Jensen 541R

April 28, 2022

The restoration team in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop have begun work on the beautiful 1959 Jensen 541R for its owner.

The team have started by addressing an issue the car did on its way to our restoration workshop. On its way, the bonnet of the 541R came loose and flew up. Unfortunately, this damaged the stays in the struts which hold the one-piece fibreglass clamshell up during any work. So, our technicians managed to release them in order to remove them from the car and inspect them.

Our technician Dave noticed that the stops/catches had broken and were out of shape. These had to be repaired and rewelded in places in order to get the bonnet to both hold open and remain closed. The team will also be looking into how the bonnet managed to open from the clips that keep it tightly shut.

Along with the work on the struts, the team have been looking into the reported issue with the fuel gauge on the classic Jensen. The issue is believed to either be with the gauge or with the sender unit within the fuel tank itself. The team did find the arm for the float level was broken so that has been repaired and are currently looking at, inspecting and investigating the rest of the fuel system in the car to narrow down the root cause of the issue which includes the wiring to gauge itself.

New Metal – Replacing the Sill of the 1970 Bristol 411

April 27, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars restoration team have replaced the sill on the 1970 Bristol 411 after finding corrosion hidden behind and on the sill itself.

The team cut the sill back and treated the solid metal. Then, our in-house fabrication team hand-formed a new sill and patch panel for the inside of the rear arch which had also been removed due to corrosion. These were then carefully trimmed and then welded into position following the original pieces as guidelines.

With this job now completed on the classic Bristol, the team can move on to the next phase of work.

Refreshed – Repairs on the Passenger Arch and Pillar of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible

April 27, 2022

The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the metal repairs to the passenger side of the 1969 Morris Minor Convertible.

Previously, the team found some areas of very heavy corrosion on the passenger side of the car and began the process of removing them. Those have now been replaced with new metal where absolutely necessary and then our fabricators could start to put the structure back together, with the factory strengthening plates put back in order to give this part of the car the rigidity needed.

Along with that, the team have had to make up a new captive nut for part of the body. This piece had to be hand-formed to perfectly fit and then be blended back into the car.

With that side of the car now back together and welded, the team could prime the metal to give it an extra helping hand against future corrosion in this particular area.

Conserved – Restoring the Original Wooden Frame of the 1905 Riley 9HP

April 27, 2022

The original wooden body of the 1905 Riley 9HP has been sent off to our local, trusted specialist joiners to begin the work of both restoring the body and conserving as much of its originality as possible.

For a lot of our woodwork, we use Darren at Ashobocking Joinery. We have worked with them on a number of projects and their attention to detail mirrors our own. Parts of the original body/frame have been kept as they are still structurally solid but other places have been remade and expertly grafted into the now 117-year-old body of the classic Riley.

This is all part of the journey in restoring this beautiful antique Riley and getting it back on the road. In every part of the process, the team (and our trusted specialists) are using a mixture of state of the art and traditional methods to bring this rare and unique piece of history back to life.

Tuck and Cover – Fitting the C Pillar Vents and Rear Shelf on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 26, 2022

The trim team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on getting a few more jobs done on the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

The first task was to put the new vents into the C Pillars of the classic Daytona replica. For this, our trimmer Brian very carefully marked out and cut the holes need to bit the core of the vent in place. Then, it was secured into place before a mesh was placed over the backside to perfectly match the original Daytona.

Next, Brian tackled getting the rear parcel shelf wrapped in foam. This will make up a large part of the rear of the Daytona which the team have expertly finished and put into place.

Covered Up – Finishing the Hood Cover on the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 Roadster

April 25, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on completing the last few jobs to do with the interior of the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 Roadster, Fern Grey.

The trim team have completed the handcrafted hood cover made specifically for Fern Grey. The team have hand-finished the piece by putting in the stud fasteners to the material to it can be held down tightly to the body of the classic Jaguar.

With this piece finished and put onto the car, the workshop team can continue with the final tests of the one-off E-type.

In Stock – New Parts for the 1963 Morris LD Arrive at Bridge Classic Cars

April 25, 2022

The replaced or refurbished parts for the hydraulic system on the 1963 Morris LD have arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop in Suffolk.

These pieces will soon be fitted to the classic Morris van as part of the work needed to get the Van back on the road and running. Before this, our technicians found many of the hydraulic components were heavily corroded and some had even split. This is what caused the brakes to bind on and the clutch to be inoperable.

Now with these components with the our workshop, they will be installed and the van can then be tested.

Out & About – Flying Car in London

April 25, 2022

Over this past weekend, our director Craig was in central London and spotted this amazing car on the street.

This is a PAL-V. A sign of the future, the PAL-V is an early flying car that by the looks of things we have researched actually seems to work! It’s incredible to see where the future of the automotive world is heading and the solutions which forward-thinking companies are coming up with.

Click here to look at what PAL-V have to offer.

Bridge Classic Cars are award winning Classic Car Restoration and Maintenance specialists. Your pride and joy is in safe hands with our expert Classic Car Technicians. Take a look at our awards here.

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