classic car restoration uk

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

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

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 ยฃ38,500!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Behind the Scenes – Photoshoot with the 2012 Mercedes Benz SLK250D

This 2012 Mercedes SLK250D is the latest offering from Bridge Classic Cars Competitions for someone out there to win and enjoy the encroaching summer with!

That means, there has to be a photoshoot! Before Freddie could take the modern sports-convertible out to the filming location near our secure storage facility, The Hangar, it first had a full check over by the workshop who gave it a clean bill of health and the green light for it to be driven.

The beautiful modern SLK, blends the handsome good looks of the bigger SL with smaller dimensions and a sportier feel. This particular car, from 2012, is fitted with the 2.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel engine that makes around 200BHP but nearly double that in torque…

Meaning this small sports car is lively. But, it’s also incredibly economical on fuel if you did use it every day with reports ranging from 50-70 MPG but the performance to have some fun with and a folding metal hardtop to let the outside world into the car.

Well, this could be yours! Head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website and enter now for your chance to get hold of this modern drop-top just in time for summer.

Suns Out – Some of Our Projects Waiting to Go Home

With the weather being perfect last week, we thought we would snap some photos of a handful of classic cars lounging in the sun. Some waiting for collection, some just arrived.

Our restoration workshops at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ are always busy. A constant stream of cars coming in for our team to work on or going back to their owners to be enjoyed so as Nick walked past the eclectic row of cars lining the side of our workshop, he thought he’d grab a few photos to show them off.

Stablemates – Our 1974 Alfa Romeo Spider at Its New Home

The Bridge Classic Cars Competitions 1974 Alfa Romeo Spider has arrived at its new home with its winner Trevor and a very special stablemate for it to spend its future with.

The classic Alfa Romeo Spider will be sharing its life with a WW2 era Jeep which is part of Trevor’s collection. Well, now that’s quite the variety of cars for different occasions!

We wish Trevor all the best with the classic Alfa Romeo.

The Good Cause – Spotting a Mobile Humanitarian Aid Ambulance in Woodbridge

Out and about on our recent travels, our director Craig spotted this Mercedes Humanitarian Medical Ambulance. It’s amazing to see the overwhelming support and generosity pouring out to the people of Ukraine from across Europe and the UK.

Does anyone out there know the charity that it’s connected to at all? We would love to find out more.

Also, our 1989 TVR S2 Ukraine Appeal competition ends this Thursday with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. Like this ambulance, it will be going to help those affected first-hand by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

From Front to Back – Repairing the Wheel Arch and Rear Valance on the 1978 MG B GT

The Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop has been busy continuing the bodywork repairs on the 1978 MG B GT in with us for restoration.

The team have worked through the classic MG from front to back removing and replacing any corrosion in the body or sub-structure. Recently the team finished up work on the side sills and pillars before moving on to the rear of the car.

Rob, one of our restoration technicians who has been working on the project, removed the old passenger side rear wheel arch due to its condition. Using this as a rough template for the replacement piece, Rob has precisely cut and fit the new piece into the body of the car which allowed him to keep moving rearward on the car and complete the final fitment of the rear valance.

Green Blue – 1973 Volvo 1800ES Painted

The 1973 Volvo 1800ES has been into the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth recently to be refinished in its signature ”Green Blue” finish.

The team have worked hard on getting the classic Volvo prepared and ready to go into the booth with several hours of sanding, minimal filler work and a few welds needed here and there to get each panel absolutely perfect ahead of its date with the paint booth.

Once the whole car had been flattened back, bare areas primed and the whole car cleaned off, our in-house painter Alan could begin the process of laying down the deep, glossy paintwork which gives the 1970s Volvos that incredible look.

Drive It Day 2022 – Kersey Mill

All of the team at Bridge Classic Cars love our vintage and classic cars and motorbikes. That’s what sits at the core of what we do here. So, we always try to observe Drive It Day. And international day to celebrate the joy of getting out and driving our beloved classics.

For many years, we have gone to the Kersey Mill meet. And this year, our director Gordon took his newly finished 1934 MG Midget PA to the 2022 Drive It Day meet. Surrounded by countless classics from across our area, some of whom we know well and others we’re excited to get to know.

It is an event on the calendar that we always look forward to. So, take a look below for our full gallery from the 2022 Drive It Day at Kersey Mill.

Changes – Working on the Bonnet and Suspension of the 1958 Jensen 541R ”Navy”

The restoration technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ have begun works on the 1958 Jensen 541R known to us as ‘Navy’.

The team began by carrying out several jobs on the rear axle of the classic Jensen. The rear axle strap required a repair to be carried out on it and along with that, repositioning of the brake pipe to a safe location on the rear axle.

The team then began working on preparing the front suspension to be stripped so the team can replace the perished bushes in the upper arms, making sure the front suspension is the best condition possible.

One issue that was noted by the owner of Navy, was that the one-piece fibreglass bonnet was interfering with the driver’s door when opened. The team began the process of adjusting the hinge in order to get the correct spacing and alignment for the panel and not contact the edge of the door.

This Just In – 1980 Mini Van

Just arrived into the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this wonderful 1980 Mini Van. But, it’s hiding a secret…

Underneath the beautiful green bodywork lies the heart of a hotrod. This bite-sized bruiser is packing a 1380cc supercharged A-series engine! All of that performance in a small car is a recipe for fun in our books.

The car will of course go through the usual inspections and assessments by our in-house restoration teams who will check over the entire car in order to find out if anything needs to be done to this incredible classic Mini for it to be in absolutely tip-top shape.

Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon for more on this tiny terror!

Pre-clean – 1985 Porsche 911 Prepared for Wash

The beautiful 1985 Porsche 911 in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop has gotten a whole lot more beautiful over the weekend as it had its full valet carried out.

The classic air-cooled Porsche was prepped and readied for the valet by our restoration team ahead of the work starting. So, we thought we would show you a few before photos of the classic 911 still with road grime and dust.

Keep an eye out for the after photos on the stunning 1985 Porsche 911 very soon on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Heading Home – Work on the 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite is Complete

The 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite has been in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for our restoration technicians to get the amazing little sportscar back into perfect running order.

The team have worked on rebuilding and adjusting the brakes and working on the hydraulic system which not only controls the brakes but also works the clutch as well. The slave cylinder had to be replaced due to a leak from a seal which was causing an issue bleeding the system to make sure the whole circuit remained pressurised.

Along with that, the team found several issues with the suspension of the classic Austin Healey. This required some of the important substructures of the car to be carefully rewelded, as well as removing and correctly installing parts of the wishbones.

To take a look a the entire project, click here!

Refined – Perfecting the Bodywork on the 1987 Daimler Double Six

The Bridge Classic Cars body shop has been working on getting the 1987 Daimler Double Six into the best possible shape ahead of being moved back into the paint booth.

The team have begin body filler work, which as a rule is used as sparingly as possible and the vast majority of the filler put onto the car is sanded away. But, it is necessary to get each panel the right shape and curve flowing into the next piece.

With this, the team will sand away 99% of the filler and then the car will go back into the spray booth to have its next round of primer applied. The next stage of the process to getting this stunning classic Daimler back in the best shape possible.

This Just In – 1968 Morris Minor 1000 Van

Just arrived into the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this beautiful 1968 Morris Minor 1000 Van.

This classic Morris Minor will soon go into the workshops for restoration teams to inspect and assess while also carrying out a series of jobs for the car.

Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1968 Morris Minor 100 Van very soon.

Like New – Continuing the Metal Work on the 1978 MG B GT

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been making good progress on the body shell of the 1978 MG B GT in with us for restoration at our Suffolk HQ.

Our restoration technician Rob has been working on cutting out any form of corroded metal from the car to make sure everything is structurally right and lining up properly. Firstly, he worked on getting the rear valance of the classic MG B sorted.

The old valance was heavily corroded and warped so our team sourced a replacement panel and began the process of carefully removing the old piece in such a way as to not damage any of the mounting surfaces behind it. All of the surfaces behind the valance were cleaned and prepared ahead of the new piece firmly welded into place.

Next, Rob finished the work needed to the bottoms of the A-pillars. This needed to be done before the team could begin fitting and placing the new sills. With the old sills cut out of the car and the new ones trimmed and clamped they could be welded into place taking into account the new A-Pillar and the mounted door to ensure there was no overlap or conflict between any of the pieces.

Finally, Rob could cut out the rear arch. This was heavily corroded and in need of replacement. So carefully the spot welds were cut out and the original piece taken out before offering up the replacement arch.