Bridge Classic Cars have got several long-term storage spaces available at The Hangar, our private, secure storage facility Perfect for the dry, safe and protected
Kath and the in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy working on the interior of the 1970 Dodge Charger. Last time Kath
Our director, Craig, noticed a slight leak coming from his 2005 Aston Martin DB9 recently. So, the team at Bridge Classic Cars set about looking
Scott has been hard at work on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster that is being built by Bridge Classic Cars. Since the
The frame for the 1951 Riley RMB that is being restored at Bridge Classic Cars has just arrived back from its appointment with an acid
The chassis for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 at Bridge Classic Cars is back from being powder coated by a local specialist. The results are
With all the hard work put into the 1998 Honda Integra Type R by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration teams, we had to make
The engine for the 1969 Mercedes Pagoda is back after its engineering work with Scholar Engines. The cylinder head has been precision skimmed and new
The rain had torn down throughout the night before. By the morning, the autumn air was fresh and moving as we pulled the 1984 BMW
There’s been some big progress on the 1970 Dodge Charger currently in the trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars. Kath had to cut the carpet
Bridge Classic Cars team of in-house restoration experts have been working on getting this 1973 MGB GT V8 we have in all buttoned up and
Metalwork on classic cars is a craft. A skill that takes years to master and dedication to conquer. Our in-house bodywork experts at Bridge Classic
The new throttle cable for our 1994 Piaggio TM P50 Ape is on the car! Our restoration technician Mauro has got a long and personal
John has been hard at work on the 1974 Triumph TR6 that is in with us at Bridge Classic Cars for a wiring issue. A
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Bridge Classic Cars have got several long-term storage spaces available at The Hangar, our private, secure storage facility
Perfect for the dry, safe and protected storage of your beloved Classic Cars. The Hangar is dedicated for use of long-term (6 month+) storage of historic, classic or vintage car.
Prices are from £40 per week for a space at The Hangar, this includes the vehicle being trickle charged during its stay. Before being put into its dedicated space within The Hangar, a full valet is done on the car then the vehicle is fitted with its own soft car cover to protect its paint and condition at no extra cost.
Clients who use our storage facility at The Hangar also have the option of any mechanical, servicing or MOT work carried out by Bridge Classic Cars, this can be done at an additional cost. Should you also choose to store your class with Bridge Classic Cars, the vehicle can be regularly started, brought up to temperature and test-driven on-site by our dedicated team of restoration specialists.
The Hangar is situated on 2500 acres of private land which is manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, 7 days a week with vehicles in The Hangar regularly checked for condition, fluid levels and battery health.
The vehicles can also be transported to and from your home in our own enclosed transporter, delivered anywhere in the UK or abroad with enough notice given and the vehicle fully checked and inspected before it begins its adventures at an additional cost. A service used by many of our clients who are only briefly in the UK to use their cars or for some who want to use their classic cars on the continent.
For any further information or to discuss any bespoke requirements please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Bridge Classic Cars team on 01473 742038 or email at info@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk
Kath and the in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy working on the interior of the 1970 Dodge Charger.
Last time Kath rebound the carpet edges after they required some trimming to ensure the best fit and finish for this iconic muscle car to look absolutely perfect. Now, those front carpets are firmly in place in the car awaiting all the other interior trim to be fit over the top of them.
Kath began to look at the centre console as the next step for the interior of the Charger. It’s a rather large piece so it’s very noticeable if it isn’t looking its best. So, Kath began to carefully dismantle the centre console in preparation for its retrim. Even the wooden veneer had to be slowly and methodically removed inch by inch to preserve it to be refurbished.
All of the panels have been removed from the centre console one by one to be evaluated and a plan worked out for each of them. Polishing the brightwork, making templates for new cutouts and then, the entire console itself was retrimmed in matching black leather.
It looks sensational. This will be the next item going back into the car once the seats (which Brian has been working on alongside Kath) are finished and ready to go in.
Our director, Craig, noticed a slight leak coming from his 2005 Aston Martin DB9 recently. So, the team at Bridge Classic Cars set about looking into it.
Our in-house restoration technicians got the car in and began to check over all the systems and hoses in the engine bay. Soon, it was found to be from the power steering pump. Thankfully, these can be rebuilt/refurbished by specialists so it has been removed and sent off for the work to be done.
Once we have it back, we’ll let you know all about it here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
Scott has been hard at work on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster that is being built by Bridge Classic Cars.
Since the last update, Scott has fitted the new radiator along with its dual Spal fans to make sure that when this freshly built 5 litre V12 is fired off for the first time and gets up to temperature, it stays safe and stable in the green zone. In preparation for that important moment, a lot of wiring has to happen along with the plumbing of hoses. Scott has been working on wiring up all the switchgear and gauges so that during the testing period and when the customer is doing many happy miles in the car, they are safe in the knowledge that everything is showing accurately and properly.
The detail of this car is truly amazing. Scott is testing the systems and then going back to make sure all the wiring is bundled and routed correctly to each individual component, should it ever have to be inspected in the future. Along with that is yards and yards of hard and Flexi lines that criss-cross the engine bay. Providing vacuum or air to different systems that run within or off of the V12. The throttle cables have been run from the large disc-shaped rotor out to each of the newly in-house rebuilt Stromberg carburettors so that when all that power is released on the road, it can be modulated and applied precisely.
Importantly aswell, Scott has been working with John to get the brand new belts in place for the engine. In total 5 belts are needed to drive the different systems for the Series 3 V12. These must go on in the right order as they are staggered specifically for the different components they drive. Once the final belt was wrapped around the alternator, Scott could then wire it to the car and its harness so when the car is running it is charging correctly (which will be able to be seen on the dial panel on the dash)
There will be more updates on Fern Grey very soon! Keep an eye on the blog page.
The frame for the 1951 Riley RMB that is being restored at Bridge Classic Cars has just arrived back from its appointment with an acid bath.
The chassis had been stripped back in-house but was recommended to be chemically treated by a specialist so that our in-house fabrication team could look into the true condition of the chassis. Overall the frame isn’t in too bad of a condition. Areas of it though will definitely need attention before it is to be used again for the car.
James and Clinton, our in-house metal fabrication experts, will be assessing the frame and coming up with a plan.
The chassis for the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 at Bridge Classic Cars is back from being powder coated by a local specialist. The results are absolutely amazing.
The benefits of powder coating are seen in this example. The even, glossy and complete coverage is the results you get when a chassis is coated and is also more weather-safe than traditional methods.
Now that the frame is back, Lydia is working on preparing the body in our in-house paint shop ready for its slot in the paint booth.
Keep a lookout on the Bridge Classic Cars Blog for more updates on this amazing DB2.
With all the hard work put into the 1998 Honda Integra Type R by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration teams, we had to make sure every element of the car was in the best possible condition.
The wheels are no exception. The wheels are finished in matching Championship White but have seen better days. Thankfully, they can be refurbished. With care and attention, the wheels will be back soon and looking as good if not better than when the DC2 rolled out of the showroom back in 1998.
The engine for the 1969 Mercedes Pagoda is back after its engineering work with Scholar Engines.
The cylinder head has been precision skimmed and new valve guides cut to the specifications of our in-house engine builder Ady. Since its arrival back, the camshaft and valves have been installed into the beautiful cylinder head. This engine is a stunning piece of 1960s engineering alone but after its clean up and refacing, it looks absolutely spectacular and will perform even better.
Ady then began to assemble the long-block as much as we can whilst we await the arrival of the new pistons.
Expect to see more on the progress of the engine build for the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda at Bridge Classic Cars.
The rain had torn down throughout the night before. By the morning, the autumn air was fresh and moving as we pulled the 1984 BMW 635CSi out of the hanger at RAF Bentwaters.
This iconic 1980s example of a German grand tourer is stunning. It drives like a dream with its automatic gearbox and light handling. Charlotte began the drive around the filming area of the airbase to let the car slowly come up to temperature, once everything was just right. We began to work on the film that you can see right here!
The E24 6 series is a legendary sportscar. It was the pinacle of luxury and performance for the Bavarian brand when first launched and all the way during its decade long production run.
As part of our photoshoots, there are a series of static photos on the base. Even stood still, the car looked like it was doing 100MPH such is the timeless styling of the E24.
You could win this very car though! Bridge Classic Cars Competitions is going to make one lucky winner the new owner of this 1984 BMW E24 635CSi by clicking the link below.
Click here to enter for your chance to win the 1984 BMW 635CSi
There’s been some big progress on the 1970 Dodge Charger currently in the trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars.
Kath had to cut the carpet to get a good fit during the test fit of the piece but rather than leave it, she has bound the edge to match the original edging fitted to the carpet set. Now with the piece ready to be fitted, it was time to get the final bits of sound deadening in place.
Carefully the trim shop put the new sound deadening material into place using reference photos to get them into the same placement as the original.
Once the sound deadening was firmly in place, Kath then began the process of laying the carpet panel into its place and securing it. Using high-spec carpeting adhesive, the carpet was laid into the Charger’s front footwell and firmly in place.
Next will be getting the trims, consoles and seats ready to go into this iconic American Muscle Car.
Bridge Classic Cars team of in-house restoration experts have been working on getting this 1973 MGB GT V8 we have in all buttoned up and ready to hit the road!
John and the workshop team have gone through hours of wiring checks and small fixes that were needed to ensure the wiring system throughout the whole car was in good working order and each component worked exactly as it should. Along with that, the interior of the car can now begin to go back in. Step by step, it’s beginning to look like an MGB GT again.
Underneath, there’s a brand new exhaust system to help that V8 breathe. Tucked up nearly underneath its brightly coloured body, there will be no doubt thanks to the new exhaust that this is indeed a V8 car. Also, the new brakes and clutch hydraulic systems have been put in, bled and tested passing with flying colours.
All of this means we should be able to test this stunning little sportscar on the road very soon. Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for updates on the 1973 MGB GT V8.
Metalwork on classic cars is a craft. A skill that takes years to master and dedication to conquer. Our in-house bodywork experts at Bridge Classic Cars have those skills, experience and dedication.
Work is continuing on the windscreen/scuttle for the 1951 Riley RMB by our in-house expert James. Last time he worked on the top of the windshield surround but this time, it was the case of the lower scuttle.
Some of the metal bracing and reinforcement had deteriorated over time quite badly. These pieces help give that stunning spilt windscreen its shape and hold it rigid, so their placement and construction are crucial.
Using the existing pieces as a template, James cut the new parts roughly into shape to begin refining them closer to the originals. Then, offering the pieces up to the panel James could work on shaping them more and more till the fit was perfect.
All of the areas underneath the remade panels were rust treated carefully before being welded in.
The new throttle cable for our 1994 Piaggio TM P50 Ape is on the car!
Our restoration technician Mauro has got a long and personal history with this car so it makes sense for him to be the technician to be working on the car. The throttle cable for the Ape is much like a motorcycle throttle cable and it’s routed carefully through the car down to the little single carb at the back.
Now that it is all in place and back together, we can start to test the Ape ready for it’s MOT soon!
John has been hard at work on the 1974 Triumph TR6 that is in with us at Bridge Classic Cars for a wiring issue. A rat or a mouse has managed to chew its way through part of the wiring loom.
Consequently, when the owner went to start the car is actually melted some of the wiring! Because of the extent of the damage to the wiring loom. John felt it best to replace the harness as a precaution due to the extensive damage.
John carefully began to remove the old harness for the car, working his way through the separate systems to ensure all the components could also be inspected.
The new loom was then put in place step by step, whilst also running through each part to make sure it functioned correctly now that power could be applied to the harness. Wit the harness now in, its time to test the car completely.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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…
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.
