With a car as intricate and flowing as the 1951 Riley RMB, it’s important that our in-house metalwork craftsmen at Bridge Classic Cars apply all their skills and knowledge to ensure each flow, curve and line are exactly right on the car.
Highlighted in this post is the extensive work our fabricator James has done on the rear wing of the Riley RMB. Much of the original material had pitted in places, and in some places to the point of allowing holes to grow in the metal itself especially along the rear flange. This piece has been replaced before as can be seen by the various patches and pieces along the length of the panel.
Carefully and with much reserve, James began to remove the affected piece from the panel. Removing only what needed to be and keep as much of the original piece as possible. The new section would have to be entirely handmade for this wing but that is no problem for our fabrication shop.
James measured not only the length but the thickness of the piece that would be needed to replace the original flange. Then, using the English wheel, James skillfully began to give the piece its shape and form. Constantly offering up the new piece and referring to the shape of the original. A combination of shrinking and stretching key areas of the panel allowed it to blend into the original piece.
Then, it came time to join the two parts together. Slowly and precisely James TIG welded the parts together at strategic points, allowing the piece to cool at the correct rate and distributing the heat in such a way as to minimise the warp caused to the panel from the process. Once completely married up, James then began to finesse the join.
Using a planishing hammer and a selection of dollies, James began to smooth the joint between the two panels together until there little to no signs they had never been together their entire lives. That is craftsmanship…
Our in-house trim expert Kath has been fitting the door cards to the 1970 Dodge Charger we have in here at Bridge Classic Cars.
Kath carefully put together the two-piece door cards which are a key feature on the interior of this glorious Mopar. Kath went through each component to check its fit and finish before anything was put on the car, painstakingly marking out any points that would need a skilled hand turned to them.
The door cards themselves needed the openings cut into them for different handles and fixings so Kath broke out the tape measure. Each of the cuts made was a case of measure 10 times and cut once as with all of our interior work. The best way to get the perfect finish is to work with the car and that’s why we have a world-class trim shop.
Piece by piece, Kath put together the parts onto the door itself with all its bright work. The clips that fix the card to the door have to be eased onto the door as to not become deformed or move out of alignment so clip by clip the door card was installed onto the car.
Work on the interior of the 1970 Dodge Charger will continue in the Bridge Classic Cars trim shop in our next update on the blog
When work began on this 1970 Land Rover Series IIA, there was a slight bit of confusion. Originally it was thought to be a Series III but thankfully, we have Scott who drives a Series II every day to work.
The other bit that had us scratching our heads somewhat was working out what engine it. The last MOT certificate stated it was petrol, but once Ady opened up the bonnet he was faced with an Injection Pump and Glowplugs. Meaning that sometime between then and now, a diesel engine had been put in its place.
Either way, we need to get the Series IIA running. So, our in-house engine wizard Ady had the injection pump sent off to a nearby specialist to be rebuilt and tested. Within a couple of days, the pump was back here at Bridge Classic Cars.
Next Ady had noted some wiring that didn’t quite make sense. A positive cable leading from the glowplug to the frame, in the same way a ground would be routed. After looking into the matter to be double sure, Ady removed the old wiring and rewired up the glowplug to the correct set-up.
Now, it is time to prep the engine for its first fire-up since being with us. Which you will see very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog
Our technician Mauro has been waiting on some parts for the 1967 Ford Mustang Convertible for some time now. These parts have all had to be sourced from the US so there is bound to be a bit of a wait for them.
The car was assessed and inspected so that all the parts could be ordered in one go but first on the list is the rear axle seals and wheel cylinders. Mauro had noted down a small leak coming from the rear axle and while the rear drums have to be removed for the axles to come out, we thought it best practice to service the rear brakes. In all, their condition was fine. The shoes had plenty of material and all the hardware looked straight and in good order.
So, Mauro decided that just the wheel cylinders would need replacement. As we got the axle out, the backing plates off the drums it was time to pull the old leaking seals out. Carefully, Mauro removed the old seals and prepped the area to receive the brand new seals. They went in perfectly.
Working back out, Mauro began to put the drums back together. As he did, he replaced the wheel cylinders and bled the system. So now, there’s just one more job to do on the back end of the Mustang…
October 11, 2021 11:37 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The carburettors on the 1973 Fern Grey Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster are freshly rebuilt. Our master engine builder Ady spent many hows carefully dismantling each and every component to check for any damage.
Each of the pieces was given a clean bill of health by Ady. From there it was time to clean down every surface of the giant Strombergs. Ady always takes great pride in his work, he sat there and hand cleaned every individual part to continuously inspect the component while he cleaned away years of dirt.
With a full gasket rebuild kit, Ady managed to get the Carburettors back together in an afternoon, performing a small part of the set-up while still on the bench.
Next up for the carburettors is to be bolted up the manifold and put back on that glorious V12. Expect to see that very soon on the Bridge Classic Cars website.
It is now live! The auction of our 1965 Amphicar that was completely restored in-house by Bridge Classic Cars is live on the Car & Classic website.
This car has had everything imaginable done to it. Not a single system hasn’t been made the best it can possibly be. To the point where it is completely road legal and water certified.
Also, this particular Amphicar (one of just 4000 built) is one of the first known to be completely E10 compliant. Meaning this is really the most useable classic car and a classic boat you could find.
Head over to the Car & Classic Auction by clicking the link below!
It’s been an absolute treat to have one of the most iconic muscle cars of all time in the trim shop of Bridge Classic Cars. This 1970 Dodge Charger. The 2nd generation Chargers are without a doubt, one of the best-looking muscle cars built.
This particular 1970 Charger is in with our expert in-house trim team to be fitted out with a brand new interior. First up, Kath began to fit the headliner to the Charger. Covering such an expanse in fabric can be daunting, but for the Bridge Classic team, it’s not a problem. Working through the car methodically allowed Kath to stretch and pull the headliner into shape and give it the best finish possible.
Each of the ribs was carefully moved into its position millimetre by millimetre to ensure it was level and square. These spars allow the fabric some element of give but also when they are correctly installed, gives the best finish with no ripples or waves.
Whilst installing the headliner, Kath did note a small area of corrosion on the shell by the back window. It had been treated and wasn’t structural. In any case, we always let our clients know and suggest a course of action. At this time, it will be underneath the headliner. As said, it’s not in a structural location, it has been treated and on inspection by our body shop team, it is perfectly fine for years to come.
Updates on the rest of the interior will be up very soon so keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
The 1973 MGB Roadster we currently have in at Bridge Classic Cars for work has been having its cooling system gone through.
Our in-house restoration technician Ady last time worked on removing the water pump and the old radiator from this iconic little sportscar. New parts were put on order and have now been fitted into the front of the bright red MG B.
A completely new water pump has been fitted to make sure that when it is eventually driven, the temperatures stay nice and safe. Working alongside the new water pump is the replacement radiator.
This was crucial in the cooling system as the old one had seen better days and on the advice of our in-house technician, a new one was fitted for peace of mind.
More will be coming up soon on the MGB Roadster so be sure to keep an eye on our News Page.
Whilst out on the original photo shoot for our 1965 Amphicar, our Marketing manager Freddie snapped this photo.
It’s a stunning VW Type 2 Camper. There’s something just so charming about these vans that are beloved by young and old that crosses all divides. This one is finished really nicely and obviously is loved by its owner.
Work is continuing on the 1973 MG B Roadster that is in at Bridge Classic Cars to be recommissioned. This time, our in-house restoration technicians are looking into the cooling system. A crucial part of any classic.
The reason we needed to remove the radiator was to gain access to the water pump. This was due for replacement as Ady had noticed it begin to weep. Whilst the radiator is out, it allows our in-house team to inspect and assess the radiator itself to see if it needs any repairs or is in need of replacement.
Keep a lookout on our news page for any updates on the MG B Roadster.
It’s been a little while since the last update on the 1987 Daimler Double Six currently in with us at Bridge Classic Cars.
Since the last time, this Daimler has had all its brightwork and trim removed for our in-house restoration team to assess anybody repairs that need to be made to preserve this classic example of British luxury for many more years to come.
Tamas, one of our restoration technicians, has been carefully removing and safely storing each piece of trim that has been taken off the car. Methodically working his way around the entire car until it as you see in the photos.
Since the tear-down has been completed, expect to see more updates very soon on the News Page about this much forgotten Classic.
September 28, 2021 1:05 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
This 1967 Ford Mustang isn’t like many others. This is a right-hand drive 1967 Ford Mustang.
That does make refurbishing the suspension and steering systems a little bit trickier. But, it’s nothing our in-house restoration technicians can’t handle. The conversion was done on the car prior to its history with ourselves, apparently done during the vehicles life done in the Phillipines.
Our Technician, Paul, has been slowly taking apart the steering rack in preparation to be rebuilt along with its suspension set up.
We are currently sourcing replacement pieces for the vehicle thanks to the detailed nature of the assessment on each component of this unique Mustang.
September 23, 2021 8:02 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Honda Type R’s always look fantastic when finished in Championship White. Clean, crisp and purposeful.
That is what the outcome will be on the 1998 Honda Integra Type R that we are currently working at Bridge Classic Cars will be by the end of the process.
Our talented and experienced painter Chris has been working hard on getting the Integra prepped to have some paintwork retouch. As you saw in the last post, the engine bay had grown tired. It was time for a refresh on this future classic.
Chris, our in-house painter, began by stripping back the affected parts of the engine bay and core support along with a section of the rear quarter panel. This will of course be finished in that bold Championship White to match the rest of the car and to keep it to its original shade of white.
Keep a look out for future updates on the Integra Type R at Bridge Classic Cars by watching the News page.
September 21, 2021 3:30 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Refinishing a piece of trim is sometimes more effective than replacing it. Although the finish may be work or damaged, the part itself is still in good condition.
That is the story with this dash surround belonging to our friend Ted at Team C Racing. The paint on top of the veneer had unfortunately cracked in several places over time. But our in-house paint and body team knew just what to do.
They stripped the whole piece back ready to be repainted to match the original paint. Carefully making sure it would be as close to the original as possible and as you can see. Matt and Chris got it absolutely spot on.
September 20, 2021 8:09 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1990 Range Rover CSK is important in the history of the luxury 4×4. Built to honour the memory of its creator, only a limited number were built and even fewer still remain.
This particular example has been stored with us at Bridge Classic Cars in preparation for its move over to our workshop but when that day arrived, unfortunately, it would not start under its own power. This was no problem. Some manpower and our vehicle transportation team in the closed vehicle transporter, the CSK was on its way to our workshop.
Once safely at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, our technician Mauro clambered under the 1990s icon to check over each component of the starting system methodically and carefully. First starting with the battery, which was indeed flat. Putting it on our Sealey battery charger was simple to get some power back into the black beauty. However, this didn’t change the issue.
Checking that the engine was free became Mauro’s next job. Carefully and precisely barring the 3.9 litre V8 over several times to check that it span freely, which happily it did. With the key in the ignition in the second position, Mauro gently clicked it over to the third point on its cycle. Again nothing.
With this information and his experience, Mauro recommended changing the starter motor on number 47 of the 200 Range Rover CSK’s built.
With this crucial part on order. Mauro enlisted the help of the other in-house Bridge Classic Cars technicians to get the considerable car on our 4 post ramp to begin its inspection.
September 17, 2021 8:00 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Brian has begun to strip down the interior of the 1979 Arrow Daytona in at Bridge Classic Cars.
Carefully Brian and the trim team have removed all of the carpeting and necessary trim panels to get access to both the dash and centre console which will be removed and stored before their restoration starts.
Along with the interior trim pieces, the wiring for the cabin has also been removed and catalogued for future reference once the car is back in the workshop to be reassembled.
We’ve been very busy this week with winners and photoshoots as well as ongoing works to our current projects! Check out the news section of our website for in depth exclusives on our current cars.
Live Draws and Winners
This week we aired to live videos! One being on Wednesday night as a Hanger walk around, teasing some of the cars to come which must have enticed some extra ticket buyers as all three competition cars were drawn and won last night!
A big congratulations to James Colwell for winning our 1979 Mini Clubman with his lucky ticket number 850. Our 1998 Jaguar XJR Supercharged was won by Sam Holmes with his ticket number 134. Finally, our 1999 Mercedes was won by Robert Read with ticket number 131. Although his ticket number was selected, it wasn’t the first ticket number to be chosen by Google’s random number generator. The first ticket pulled was 183, a number assigned to an unbought ticket. This just goes to show it’s worth buying those extra tickets as that could have been you!
Closer look at the Chevron
We released some details about our new Chevron B20 earlier in the week. Here’s a closer look at our new race car. We’re planning on doing an official shoot for this iconic vehicle next week, so stay tuned!
New arrival of an Austin Nippy
Yesterday we welcomed this 1934 Austin Nippy to the workshop. This little car is visiting us for an engine rebuild. We’ll be uploading more details about the car and its restoration soon!
Finishing touches on the Jaguar
As you may have seen in our previous blog, our beautiful 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Race Car project has finally been completed. This has been in progress since 2016 and this week we saw the finishing details such as these pinstripes added.
We can’t wait to start it up and photograph it! Keep an eye out for its full story and photoshoot coming next week!
November 27, 2020 4:16 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
This stunning 16th Century Elizabethan hotel created the perfect backdrop to shoot the regal 1973 Rolls Royce Corniche with our friend Giles, who made the perfect model.
We’re currently selling the Rolls Royce, so if you’d like to look this suave, head over to our website to see more about it!
Our ray of sunshine, the Yellow 1973 Triumph TR6 has just left the workshop!
It came in with some issues concerning the gearbox so we swiftly replaced the clutch slave cylinder and it was back up and running in no time!
It was delivered back to its owners this morning.
Peony Red 1960 Jensen 541S
We’ve recently received another Jensen to restore. Although it’s currently a dull white, it will soon blossom into a beautiful Peony Red! This is a really exciting project for us as it’s going to be an amazing transformation!
Earlier in the week it had its fiberglass body worked on, smoothing down the exterior and adding a layer of stone chip to the inside. You can see that here.
Since then, our technicians Chris and Ant have tidied the metal plate work by welding and smoothing the exterior to make it all uniform. A primer has been added and a DTM satin paint applied on top.
The chrome pieces for the Jensen have also been sourced and cleaned, ready to be applied.
The doors have been refurbished with rust and holes corrected and parts of the inner door having been refurbished.
Overview
We’ve recently bought a 1974 VW Beetle for a near future competition car! We cant wait to get started on this beautiful green vehicle!
We’ve also had a lot of work on our other cars such as new trimmings for the Grey Jensen, custom window wipers and pump for the Nissan, new wheels on the MGB, new seat belts on the purple TR6.
November 6, 2020 12:17 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Our  1960 Jensen 541R has had another round of interior fittings measured up, made, and installed by our talented team in the Trim Shop. This time it’s the Jensens boot that’s been fitted.
Each piece of the boot carpet has been measured by hand, stitched, and fitted in a bespoke pattern. No trim is ever the same.
Chris is now so close to completing the paintwork on our 1960 MGA. All of the panels and main body have now been painted and cured. Chris will fit up the panels onto the car before giving her a good polish. Stay tuned to see the fully assembled rolling chassis back in the workshop soon for it’s restoration to continue.
Great work, Chris!
February 13, 2020 8:13 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Dave has done a wonderful job fabricating new hinges for our Jensen 541R. He’s had to weld in a box section in order to extend the Jensen’s ‘A post’ towards the rear of the car. This has allowed to doors to sit in their correct position. The Jensen will go to our in-house paint shop for bodywork to ensure the door sits perfectly flush. Great work, Dave!
February 12, 2020 2:32 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
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