The dash pad on the 1986 Ford Capri Laser currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is starting to show some cracks and splits, but our in-house trim team know what to do.
These types of cracks in classic Ford dashes are relatively common but thanks to the material they’re made from they can be filled and if not completely removed, very much lessened. This is the approach that our workshop and trim team have taken with the dash pad on our 1986 Ford Capri Laser.
Even just with some simple filler work, it already looks far better.
February 17, 2022 9:02 amPublished by Craig Ranson
In the latest Bridge Classic Cars film, join the team as they travel to the Port of Harwich to collect a very rare and sentimental 1968 MGC Roadster arriving from Germany and bring it all the way back to our Suffolk HQ.
If you haven’t already, remember to head over to our YouTube channel and like, comment and subscribe.
February 17, 2022 8:47 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars are on a mission to making sure the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona in with us for restoration is as close as possible to the real thing.
Part of that job is the fit and finish of the dash and centre console. Scott, one of our technicians, has been put in charge of modifying the fibreglass pieces that make up the dash and console fit perfectly and look authentic to the car it pays homage to.
Piece by piece, he has cut and reshaped the fibreglass to allow not only the tightest fit between individual components but follow the contours of the original using reference photos and videos to guide him. This being fibreglass, Scott has a certain amount of movement within the material to get it lining up and fitting just right before putting in filler pieces and strengthening the whole panel.
This process of reshaping and modifying the dash and console is not one to be taken lightly but crucial in the execution of the project as a whole.
February 17, 2022 8:40 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The final process to get the 1987 Mercedes 500SL restoration ready for its first coats of paint has been completed by the Bridge Classic Cars body shop.
Mauro has been working on getting the last few pieces of the classic Mercedes ready for its date with the paint booth. Mauro has been meticulously going through the whole car piece by piece to make sure everything is in perfect shape before the first layers of final primer are laid onto the body and panels. This involved several hours of sanding in places with very limited access but needed to be done for the best finish possible.
Along with that, Mauro removed the final parts and pieces from the doors of the 500SL to be able to sand inside the doors so the paint shop can get the best finish possible inside and out.
We’re so excited to see the 1987 Mercedes 500SL finally go into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop for the first steps of its paint process.
February 17, 2022 8:33 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Bridge Classic Cars have finally received a crucial piece of the puzzle to getting the 1929 Dodge Brothers DA back on the road. A brand new brake master cylinder.
Paul, one of our technicians, fitted up the new master onto the car in replacement of the old one which had some leaks and wouldn’t allow us to bleed or adjust the brakes. So, with the new one now securely underneath the pre-war/pre-Chrysler Dodge the team could begin the task of bleeding and adjusting the brakes so this wonderful vintage tourer can hit the road again someday soon.
February 17, 2022 8:18 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The sunroof for the 1978 MGB GT is on the workbench of the trim shop here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ and it needs more work than first thought.
Lydia had been working on entirely refurbishing the soft top for the Blaze Orange MGB. As she began to disassemble the piece, the metal railings literally started to crumble in her hands. So, with that, she worked on getting everything broken down into its components and went to our fabrication department to make new rails for the soft top.
Once these had been made and given back to Lydia, she could start to put the refurbished soft top back together and safely put into storage for when our body team have finished the metal repairs on the sports car.
February 16, 2022 12:53 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The front seats for the 1955 Jensen 541 are on the workbench in the in-house trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars.
Brian has been testing fitting each part of the seat bases to make sure everything lines up and fits just right. He then made new wooden cappings to go along with the new metal frames. Once the fit was just right, the new bases could then me covered in Calico before being placed and fitted into the fibreglass bucket seats.
February 16, 2022 12:40 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Now that the aesthetic restoration of the 1977 MGB Roadster is complete, we thought we would pull the 1970s convertible out of the workshop and take some photos to show the work we’ve done on the car.
Every panel, piece and seam have been worked on by the teams here at Bridge and it really goes to show it on this car. Inside and out, we think this car looks absolutely fantastic.
February 16, 2022 11:50 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The workshop technicians at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the first steps into the left-hand drive conversion on the 1970 Bristol 411.
The technicians have been inspecting the engine bay and steering system on the classic British sports car to come up with a plan and evaluate the need for any new parts to be sourced or fabricated. Along with that, the technicians have also removed the original mechanical fuel pump from the V8 as part of its conversion.
The first step in the conversion is the removal of the original power-assisted steering system to be inspected on the workbench and researched.
February 16, 2022 10:23 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1969 Bentley T1 currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ has had the first test fit of its new replacement front wing.
We managed to secure the only replacement front wing in the entire country for this car. This is a reproduction piece that Dave, our technician, has had to work on to get it roughly fitting onto the car. With it now in place hanging onto its mounts, the workshop can now see where it needs to be manipulated and reshaped in order to match up with the classic lines of the Bentley.
The original wing, as you may remember, was heavily damaged and after more inspection, it wasn’t salvageable to be reused on the project.
With this important point in the project, expect to see much more on the 1969 Bentley T1 very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
February 16, 2022 9:43 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Some of you may remember the 1966 Jaguar 3.8 MkII which was part of a consignment of cars that we received from South Africa. Well, it has now gone through the process is fully registered in the UK!
The classic Jaguar now sports its very own black and silver pressed number plates. So, with all the paperwork complete and the iconic classic plates in hand, our workshop fitted them onto the big Jag and we couldn’t help but take some photos of this legendary car. The MkII was a firm favourite with racers, the gentry, the police and the bank robbers.
We’re very lucky to have another one of these beautiful 4 door Jaguar saloons in our building once again. But, keep an eye out for what’s happening next on this amazing car…
February 16, 2022 9:17 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The body team at Bridge Classic Cars are continuing at full pace to get the 1987 Mercedes R107 500SL ready to head into the spray booth.
Mauro has been working on getting every single surface of the iconic grand tourer into perfect shape for our painters to lay down the first coats of ”Selenit Grau”. That is the new chosen colour of the 500SL, originally available on the 280SL Pagodas in the 1960s.
The body team have also worked on getting the window regulators and all brackets, hinges, door strikers etc off of the car and catalogued. Not only for assessment but also to gain access to the inside of the doors to prep them for their new colour.
It’s all moving ahead with the 1987 Mercedes 500SL, and we’re excited to show you the next phase of the restoration on this classic Mercedes.
February 16, 2022 9:07 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The team at Bridge Classic Cars always like to see a familiar face. Just like this, the 1970 Jaguar E Type Series 2 Coupe which we did some work on last year.
This visit is for our workshop team to fit a new Mangoletsi air filter to the classic Jaguar. Now that the car could breathe a bit better, we had booked the car in with our friends over at Hangar 111 to get the E Type on their Rolling Road.
With the car safely strapped down, the team at Hangar 111 could work on getting the carburettors of the E Type perfectly set for the car.
February 15, 2022 4:28 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The metalwork on the 1978 Blaze Orange MGB GT has begun!
All of the new panels and pieces have arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for the team to begin work on the classic 1970s sports car. Once all of the welding is complete on the car, it will then be turned over to our body shop to make sure every line and curve on the car is absolutely perfect.
There will be more updates on the 1978 Blaze Orange MGB GT very soon
February 15, 2022 1:38 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
This 1970 Bristol 411 which has been stored at our secure storage facility, The Hangar, has been moved to our Pettistree workshop for work to begin on this amazing project.
This car was acquired by us for a customer based in Europe who has asked to carry out a series of works on the car including a left-hand drive conversion which we are getting asked more and more by clients if we can carry out. But before any of that work can begin, our teams will check the entire car over.
The first step is to get the car running. Our workshop technician have had to a light recommission of the to get it running and make sure that all the systems work correctly such as cooling and oiling. The technicians have reported that all was okay once the V8 had been run up to temperature and sat happily at temperature. The other piece that our workshop have completed is reinstating the chrome core support guard which carries the cars build plate, this is now safely back on the car for all to see.
This is going to be a very exciting project for the Bridge Classic Cars workshop on an amazing car.
February 15, 2022 11:55 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The latest arrival into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this stunning 1959 Morris Minor 1000.
The owner has asked us to go through the car for a series of jobs that need doing. Which include brakes, alignment, engine set-up and a full inspection before an MOT.
As part of that inspection, it will be looked at by the various in-house departments here at Bridge Classic Cars and reported on.
Expect to see more on this wonderful Morris Minor very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
February 15, 2022 11:41 amPublished by Craig Ranson
This is probably the best condition and best sounding Triumph Spitfire we have ever come across!
Our marketing manager, Freddie, absolutely fell in love with this car during the photoshoot and it’s easy to see how. Finished in a perfect shade of Inca Yellow, this 1979 Triumph Spitfire instantly stands out. The matching black wheels and interior just help to contrast the amazing condition of the paintwork on this car.
As Freddie drove it from our secure storage Hangar, he noticed the best part of the sports car. It’s upgraded sports exhaust. With the top down, even in the middle of winter, the noise was infectious. The Spitfire is a corner stone of the British sports car enthusiasm since its introduction in the early 1960s. The gearbox was precise and balanced, with the added benefit overdrive on the 3rd and 4th gears, making this car all the more useable.
And, it could be yours. Bridge Classic Cars Competitions wants you to have this very car. Head over to the Bridgew Classic Cars Competitions website to get your tickets!
We’ve been sent an amazing photo from the lobby of Seckford Hall here in Suffolk. The photo in the frame is from a photoshoot that Bridge Classic Cars did with the 1961 Jensen 541S restoration we had carried out at Seckford Hall.
It’s always a very proud moment to see both our photography work and restoration work in somewhere like Seckford Hall.
February 14, 2022 11:12 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The new panels for the 1978 MGB GT have arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. These pieces were ordered for the restoration of the sports car being done by our workshop.
All of these pieces are being checked and catalogued for the car by the team for when bodywork begins as part of the restoration project.
February 14, 2022 10:59 amPublished by Craig Ranson
After the installation of the engine and gearbox back into the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda, the team at Bridge Classic Cars have found some historic damage to the rear diff seal on the car.
The technicians at Bridge Classic Cars, as part of the refit, inspected all aspects of the driveline in the iconic Mercedes. Upon inspection of the rear differential, Paul discovered some historic damage to the rear different seal.
This will need to be resolved before the drive shaft can be installed back into the car and begin road testing. Paul has drilled out the original damaged nut to gain access.
Keep a lookout for more updates on the Pagoda here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
February 14, 2022 9:33 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop have got the 1955 Jensen 541 seats on the workbench for the cars new owner.
Brian and Lydia are working through the interior of the car bit by bit and now, is the front seats. Brian has got the new seat bases for the seats as the old ones were in very rough shape. The seat bases have been made from brand new steel for the team to work from.
Bit by bit, the trim team will be working on getting the front seats totally put together and recovered for a very special car like the 541.
February 14, 2022 9:19 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The technicians at Bridge Classic Cars have been getting through the list of jobs to get done on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Coupe.
The next job on the list was to fit a new electronic ignition into the 1970s GT car.
Removing the old system out of the car was done carefully while making note of each component, its condition and any wiring. With that out of the car, Jon could then get the new electronic ignition fitted.
A new distributor, coil, amplifier and resistor were fitted into the car and wired up under the bonnet of the E Type. He then ran all of the HT leads from each plug to the correct point on the distributor to get it in the right firing order. Then, after its first start and warm-up, Jon could set the timing and lock that in.
February 14, 2022 9:00 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars fabrication team have been working on getting any and all signs of corrosion out of the 1987 Daimler Double Six currently in our Suffolk HQ workshop for restoration.
Monty, one of our fabricators, has been methodically going through the car to address any issues with a series of smaller sympathetic repairs where needed. One of these areas is the wings of the car and the bottoms of the doors.
He has gone through each panel to determine just how much material needs to be removed in order for it to be structurally sound and safe. Monty has made a series of patch panels for both the wings and the doors of the Daimler from scratch. Handforming each of the pieces until it was a tight fit and flowed with any curves or radiuses on the car.
With this step done, he will carry on through the car getting all the necessary areas completely sorted out.
February 14, 2022 8:18 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have cleaned up and repadded the front seats of the 1955 Jensen 541.
Lydia has been working on hand-forming each of the padding pieces for the front bucket seats and shaping them roughly. These all have multiple pieces but the forms needed to be just right before the seat covers are eventually made to fit the fibreglass bucket seats.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more on the interior of the 1955 Jensen 541.
February 11, 2022 11:11 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have worked on getting the original interior of the 1955 Jensen 541.
Lydia has been working through each individual piece to get them stripped down to the bases and components underneath to be inspected and assessed. Once they have been assessed, she can begin the work of completely remaking all the padding and covers for the interior.
Bridge Classic Cars have a long history of working on the Jensen 541 and creating the interiors for these amazing GT cars.
February 11, 2022 10:55 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been working on fixing the bolsters on one of the seats in the 1998 Citroen Saxo VTR.
Lydia has taken off the material on the bolster of the seat and plugged the hole in the padding. After this, she then cut a new piece of seating cloth to hold the plug in. Then, stretching and fitting the bolster back over the edge and fixing back onto the base.
A small but crucial job to making this car last for prosperity.
February 11, 2022 10:43 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1973 MGB GT V8 is back in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop to get a new fan switch fitted.
The technicians noted that the original fan switch wasn’t controlling the electric fans correctly so a new switch was put on order and recently arrived.
After the new switch arrived, it was installed into the car and the coolant topped back up before the car was run up and tested.
February 11, 2022 9:53 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The latest addition to Bridge Classic Cars is the 1980 Saab 99 Turbo.
This is currently being stored at our safe, secure storage facility the Hangar before it will come over to our Pettistree workshop to be inspected and assessed by the restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars.
Keep a lookout on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 190 Saab 99 Turbo.
February 11, 2022 9:44 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Bridge Classic Cars have been getting back to work on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona. The next phase involves working on the inside of the car to get it to the next stage.
Scott, one of our technicians, has been working through the list of jobs to do on the car.
He had to modify the steering column to go from the Jaguar steering rack to the Ferrari steering column while also clearing the bottom of the genuine Daytona instrument cluster. After this, he began to work on the steering boss.
The steering boss needed to be modified to fit inside of the original Daytona column shroud while also allowing the indicators to self cancel.
After all this had been done and tested, Scott worked on getting the gear stick into the same place in the cockpit as it would have been in a real Daytona.
February 11, 2022 9:30 amPublished by Craig Ranson
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