James has been working on removing the old tow bar on our 1991 T4 transporter as the owners don’t need it anymore. He aims to renovate the original bumper to neaten up that area. Chris has been working on sanding and smoothing down the body of the T4 in preparation for paint.
The seats have also been recovered and re-padded with new foam. Kath began by removing the cover, glueing splits foam back together to improve comfort and adding a piece of calico to stick over the top of the foam to reduce splits in the future. Kath also added 3mm of foam to the frames for added comfort on those long road trips.
Kath also discovered the centre of the seat foam has split so she added calico to it and stuck it around three sides. The next step was to stick the foam back in place before refitting the cover. To ensure the cover fit back on neatly, Kath had to push and mould the cover back into shape. She then needed to hook the bottom back into place, pull the back section through to front and hook it onto the same spikes as the front section. Once fitted, Kath could hammer the spikes back to secure the cover.
The doors and side panels have been masked, primed and repainted, ready to be fitted back onto the shell later down the line.
Our 1970 Jaguar E-Type V12 is back in the workshop after its hiatus at Bentwaters whilst we waited for the chrome bumper to come back. Mauro has dedicated his morning to carefully applying the chrome bumper, making sure it fits and it’s perfectly cleaned.
The next step is to run the E-Type through a general service and send it back home!
Along with the bumper, we also received other chrome parts back for our Jaguar such as the front grill surround which Mauro has also fitted.
Mauro has also installed the steering rack tie rod ends which had been replaced as well as a new clutch slave cylinder.
Our specialist classic car painter, Matt, has been working on spraying our Ferrari Daytona its new green colour. Having sat in primer, Matt could then mask up the body, apply a base layer and then finish by applying the final colour. The doors, bonnet and boot still need to be done separately however we’re very excited to see this major development in the Daytona’s restoration.
Chris has also been working on the Daytona paint work and has sprayed many of the internal components black.
Kath has been working on the seats for the Daytona. Last week she rolled out and marked all the leather for two seat faces. Once she’d marked out the foam ready to stuff into the fluted panels, Kath cut the calico out so that all the seat faces were ready to be sewn together. All the parts for the seat face with the black strips were then laid out ready to be added to the frames.
Some of you may remember we mentioned our busy Jensen workshop last year, and it hasn’t slowed down in 2021. We’ve become the Jensen Specialists of the UK with a constant set of Jensen 541R and 541S projects passing through our doors on a regular basis. With projects ranging from full nut and bolt restorations to small fixes and services, we’ve been inundated with Jensen’s, and we love it!
2020 saw 8 Jensen’s in at the same time, which led to this amazing shot of them all lined up. Our technicians are now well versed in Jensen mechanics, electrics and bodywork as we’ve still got 6 of them in the workshop plus another stored at Bentwaters waiting to find a new home.
With only 193 Jensen 541R’s ever made and 127 541S’s made, and even fewer still on the road, we’ve had a large quantity of them in the workshop.
Pictured below is the Silver 1959 Jensen 541R recent wiring ammends. John had found that when wiring up, the overdrive didn’t engage. After an investigation, John found it was because the solenoid had overheated and melted the terminals, meaning a new solenoid was fitted.
A new stoplight switch has also been fitted because the old stoplight had seized and wouldn’t turn off.
February 25, 2021 8:36 amPublished by Craig Ranson
James has been sanding and smoothing the door frame window sill using the wire wheel on the grinder.
Four out of five doors have been prepared and are now ready for primer. James has discovered that the 5th door doesn’t need such extreme work meaning its ready to go to Chris tomorrow after its been lined up on the van to make sure it still fits straight.
February 24, 2021 4:17 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Another live draw and two more winners! Last night we announced two more winners to add to our growing collective of lucky classic car winners! Our 1996 Mercedes 320SL and 1992 Rolls Royce Silver Spirit II found their new owners during our live draw that we hosted at our HQ in Pettistree.
Charlotte and Craig took us around the workshops to show off our current restoration projects and upcoming vehicles. With lots of exciting cars soon to be released, the live draw was jam-packed with exclusive news.
A big congratulations to Russ Warman who won our classic Rolls Royce with his lucky ticket number 499 and Steven Lambe who won the characterful Mercedes with his ticket number 950!
Charlotte also helped us move the cars around before the draw and had a go in our MGB GT LE, which she agreed is a pleasant drive! Keep an eye out for the release of our MGB, which is set to be our next competition car.
February 24, 2021 12:56 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
“The quality will remain long after the price is forgotten.” – Henry Royce
Nothing quite says luxury like a golden Rolls Royce. A timeless classic, oozing with nobility and class, this 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow I left our doors just over a year ago. Its proud new owner, Michael, has been enjoying cruising around in his beloved Rolls Royce, documenting his travels on Instagram.
With just a service and a small neaten up from the workshop, this stunning gold motor was in perfect condition when we sold it on behalf of a client in February 2020.
We’ve been keenly following the trips and adventures of Michael and ‘Auric’ on their appropriately named Instagram page, ‘The man with the golden roller’ (@themanwiththegoldenroller). Over the last year, Auric has been pictured dotted around London from Buckingham Palace to Richmond Green and Chelsea, Westminster Abbey and Knightsbridge. Michael continued the very royal road trip theme out to Windsor Castle, Blickling Estate, Clivedone House, Combe, home of 007; Pinewood Studios, and Denham! He’s even photographed Auric around Norfolk! Auric even featured in ‘Spirit and Speed’ magazine last year!
A Rolls Royce is the epitome of British nobility in the car world, and driving one is said to be a unique and timeless pleasure. We’ve currently got a 1992 Rolls Royce Silver Spirit II up for grabs over on our competition page and could be yours for just £9! Alternatively, for those who just cant wait and want their own golden roller now, our 1973 Golden Rolls Royce Corniche is up for sale with us and could be yours straight away!
We’re delighted to see the Electric Classic Car’s electric mini is coming along well. If you’ve been following this story, you might remember that we painted this mini before it was handed over to Electric Classic Cars to be turned into an electric classic.
This car belongs to a client of Team C Racing and has been carefully restored by Ted before being passed on to ourselves and Electric Classic Cars to be completed.
The Tesla powered Mini is being fitted with a 31kWh battery pack, that has 100-300hp power options. Electric Classic cars suggest that a bolt-in kit will be available from them soon. Their Instagram post (featured below) explains that more details, including pricing, will be announced after rigorous testing. We’re excited to see how this characterful mini develops as it leads the way to be among the first Tesla classic cars.
With the modified fuel tank back at HQ, Craig can begin to fit his 1984 Suzuki GSX 400T back together. The seat frame had also come back and is ready to start being assembled.
February 17, 2021 2:15 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Our Triumph TR5 has had a bespoke bumper iron made in the workshop to fit underneath behind the front wheel. One of our technicians made a template based off a similar car’s bumper iron and once he was happy, then made up the final design.
The TR5 has also entered the trim shop where our trim team are fitting the interior fabric. On this occasion, the client ordered a pack of TR5 interior pieces meaning we’re just fitting the sections rather than making them from hand. Although these sets are designed to fit perfectly, sometimes they need to be modified as every classic is unique. The majority of the work will include sticking and bolting each piece in place and ensuring that it all fits perfectly.
Kath began by adjusting and cutting around the corners of the panels so they fit well when applied later. The Kath glued the foam in place under the wheel arches and trimmed the excess material off along the seam of the wheel arch trim. Once done, she could glue in place the wheel arch cover and glue in the triangle piece down near the bottom door seal.
Kath also fitted the sound deadening and glued it in place throughout the vehicle. Once fitted in place, Kath then begun to trim along the sides of the sills to remove any extra deadening fabric.
Once complete, the passenger footwell carpet could be laid and the sill fitted to the drivers side.
February 17, 2021 12:02 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Late one evening last week, a Russell’s transporter lorry arrived with two new additions to the Bridge Classic Car family, one of which being this 1949 Morris Minor Lowlight.
This is soon to be a competition car but before we can shoot and release it, it needs some TLC. Stay tuned…
February 17, 2021 11:49 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Our fantastic blue 1998 TVR Chimaera initially came in for a trim restoration and service however during the service, we’ve noticed some more serious issues that need addressing.
Mauro began the service by checking and replacing the standard elements such as the engine oil, spark plugs, and the oil and air filters. We discovered that there’s some serious damage to the fibreglass battery box that needs attending to as well as some re-wiring issues. Although we also hope service is straight forward, we understand that the importance of a service is to highlight any more serious issues that are less obvious.
There were some substantial wiring problems which needed attending to as some of the wires were at breaking point. Mauro has re-wired the TVR and replaced some of the wires.
We’ve reinforced the bolting of the battery box with fabricated plates and nuts welded to steel plates.
February 17, 2021 11:38 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Tom has been working hard to finish the wiring looms on our silver 1959 541R Jensen. He’s linked the main loom to the dash loom and connected up the front loom.
February 17, 2021 10:40 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Here at Bridge Classic Cars, we like to give you all an incite into what goes on behind closed doors. We often show you the main workshops and restorations, as well as a sneak peak into the production process for live draws with Charlotte, but we rarely take a look at our hanger itself. Our hanger is an unsung hero with an interesting past…
Up at RAF Bentwaters, we’ve got our own hanger. Originally a military base, Bentwaters run as an active American airbase from 1942 until 1993. Now home to multiple businesses and a museum, Bentwaters is a functioning business park with a very visible history. It is home Europe’s longest air strip and feels like a step back in time with many old fighter jets and military vehicles dotted around the base.
You may have also heard of RAF Bentwaters thanks to a mysterious UFO sighting in 1980 which has made the location popular with tourists and alien enthusiasts. The sighting took place in the surrounding forest and is known as the Rendlesham Forest incident which has gone down in history as the UK’s most famous UFO sighting and is known worldwide.
With the base commanding its place in British history, what better spot to store and film classic cars. We offer storage solutions for clients who need a secure and dry location to store their beloved motors. We offer Carcoons, plug-in batteries and regular cleaning.
We also store our own cars in here as they wait to come in for restorations or have been completed and need photographing and storing before finding their new home. We host our live draws from the Hanger but we also use Bentwaters as the regular backdrop to our photoshoots and videos. You might recognise the familiar pine-clad backdrop and clear open roads.
You may also notice a certain rare Francis Barnett which we currently have up for sale. This bike was originally Craigs so we’ve had it safely tucked away at the hanger for a few months however he’s decided to part ways with it and let someone else enjoy the timeless beauty of this bike.
February 16, 2021 12:48 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
This morning, we welcomed a beautiful green 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 (2+2) 4.2 in for a service to address MOT advisories. Jaguar E-Types are among the most popular classic cars we receive, with a large majority of our projects being E-Types. These classic motors are well recognised and well-loved, with their value increasing every year.
With iconic styling and excellent road manners, the Jaguar E-type design was perfected by aerodynamics of Malcolm Sayer and the keen eye of Sir William Lyons. Series 2 coupes are among the rarest of the bunch, with fewer than 5000 being built.
February 16, 2021 12:12 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Nestled in the centre of France, just a few miles from Clermont-Ferrand is a newly founded school of classic race car training: The Classic Racing Group.
Julien Chaffard, a young French engineer and enthusiast has set up the world’s first full-service curriculum school for open-wheel racing. The company consists of only 6 employees with all of them under the age of 30. The light and young energy reflects Julien’s laid back, easy to like aura. The courses allow engineers and enthusiasts to get involved and learn how to drive these classic machines.
The school hosts its classes in the nearby legendary Circuit de Charade which was the home to the 1965 and 1972 Formula One championships and has a history with Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark, and Jochen Rindt gracing its circuit with their victories. Close to the home of Michelin, the stunning track has been carved from the mountains and features dramatic elevation changes. Sir Stirling Moss, former F1 racing driver claimed, “I don’t know a more wonderful track than Charade.”
Their classes run through the summer, starting in spring and concluding in autumn. Within these courses, individuals learn how to drive and handle exact replicas of the much revered Formula Fords that were manufactured by the Crosslé Car Company, which won the European Championship in 1969. These replicas have been made by Crosslé itself which still stands as the UK’s oldest racing manufacturers. As well as these classes, participants are also welcomed into the Classic Racing school’s club house that’s decorated by timeless memorabilia and a luxury bar.
The school offer three types of programmes to racing enthusiasts; an ad-hoc styled track Day for those want a chance to sit behind the wheel of a classic single-seater, a Racing School for the more dedicated students who can join get involved in several events during the year, or a Competition Experience.
With the art and trade of classic race car driving, and in tern engineering, slowly dying out, the only way to resurrect it, is to involve the next generations. With much of the engineering found in these classic motors spurring the ground breaking mechanics of the cars we see on tracks today, the best way to advance the industry is to get involved in its past.
If you fancy your chance at becoming a classic race car driver, or are an enthusiast, we’ve got just the car for you! Our 1972 Original Chevron B20 72-2 is up for sale and is thought to be one of just a few in existence. You can view the car for sale here and take a look at our blogs about it here.
You can see the full interview with Petrolicious here as well as their stunning photos;
As some may know, Gordon has a 1960 541R Jensen that’s being restored with us. Much like the Peony Red Jensen, this full restoration has been nicknamed as the ‘Lilac’ Jensen as Gordon aims for it to be done in a two toned Lilac finish, however that stage is a while off.
Chris has recently put the door frames into the paint bay to have epoxy primer added. With this step completed, it edges ever closer to becoming its namesake colour.
February 15, 2021 11:24 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Our 1991 VW T4 Transporter is making progress! Our technicians James and Chris have been working together to ensure bit by bit, we fight the rust that’s appearing on this beloved camper.
Chris has worked on the front panel which has been placed in the ‘oven’ ready for DTM satin black after being sandblasted. This will give it the new lease of life that it very much needs!
James has continued focusing on the wheel arch and busting the rust on other elements of our 1991 VW T4 transporter campervan. The front cross member came was sandblasted and James applied a rust repair replacement on one end.
February 15, 2021 11:11 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Our 1968 Triumph TR5 has been progressing in leaps and bounds under the expert eye of our technician Mauro.
Chris has painted the roof in DTM (direct to metal) satin black, making its smart and ready to be attached.
Mauro has attached the fuel pressure relief valve and installed the fuel lines, fitted the clutch master and slave cylinder, fitted the windscreen frame, sun visors and interior mirror. You might also notice that all the badges have been fitted along with the bumpers and chassis plate. This magnificent classic is now started to resemble a car again.
During our weekly deep clean (that goes alongside our daily workshop cleans), we emptied the workshop of all our cars whilst we tidied up the workshop. This allowed us to really get a good look at the TR5 off the frame.
February 15, 2021 10:42 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Its that time of the week again! In this instalment of ‘Meet The Team’ we’re chatting to Paul, one of our classic car technicians. After joining in 2019, Paul is usually found doing what he fondly refers to as ‘spanner work’, “I enjoy the hands-on mechanical work, I’m more of a spanners man”.
His expertise with cars comes from a long history in engineering and the motor trade. After he left school, Paul tells us he did an apprenticeship in Engineering at what was then Garretts and from there, he progressed through various forms of mechanical engineering. With experience in everything from modern MOTs to restoring classic cars, Paul’s real love lays with motorbikes.
“I prefer mechanical things, that’s my preference, I’m more of a spanners man than power-plyers and electrical plyers.”
His fascination with bikes started as a child. He tells us that he’s worked on hundreds of bikes through his life, “My parents owned a few acres of land and we lived at the bottom of this valley. We made sand tracks for the bikes and created our own tracks!”
Paul tells us his first car was a Riley Elf that he bought shortly after passing his test. Although he’s always loved his bikes, Paul tells us “It had a walnut dash and leather seats! It was a bit like a Mini with a boot!”
Pauls first road bike was Yamaha RD250 but says his dream bike has always been a BSA Rockett or Triumph Hurricane. On the topic of cars, Paul said he’s always loved Triumph TR5’s as he already has a 1979 Triumph Dolomite Sprint.
February 15, 2021 9:41 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Our oldest Jensen, the 1957 541R has had some issues with its left side front passenger door. We’ve been working to modify it to allow it to sit more comfortbly in line with the rest of the body. With the alignment sorted, we also needed to address the ill fitting door car before it could be dressed.
One of our engineers has worked on making the inside of the door frame deeper so that the door car could fit inside.
February 12, 2021 11:29 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Lydia has been focusing exclusively on Craig’s 500SL Mercedes interior restoration. Over the last week or so shes been working on the seat covers, re-working the original material and creating new covers.
Lydia began by adding a layer of scrim foam over the top and sides of the frame to replace the old worn out padding which had turned hard. She then drew a line down the centre of the seat to make it easier to identify the middle of the cover. Once this is done, Lydia placed the cover over it and pull the calico inside it. Once fitted, she could pull it tight and glue it in place.
Lydia then applied weight to the frame springs and pulled the other edges of the cover over and under the frame. She then glued down the side flaps around the frame, cleaned up the bolts that screw into the bottom of the seat, and made a hole on each side for them.
February 12, 2021 11:01 amPublished by Craig Ranson
James has been working on the corrosion damage of our 1991 VW T4 Transporter Campervan. He’s been focusing on finishing off the sliding door and rear left door repairs. He’s cut out the right-hand side rear wheel arch, repaired the inner arch and tacked the new outer arch in place to make it ready for welding.
February 12, 2021 10:45 amPublished by Craig Ranson
We’ve received our 1934 Austin Seven Nippy engine back and can now begin reinstalling the engine back into the Austin. This little motor will be nippy in no time!
Below you can see the re-conditioned engine with its new crank case from Ian R Bancroft Restorations:
February 12, 2021 9:54 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Paul has taken a look at our 1954 Jaguar MKVII and made sure all the brakes are stripped down and ready to be overhauled. The rear brake pipes have been removed and replaced with new components.
February 12, 2021 9:45 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The bonnet and doors have finished their blocking stage and been sent back into the paint bay to be primed. When the rest of the body is finished, Scott and Chris will do the same to the body which has been masked.
Chris has also added epoxy onto some of the components and primed them for black DTM (direct to metal).
February 12, 2021 9:30 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Late this evening, two new motors arrived at Bridge Classic Cars HQ, a 1949 Morris Minor Lowlight and this 1971 Triumph Stag 3.0 V8.
With a few tweaks and fixes needed, this Stag will be worked on in our workshop for a short time before being photographed and released as a new competition vehicle.
February 11, 2021 5:00 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Our Amphicar has taken the back bench since Christmas whilst we waited for the gearbox to come back after we encountered a bushing stuck inside the gearbox which needed the entire element to be taken apart and re-built.
Now with the gearbox back, we can start to reassemble the gearbox and engine.
Ady has also cleaned the floor of the Amphicar engine bay and Chris has painted it black. The engine can now be placed back in.
February 11, 2021 2:59 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Scott has continued blocking out the Ferrari Daytona after its recent visit to the paint bay. All the primer has now been blocked down on the body. There’s a few more imperfections to smooth down before the next primer coat but otherwise, its almost ready for the next step!
The term blocking out refers to smoothing over the body and filing out any imperfections to make sure the body is all straight and ready to be painted.
February 11, 2021 1:50 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
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