The gauges and dials in the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 are some of the most beautiful out there. Simple black Smiths units with white lettering
Bridge Classic Cars take pride in that our in-house restoration technicians will go the extra mile to make sure that all of our restoration work
James has been continuing with the bodywork of the 1951 Riley RMB that is in at Bridge Classic Cars for restoration. Our in-house fabrication team
Brian has been working on the dashboard on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster in preparation for the rest of the car being
Whilst the interior for this amazing 1977 MGB Roadster is in with our extremely talented in-house trim shop here at Bridge Classic Cars, the body
Brian, one of our incredible in-house trim experts at Bridge Classic Cars, has been hard at work rebuilding and refitting the seats of the 1977
Our in-house restoration technician John has been hard at work getting the 1958 Triumph TR3A ready for its date across the auction block at this
Brian is working on the inside of the 1970 Dodge Charger that is in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop. Brian has been building
From our last post, you saw our in-house restoration technician Scott busy at work in the workshop at Bridge Classic Cars plumbing and wiring the
Preparing a classic car for winter is very important. And, at Bridge Classic Cars we know what it takes to keep your pride and joy
We have an incredible in-house trim team here at Bridge Classic Cars. They’ve been hard at work on the interior of the 1970 Dodge Charger
This absolutely beautiful 1972 Triumph Spitfire IV has just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Suffolk, UK. The car will go into the
Bridge Classic Cars have acquired this 1970 Bristol 411 on behalf of a customer of ours who lives in Europe. This particular car will be
It’s always interesting the first time we put a car up on the ramps in our workshop. You find out more about the story of
Well, it’s always sad to say goodbye. Our wonderful little 1965 Amphicar that we completely restored in-house here at Bridge Classic Cars has gone off
Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technician Mauro has been working on refitting the power steering pump to Craig, our directors, 2005 Aston Martin DB9. After
Our Director Gordon’s new 1934 MG PA Midget is now safe and sound in our classic and collectable vehicle storage facility known as The Hangar.
We sent away the power steering pump for the 2005 Aston Martin DB9 to a local specialist recently, but we now have it back at
It’s been a while since the last update on the Glastron Sea Ray Speedboat that belongs to our director Craig. During testing, our team found
Bridge Classic Cars were pleased to welcome this stunning 1985 Mercedes R107 SL380 recently. The owner of this beautiful, classic convertible has asked us to
Brian, our in-house trim master, has been busy working on retrimming and refitting trim pieces for the 1970 Dodge Charger that is in at Bridge
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
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
A nice surprise today at Bridge Classic Cars! A previous project dropped by the workshop today. This 1967 Austin Mini 850 is pretty famous… You
We recently said goodbye to Princess Grey. Off to be restored by its enthusiastic new owner who will love and cherish this car. Princess Grey
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
Bridge Classic Cars Competitions is giving one lucky winner the chance to win an air-cooled Porsche! But, it’s been made into a watch… REC has
The gauges and dials in the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 are some of the most beautiful out there. Simple black Smiths units with white lettering and easy to see layout. This style of dial is so synonymous with classic sportscar that anything else would look amiss in such an elegant and deserving car.
The rest of the car is currently undergoing a full restoration at Bridge Classic Cars but these units are being sent away to a specialist to be rebuilt and entirely refurbished to match the high level of fit and finish our in-house restoration teams will be doing to the car.
Once the dials are back from their refurbishment, they will be carefully stored until our in-house trim team is ready to fit them into the stunning dash and get them securely placed in the car.
Bridge Classic Cars take pride in that our in-house restoration technicians will go the extra mile to make sure that all of our restoration work is done to a world-class standard. Take, for example, these suspension components on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 that is in at Bridge Classic Cars for complete restoration.
Our restoration technician Mauro has been carefully taking apart each of the suspension components down to their bare bones before these parts are sent off to be sandblasted. All though these could be simply cleaned up and repainted, this DB2/4 Mark 1 is having the full treatment that Bridge Classic Cars is known for. Piece by piece, Mauro took apart every component to be inspected for any damage or defect and then catalogued.
Every bearing or bushing was pressed out of the housings before it goes off to be stripped all the way back to bare metal.
Expect to see more on the DB2/4 Mark 1 very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
James has been continuing with the bodywork of the 1951 Riley RMB that is in at Bridge Classic Cars for restoration. Our in-house fabrication team have had the rear wing of the Riley on the workbench to carry on with replacing the areas that needed attention.
Many of the flanges and construction have issues, whether it is rust or bad previous repairs, and needed to be entirely remade from scratch. James used the remaining original pieces to recreate them in the closest materials to the original and used original techniques to shape, move and mould the metal to where it needed to be.
James constantly test fitted pieces to the car to ensure they were fitting correctly and lined up with the original mounting points.
Brian has been working on the dashboard on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster in preparation for the rest of the car being finished off in the workshop over the next few weeks.
Brian, one of our master in-house trim experts, has worked his magic on the dashboard of Fern Grey. Once the original covering had been carefully removed, Brian could then begin to prepare the surface for it’s new cover.
Fern Grey is a special car. Everything on the entire car (not just the interior) has been worked on by our in-house restoration teams. Brian completely recovered the dash in a new black leather piece. But, it’s not just the cover that Brian worked on. The Trim team also refurbished all the trim pieces, especially the air vents on the leading edge of the dash.
Carefully, Brian cut the new cover to accept the dash vents. Then, began to fit them up onto the panel. It looks absolutely sensational.
Whilst the interior for this amazing 1977 MGB Roadster is in with our extremely talented in-house trim shop here at Bridge Classic Cars, the body is in with our paint expert Kris at our in-house paint shop.
Kris has been working on making sure that all the panels and pieces have come off the car carefully and safely for them to be inspected and assessed by Kris experienced eye. From there, Kris could then begin working on the panels to make sure all of the metal beneath the cars dark blue paint was in good order to be worked on.
Thankfully, it was all in really good shape beneath the surface. From that, Kris could then begin to get the car in primer. After several coats, Kris could then begin to test fit the panels back onto the car to make sure before any paint touches the car. The reason for this is to make sure that any working of the panels hasn’t caused them to distort or change shape in any way.
Because of Kris’s experience and care, each panel worked perfectly. Now that the pieces are primed and they fit, it’s soon going to be time for Kris to begin applying his talents to adding colour to this beautiful sportscar.
Brian, one of our incredible in-house trim experts at Bridge Classic Cars, has been hard at work rebuilding and refitting the seats of the 1977 MGB Roadster that is currently in at Bridge Classic Cars for restoration.
The seat bases were checked and new rails fitted, to begin with. Then, it was time to begin the process of the new webbing and padding that allows for comfort and support whilst out enjoying these brilliant little sportscars. With the new padding in place, Brian could attach it to the seatbacks and the squab bases. Making sure that the foams for each part were uniform and smooth. Then, slowly and carefully the trim team stretches the dark blue coverings over each of the seats to finish them off.
Once the backs and the bases were bolted together, Brian could then start fitting the handles to the interior mechanisms so the seats would recline and move just live brand new. Then, the finishing touch. The stunning black headrests that complete these wonderfully retrimmed seats.
Our in-house restoration technician John has been hard at work getting the 1958 Triumph TR3A ready for its date across the auction block at this years Birmingham NEC Auction.
Upon inspection, it was found that the front main oil seal, sump gasket and the timing cover gaskets were weeping slightly and would need to be replaced. Methodically, John worked through each component carefully to gain access to the affected parts. The entire front valance and radiator needed to be removed due to their proximity to the crank pulley which needs to be removed.
Along with that, quite a bit of the car’s wiring needed to be disconnected in order to safely remove the front valance to gain access. This was also carefully logged and noted for the reinstallation of the components. John carefully catalogued and stored every fixing and bracket to ensure everything went back as it should.
With the front end of the car and the oil pan removed, John could now begin the task of assessing, cleaning and preparing the surfaces for their new gaskets and seals. A crucial process to ensure the best fit and seal for the new gaskets. With the new set of gaskets and seals in place, John refitted the covers and made sure the main oil seal was seated correctly and tight in the crank seal before beginning the process to get the whole car back together.
During that, John also rerouted some of the necessary cables and wires which had been worked on by a previous garage prior to us working on the car to ensure the safety and ease of maintenance were all correct as they should have been.
Once back together, the car was run up to temperature after refilling all the vital fluids such as coolant and oil to ensure that the engine was happy and the car would be in the best condition for its lucky new owner.
Brian is working on the inside of the 1970 Dodge Charger that is in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop.
Brian has been building up the seats ready to be fitted into the car, both front and rear. Brian built up the rear seats to get into the car to begin with so that each of the other pieces can be put into place. The rear bench seat splits into two pieces so the careful placement of the covers and fixings to make sure all of the patterns lay straight and true to each other.
Then it was time for the front seats. All the side trims for the front seats needed to be fitted in preparation for them to be fitted into the Chargers cabin. All of these pieces were carefully fitted by Brian as to not mark or scuff any of the plastic trims. Then, once all finished and present they were put into the interior of this amazing Muscle Car.
From our last post, you saw our in-house restoration technician Scott busy at work in the workshop at Bridge Classic Cars plumbing and wiring the freshly built 5 litre V12 that sits at the heart of this gorgeous E Type Roadster. While that has been going on in the workshop, one crucial piece has been in the trim shop under the talented eye of our expert trimmer Brian.
The hardtop. An important part of any Roadster has been carefully painted by our amazing in-house paint shop in glorious deep black. Then, it was time for Brian to work his magic. Slowly and methodically, Brian began to remove the old headlining to reveal the shell underneath. Some of the material was saved in order to create the templates for the new pieces that would be needed to completely restore the hardtop to a standard matching the car itself.
Brian worked through the hardtop piece by piece to ensure the best and finish possible on such a bespoke project as Fern Grey. Even taking care to form the new openings for the speakers that sit in the pillar behind the drivers and passengers headrests. Once the underlay had been put in and secured, Brian then got to work with the finish touches.
Using swatches of existing black material, Brian took the time to find not only a close colour match but also a complimenting texture to work with the hardtop shell but also the other interior pieces that are in dark green leather. It’s these details that truly make this build, one of a kind.
Preparing a classic car for winter is very important. And, at Bridge Classic Cars we know what it takes to keep your pride and joy safe. Take for example this 1970 Citroen DS21.
This stunning example of the DS has come into us to have the underside cleaned and treated as part of its winter preparation. For this, it isn’t a case of just laying on a thick coat of undersealer. It takes time, attention, care and an understanding of what each individual car requires.
To begin with, Tamas, evaluated the areas that would require cleaning back more than others. Then to protect the wonderful pale French blue paintwork, he covered the bodywork and delicate components with plastic coverings and specific paint tape as to not damage any part of the car. Then, using a variety of steel, brass and copper wire wheels he removed any contaminants/surface issues. After that was removed from the underside and arches of the car (which on the rear must be removed to take the wheel off) Tamas then cleaned down the surfaces thoroughly and carefully to give the chemical treatment in the undersealer the best conditions to work on.
Over many hours, Tamas patiently applied the undersealer to the bottom of the car. Allowing time between each coat for the chemicals in the spray to flash off and begin to cure. This is crucial in order to get the best coverage and more importantly the best protection for the car over the winter.
Then, the car was left to cure with specifically placed heat lamps to make sure that the treatment cured correctly and evenly on the car.
We have an incredible in-house trim team here at Bridge Classic Cars. They’ve been hard at work on the interior of the 1970 Dodge Charger that is currently in our trim shop.
Here, you can see the work Kath has done refinishing the centre console to match the exterior of the Bright Orange Mopar. Kath carefully removed the original veneers from the piece in order to create templates for the new Orange vinyl that adorns the giant centrepiece of the interior in a wonderful contrast against the rest of the black vinyl.
After cutting out the templates, Kath began to wrap the original pieces after test fitting. Once all in place, Kath cleaned up all of the accompanying brightwork to make the Orange stand out even more. Then, once all the adhesive had correctly cured and settled into place. Kath, test fit the new centre console with the seats just placed in the car.
I think we can all agree, it looks absolutely sensational.
This absolutely beautiful 1972 Triumph Spitfire IV has just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Suffolk, UK.
The car will go into the workshop and be assessed by our in-house team of classic car restoration experts to begin working on a list of jobs that need to be done on this iconic British sports car. We do know that the exhaust is blowing so that will be one of the jobs that will be done by the team.
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars blog for more updates on the 1972 Triumph Spitfire IV.
Bridge Classic Cars have acquired this 1970 Bristol 411 on behalf of a customer of ours who lives in Europe.
This particular car will be arriving soon into our workshop here in Suffolk for full assessment and inspection. Also, with the car being sent over to Europe we will be undertaking a very special project on this Bristol.
This car is going to be converted to Left Hand Drive for the customer to enjoy over on the continent.
Be sure to check out more on this car here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog once it arrives here with us.
It’s always interesting the first time we put a car up on the ramps in our workshop. You find out more about the story of the car from underneath. Clues and suggestions at its life from a viewpoint rarely seen.
Today it’s the turn of our 1975 Ford Escort Mk1 RS Mexico Recreation. It is being fully inspected and assessed by our in-house restoration teams to determine what, if anything, may need doing to make sure the car is in its best shape.
From a brief visual look, the car is in great shape underneath. The vibrant green paintwork extends all the way through the car and the deep, rich black of the suspension and chassis components contrasts against the eye and allows for easy recognition of any issues that might be there.
Find out more about this amazing Mk1 Escort Mexico soon on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.
Well, it’s always sad to say goodbye. Our wonderful little 1965 Amphicar that we completely restored in-house here at Bridge Classic Cars has gone off to its new home.
The whole car was restored by our in-house restoration team, each playing a role in making this car not only look the absolute business but also fully functional.
It was up for auction recently on Car & Classic and which was by its lucky new owner. So, it was time for her to start a new journey. Sad to see her go but happy that we got the privilege to restore and work on such a unique and interesting classic.
Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technician Mauro has been working on refitting the power steering pump to Craig, our directors, 2005 Aston Martin DB9.
After the refurbished part arrived back to us here in Pettistree, Mauro began to get the component set up to go back into the engine bay alongside the famous 6 litre V12.
Carefully Mauro reinstalled the pump back onto the engine and began to close the hoses into the correct positions. After this, he methodically went through every clamp to ensure the seals were right and then topped up the fluid.
From there, it was tested by our in-house team and reinspected.
Our Director Gordon’s new 1934 MG PA Midget is now safe and sound in our classic and collectable vehicle storage facility known as The Hangar.
Since its arrival, the Bridge Classic Cars team have had a chance to pour over all the small details of this stunning early British sports car. Along with its arrival is the routine clean which all cars have before entering our storage facility by Viper Valet.
There are literally hundreds of amazing bits and pieces on this beautifully proportioned sports car. The large Jaeger clocks, the enormous steering wheels and the temperature gauge mounted on top of the radiator. There is just so many! So, have a look here through a gallery of this brilliant car.
We sent away the power steering pump for the 2005 Aston Martin DB9 to a local specialist recently, but we now have it back at Bridge Classic Cars.
Soon it will be refitted to the glorious V12 that is an integral part of the DB9 that belongs to our director, Craig.
It’s been a while since the last update on the Glastron Sea Ray Speedboat that belongs to our director Craig.
During testing, our team found the engine just wouldn’t run quite right. Our in-house engine builder Ady began to have a look through the carburettors and found that they need to either be rebuilt or replaced. After trying to source a rebuild kit for them to no avail, Ady has sourced a supplier in the US who can help us with replacements.
For that, they need us to send over a series of specific measurements to ensure that the right set is sent to us.
Expect to see more on this project soon!
Bridge Classic Cars were pleased to welcome this stunning 1985 Mercedes R107 SL380 recently.
The owner of this beautiful, classic convertible has asked us to do an insurance valuation on the vehicle for himself and the insurance company. These must be done by a noted and respected restoration specialist which is what we at Bridge Classic Cars pride ourselves on.
Brian, our in-house trim master, has been busy working on retrimming and refitting trim pieces for the 1970 Dodge Charger that is in at Bridge Classic Cars.
To start with, Brian began working on retrimming the seatbacks for the plush, thick black leather bucket seats. Brian created the coverings by hand trying to get the closest he possibly could to the same thickness and quality leather used on the fronts to create one uniform piece.
Along with that, Brian also worked on recovering the seat adjusters in matching black leather for the final finishing touch of the seats.
After that, Brian then turned his attention onto the dash. This along with the seats are the next step for installation into the car. The dash pad and A-pillars were hand wrapped in matching leather to create another uniform look throughout the whole car, just another little touch on this amazing Charger
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.
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.
A nice surprise today at Bridge Classic Cars! A previous project dropped by the workshop today.
This 1967 Austin Mini 850 is pretty famous… You may have seen it in several videos displaying some of its incredible party tricks. This Mini is not like the others. It is in fact all-electric.
A while back we did the body and paintwork on the car but now it’s in with us to visit before it goes to the Classic Motorshow at the Birmingham NEC. The car was built by Electric Classic Cars and TeamC and features a Tesla powertrain to allow it to do outrageous things!
Recently it was testing its Track Mode on a runway and the results were nothing short of terrifying but also exciting. We love this little Mini every time we get to see it so it was a lovely surprise for it to drop by today.
For more on the car – Go check out our blog posts on it here
We recently said goodbye to Princess Grey. Off to be restored by its enthusiastic new owner who will love and cherish this car.
Princess Grey is a 1959 Jensen 541R which we stored with the prospect of one day being commissioned to build her for a new owner and keep another 541 safe for prosperity and generations to come. That is still going to happen but just not with us.
However, it is really exciting to see it going off to the new owner and we look forward to seeing updates on the car.
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.
Bridge Classic Cars Competitions is giving one lucky winner the chance to win an air-cooled Porsche! But, it’s been made into a watch…
REC has launched the 901. A beautiful timepiece inspired by the early Porsche 911 (901) so much so that part of it is actually made from the metal of salvaged Porsche 911.
901 is the reference to the early cars created by Porsche before the dispute with Peugeot over the use of the 901 name. After this, Porsche changed the new cars name to 911. The REC 901’s dials are a reference to the early dials that lay in the minimal and iconic dashboard of the early Porsches. Much like the 911, the 901 watch is a stunning piece of engineering, style and precision that can be worn every day and also like the car, is for all occasions.
On the back of the watch, as a cover for the internals, is a Fuchs alloy. The iconic daisy style wheel that was used on air-cooled Porsche road and race cars all the way to the present day. A lovely little touch to further connect it to the car that gave up its metal to create this stunning timepiece.
Along with this watch, is a stunning print from The Automobilist featuring a fiery orange coloured 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7RS. One of the most iconic Porsche road and race cars of all time along with being the genesis of the Porsche GT programme.
It is available now to win! With only 911 tickets available at launch, enter now to make sure you don’t miss out on owning this piece of air-cooled Porsche memorabilia.
Click here to enter for the REC Watches 901 911 Watch Bundle.
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.
