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classic car specialists

In Summary – 1952 MG TD

March 1, 2022

With the 1952 MG TD project finished, Bridge Classic Cars thought we would take this time to talk about this incredible classic sports car.

This MG TD only had to have a single repair done to its roof. Upon inspection by our restoration technicians, that was the only item that needed attention. Everything else on the 70-year-old sports car was in amazing condition thanks to its full restoration in 1978 and the regular maintenance given to it by its previous owners.

Soon, everyone will get to find out just what is happening with this 1952 MG TD next very soon…

Behind the Scenes – Photoshoot with the 1952 MG TD

March 1, 2022

The latest car up grabs from Bridge Classic Cars Competitions is this beautiful 1952 MG TD.

The Bridge Classic Cars Competitions team took this stunning little sports car out to the airfield to do its photoshoot. This car is a true reminder for any enthusiasts about the joy of driving, the elegant simplicity of these early sports cars.

As the chirpy 4 cylinder engine buzzed along the runway, the whole team couldn’t help but smile as the classic sports car drove through the forest near our storage facility, The Hangar.

Now, it’s your chance to get a hold of this beautiful little car. Simply click the link below and get your tickets for the 1952 MG TD.

Click here to enter the 1952 MG TD competition.

Quick Fix – Repairs to the Seats on the 1958 Morris Minor 1000

March 1, 2022

The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have worked their magic on the 1958 Morris Minor 1000 that is in with us.

The team noted some small tears and holes in a few of the seats so created small patch pieces to lay over them and fix them into place. Although they’re not exactly the same colour, they’re the closest piece to the original that we have in stock for smaller pieces to be used as repairs and will stop the area around the damage from deteriorating any further.

Remove and Replace – Stripping Down and Modifying the Firewall of the 1970 Bristol 411

March 1, 2022

The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have been stripping down and modifying the firewall/bulkhead of the 1970 Bristol 411 for its conversion to left-hand drive.

Our technician Paul, has been removing all necessary bracketry and components from the car in order to change over any of the pieces from one side to the other. With pieces being moved around in the engine bay, he has welded created replacement pieces which will be welded in to plate over and then any access or holes that need to be made can be cut into the new material.

Coming Soon – Team C Mini’s

March 1, 2022

Continuing our relationship with Team C Racing, we are about to being the process of respraying 3 classic Mini’s for the local Mini specialists.

Firstly, the car finished in grey primer. This will be changed to brown with a white roof. A classic colour combination for a Mini.

Secondly, the black and red car. The entire car will be changed over to orange and a fibreglass bonnet fitted to the car.

Lastly, the white car. This will be having some bodywork carried out on the car before it is resprayed in a brand new white. This car is having a new front panel fitted and a rear quarter panel to make sure the body looks as good as the paintwork on top of it.

Anyone who knows of Team C will know they’re keen racers and true enthusiasts and experts when it comes to everything classic Mini. So, Bridge Classic Cars is happy to help and will be painting these 3 Mini’s over the next few weeks.

Making Sense – Modifying the Wiring Harness of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

March 1, 2022

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars are working on cleaning up and modifying the wiring harness for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

Rob, one of our restoration technicians, has taken the entire harness for the car and begun to strip it back into individual systems to assess what is and isn’t there for the classic Daytona replica. The harness itself comes from a Jaguar XJS which includes multiple sensors, relays and components which aren’t needed or found on a Daytona.

So, Rob is working his way through and cleaning up the harness to make sure everything that needs to be connected is there and both neatly and safely in the car. Stripping away any unneeded pieces to simplify the car’s electrical system.

Coming Soon – 1954 Bristol 405

March 1, 2022

Coming soon to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this beautiful 1954 Bristol 405.

Bridge Classic Cars have acquired the car for a customer to be restored and converted to left-hand drive by our workshop teams. The car is partway through a restoration in Ireland but is being supplied with the engine and gearbox from a Triumph TR6.

However, we have managed to track down and source the original engine and gearbox for the car! So, once they both arrive at our Suffolk HQ, the Bristol and its powertrain will be reunited once again. The TR6 engine and gearbox will be used for our own 1972 Triumph TR6 project completing what is needed for the car.

We’re excited to show you more about this fantastic car and project once it arrives at our Pettistree workshops.

Breathing New Life – Retrimming the Headliner for the 1980 Saab 99 Turbo

February 28, 2022

The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on refurbishing the headliner from the 1980 Saab 99 Turbo.

The original headliner had begun to sag quite badly as well as having some marks on the material. After carefully stripping the old material from the foam base, the trim shop could then begin to recover the base in a new fabric covering closely matching the original.

Now with this completed, it can be put into storage for when the body and other pieces on the car are finished.

Stripped Back – Stripping the Carburettor of the 1986 Ford Capri

February 28, 2022

The restoration technicians at Bridge Classic Cars have stripped down the carburettor of the 1986 Ford Capri to get the classic Ford running just right.

Our technician Jon completely dismantled the aftermarket carburettor on the Capri due to the car running slightly off. He carefully and methodically cleaned out every port and duct on the carburettor to remove any form of sediment or dirt which may have built up over time inside the part.

With the carburettor taken apart, Jon could inspect all the necessary pieces before putting it back together with a clean bill of health and get it back onto the car. Once back on the car, Jon had to perform a small wiring repair before setting the carburettor up to get the Capri running perfectly.

Mirror Finish – Machine Polishing the 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite

February 28, 2022

At Bridge Classic Cars, we have a phrase called ”Dead in Red”. This is what we’ve found to be the best description of red paint after years of oxidization and exposure to the elements.

So, while we have this stunning 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite in our workshop we thought it was time to bring back the paint to its beautiful glossy and deep finish. The car has been both machine and hand polished to not only bring back the depth of the red paint but also protect it for years to come and allow its paint more longevity.

As you’ll agree, it looks absolutely wonderful now the paint is bright and vibrant.

Remove and Inspect – Removing Interior Pieces from the 1980 Saab 99 Turbo

February 28, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been working on stripping parts of the interior on the 1980 Saab 99 Turbo for restoration.

Along with the paint and body team assessing the exterior of the car to come up with a plan for the body and panels, our trim shop have been removing and assessing pieces from the interior of the classic Saab. Each piece is individually inspected for condition and any marks or tears. The main piece which needed attention of the interior, which is in relatively good condition, is the headliner.

The team pulled the headliner from the car which will be taken up to the trim shop, stripped and recovered.

Back to Bare – Stripping Parts for the 1987 Daimler Double Six

February 28, 2022

The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy stripping down some of the finished panels from the 1989 Daimler Double Six ahead of its respray.

The team has been carefully stripping back the deep blue paintwork on the panels back to bare metal to be assessed for any bodywork that may be required to get them looking absolutely perfect before they go into the booth for their first coats of primer.

Cut and Finish – Reworking the Dashboard of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

February 28, 2022

The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on reworking and finishing the dashboard on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona in preparation for getting the switchgear test fitted.

The team have been remoulding parts of the dashboard and structure to make it as close to an original Daytona as possible, using reference photos Scott has been laying new layers of fibreglass in different areas to recreate the original shape.

After that, he could then begin to do the bodywork preparations on the dash to smooth out areas and joins in the panel which included glassing over new mounting bolts to fix it into the structure behind the piece securely. After that, the new openings for some of the switchgear could be cut and test fitted into the interior, again using reference photos to scale the spacings between each piece.

Better than New – New Chassis and Bulkhead for the 1956 Jensen 541

February 28, 2022

A brand new chassis for the 1956 Jensen 541 is under construction. Part of this also involves a very special bulkhead to covert the car to left-hand drive.

The estimated completion of the chassis is about 4 weeks. We will then be into reassembly. The car will be finished Deep Carriage Green with Burgundy upholstery.

After completing numerous restorations and recommissions of the Jensen 541, this will be the first left-hand drive car to be completed by our workshop.

From Our Director – Celebrating our Friendship with Stephen Norman

February 25, 2022

In 2018, I had one of the last 500 MG Midget rubber bumper cars to run off the assembly line for sale.

I was contacted by a gentleman from Luton who asked if he could come and look at it the following Saturday.

Having had a previous bad experience with a company in Luton we joked that before he came he had to admit that he wasn’t anything to do with that company and an appointment was set.

Saturday morning was dry, the car was clean and Stephen turned up. He loved the car but admitted immediately that it wasn’t the car for him. Hey ho, can’t win them all. Would you like a coffee?

Stephen was immediately drawn to the Etype series one rebuild under construction and was very complimentary of our work and attention to detail.

Stephen and I are similar ages although I look a lot younger. Coffee poured we talked about all the cars we had cut our teeth on and then he admitted that the reason he was looking at the midget was that he had in fact as a younger man owned an MGB roadster, rubber bumper in the famous Tundra Green and loved it. He then went on to say that the Etype in the shop was lovely but he didn’t consider rebuilding any more classic cars due to his previous bad experience with restorers.

I tried to impress on him that not all restorers can be tarred with the same brush and he said if I ever came across the infamous Tundra Green let him know as who knows he may chance another rebuild.

Liking a challenge I set straight out on a journey of MGB discovery.

He then asked about the other company in Luton that I had asked him if he was in their employ. I joked that they had done me harm but again not all of their trade can be tarred with the same brush.

What do you do then Stephen, I asked. Casually he said ”I am the Managing Director of Vauxhall Motors”. Wow!!!!

Bridge Classic Cars moved into new premises in Pettistree near Woodbridge and like all companies setting up a new plant buying as cost-effective as possible. We went on a Saturday morning to our local Auction as some Pallet racking was on offer and it was just what we needed.

Whilst waiting for the Auction to start I received a phone call, ”Are you looking for a Tundra Green MGB, rubber bumper as I have one?” My quest had at last been fruitful. ”Yes, how much?” ”Don’t you want to know the condition?” I really needed just the competitive cost as it was to be a Concours rebuild. ”£1000”. ”I need to make a call and I will get back to you”.

The call was made, the car was bought and suddenly I was going to build a car for the Managing Director of Vauxhall Motors.

The car we built can be seen on our completed Projects on our website as can all of our work.

During the build and the numerous visits that we had a couple of things happened. Stephens’s love of all things automotive shone through and our personal friendship grew.

During one visit he noticed a Senna Brown TR6 that I had bought for myself. I love those he said, could you build me that for the same sort of cost, I wouldn’t want it Brown I would want it in Magenta. The second build started and the friendship continued to flourish. Again the build can be seen on the website.

A call one evening from an excited Stephen said that he had been offered a new position and that he was to become “Senior Vice President Sales, Marketing and After Sales based in Ruesselsheim, Germany” and that would be it until his retirement.

Retirement, I think this has always played on his mind as did the Etype that he originally saw in our workshop.

”When I retire I would like to have a Series 3, V12, Etype, convertible, with a hardtop in Heather (pink) with cerise leather (nearly pink) God it’s the colour thing again. Tundra Green now Heather. Can you build me one but it has to be left-hand drive, a new twist. ”

I found a white car in America that was owned by a Hollywood film producer, fitted the bill perfectly but unfortunately, the cerise leather was somewhat harder to find and it had to be the exact colour as Stephen knows what he wants and he is a perfectionist.

The car was shipped and without doubt, it was the straightest, rust-free car we have ever had through the shop. Now we had to tackle the issue of colour. If it is not heather then it has to be Fern Grey (green again) with green leather (green again).

The car is nearing completion as is Stephens’s illustrious career as one of our automotive legends. As I write this Stephen will retire at the beginning of next week on the 28th February 2022 and all at Bridge Classic Cars wish him a happy retirement and a special thank you from me for the business, the trust you have put in my company and for the friendship that I know will continue for many years to come.

Happy retirement and I will see you on the 11th of March 2022 for some driving of some spectacular cars.

Moving Along – Working on the 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite

February 25, 2022

The 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite in the Bridge Classic Cars has been moving forward towards the goal of running and stopping perfectly.

First on the list of jobs was for our technician, Dave, to look into the cooling system on the iconic classic sports car. Dave began by looking at the radiator, which on inspection had a broken mount for which he fabricated a new replacement for. With the radiator out, the workshop could then work on replacing the water pump for the car.

Dave found the old water pump wasn’t in the best of shapes so it’s good that we had been asked to replace it with a customer supplied unit. During this time, he took the opportunity to completely flush out the cooling system and clean up the outlets. With this, it was found the thermostat was packed almost solid. The battery on the car has also been replaced and the battery tray rust treated.

After this had been completed, Dave could begin his inspection of the suspension and brakes as part of the car’s pre-MOT check. He found the driver’s side track control arm was loose and the bolts which held it were so corroded they couldn’t be tightened accurately. So, he removed the old bolts, cleaned the threads in the arm and replaced it with new hardware from our stores. Whilst inspecting the braking system on the Frogeye, Dave discovered that the master cylinder had become corroded internally from sitting which in turn had caused the wheel cylinders (which were recently fitted) to seize. Replacements were going to be needed to get the brakes on the Frogeye working correctly.

With this and waiting for several parts, Dave could now move on to the next jobs on the list…

Getting to the Bottom – Stripping the 1980 Saab 99 Turbo

February 25, 2022

As part of the assessment on the 1980 Saab 99 Turbo in with Bridge Classic Cars, our technicians wanted to know just how far the rest had set into the classic Saab.

The process began with our friends at Car, Glass and Trim pulling out the front, rear and side window of the car for our technicians to assess all the window channels for any corrosion. Then, the team began removing the body panels to inspect behind them.

After that, the team had a much better idea of the level of metalwork and bodywork needed to bring this classic Saab back to the best condition possible. As you can see, the rust runs deeper than first anticipated but it’s no problem for our restoration teams who will begin the process of getting this iconic early turbo car back to its best.

Ready for the Road – Alfa Romeo Spyder Now UK Registered

February 25, 2022

The beautiful Alfa Romeo Spyder in at Bridge Classic Cars has gone through the process to be UK registered after arriving from South Africa late last year.

With this now complete, we could order the number plates for the car and get them fitted to the stunning Italian sports car.

Now that the car is registered, very soon you’ll be able to see just what the future holds for the Spyder.

The Other Side – Rust Repairs to the Arches and Door on the Passenger Side of the 1987 Daimler Double Six

February 25, 2022

The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars have begun work on the rear passenger side of the 1987 Daimler Double Six to fix any of the rust issues in this area.

Our fabricators have replaced several areas around the wheel arches and sill which had entirely rusted through. Monty, our fabricator, has hand made new patch panels for these areas to make sure that everything in that area is solid and rust-free.

The fabrication team have also had to make a new wheel arch edge for the classic Daimler. This had unfortunately been affected by rust and spread into the bottom of the rear door. Each of these pieces were then cut out, prepared and new pieces welded in to remove any trace of corrosion.

With the new metal in the rear quarters of both sides, Monty can keep moving rearwards on the Double Six to get the body completely rust-free before it goes into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop.

Updates – Preparation and Discoveries on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

February 25, 2022

The 1987 Mercedes 500SL in the Bridge Classic Cars body shop having its engine prepared has turned up some new discoveries.

Our body and paint technicians have been working on getting the engine bay of the classic Mercedes into the same shape as the outside of the car but upon further inspection during sanding, some areas have some rust issues and previous poor repairs.

These will need to be addressed before the rest of the engine bay is finished in primer ahead of its colour coat.

Alongside that our technician, Mauro, has removed several pieces of the suspension in order to get to the harder to reach areas of the classic Mercedes. This is is to make sure every area of the car is inspected, prepared and primered.

First Steps – 1969 Bentley T1 in Primer

February 25, 2022

The 1969 Bentley T1 has been moved from the Bridge Classic Cars body shop into the paint shop to begin its journey towards its full respray.

The team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working incredibly hard to carry out the rust repairs on this beautiful classic Bentley. With those now completed properly for the car, it was moved so our body shop could begin to prepare it for its appointment with the spray booth.

With the body prepared and cleaned down, our paint Chris wheeled the Bentley into position and began laying down the first coats of primer onto its newly reworked body. This layer will be used as a guide for the body shop technicians to see which areas need to be worked on to get the panels perfect before the full respray on the car.

Moving Forward – Work on the 1986 Ford Capri Wiring, Brakes, Suspension and Parts

February 25, 2022

The team in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop have been working on the 1986 Ford Capri to get everything working exactly as it should.

First, our technician Jon continued to work on the wiring under the dash of the classic Ford. He found a few repairs to the original wiring which were causing the original radio to not work correctly. So, with the repairs done to the harness and cleaning up unneeded wires, the original radio was now working just right.

Next up, he fitted the freshly repainted and refurbished engine bay pieces into the car. Several shrouds, the rocker cover and pipes were painted by our in-house paint shop for the Capri to give the engine bay a new fresh and clean look.

Finally, work could begin under the Capri. With the car up in the air, Jon had access to the suspension and brakes. First up was replacing the anti-roll bar bushes. These had perished over time and were allowing too much flex, so a new set of replacements were ordered and installed underneath. Whilst in the air, Jon could begin looking into an issue with the rear brakes.

Our other technicians on the car’s initial inspection noted a slight brake bind on the rear. So, Jon looked into the issue and found the rear drums were in need of a rebuild. Along with that, he replaced the hardline that runs across the rear axle to the new wheel cylinders. Then, after bleeding the brakes he reported that all was now OK and no more brake bind.

Now, it’s time to move on to getting the 1.6 litre 4-cylinder running properly.

Guided – 1965 Porsche 912 Body and Bonnet in Primer

February 25, 2022

The 1965 Porsche 912 in the Bridge Classic Cars body shop has been moved into the paint shop to go through the next stage of primer work and sanding along with the bonnet.

Alan, has been working on the classic Porsche to get the body and all the panels into perfect shape before the car has its next stage of primer. Once the air-cooled Porsche had been moved into the paint booth, our technicians could lay down the first of several coats of polyester primer onto the body and the top of the bonnet.

After several more coats of both Polyester primer and Epoxy primer across the Porsche, it was then taken back out into the body shop to have its final sanding process started before the trip back into the paint booth for its journey into final colour and clear coat.

Bringing Up the Rear – Tackling the Rust on the Rear of the 1987 Daimler Double Six

February 25, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars fabrication department have been working their way towards the rear of the 1987 Daimler Double Six and ultimately towards the end of the fabrication work needed on this classic Daimler.

Monty, one of our fabricators, has been carefully working on cutting out the rear sill and rear arch to perform the necessary repairs. Each of the pieces has been made by hand to ensure the best fit and finish on the patch panels. Monty has only removed the affected areas to retain as much of the original metal as possible that is still in good shape. This included a section of the rear door which had rusted out, along with the leading edge of the arch/door jam.

Inch by inch, he welded the new pieces onto the bottom edges of the car until finally the job was completed. All of the pieces were formed and pushed/pulled to the best possible fit so when it is moved to our body shop, there will be as minimal filler work as possible before the car’s respray.

Strip and Clean – Rebuilding the Brakes on the 1958 Morris Minor 1000

February 24, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars workshop have been working on servicing and refurbishing the front and rear drum brakes on the 1958 Morris Minor 1000 currently in with ourselves for some work.

Our technicians have taken apart the drums all the way back to the carriers and hubs to be able to fully inspect and assess each part of the drum. The shoes and wheel cylinders needed to be changed as the customer had noted the brakes were very poor even after a recent master cylinder was fitted. After every piece was cleaned and prepared, Rob began to put the whole system back together before testing.

After testing and adjusting, all 4 drums on the Minor 1000 were working perfectly and when the time comes, ready for the road ahead.

In-Place – New Wheel Arches for the 1956 Jensen 541

February 24, 2022

The handmade wheel arches for the 1956 Jensen 541 have been into the Bridge Classic Cars to be finished in shiny new black epoxy.

The paint team prepared and painted the arches for when the car is ready to be reassembled.

Remove and Repair – Fixing the Sunroof Mechanism on the 1986 Ford Capri Laser

February 24, 2022

Our recent arrival, the 1986 Ford Capri, has been inspected by the workshop who noted the sunroof on the classic Ford wasn’t working correctly. So, the whole mechanism was removed to be completely assessed by the team.

They found that one of the arms which control the tilt of the sunroof had broken, causing it to not load in and out of the roof correctly. After days of searching for this piece everywhere online, our fabrication team have expertly made a new piece to go back on the car.

With this installed back on the mechanism and the sunroof back in the car, it has been tested by the workshop and works correctly every single time.

This Just In – 1954 Jaguar XK120 Project

February 24, 2022

Bridge Classic Cars have recently acquired this beautiful 1954 Jaguar XK120 for sale as a project to be restored.

This XK120 was in the process of being restored by its previous owner who could not complete the project, unfortunately. This XK120 project comes with a full V5 as well as a spare chassis and boxes of spare parts to complete the project.

The previous owner managed to get hold of a correct 3.4-litre straight-six engine for the project, but the car itself is not numbers matching. The car if bought, however, could be restored by our workshops if required.

For more information have a look on the advert on our brand new sales platform, MyClassics!

Click here to see the 1954 Jaguar XK120 Project on MyClassics

Back Home – The 1971 Jaguar XJ6 Heading Home

February 24, 2022

The 1971 Jaguar XJ6 which had some engine work recently has gone back home to its owner after everything has been completed on the car.

The Bridge Classic Cars technicians worked on replacing both fuel tanks on this stunning light blue XJ6 late last year before discovering the engine also needed some work to be done in order to get it running 100%. The team cleaned out every coolant galley in the engine block while the cylinder head was being repaired.

With everything complete and tested on the XJ6, it was held out our secure storage facility, The Hangar, while it waited to go home. Just before, we pulled it out to take some final photos with this wonderful piece of Jaguar history.

New Arrival – 1954 Jaguar XK120

February 23, 2022

The latest arrival into The Hangar, the Bridge Classic Cars secure storage facility is this legendary 1954 Jaguar XK120.

This car was acquired by ourselves due to the owner, unfortunately, passing away and therefore the project has been left incomplete. Tom and Brian went to pick up the car, the spare chassis and the numerous spare parts which had been sourced for the car by its previous owner.

This 1954 Jaguar XK120 will soon be up for sale on the new Bridge Classic Cars MyClassics website.

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.

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