classic car specialists

Safe and Sound

A selection of our private classic motorcycle collection have been moved to their new home at our secure storage facility, the hangar. the team have

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New Arrival – 1991 Nissan 200SX

The Bridge Classic Cars team recently welcomed a new arrival to our Pettistree workshops, this 1991 Nissan S13 200SX Turbo.

A rare sight to see an unmodified survivor of this Japanese rear-wheel drive coupe, the team are going to be servicing the car for its adoring owner as well as renewing the cam-belt and water pump while also carrying out an assessment on the car while it is our care.

Work begins on our 2003 MG ZT V8

The workshop here at Bridge Classic Cars is always busy! But this week we’ve had the pleasure of having this 2003 MG ZT V8 on the centre ramp under the careful eye of our technician Jon.

Jon noted that the car had lost some coolant after a road test. After leaving the car to safely cool down, Jon carried out a chemical block test to see whether any hydrocarbons from the exhaust had made their way into the coolant which signifies a leak somewhere in the system. All was ok and nothing was contaminated, Jon reports that he believes the seal on the radiator cap had gone bad.

Next, Jon turned his attention to the brakes on this V8 super saloon. He began by stripping down the front brakes, blowing out the handbrake shoes and fitting a new seat of discs. While there, Jon also quickly repainted the caliper after adjusting the handbrake shoes.

Jon then began work on the front end of the car. This involved removing the front wheels and the stripping down the front brakes. Whilst in there, he also removed and cleaned up the Ohlins struts back to their former glory before fitting them with new springs and fitting back onto the car. Like the rear, Job took the time to repaint the calipers to make this early 2000’s muscle saloon look the absolute business. However, upon rebuilding the offside front caliper, he found that it had seized.

After that, Jon head inside the car to fix a couple of small issues such as a blocked washer jet and a 12v power socket not working – both of which were fixed. Then, he began to work on the exhaust of the car. He removed the offside rear silencer, removing the mounting straps and then fitted the new silencers to the car except he found that new silencer didn’t fit quite as it should so the original unit had to go back onto the car, but whilst there he repositioned the central rear mount as it was contacting the axle of the car under articulation.

Checking Parts on our 1956 Jensen 541 Restoration

Our technician Paul has been making good progress on our 1956 Jensen 541 project. Recently, Paul has been checking that the various brackets and auxiliary parts fit up where they should.

To begin with, Paul tested the fitment of the radiator into the car to make sure its brackets were correctly placed on the frame before the moving onto the bump irons etc.

Then, he worked alongside of fabricator Clinton to begin getting the exhaust for the classic GT started and in the right place before it’s production is started.

Repairing the Chassis of our 1972 Ferrari 246GTS

The fabrication team at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ have been working their magic underneath the Ferrari 246.

Several spots in the cars space frame had rusted and deteriorated to the point where they were no longer supporting the structure of the car how they should do. So, our fabricator Chris has worked his magic to sympathetically repair this handmade sports car with individually fabricated gussets to get the strength back into the car.

Work on our 1972 MGB Roadster

Our 1972 MGB Roadster has been getting a few bits and pieces to do before the car could be yours through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.

First off, the car has been fully inspected by the team to determine what needs doing the classic roadster.

After the inspection, Steve got his list of jobs together to get this classic back on the road. First up – Steve replaced the fuel pump.

Next up, Steve inspected some of the rubber mounts which hold the subframe to the car. After checking them thoroughly, he found they had perished and will require replacement.

Upon inspection, Steve found that they coolant hoses on the car had gone hard and begun to crack. Because of this, he ordered replacements and got them fitted up to the car before testing can begin.

Parts painted on the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe

The paint and body team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on getting many of the suspension and chassis components for our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe.

Finished in heavy duty black and silver, the parts will cure and then be wrapped up and put into storage awaiting the cars reassembly.

Safe and Sound

A selection of our private classic motorcycle collection have been moved to their new home at our secure storage facility, the hangar.

the team have been busy recommissioning our two-wheeled wonders to get them back running and roadworthy before our transport team loaded them up and took them over to their new home in the ‘bike room’ at the hangar.

Our 2002 Ducati 900SS finds its new home!

Our 2002 Ducati 900SS has made its way to its new home with its lucky new owner, Nic.

Nic recently won our limited edition superbike last week and we wish him many happy miles with this incredible machine.

Work on the 1980 Talbot Sunbeam Lotus

The Bridge Classic Cars team have welcomed back a previous project into our Suffolk HQ to carry out a couple of bits on this beautiful classic.

Our technician Julian has removed all fuel lines and the fuel tank in order to carry out work on the fuel system. Whilst the fuel tank was out, he could replace the filler neck seal and gaskets before beginning to fit the new fuel lines underneath the car and then refit the tank back into the car. With the new fuel lines in the car, Julian could route them up to the carburettors around the front of the engine, this required a small custom bracket to be made to keep them away from the alternator pulley and safe from any damage.

While there, Julian also removed and resealed the temperature sensor in the inlet manifold and replaced the alternator belt as it was showing signs of wear.

Working on our 1977 Triumph TR7

The Bridge Classic Cars team have been working on carrying out a few jobs on our classic TR7 ahead of its live draw and eventual delivery to its lucky new owner.

First up, Julian worked on the rear suspension of the classic sports car. He replaced the upper and lower trailing arm bushes before removing the prop shaft in order to replace the input seal which he noticed had a slight weep. After this, all components were fitted back up to the car and it was road tested ahead of it being handed over to our other technician Jon for final sign off.

The car then was handed over to our other technician Jon, who carried out the cars pre-delivery inspection ahead of the cars live draw on Tuesday.

Body on and progress with our 1975 Cobra Replica

Our technician Julian has been hard at work with the rebuild of our 1975 Cobra Replica.

With the engine back in the newly painted frame, he could begin to get the various system test hit and then fully placed into the car such as the cooling system, as well as some of the various brackets and braces needed to support the bodywork and driveline. Then, the team carefully lowered the fibreglass body onto the frame making sure everything fit up as it should.

Brakes are on our 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4

Our technician Steve has been working on fitting up the brakes to our 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4.

The first step in the process is for Steve to make up the new metal pipework and fit the necessary flexi-hoses to the system.

Press Release – A Suffolk Barn Find – 1952 Austin A40

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

May 2024

Ipswich, May 2024 โ€“ Several members of the Bridge Classic Cars team recently set out to investigate a rumoured barn find. What they found was a 1952 Austin A40 Cabriolet bodied by Jensen that had been securely stored away in a locked metal shed since at least 1987.

The team was warmly welcomed by the car’s owner, Jenny, to her Kesgrave home before she guided them down a picturesque garden path to a small, padlocked structure at the bottom of her property. The condition of the vehicle was unknown, as the doors had been shut for many years with slabs and wood leaned against them.

After some effort, the team managed to open the doors and got their first glimpse of the car inside. The Austin A40 was housed in a structure just large enough to fit the car, making it difficult to assess its overall condition from its resting place. However, the front of the car appeared to be in excellent shape, giving hope that the rest of the vehicle might have similarly withstood the test of time.

As the car was carefully moved out of storage for the first time in decades, the team was delighted to find it in fantastic condition. It was evident that Jenny’s late husband, a dedicated classic car enthusiast, had perfectly prepared the car for its long hibernation. Grease had been applied to the body, and the interior remained remarkably well-preserved. Notably, four spare tyres and the original hubcaps were found neatly stored in bags in the boot.

Following a brief on-site inspection, the 1952 Austin A40 was loaded into a trailer and transported safely to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Pettistree, near Woodbridge, Suffolk. Now at its new home, the vehicle will undergo a thorough cleaning and recommissioning process.

“We are incredibly excited about this find,” said Craig Ranson, Managing Director of Bridge Classic Cars. “The Austin A40 Cabriolet is a rare and beautiful piece of automotive history. We look forward to getting it back on the road where it belongs.”

For more information and to follow the carโ€™s progress, keep an eye on the Bridge Classic Cars website.

Images

About Bridge Classic Cars

Bridge Classic Cars is a leading name in the classic car restoration industry, known for our dedication to preserving automotive heritage and providing exceptional services to classic car owners. With the launch of the Bridge Classic Cars Members’ Club and The Classic Lounge, we continue to expand our community and enhance the classic car experience for enthusiasts across the UK.

For more information about membership and upcoming events, please visit our website at www.bridgeclassiccars.co.uk or contact us Lily by email – events@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk 

Contact:

Rob Harvey
Marketing Manager
Bridge Classic Cars
rob@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk

01473 742038
www.bridgeclassiccars.co.uk

Final Checks of our 1991 Jaguar XJS Le Mans

Our 1991 Jaguar XJS Le Mans is soon to be honest way to its lucky new owner after being through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions just over a week ago.

Jon, one of our restoration technicians, has been going through the car to check everything over. Before carrying out the final road tests, Jon a loose connection in one of the headlights before correctly torquing all wheels and making sure the tyre pressures were at spec. Then, it was a case of filling up the car with 10-litres of petrol so its new owner can enjoy the car straight away.

Then it was handed over to Tony from our Transport team to get it safely loaded into our covered trailer ahead of its journey in the morning.

Carburettor Strip and Set Up on the 1955 MG TF

Steve has been working on the 1955 MG TF in the workshop of our Suffolk HQ.

To begin with, Steve stripped down the carburettors on the 1500cc 4-cylinder as the front unit was leaking and had a sticking piston. With a new set of seals and gaskets, Steve worked his magic to get both units rebuilt and back on the car to begin setting them up to get this 1950s sports car running better than ever.

Once back on the car and going through visual checks, Steve discovered that the top of the piston in the front unit was not sitting central and causing it to stick and because of this will require replacement.

Press Release – The World’s Only 1905 Riley 9HP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

May 2024

Historical Rarity: 1905 Riley 9hp, Believed to be Experimental Design, Offered for Sale

Bridge Classic Cars are offering collectors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a true piece of automotive history: a meticulously restored 1905 Riley 9hp, believed to be an experimental design from the pioneering days of British motoring.

This remarkable vehicle, believed to predate even the earliest prototypes of Rileyโ€™s first four-wheeled chassis, has been brought back to life following a painstaking four-year restoration by the Pettistree-based restorers. The 1905 Riley 9hp, registered as CW151, is a unique example of early British automotive engineering and innovation.

Originally discovered hidden on a farm, presumably for safekeeping during the destructive years of the World Wars, CW151 was nothing more than a collection of scattered car parts and metal debris. Undeterred by the challenge, the restoration team at Bridge Classic Cars started the painstaking process of bringing the unique vehicle back to life.

Geoff Haviland, representing the Riley Cars Archive Heritage Trust, has personally inspected the car and strongly believes it to be an experimental precursor predating even the prototypes of Rileyโ€™s first four-wheeled chassis. The chassis details, although similar to those of the 1907 production model, exhibit distinct variations such as a longer front end, unique door and seating configurations, and other subtle differences that suggest its experimental nature.

“This 1905 Riley 9hp is believed to be an experimental design, produced for the test programme of Rileyโ€™s first four-wheeled chassis,” explains Rob Harvey, Marketing Manager at Bridge Classic Cars โ€œThere arenโ€™t many times in life when you get the opportunity to be close to a vehicle that genuinely changed automotive history but, without this car, our cars would all likely be very different todayโ€

โ€œThree-wheeled cars (2 wheels at the front and 1 at the back) were the most popular of vehicles back when this was thought up. If it wasnโ€™t for Percy Riley building this mock-up to refine his design, who knows how long it would have been before four-wheels became the norm.โ€

โ€œAs sad as we will be to see this one-off car leave the workshop, Iโ€™m excited to think that it will end up in a special collection where it can be appreciated and admired as much as it deserves to be.โ€

This exceptionally rare vehicle, one of only four surviving examples of the Riley 9hp, and the only experimental model believed to exist, is now going up for sale in the hope it will find its way into a collection worthy of its historical significance.

The sale of this extraordinary 119-year-old vehicle presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for automotive enthusiasts and collectors to acquire a true piece of motoring history.

Key Highlights of the 1905 Riley 9hp (CW151) Include:

  • Meticulously restored by Bridge Classic Cars over four years
  • Hand-painted by renowned sign writer, Joby Carter
  • Restoration focused on preserving and reusing original components, with a high percentage of the vehicle being authentic
  • Comes with a professionally framed original roof and seat cover, adding to its historical authenticity

[End of Press Release]

Media Pack

For media inquiries, please contact:

Rob Harvey

Marketing Manager

rob@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk

01473 742038

www.bridgeclassiccars.co.uk

About Bridge Classic Cars:

 Bridge Classic Cars specialise in the restoration and maintenance of vintage and classic vehicles.

Established in 2004, a full in-house service is provided by a skilled and experienced team of technicians.

Built on a passion for classic cars, the team have restored rare and one-off vehicles in their state-of-the-art workshop.

In addition to their award-winning restorations, Bridge Classic Cars also encourages a new audience to join the world of classic car enthusiasts. With their successful competitions, everyone has the opportunity to win their dream classic car for just a few pounds.

Bridge Classic Cars has created a hub for the classic car enthusiast community and, with a growing audience and client base, they are making sure vintage and classic vehicles can be enjoyed and admired by future generations.

Press Release – Bridge Classic Cars Members’ Club

For Immediate Release

16th May 2024

Bridge Classic Cars Unveils Exclusive Members’ Club at Their

Brand New Venue – The Classic Lounge

Woodbridge, UK – May 2024 – Bridge Classic Cars is thrilled to announce the launch of the Bridge Classic Cars Members’ Club, an exclusive community for classic car enthusiasts across the UK. This exciting new venture is based out of the Pettistree-based brand-new facility, The Classic Lounge, located right next to the companyโ€™s award-winning restoration workshop.

The Classic Lounge: A Hub for Enthusiasts

The Classic Lounge is a bespoke venue designed exclusively for members. It offers a stylish and comfortable space for car lovers to gather, share their passion, and enjoy a host of exclusive events and activities.

Exclusive Events and Experiences

Members of the Bridge Classic Cars Members’ Club will have access to a curated calendar of unique experiences, including factory tours, wine tasting, live music, track days, and more. Some highlights of the 2024 calendar include:

  • July: A tour of Lotus Heritage and the Lotus factory, complete with lunch.
  • August: Live music from the 1940โ€™s trio, The Three Chordettes.
  • September: Webbs of Weybridge, The Classic Driving Experience at Brooklands Museum.
  • November: An overnight stay and a day at the Classic Car Show held at the NEC.
  • December: A very special Christmas party to bring the year to a memorable close.

Membership Perks

In addition to access to The Classic Lounge and exclusive events, members will enjoy a variety of benefits, including:

  • 20% discount on all purchases.
  • A thriving online and in-person community.
  • Exclusive members’ clothing.
  • An updated membership pack featuring a specially designed pin badge every year.

Join the Community

The Bridge Classic Cars Members’ Club is open to anyone in the UK with a love for cars. Membership provides a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the classic car culture, meet like-minded individuals, and participate in unforgettable experiences.

About Bridge Classic Cars

Bridge Classic Cars is a leading name in the classic car restoration industry, known for our dedication to preserving automotive heritage and providing exceptional services to classic car owners. With the launch of the Bridge Classic Cars Members’ Club and The Classic Lounge, we continue to expand our community and enhance the classic car experience for enthusiasts across the UK.

For more information about membership and upcoming events, please visit our website at www.bridgeclassiccars.co.uk or contact us Lily by email – events@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk

Contact:

Rob Harvey
Marketing Manager
Bridge Classic Cars
rob@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk

01473 742038
www.bridgeclassiccars.co.uk

Rear Seats Installed in the 1985 Citroen CX25 GTi

The Bridge Classic Cars trim team have been working on finishing up the interior of our 1985 Citroen CX25 GTi.

Lydia has installed the recovered rear seats in place, and at the same time changed over the armrests and and centre console to match the rest of the interior in the correct fabric.

Ipswich to Felixstowe Historic Vehicle Run

Every year the Ipswich Transport Museum runs an event that sees 500 cars drive in convoy from Christchurch Park in Ipswich all the way to Felixstowe seafront where they park up for the afternoon. The entire journey is through streets lined with people all waiting to catch a glimpse of their favourite classic, for many families in the area this has become somewhat of a tradition through the generations.

There are a few rules when it comes to the display cars, they must be pre-1994, not modified and road legal. Several of the Bridge Classic Cars team went along to see this years offerings and they were not disappointed. The variety of cars is always astounding. Here is last years visit for even more photographs.

A Special Delivery – Our Alfa Romeo Spider Winner

Last week, the Bridge Classic Cars transport team loaded up our 1989 Alfa Romeo Spider and headed off to its new owner – Lee.

Lee won our Alfa Romeo Spider a couple of months ago but the car has been in our safe and secure storage facility, The Hangar, whilst Lee organised a space for his new pride and joy. Previously, Lee won a Mercedes SL63 AMG from us but this is his first classic!

We wish Lee many happy miles with this stunning Italian droptop.

Valance Repairs on the 1951 Austin Devon Pickup

The fabrication team have been working on repairing the valance on our 1951 Austin Devon Pickup.

Our fabricator Chris has worked his magic on the front end of this classic British pickup in order to get it fitted up perfectly. Each section has been carefully templated and made by hand specifically for that section and then welded into place making sure to let each area cool and shrink back before continuing with the welds.

Preflight Checks – Getting our 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe Started

Jon has been working on getting our stunning 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe fired up for the first time in nearly 20 years!

Working through each of the systems, Jon has meticulously checked and double checked each part of the classic Jaguar. To begin with, Jon fit the new oil filter to the straight-six and topped off all fluids in the car before turning his attention back to he carburetors.

Jon has finished cleaning up the carburettors, freeing up any sticking points to make sure they operate as they should. Then removing the old spark plugs, Jon installed a fresh set after gapping them correctly and then adding a new battery which meant the team had to modify the original battery hold down bracket to fit.

After getting the new battery installed into the car, Jon could then begin the process of waking up the straight-six. The first step was to crank the engine over for around 20 seconds to build oil pressure and make sure it had worked its way all through the block and into the heads, reaching around 20psi.

After making sure the oil pressure was ok and that every surface had been lubricated, Jon could move on to compression tests. All 6-cylinders were ok, with readings between 150-180psi and well within spec. Jon then set the base timing for the distributor and then could work on filling up the carburettor float bowls with fresh petrol (as the tank is not yet plumbed in) and with a bump of the starter motor, the straight six burst into life and ran perfectly, in Jon’s report ”Attempt to start. Started and ran ok. Sounded ok.”

Diving Deeper Into our 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe

Our technician Jon has been diving deeper into the 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe currently in our care for its new owner.

As part of the appraisal process, he has drained the engine of oil and all fluids along with removing the oil filter to inspect. As part of removing the fluids, the team remove drain the fuel tank to inspect the fueling side of the car.

Because of the car being sat for an extended period of time (multiple decades it would appear by the paperwork) the corrosive nature of the fuel left in the tank has wreaked havoc. When Jon removed the sediment filter, which also allows the fuel tank to drive, it became apparent that the fuel had spoiled whilst in there. In Jon’s own words ”Fuel more like paraffin”. With the tank drained, it could then be removed and allow Jon to strip down the tank of its sender unit and pump. After inspecting these components, his opinion is that these components will need complete replacement and cannot be recommissioned, as he reports ”All fuel system items require replacement”.

Then, Jon could go under the bonnet to remove the fuel sight glass and blow through the fuel lines with compressed air to clean through any sediment or debris which could be lurking inside the fuel system.

Jon then began work on tearing down the carburettors on the Jaguar’s straight-six. Beginning with cleaning out the float bowls and then could clean out all of the jets and bridges to make sure that again, no sediment or debris had found their way into the carburettors.

Jon then went through his check lists of resealing the engine with all its various sumps and bungs before cleaning down and continuing on with the carburettor rebuilds.

Once completely stripped down and cleaned, Jon then used vernier gauges to set the static depths of the carbs to their base specifications, and reusing components where possible, in preparation for the team to begin testing ignition and compression once the fueling system has been resolved.

Fixing the Lights and Transporting Our C-Type

With our C-Type getting closer and closer to being completed every day, the team have had a few jobs to do before the car was due to be transported to a local specialist to protect the Seafoam Green paintwork for many years to come.

First up, the team had some repairs to do on the headlights of the Le Mans homage. Jon, one of our restoration technicians, had swap over some of the wiring for the car on the offside before refitting the covers back on. In putting the covers back on for the final team, the team head up the perspex covers and then fix them into place with the tapped holes with the shape also taped to the car to ensure they fit perfectly.

After that, the car was loaded into our enclosed trailer to be transported to a local paint protection company for the next phase of its journey.

Mille Miglia Prep for our 1939 Jaguar SS100

As part of our stewardship of the 1939 Jaguar SS100, our transport team have been to pickup a very important crate.

This crate contains all of the spare parts and sundries needed for our vintage Jaguar to take part and charge on in the Mille Miglia. Even though the event is now more of a formality, the mileage and weather takes its toll on the priceless classics that take part, so a wealth of specific and known extras are an essential part of being involved.

Our workshop manager John will be meticulously going through every item to double check its condition and its usability on the car.

1960 MGA in Epoxy

With the exterior panels such as the front and rear wings being worked on in the prep area of our Suffolk HQ, the body shell of our 1960 MGA has been into the paint booth for its date with the spray gun.

Our technician Mauro, who has been working on this project, has laid down the first coats of Epoxy primer onto the classic British sports car in the next step of getting this car to look the best it possibly can.

Repairs on our 1989 Daimler Double Six

The workshop team are continuing their work on recommissioning our 1989 Daimler Double Six to get back on the road.

Jon, one of our amazing restoration technicians has been working on the car to get through the list of jobs needed to bring this car back to its former glory.

One of the first jobs was to adjust the handbrake on the car. In doing this, Jon found that the original handbrake had partially seized. This led to him having to drill out some of the rivets from the cover and heat up the pivot bolt to remove it from the car, after that he could completely clean up the original mechanism and repaint it before reassembling and putting back into the car, whilst adding a return spring to help with the action.

Next, Jon had a few electrical jobs to cover on the car such as investigating why the horn didn’t work. After diving deep, Jon discovered that their were wires broken to the relay, so after some repairs he could continue to test and troubleshoot. This led him to freeing the engine bay loom to trace the harness further and found a connective issue alongside a faulty relay. With all of these either repaired or replaced, Jon could then work on some of the other electrical jobs on the car such as fixing the window switches.

Inspecting Our 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe

Since arriving at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ, this stunning 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe has been waiting its turn on the ramps in the workshop.

Well, over the last couple of days the classic Jaguar has been under the careful eye of our restoration technician Jon.

Jon will be carrying out a full and detailed inspection of the car, which according to paperwork has been stood for the better part of 2 decades, and reporting back with his findings for the cars new owner.

New Arrival – 1971 MGB Roadster

The Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ welcomed a fair few cars last week! The last one to arrive just before the bank holiday was this stunning 1971 MGB Roadster.

The car will soon be making its way into the workshop for the teams to carry out a complete assessment on the car and start to formulate a plan of getting this stunning British sports car back to its full potential.

Valance Repairs on the 1960 MGA

The fabrication shop have been working their skills on the rear valance and wing of the 1960 MGA.

Chris, one of our fabricators, has been working on getting the new rear valance to fit onto the car. After the original had been removed from the car, and the new piece test fitted, Chris discovered a conflict between the rear valance and the right-hand rear wing.

The right hand rear wing shows signs of previous repairs and this had distorted the panel, making the finish of the new panel challenging. Chris used his skills to manipulate and gently reshape the panels to work together and a new flange area on the valance to work with the wing and make the cars profile flow perfectly.