1986 Daimler DS420 – Prep And Paint
November 21, 2022
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 has had a new coat of paint! Before its final coat could be applied though, the entire car and its components
Classic Daimler restoration
Panel Levelling Complete
November 15, 2022
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 has been undergoing panel levelling with classic car technician Chris. Once this was completed, the car began its prep work ready
Body Shaping Begins
October 26, 2022
Classic car technician Chris recently started the body shaping process on our 1986 Daimler DS420. Quite a bit of restoration work has already been completed
Epoxy Primer
October 11, 2022
Chris has been working on our 1986 Daimler DS420, putting on the epoxy primer ready for further painting. He first masked the car and gave
Gaining Access To Corrosion Areas On The 1986 Daimler DS420
September 22, 2022
The team of classic car technicians at Bridge Classic Cars found some areas of corrosion on our 1986 Daimler DS420 a little while ago. In
Intricacy – Further Metal Repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420
September 7, 2022
The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars have been continuing the lower metal repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420 which is in at our Suffolk
The Other Side – Metal Repairs on the Passenger Side of the 1986 Daimler DS420
September 1, 2022
As the work is being carried out on the other side of the 1986 Daimler DS420, our fabrication team have been working on the passenger
Capped – Repairing the Arches and Sills on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 31, 2022
The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy carrying out further metal repairs to the sides of the classic Daimler limousine. The team
New Metal – Repairing the Drivers Rear Wheel Arch on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 23, 2022
The fabrication team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been busy working on repairing the inner and outer wheel arch on the 1986
Inch Perfect – Handmaking Rear Sills on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 17, 2022
The 1986 Daimler DS420, which is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop, has had its rear sills and parts of the floors made
Complete – The 1987 Daimler Double Six is Finished
August 17, 2022
The restoration teams at Bridge Classic Cars have finished the restoration of the 1987 Daimler Double Six so it was time to take some final
Replaced – New Hazard Light Switch on the 1987 Daimler Double Six
August 12, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have completed the final job on the 1987 Daimler Double Six which has been with us for restoration.
Underneath – Repairing the Rear Valance on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 9, 2022
The fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been continuing to work on the 1986 Daimler DS420 in for restoration. This time,
Going Deeper – Assessing the Rear Wings and Sills of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 28, 2022
The fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk restoration HQ have begun to look deeper into the corrosion on the bottom of the 1986
Repairs – Inspecting and Repairing the Arch and Sill on the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 28, 2022
The 1986 Daimler DS420 in with Bridge Classic Cars for restoration has been in with our fabrication team to have its arches and sills repaired.
At the Ready – Priming the Bonnet and Boot of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 22, 2022
The boot and bonnet of the 1986 Daimler DS420 have been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop for their next round of work in
Fresh Metal – Door Repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 22, 2022
The other door of the 1986 Daimler DS420 has been on the bench in the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop to have various metal repairs.
Update – New Console Plugs and Alarm Sensor Removal on the 1987 Daimler Double Six
July 19, 2022
The 1987 Daimler Double Six is having the last few pieces of its interior refit finished by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop. The
Readied – Priming the Doors of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 14, 2022
After their metal repairs were completed by the fabrication shop, the doors for the 1986 Daimler DS420 have been taken into the Bridge Classic Cars
Update – Refitting the 1987 Daimler Double Six
July 13, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on getting some of the key trim pieces back into the 1987 Daimler Double Six
Change Over – 1986 Daimler DS420 in the Fabrication Shop
June 28, 2022
The 1986 Daimler DS420 has been moved from the body preparation department into the in-house fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk restoration workshops.
Refinished – 1987 Daimler Double Six Parts in Satin Black
June 24, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop have been working on refinishing some of the final pieces for the 1987 Daimler Double. Various brackets, panels
Going Back Together – Refitting the Bumpers and Adjusting the Sunroof of the 1987 Daimler Doube Six
June 22, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars are working on refitting and adjusting various parts to the 1987 Daimler Double Six as part of its
Like New – Painting the Bumper Brackets on the 1987 Daimler Double Six
June 20, 2022
The bumper brackets for the 1987 Daimler Double Six have been worked on by the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop. The pieces have been carefully
Under the Surface – Stripping the Doors of the 1986 Daimler DS420
June 20, 2022
The doors on the 1986 Daimler DS420 have been stripped back by the paint and body team in preparation to be handed over to the
Stripped Back – Beginning the Strip Down of the 1986 Daimler DS420
June 10, 2022
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the process of stripping down the body of the 1986 Daimler DS420 ahead of
Inch by Inch – Removing the Roof from the 1986 Daimler DS420
May 30, 2022
The trim team at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have worked with our body team to remove the collapsible roof on the 1986 Daimler
Clear View – Polishing the Paintwork on the 1987 Daimler Double Six
May 30, 2022
The freshly painted 1987 Daimler Double Six has been in the paint preparation area for the Bridge classic Cars paint and body team to begin
Cut & Polish – Finishing Work on the Panels of the 1987 Daimler Double Six
May 27, 2022
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the final stages of the paint journey on the 1987 Daimler Double
Inside Out – Raptorguard on the Inner Wings of the 1987 Daimler Double Six
May 26, 2022
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have sealed the inner wings of the 1987 Daimler Double Six which is in for restoration.
1986 Daimler DS420 – Prep And Paint
November 21, 2022
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 has had a new coat of paint!
Before its final coat could be applied though, the entire car and its components needed to have primer applied,
Some of the parts of this classic car had to be removed and prepped separately from the rest of the vehicle. These were painted on both their interior and external surfaces while they were detached from the main body of the car.
The car itself was also prepped for painting. It was masked up before getting its final coat of paint applied.
To make sure our 1986 Daimler DS420 looks its very best, classic car technician Chris polished the newly painted doors. As you can see from the progress photos below, this makes a big difference to the overall final look of the doors.
Now that our DS420 has been painted, it looks very different to how it did when it first arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop all the way from the United States of America. There is still a good amount of restoration work needing to be done but progress is certainly being made and this classic car continues to get better and better.
Panel Levelling Complete
November 15, 2022
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 has been undergoing panel levelling with classic car technician Chris. Once this was completed, the car began its prep work ready to be painted in the near future.
Some panels of this large classic car have already begun to be painted.
From the photos of the prepped and painted panels below, you can see that the car will look very impressive once the whole vehicle is finished in the paint shop.
Our 1986 Daimler DS420 is a large American classic car that continues to keep our team of classic car technicians busy.
Work will carry on as the restoration of this impressive car continues.
Body Shaping Begins
October 26, 2022
Classic car technician Chris recently started the body shaping process on our 1986 Daimler DS420.
Quite a bit of restoration work has already been completed on this classic car and things certainly aren’t slowing down as progress continues to be made.
Epoxy Primer
October 11, 2022
Chris has been working on our 1986 Daimler DS420, putting on the epoxy primer ready for further painting.
He first masked the car and gave it a final rub down before applying the primer. This will create a good base for the top coat of paint to bond to. It will also prevent corrosion and rust from forming which will give a high-quality finish to the car.
Gaining Access To Corrosion Areas On The 1986 Daimler DS420
September 22, 2022
The team of classic car technicians at Bridge Classic Cars found some areas of corrosion on our 1986 Daimler DS420 a little while ago.
In order to fully inspect all of the corrosion areas, the team have had to gain access to some tricky parts of the car.
Recently, the servo was removed to give our classic car technicians better access to specific areas of corrosion. Once removed, work could begin to resolve some of the corrosion issues as the Daimler continues its journey of restoration.
Intricacy – Further Metal Repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420
September 7, 2022
The fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars have been continuing the lower metal repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420 which is in at our Suffolk HQ.
Our fabricator Monty has been going through each section of the DS420 to get the metalwork in perfect condition. This time, the team have been working on repairing the front lower sill and inner arch.
Any section of corrosion has been carefully cut out and the area treated and neutralised before the handmade patch panels were put together, refined and welded into the car. The team have been working to tight tolerances and making sure that the structure and strength were put back into the areas.
The Other Side – Metal Repairs on the Passenger Side of the 1986 Daimler DS420
September 1, 2022
As the work is being carried out on the other side of the 1986 Daimler DS420, our fabrication team have been working on the passenger side of the car at the same time.
One of our amazing fabricators, Chris, has been working on removing any corrosion from the classic limousine. Much like the other side of the car, the team have been focusing on the rear arches, inner arches, sills and front arches. Every time an area is in need of repair, Chris would create handmade patch panels specifically for the area they were needed in recreating much of the sills and inner arches by hand.
Capped – Repairing the Arches and Sills on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 31, 2022
The fabrication shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy carrying out further metal repairs to the sides of the classic Daimler limousine.
The team are working their way through repairing the inner and outer wheel arches along with extensive repairs to the sills of the car. These have been cut back the area to expose any corrosion which ad begun to run deep into the underside of the car. All of the area was then treated to neutralise any rust issues before the team began to make the various patch pieces needed to rebuild the structure into the car.
Both wheel arches have also been cut out and repaired as part of the work.
New Metal – Repairing the Drivers Rear Wheel Arch on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 23, 2022
The fabrication team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been busy working on repairing the inner and outer wheel arch on the 1986 Daimler DS420.
The team have uncovered areas of heavy corrosion in the lower parts of the classic Daimler. These are being systematically cut out of the car and replaced with new handmade patch panels, including the rear arches.
The team have thoroughly inspected any areas of corrosion and removed any affected material to bring it back to clean, strong metal to work from. From there, the team have made up the individual pieces needed to recreate the missing parts. Each of these is then carefully tacked into place to avoid warping certain areas and then finish welded.
Inch Perfect – Handmaking Rear Sills on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 17, 2022
The 1986 Daimler DS420, which is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop, has had its rear sills and parts of the floors made from scratch.
The bottom of the classic Daimler has areas of heavy corrosion which must be addressed and repaired by the team. For this, our fabricator Monty has made up and hand-shaped these pieces specifically for the car. With carefully bending and working the material to get into shape while also adding the beading to give the metal strength when welded into the body.
Each piece was spot welded into the car to avoid warping which can cause the subsequent pieces to fit incorrectly into the car.
The team will continue to get the classic DS420 back into new metal in the areas needed.
Complete – The 1987 Daimler Double Six is Finished
August 17, 2022
The restoration teams at Bridge Classic Cars have finished the restoration of the 1987 Daimler Double Six so it was time to take some final photos of the car before it is safely put into storage.
The Double Six has been through every department at our Suffolk HQ, from being carefully dismantled by the workshop team and then handed over to our fabrication shop to repair some issues with the bodywork. Next, our paint and body team took over the project to get every piece and panel into perfect shape before repainted and polished.
Then once all the panels had been painted and aligned back onto the car, it could be given back to the workshop for our restoration technicians and trim shop to work on the car. Piece by piece the classic Daimler was put back together and fitted-out working towards its completion.
With everything finally finished, the car was fully valeted and taken over to our secure storage facility, The Hangar, where it will be stored for its owner.
Replaced – New Hazard Light Switch on the 1987 Daimler Double Six
August 12, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have completed the final job on the 1987 Daimler Double Six which has been with us for restoration.
The hazard light switch, located on the steering column on the Daimler Double Six, was found to have an issue. So, the workshop team have carefully removed the shrowding on the steering column to remove the old switch. With the old unit removed, the team could replace it with a new piece and then test to confirm everything worked as it should.
With everything being given the green light, the car was loaded up and taken over to our secure storage facility, The Hangar, to be stored for its owner.
Underneath – Repairing the Rear Valance on the 1986 Daimler DS420
August 9, 2022
The fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been continuing to work on the 1986 Daimler DS420 in for restoration.
This time, the team have been handmaking several patch panels to the inner structure of the rear wings which were then plug welded into the body for strength. Then, they could move on to hand making one of the bigger patch panels needed.
This piece runs along the entire bottom edge at the back of the car. From a flat sheet of steel, the team have shaped and tweaked the panel into shape for a direct replacement. Shrinking and stretching the bottom edges to match the curve of the panel. Once in shape, the team could weld and smooth in the end caps which have been completely made by hand by our fabricator Monty.
Then, the whole piece could be test fit to see if any areas needed clearancing the bodywork to accept the new piece.
Going Deeper – Assessing the Rear Wings and Sills of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 28, 2022
The fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk restoration HQ have begun to look deeper into the corrosion on the bottom of the 1986 Daimler DS420.
The fabrication team began by cutting a section of the bottom of the Offside Rear Wing which had corroded on the bottom before removing the outer skin of the wing around the entire arch all the way down to the sill.
At the sill, they have trimmed back the outer sill to expose the inner structure to check for any corrosion or damage to that area.
Repairs – Inspecting and Repairing the Arch and Sill on the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 28, 2022
The 1986 Daimler DS420 in with Bridge Classic Cars for restoration has been in with our fabrication team to have its arches and sills repaired.
The team have begun the process of stripping back and removing any affected metal to a solid starting point to build out from. The first piece was replacing the wheel arch which had corroded before then moving rearward along the bottom of the classic limousine.
A new handmade patch panel, which was shaped to perfectly match the gentle flair at the bottom of the arch was carefully made and fitted onto the car.
As the team began to inspect and assess the sills of the DS420, they noted the corrosion was quite deep in some areas and would require the area to be repaired and built back up in stages to retain the rigidity of the car.
Working from the rear, the team have begun to cut away any affected areas to gain more access to inspect and repair the sills and channels.
At the Ready – Priming the Bonnet and Boot of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 22, 2022
The boot and bonnet of the 1986 Daimler DS420 have been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop for their next round of work in the lead-up to paint.
The team have carefully rubbed back all of the pannels on-top and underneath before getting the pieces into primer followed by a light coat of Polyfan. This will act as a guide coat for the team when sanding to help identify any low spots which will need to be addressed in order to achieve a perfect finish on the car.
Fresh Metal – Door Repairs on the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 22, 2022
The other door of the 1986 Daimler DS420 has been on the bench in the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication shop to have various metal repairs.
The door of the classic Daimler has suffered some quite serious corrosion in places which have been carefully cut from the door for the team to begin making hand-made patches for the car.
Each of these pieces, after being formed, is then test fit and adjusted to make sure the final fitment is perfect before Monty, one of our fabricators, final welds them into their place making sure each individual piece interacts with any other pieces around it.
Update – New Console Plugs and Alarm Sensor Removal on the 1987 Daimler Double Six
July 19, 2022
The 1987 Daimler Double Six is having the last few pieces of its interior refit finished by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop.
The first task was for the team to retrim the centre console plugs of the classic Daimler. After being covered they were installed into the centre console of the car before the team could move onto the next job.
In the rear window, on the parcel shelf, is an alarm sensor for the car. This trim shop carefully removed the sensor from the parcel shelf before recovering the area with a capping.
Readied – Priming the Doors of the 1986 Daimler DS420
July 14, 2022
After their metal repairs were completed by the fabrication shop, the doors for the 1986 Daimler DS420 have been taken into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop to be primered.
The doors were first thoroughly cleaned down before the team set them onto the door jigs to be sprayed. The first stage is to get the panels into Epoxy Primer to stop any rust from forming on the bare metal doors. These will then go on to be reworked by the team until perfect and keep going through various sanding and priming stages until they’re ready for paint and then reunited with the body.
Update – Refitting the 1987 Daimler Double Six
July 13, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on getting some of the key trim pieces back into the 1987 Daimler Double Six while removing some smaller pieces to be refinished by the team.
To begin with, Brian fit the new bonnet insulation under the hood of the classic Daimler. This is a noise and heat protector which is cut to shape and rollered on to get the best contact and fit into the recesses under the bonnet.
From there, the team could get the headliner and sunroof for the car finished off. The edges of the opening were finished and glued back neatly into place before the necessary pieces of trim were fitted.
Finally, the team moved to the centre console of the classic Daimler in order to remove switchgear and fittings from the car. This was to then completely remove the weathered panel’s wooden veneer which is being worked on by the team as part of the restoration of the car.
Change Over – 1986 Daimler DS420 in the Fabrication Shop
June 28, 2022
The 1986 Daimler DS420 has been moved from the body preparation department into the in-house fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk restoration workshops.
After having the body stripped back to discover some areas of quite deep corrosion by the body team, it is now down to the fabrication department to get the metal on the classic Daimler back in order. First, the team will carry out an assessment of the area to see how deep and far into or up the car the corrosion goes and then work out a plan to get the fresh pieces securely and properly welded into the car.
There will be more updates very soon on the metal repairs to the 1986 Daimler DS420.
Refinished – 1987 Daimler Double Six Parts in Satin Black
June 24, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop have been working on refinishing some of the final pieces for the 1987 Daimler Double.
Various brackets, panels and the fan shroud have all been stripped, cleaned and prepared before being taken into our paint booth/oven to be finished in Satin Black for the project.
Once these have completely cured, the workshop team can begin getting them fit back onto the classic Daimler in with us for restoration.
Going Back Together – Refitting the Bumpers and Adjusting the Sunroof of the 1987 Daimler Doube Six
June 22, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars are working on refitting and adjusting various parts to the 1987 Daimler Double Six as part of its restoration with us.
The team have worked on getting the sunroof of the classic Daimler back into the car following the adjustments needed to the rails and to fit a new seal for its final installation back into the car.
Then, the team could turn their attention to the rear bumper of the Double Six. The bumpers have been stripped down and cleaned up including the brackets which were carefully ground back and then refurbished to be reused on the car as they were in good condition after removing the surface rust. The only new pieces needed for this part of the restoration were the bumper inserts which were sourced and fitted to the car.
Like New – Painting the Bumper Brackets on the 1987 Daimler Double Six
June 20, 2022
The bumper brackets for the 1987 Daimler Double Six have been worked on by the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop.
The pieces have been carefully cleaned and prepared to then go into our in-house paint booth in order for the team to finish them as part of the reassembly of the classic Daimler.
Under the Surface – Stripping the Doors of the 1986 Daimler DS420
June 20, 2022
The doors on the 1986 Daimler DS420 have been stripped back by the paint and body team in preparation to be handed over to the Bridge Classic Cars fabrication team.
The doors had to be stripped back in certain areas in order for the team to assess the corrosion in each piece and come up with a repair plan for the doors.
There are a few areas which will need significant repairs by the fabrication team so keep an eye on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates very soon.
Stripped Back – Beginning the Strip Down of the 1986 Daimler DS420
June 10, 2022
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the process of stripping down the body of the 1986 Daimler DS420 ahead of its restoration.
It was noted during the trim and component removal that there were some areas of corrosion on the body of the classic Daimler so the team have begun to look into just how far these extend and the repairs needed.
There is also evidence of previous damage repair to the near side rear door which will need to be addressed by the team as part of the car’s journey with ourselves.
Inch by Inch – Removing the Roof from the 1986 Daimler DS420
May 30, 2022
The trim team at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have worked with our body team to remove the collapsible roof on the 1986 Daimler DS420.
The team needed to remove this as part of the vehicle’s restoration as to inspect and assess the condition of each component as well as the inner and out coverings to use as templates.
Each piece had to be removed gingerly and extremely carefully so as to not damage any of the pieces or mechanisms to best assess each part of the roof.
Clear View – Polishing the Paintwork on the 1987 Daimler Double Six
May 30, 2022
The freshly painted 1987 Daimler Double Six has been in the paint preparation area for the Bridge classic Cars paint and body team to begin getting the car into bright, gleaming condition.
The team began by gently and evenly cutting back the freshly cured paint with progressively finer abrasive pads to safely remove any nibs or other pieces caught in the clear coat of the car. After this had all been taken back to an even ”flat” state, the team could begin bringing back its shimmer.
Using various compounds and polishes, the team built up the beautiful sheen across the body of the classic Daimler until it was like a deep blue mirror.
The perfect finish.
Cut & Polish – Finishing Work on the Panels of the 1987 Daimler Double Six
May 27, 2022
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the final stages of the paint journey on the 1987 Daimler Double Six’s panels.
The team have gently cut back the paint and clear-coat on the panels with finer and finer abrasives in order to create a uniform finish for the pieces. Then, they can be machine polished and buffed to a mirror finish.
Inside Out – Raptorguard on the Inner Wings of the 1987 Daimler Double Six
May 26, 2022
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have sealed the inner wings of the 1987 Daimler Double Six which is in for restoration.
The team sealed the inner wings using a product called Raptorguard. This is a hard wearing urethane which will protect the inner arches and wing of the car from absorbing moisture from any dirt collected inside the panel. This is something we do on most of our restorations to protect the longevity of the pieces and ultimately the car itself.
