Our technician Jon has been making progress on the resurrection of the 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe.
The next stage of the cars journey back onto the open road begins with Jon fitting a new rear brake master cylinder. Having the old unit and new unit next to each other, the positions are slightly different from the original to the new unit, so Jon had to make up new brake lines from the master cylinder to the the join in the offside front floor area. Then, he could fit the new flexi hoses to the front and rear of the car before bleeding the entire system. However, the front of the system bled without issue but the rear we were unable to bleed at this point.
Carrying on with recommissioning the hydraulic system in the car, Jon began work on the clutch. This involved removing the old clutch slave cylinder from the classic Jaguar and the pipework. After fitting up the new system and pipes, he could fill up the circuit and begin to bleed them after securing down the new brake pipes at the same time and then cleaning down/tidying up the work area.
Next up, Jon blew out all of the fuel lines and pipework to make sure that any dust or debris from the workshop wasn’t sat in the lines while the car has been on the ramp before securing them all down to the car.
This is when he could turn his attention to the steering of the car. The steering column support in the lower part of the bulkhead was excessively moving (see video) even after Jon had drilled out the lower universal joint and replacement the worn bolt which connects the two pieces with a new nyloc piece, which improved the movement but was still not clamping fully on the piece. So, he removed the upper part of the steering column first to upgrade the component with new elastin bushes and then begin to refit the piece, however the column still moved excessively in Jon’s professional opinion. The bulkhead column support was then put on order to be refitted into the car.
Whilst the steering column was out of the car, Jon could drain the coolant and remove the radiator from the car after the cars initial fire up and testing, to remove the offside steering rack mount and the lower steering column mount from the engine bay, and fully drill out the universal joint better to clean down all the surfaces and refinish it in a new hard wearing coat of black paint.
With the new bulkhead support on order, Jon turned his attention back to the hydraulics of the car. After topping off all the fluid reservoirs, Jon along with the help of our workshop manager John managed to complete bleed each individual system.
After that, Jon began to put petrol in the new fuel tank for the first time in order to check for leaks in the tank – all was ok. He also swapped over the fuse for the fuel pump to a more suitable and durable unit for the needs of the system. After that, he connected up the battery in order to get fuel pressure from the engine on turn over to prime the system all the way to the pre-filter sight bowl. Then, he disconnected the battery.
Finally, Jon moved onwards to getting the carburettors ready to accept the fresh fuel now in the new fuel tank. He carefully tightened down and inspected all connections from the filter to the carburettors before connecting the battery back up again and the turning on the ignition to prime the fuel system and test. Jon found there was a slight leak from the sight glass under the higher pressure and from the number 1 carburettor. This was found to be an issue with the washers used in the connection to carburettor 1 and fitted a new rubber seal to the sight glass sediment bowl. After that, all of the leaks were sorted and he could the refit and secure the boot floor and all necessary trims.
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.
The restoration of our 1954 Jaguar MKVII has continued recently with quite a bit of work being completed by classic car technician Dave.
After the engine of this beautiful classic car was removed a little while ago, it has now been rebuilt by our friends at Coltec and delivered back to us here at Bridge Classic Cars. Dave has been working on getting the engine back into the car so it can continue on its restoration journey.
Prior to the engine returning to us, we were able to see the pistons being machined so it was great to see the full engine back with us and ready to go back into the car.
Once the engine was back in, Dave was able to get it running and conduct a check of its condition. He was pleased with the temperature levels but did some additional work on other areas of the car.
The 2 fuel pumps were drained, removed, and replaced.
While working on our 1954 Jaguar MKVII, Dave noticed that the fan was broken. A new fan was installed but, as is the case with a lot of the classic cars we work on, the new fan didn’t quite fit into place exactly as it should. Luckily, our classic car technicians are master craftsmen so Dave was able to weld some new lugs onto the car so it would accept the new fan being installed.
To make sure the new lugs blended perfectly with the rest of the car, Dave painted them black and, as you can see from the photos below, they are now in perfect keeping with the rest of this classic car.
Now that the engine is back with the car, work can continue on our 1954 Jaguar MKVII. We are looking forward to seeing things progress over the coming weeks and we are excited to see this impressive classic car back out on the road with its owner.
November 21, 2022 11:05 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The pistons of our 1954 Jaguar MK VII were machined recently.
As the pistons are such a vital component of the engine, it’s important that they are exactly right and, as you can see in the video below, care needs to be taken to make sure everything is perfect.
October 21, 2022 12:46 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
Classic car technician Paul has been working on the suspension of our 1972 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3.
He installed new poly bushes to the front suspension which will absorb any bumps and knocks as well as reduce noise and vibration once the car is back out on the road.
Everything will be put back together and work will continue on this beautiful classic car.
October 21, 2022 11:32 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Dave has spent a lot of time lately working on our 1954 Jaguar MKVII. During one of his inspections of the vehicle, he noticed that there appeared to be some damage to the engine.
As his investigation went deeper, he discovered grit in the oil and some damage to the big end. The result was the engine having to be removed from the car and sent to our partners at Coltec for a rebuild.
Removing the engine from this classic car is a big job but, as an experienced and skilled classic car technician, Dave was able to get the job done and he hopes to receive the rebuilt engine back soon.
Once it’s back with us, work will continue to restore the classic Jaguar.
September 23, 2022 1:23 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars team have delivered our beautiful 1973 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 Roadster to its owner ahead of the car being taken on holiday.
The team met up with Stephen in Folkstone to hand over Fern Grey on his way to France on holiday where the car will join the 1973 Triumph TR6 on its adventures in France.
Fern Grey has been built entirely to Stephen’s specification by our in-house restoration teams who have spent countless hours building, perfecting and testing the beautiful V12 E-Type for this moment and its life with its owner afterwards.
We look forward to hearing about the Jaguar’s adventures over the summer in France and wish Stephen many happy miles in this incredible GT car.
To go back and look at the entire 1973 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 Roadster project, click here!
The workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ has been getting to the bottom of a fueling issue found on the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series III Roadster during final testing.
After noticing an issue with the fueling on the Stromberg carburettors, the team began by stripping the carburettors back apart to double-check adjustments. After removal, the team noticed that one of the carburettor bowls was completely dry as opposed to the others which were full as intended.
Our technician John then began to replace the all-important needle valves and work on perfectly resetting the float levels to ensure the bowl is properly filled at the correct rate and then stopped when it is supposed to.
After that, the team could put the carburettors back together and resume testing the classic E-Type.
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on completing the last few jobs to do with the interior of the 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 Roadster, Fern Grey.
The trim team have completed the handcrafted hood cover made specifically for Fern Grey. The team have hand-finished the piece by putting in the stud fasteners to the material to it can be held down tightly to the body of the classic Jaguar.
With this piece finished and put onto the car, the workshop team can continue with the final tests of the one-off E-type.
The technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ have been working on a slight issue with the driver’s door on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster, Fern Grey.
Jon has been looking into the door mechanism which when the window is closed, cannot be opened from the inside.
Upon inspection, Jon found that the window regulator was interfering with the door latch mechanism and had knocked the release bar out of its guide. After removing the bar to modify and straighten the piece, he reinstalled the mechanism into the door and tested its function.
With the slight changes to the door release bar, everything was all okay after testing.
The brackets which hold down the hardtop of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster have been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop.
With the hardtop recently test fit onto the car, the restoration technicians needed the brackets to be finished for the car in order to finish the installation.
Once these have hardened and cured, they will go onto the car and fix to the hardtop and the body.
February 11, 2022 8:32 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The restoration teams at Bridge Classic Cars have been working together for the first test fitting of the removable hardtop on Fern Grey. The bespoke 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster being built at our Suffolk HQ.
The hardtop has been completely restored by the team here at Bridge Classic Cars and gone through by every department. Brian, our head trimmer, worked alongside our other restoration technicians to get all the trims, seals and hardware onto the roof. Then, gingerly slip it over the back over the car and down into place.
This has to be done so that Brian can check to make sure all of the brackets and fittings line up perfectly between the body and the roof.
February 10, 2022 11:21 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster, which we here at Bridge Classic Cars have come to know as Fern Grey, has had the last few bits of trim fitted to the car on the door sills.
Jonn, has been working on getting these onto the car. To begin with, the pieces were dry fitted and offered up to the car to make sure everything around them was correct. Once the techs had got everything ready, the sill chrome was officially and permanently put onto the stunning one-off E Type.
February 9, 2022 11:44 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars team have managed to source a set of tyres for the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III known as Fern Grey.
Fern Grey will soon begin road tests and with that, we felt it needed a new set of tyres. At the request of the owner, we have sourced the closest we can get to the original tyres as possible but with a modern compound. Originally the tyres would have had a 215 section tyre but these tyres are a 205 section from Pirelli.
With tyres mounted thanks to Tyre Assist, our in-house restoration technicians can now move forward on the checklist before road testing this incredible one of a kind E Type.
The team at Bridge Classic Cars are on the final stretch in getting the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster ready for road testing.
One of the biggest and most delicate jobs of the whole build was fitting the bonnet to this one-off E Type. Carefully (and using almost everyone in the workshop) the bonnet was gently lowered onto the nose of Fern Grey. Once in place, our technicians Jon and Scott could begin the task of firmly attaching all the necessary brackets and braces to secure the bonnet to the car. Along with our bodywork expert Chris, the team worked on getting the hinges and clips aligned so the bonnet sat perfectly on this beautiful car.
Along with the bonnet being fitted, the team went through the car to add some last-minute adjustments. A new passenger grab handle was made and fitted by Brian, our lead in-house trimmer, and the headlights have been removed and rewired for a new pair that feature sidelights incorporated into the unit themselves.
It’s all coming together on Fern Grey, so keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for updates on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster.
January 25, 2022 10:42 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, Jon and Scott, have been working on some minor repairs and revisions to Fern Grey after its tests.
Fern Grey is of course the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster we have been building in our Suffolk HQ. After the tests, Jon and Scott noticed some issues with a couple of interior/dash lights which were solved by removing the cover plate and rerouting some of the elaborate wiring with a few pins needing to be recrimped and shielded.
Along with that, Jon has made a new fuel return pipe for the car as he found the original was not returning correctly to the fuel tank. So, with all of the underside jobs finished on Fern Grey Jon could begin to fit the shields to the underside of this one-off E Type.
Now, with everything buttoned up on Fern Grey, our technicians can begin retesting and rechecking the car before its road tests begin.
January 21, 2022 11:04 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Our in-house restoration technicians, Jon and Scott, have been preparing the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
They have been fitting up the refurbished and new hardware to the firewall and the front frame of the E Type ready for when the gorgeous one-piece bonnet of Fern Grey is fitted. Before then, our technicians want to test run the V12 and all of its systems whilst they have easy access to the engine bay for any adjustments or changes to be made.
Soon, you will see a big move ahead with the E Type here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
January 20, 2022 10:30 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians Jon and Scott have been going through Fern Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster, to bolt check every component and to fit the final pieces of trim before its engine/road tests begin shortly.
Scott and Jon got the windscreen pillar trims in place but before then, fitted the all-important VIN plate to the pillar. With these in place, our technicians could then start from the front of the car and work their way back.
Scott and Jon also fitted the new driveshaft covers at the back of Fern Grey while also securing the split pins through the shock absorber bolts after making sure they were correctly tightened. The nut and bolt check is crucial before the vehicle is moved under its own power, so the technicians went round twice to make sure everything was done up tight.
Soon, you’ll see the testing of Fern Grey begin by our in-house team so keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates.
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration team have been getting together all the final touches on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster, Fern Grey.
One of the final pieces to finish off the rear end is the new valance cover. Our technician, Jon, spent hours getting the finish just right on the piece which is somewhat of a centre-piece for the back of the bespoke E Type.
With the valance fitted and the other brightwork in place, the rear end of Fern Grey is near enough complete.
The team at Bridge Classic Cars have begun work on the stunning bonnet of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster we have built for a client. With all of the weatherstripping installed into the headlight surrounds, they can now begin with the final brightwork.
All of the chrome for Fern Grey was sent off to a specialist, Wyatt Polishing, for refurbishment and polishing to make sure it looked as good as the rest of the incredible car. Now Paul, one of our in-house technicians, will start the meticulous task of getting the chrome back onto the headlights ready for when the bonnet is finally installed onto the car in the coming weeks.
Expect to see a lot more on the progress of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster here on the Bridge Classic Cars newspage.
Lydia, one of our incredible trimmers here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been busy handmaking the extra pieces for Fern Grey. Fern Grey is of course the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster that our in-house restoration teams have been working on rebuilding from the ground up for a client of ours.
Lydia began by remaking the original tool wrap that was supplied originally with the car. It had seen better days and was not befitting of such a creation as the mighty Fern Grey. So, using the original as a template, Lydia remade the piece by hand to fit the same fit and finish as the car it will belong to.
Then, with the E Types new tonneau cover completed, Lydia began to hand make the bag which the cover folds into to be stowed away. Much like the tool wrap, Lydia has made it to the same extraordinary standards as the rest of the car.
January 12, 2022 12:20 pmPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians have finished up the custom-made exhaust on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster that we refer to as Fern Grey.
Paul has been working on getting the new exhaust safe and secure underneath the iconic sports car. From the exhaust collector to the stunning, bright double-tipped outlet which perfectly follows the line of the bottom of Fern Grey.
With the new exhaust fitted underneath the E Type, our in-house restoration technicians can move forward wit the final assembly of this stunning classic Jaguar.
January 12, 2022 10:54 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster, Fern Grey, is getting closer to completion by the day. Recently our in-house restoration technicians have been working on completing the exhaust for this amazing project.
Our technician Paul has been working on cleaning, preparing and coating the exhausts for the 5 litre V12 that sits at the heart of this E Type. Paul carefully cleaned and prepared the original headers for the car before applying several coats of glossy black exhaust paint. This paint is specific for the use on exhausts as it can withstand incredible high temperatures and the environment.
Paul also worked on cleaning and painting the exhaust brackets for Fern Grey to match the rest of the immaculate underside of the car.
January 11, 2022 10:29 amPublished by Craig Ranson
Dave, one of our most experienced technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on replacing the rear pinion seal of the 1954 Jaguar MkVII.
We noted the seal was leaking during an inspection and with the newly refurbished gearbox soon to be back in the car, Dave took this opportunity to get the rear pinion seal into the rear end before the gearbox is fitted and the driver shaft installed.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars newspage for more updates soon on the 1954 Jaguar MkVII.
January 11, 2022 10:21 amPublished by Craig Ranson
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house have been finishing the final pieces for the interior of Fern Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster before it goes into the main workshop for final assembly.
Brian, our head trimmer, has got the cars handmade seats back into the car to complete that part of the interior and they look absolutely fantastic. This car is intended to be a true GT car so they are comfortable and well-padded to add to that sense of comfort while covering huge distances.
Next, Brian began fitting up the Hardura padding underneath the dashboard. Hardura is a vinyl wrapped sound deadening material used in place where it is remained exposed and is also close to the original style material used on the car.
Then, for the final piece Brian fitted the chrome stalks from the old sun visors onto the new pieces. These were then fitted up into the car and really finish of the dash and windshield surround.
Our head trimmer here at Bridge Classic Cars, Brian, has been perfectly tailoring a tonneau cover to protect the interior of Fearn Grey. The 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster we have been restoring in-house.
Brian has masterfully created the new cover entirely from scratch using his wealth of knowledge and experience to produce a tight, elegant fit on the cover. Just like every piece on Fearn Grey, our restorations teams have tailored everything around the car and for the lucky owner of this stunning roadster.
There are a couple more jobs to do in our trim shop on the E Type and then it will be going into the workshop for the team to begin final assembly.
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians have been working on getting to the bottom of some noises that have been noted by the owner of this 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4.
After looking into the issue, our senior technician Dave found several components that could cause the sound. The biggest one was that there was a pin missing and perished rubber isolators from the gearbox mount which can allow the vibrations and movement of the gearbox to transfer through the chassis and into the cabin and present as a sound. Along with that, Dave also noted that the exhausts would move occasionally and when they touched each other would also cause noise.
Whilst under the car, Dave also noted that the Universal Joints had become severely worn. For that, the prop shaft had to be removed in order to replace the joints. Whilst out of the car, Dave also cleaned up the splines and assembly to make sure everything was in good condition before reinstalling back into the car.
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been incredibly busy just before Christmas. One of the jobs that has been done was fitting the foldable soft top into Fearn Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster.
Brian, our head trimmer, has been carefully pulling and stretching the new material into place and securing it to the spars on the hood to make sure that the fit and finish on the soft top is perfect with no creases or loose spots. Once it was in place, Brian could then focus on testing the mechanism worked flawlessly up and down without binding up or damaging the new soft top material in any way.
Along with the completely refurbished hard top, Fearn Grey is looking absolutely sensational! and the interior is definitely a massive part of that process.
Brian in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop has been continuing on his highly skilled work on the interior of Fern Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster.
Brian has been working on test and final fitting the various small trim pieces onto the car. One of the big jobs is making sure the recently finished dash and windscreen trim to fit and flow correctly across the front of the interior of this stunning sports car. With the pieces in their final place, Brian could begin working his way towards the back of the car.
Brian also worked on the soft top where it meets the windscreen trims to ensure all of the trims for the soft top also worked alongside the various windscreen pieces. Any adjustments or refinements could be completed piece by piece to get the best fit for every different aspect of the interior.
Then, in the rear of Fern Grey, Brian began to get the new rear panels into place and make sure they perfectly fit around the hinges and mechanism for the soft top while up, but also when it is folded down into place.
As you can see, its full steam ahead on Fern Grey in the trim shop! And it is looking fantastic.
December 17, 2021 10:57 amPublished by Craig Ranson
While the seats were removed from the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 which is in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, our in-house trim expert, Brian, could begin work on retrimming the floors and installing the sound deadening into the floor of this classic Jaguar.
Previously, Brian had stripped out the floors of the car in our trim shop in preparation for the welding repairs needed. Now, Brian could begin his work getting the inside of the car looking as good as the outside. Using original style sound deadening, Brian laid the material into all of the areas that can be affected or are known for transmitting sound into the cabin. Using a series of specialist trim tools, Brian managed to neatly secure the sound deadening into the car. This, allowed Brian to carry on to the next phase of the interior in the 1968 MkII 2.4.
Next up, was getting the carpet panels in the least accessible places throughout the interior. Trimming the rear seat edges, driveshaft tunnel and seat cross members in the stunning, vibrant red which was closely matched to the original pieces. Brian also hand trimmed the gearbox tunnel as well. Using the original pieces as a template to work from but would trim and adjust the pieces to ensure the best fit and finish once all of the accompanying trim has been fitted.
December 17, 2021 8:38 amPublished by Craig Ranson
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