It’s been a pleasure having this 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. Our in-house restoration technicians have been hard at work
One of the jobs to be done on the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 was to paint the wheels to a colour matched off white, just
The 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 has been in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop where our paint expert Alan has worked his magic on
Brian, Kath and Lydia have been working on the next phase of the interior for the 1973 Jaguar E Type Roadster that Bridge Classic Cars
The windscreen of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster is now in the car! This moment has been a long time coming. The
The cylinder head for the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 is back at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. This has been away at a local specialist to
Jaguar. A legendary name in both performance and luxury. Just the name is enough to conjure images of elegant, long-legged coupes and saloons powered by
Jonn, one of the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, has been working on cleaning out the engine block of the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 currently
Kath and the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim team have been continuing to fit-out of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster that we
Unfortunately, it is a problem that plagues all classic cars at some point in their lives. But, caught early enough it can be easily sorted.
The straight-six for the 1963 Jaguar MkII is back and is in the car. Some of you may remember from it’s last update, some damage
Fern Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster, is a very special car. Not only has the car itself been hand built from
A while ago, you may remember that our in-house restoration technicians were looking into a misfire issue on the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 that is in
The 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster which we know as Fern Grey has officially been moved over to the the trim shop! A
The interior of the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 is the next item on the list of jobs to complete for its very lucky owner. With
This 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 is in with Bridge Classic Cars for our amazing in-house restoration teams to have a look and some work for
Whilst Fern Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster, is being mechanically finished in our workshop. The interior is being worked on by
It’s the special details on the Bridge Classic Cars restoration projects that make them bespoke to each of the owners. Take for example this storage
Brian has been working on the dashboard on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster in preparation for the rest of the car being
From our last post, you saw our in-house restoration technician Scott busy at work in the workshop at Bridge Classic Cars plumbing and wiring the
Scott has been hard at work on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster that is being built by Bridge Classic Cars. Since the
Scott, one of our in-house restoration experts has been hard at work getting ”Fern Grey” the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster plumbed and
Some of you may remember the 1984 Jaguar XJ bonnet and boot that a customer had asked us to refinish. The rest of the car
The 1954 Jaguar MkVII that was in with us for restoration is back in the workshop to look into a leak from under the car.
There’s always certain parts of any build that can be classed as milestone moments. That rings especially true for the first time the chassis is
This 1963 Jaguar MkII 3.4 is back in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop after its recent overhaul to investigate an oil leak from underneath this
As with any classic car, you want to try and exercise a certain amount of reserve and caution when working on them. Try to be
The carburettors on the 1973 Fern Grey Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster are freshly rebuilt. Our master engine builder Ady spent many hows carefully
The wealth of knowledge held in our workshop is incredible. Centuries almost of combined experience allow Bridge Classic Cars to look into a wide spectrum
The replacement fuel tanks are now secured in their new home at the rear of the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 at Bridge Classic Cars. After much
It’s been a pleasure having this 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. Our in-house restoration technicians have been hard at work on the car getting through the list of jobs requested by its lucky owner.
Our technician Dave has been working on getting the reworked front seats safely and securely back into this classic saloon car. Since the car has also been in our workshop where our master trimmers have been working their craft on the inside of the big Jag. Dave has been carefully working around the incredible work that has been done by Brian and Kath our trimmer so as to not damage or mark any of their work.
With the front seats being so important, Dave has been making sure that all the hardware used to secure them to the car is in the best condition and all the threaded holes are clear and clean-cut to make sure they can be tightened down accurately. So, with that, Dave will get the front seats into the car and then the team at Bridge Classic Cars can work on getting the other jobs on the 1968 MkII 2.4 done.
One of the jobs to be done on the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 was to paint the wheels to a colour matched off white, just the same as the body. So, it was off to the paint shop under the watchful eye of our in-house paint expert Alan.
Finished in a healthy layer of primer, to begin with, the wheels were then prepared to be put in the booth ready for painting. Alan used our state of the art paint mixing computer to find the closest match possible to the existing paint of the MkII in order to get the best match.
Then, with the right amount of paint mixed up and in the gun, it was time to start laying down the first of many coats to get these wheels to look perfect. Alan took his time to make sure the paint fell evenly and was given enough time in-between coats to achieve the best results straight out the gun. And, as you can see the results are absolutely incredible.
The 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 has been in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop where our paint expert Alan has worked his magic on the rear valance.
The valance had been coated with a thick black stone chip protection across the lower parts, so Alan pulled out his trusty DA sander and got to work. Carefully knocking back the stone chip, Alan exposed the paintwork underneath. Because of the thickness of the protection, Alan had to take it back quite a way. Once the area had been thoroughly cleaned down and smoothed out, Alan could begin his detailed and meticulous work.
Carefully, Alan applied the new stone chip to the area to protect the car from any possible marks or damage while it’s being enjoyed by its very lucky owner.
After the area around the new stone protection had been masked off, Alan carefully colour matched a small amount of paint to the rest of the car in order to seamlessly blend the new area into the existing rear panels and behind the rear bumper.
Brian, Kath and Lydia have been working on the next phase of the interior for the 1973 Jaguar E Type Roadster that Bridge Classic Cars calls Fern Grey. Now that the windscreen has been fitted and cured, it’s time to start getting the trim, dash and hood in place.
Using the original dash panels and A-Pillar trims, Brian stripped apart the panels ready to be recovered. The original foam for these pieces was in remarkably good condition so they were refreshed and reused. The trimming in the rich black leather however is all brand new. Brian selected a hide that compliments the rest of the interior but also matches closely what would have originally been used on the E Type’s to trim the pieces with.
Each of the panels and trims was hand-cut and finished by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim team to ensure the best fit. Including the dash pad which now that the windscreen is safely in place could be secured to the top of the dash after test fitting multiple times.
With all of the dash and trim around the windscreen fitted, Brian and the team began to work on getting the foldable hood mechanism in place. Checking the mounting points for the front and back of the hood, Brian began the task of gently manipulating the mounts to ensure the best possible fit as well as making sure each of the spars sat level and true. Thankfully after some skilled moving, the hood sat perfectly inside the gorgeous roadster.
The windscreen of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster is now in the car!
This moment has been a long time coming. The curving and elegant windscreen for the E Type is like a jewel in its crown. This completely bespoke Jaguar has been cherished by the in-house restoration teams at Bridge Classic Cars throughout its build so, having one of the final aesthetic pieces complete was a true milestone.
For windscreen removal and installs, we use a local specialist called Car Glass and Trim who we have worked with for many years. Their technicians came out to install the glass into Fern Grey with the same attention to detail and care as our very own technicians. With the windscreen and its seals in place, it was time to let the adhesives cure while Kath and Brian in the trim shop carry on fitting out the E Type.
The cylinder head for the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 is back at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. This has been away at a local specialist to be assessed and repaired ready for the car.
Some may remember that our in-house restoration teams found a large chunk of material missing from the leading edge of two valves in the front cylinder. Also, it was discovered along with this that a blown head gasket had been what caused the misfire and running issue noted on the straight-six.
In preparation, Jonn had cleaned up the entire engine block which was discovered to be completely packed with sludge in every coolant galley and water jacket. Jonn has spent hours clearing out all the debris and flushing through the engine block to ensure all is ok when the engine is finally fired up for testing.
Now, it is down to Paul to install the cylinder head on top of the straight-six. For that, he will prepare the new head gasket and double-check all tolerances before the head is finally bolted down.
Expect to see more on the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon.
Jaguar. A legendary name in both performance and luxury. Just the name is enough to conjure images of elegant, long-legged coupes and saloons powered by the now infamous XK straight-six engine. But, what is the story behind this incredible powerhouse which lived 1000 different lives?
Debuting in 1949, the XK straight-six came with a sizeable 3.4-litre displacement, it was the brainchild of four very important icons in the Jaguar world. Sir William Lyons, William Heynes, Walter Hassan and Claude Bailey. The introduction of this engine however stretches back nearly a decade before. During World War II when the company still went under the name SS Cars, the team were actively seeking and developing replacements for its engine lineup so, during its wartime efforts they worked on the new powerplants for its post-war cars. Jaguar had begun to produce and develop the engine just after the nightmares of war had begun to subside at the end of the 1940s. The cornerstone of these engines was to be higher output, higher quality and higher style, thus the XK Inline-Six was born.
The XK engines first saw service in 1947 with the 3.2-litre units (XJ 6 Cylinder) but during testing of the engines, it was found they severely lacked low-end torque, so the blocks were bored out to 3.4 litres (XK 6 Cylinder) and were destined to be the beating heart of one of the most beautiful cars ever made, the XK120 which broke cover at the 1948 London Motor Show. This would then see the engines fitted to the upcoming MkVII’s and countless other models over its production run.
The cast-iron engine blocks were not the lightest but were highly durable. The construction techniques developed for this engine would push other manufacturers to refine and develop new and improved engines to try and match the level that Jaguar was achieving. Jaguar fitted special vibration dampers to the crankshaft of the engine to absorb and limit the number of frequencies travelling through the crankshaft and ultimately the XK’s split case engine design.
In 1951, Jaguar began work on developing the idea of a smaller displacement but still useable version of XK straight-six. The results for the 2-litre engine were mixed and by 1954 the engine had grown to become a 2.4-litre unit. The engine itself was actually shorted than the bigger displacement engines but remained under the same name and architecture. These engines would be put forward to power the upcoming stylish and sleek saloon, the MkI. The road engines were entirely carburetted until 1978 (the first year of road engines being fuel injected for the US market) but would use a combination of two or three SU’s. Webers or Zenith carburettors except for the MkII 240 which had a set of downdraught Solex units.
From this, all the subsequent Jaguar XK straight-sixes were laid out. Short block engines would make up the smaller displacements such as the 2.4 and 2.8-litre engines and the longer, more torquey powerplants would go anywhere from 3.4 to 4.2 litres by the end of its production. Jaguar officially retired the XK 6-cylinder in 1992 replaced by the newly developed AJ6 platform it used alongside the faithful XK until the AJ6 was then also retired in 1996.
During this incredible engines lifetime, it would see all manner of changes and applications. From racing to agricultural work. Le Mans to Leicester and beyond. This incredible piece of not only industrial design but of engineering excellence and durability should be remembered and revered for the legend it surely is.
Long live the XK Straight-Six.
Jonn, one of the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, has been working on cleaning out the engine block of the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 currently in our workshop.
In the last update, Jonn had discovered the block of the straight-six packed with brown sludge.
Jonn has been working on thoroughly cleaning out every passage inside the engine as well as cleaning up the threads of the head studs. Jonn has methodically worked his way through the entire engine from front to back, cleaning and flushing through any remnants of the dirt.
With this complete, Jonn is confident that the engine block is now completely clear and ready for the next stage of the work to begin.
Kath and the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim team have been continuing to fit-out of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster that we call Fern Grey.
Kath and Brian have been working the rear of the E Type to get the rear compartment entirely trimmed and installed into the car. Below the rear hatch is also trimmed in matching green carpet with leather accents. Kath and Brian test fit each piece multiple time to ensure that each component of the rear of the interior in Fern Grey worked together and had the right fit and finish.
After the carpeting and rear bulkhead had been trimmed, it was time to install the deck-lid which Kath had built for Fern Grey. This really finishes off the rear part of the interior and completes its bespoke look in some ways. Next up, Brian and Kath will be working their way forward into the cabin of Fern Grey by trimming the tunnel and footwells with that incredible thick green carpeting.
Unfortunately, it is a problem that plagues all classic cars at some point in their lives. But, caught early enough it can be easily sorted. We’re talking about rust. The dreaded plight that rears its head on old metal. That is the case of this 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 which Dave has been been working on.
Previously, this car has been in with Bridge Classic Cars for some sympathetic rust repairs but now it’s time to continue. There were two areas Dave concentrated on. The spare wheel well in the boot floor and the drivers footwell.
The hole in the drivers footwell had crossed out over onto the chassis rail so, Dave has made up custom patch panels to be able to bridge the gaps safely and securely underneath the MkII. Through years of experience and skill, Dave evaluated how much of the original metal would need to be removed in order to get rid of any corrosion and also create a strong enough span for the piece. After that, Dave used as close as original thickness material to create the multi-piece patch panel for the drivers foot well. After tacking the piece in, Dave slowly moved around the panel to allow it time to cool and settle and avoid any warping which may cause interior trims to not sit correctly.
The boot floor was much the same story. Using a patch panel, Dave carefully cut only what was needed to achieve a strong bond and a stable floor. All of the exposed metal was treated and then covered in several layers of prime and matching black paint to prevent the new pieces from rusting prematurely.
Expect to see more on the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 very soon on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
The straight-six for the 1963 Jaguar MkII is back and is in the car. Some of you may remember from it’s last update, some damage was found on inspection of the internals of the engine so it was sent away for a rebuild.
The engine has been gone through thoroughly to ensure all is ok before it went back into the car. Paul, one of our in-house restoration technicians, has fitted the glorious 3.4 litre straight-six back into the front of the stunning white MkII.
The accessories will be refit into the car and testing will begin by our in-house technicians to ensure the engine and the issues noted have been rectified.
Fern Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster, is a very special car. Not only has the car itself been hand built from the ground up, but its entire interior has too. The Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop are truly world class. Brian and Kath’s team deliver handcrafted, bespoke interiors for our customers.
That is the story of the interior of Fern Grey. Kath and Brian have been working on getting more of the sound deadening into the car, while also fitting out the rear panels in preparation for the rear covering.
The sound deadening is being placed down where there will either be considerable road or driveline noise. The point of Fern Grey is to be a Grand Tourer like the E Type was always intended so part of that easy living is making sure cabin volumes is kept to a minimum where possible. The sound deadening material lays down perfectly flat after Kath and Brian make templates for each individual pieces, making sure it does not interfere with any piece of the custom made interior.
The rear panels are a work of art. Carefully covered in the signature green leather of Fern Grey are the quarter panels that overlap one another. A lot of time, care and attention has gone into these panels purely due to where and how they fit into the car. Kath must have test fit these panels 20 times before the final installation of them.
Next up for Fern Grey, Kath and Brian will be beginning to lay the custom carpet pieces into the bottom of this incredible one of E Type.
A while ago, you may remember that our in-house restoration technicians were looking into a misfire issue on the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 that is in at Bridge Classic Cars. It was discovered the head gasket has failed and damaged the cylinder head which was sent off to a specialist to be remachined.
With the return of the cylinder imminent, our in-house restoration technicians have been preparing the rest of the engine block to receive the head. After Jonn had begin to inspect the block for assessment, he discovered that most of the coolant galleys and water jackets were packed with thick, brown sludge..
Jonn has spent a considerable amount of time to carefully remove the blockages and the sludge. Using a series of tools and removing the core plugs to get better access to remove the debris, Jonn has managed to remove the majority of the sludge from the straight-six but the last few bits and pieces will need to be flushed out and then the passageways rechecked for any remnants.
Considering the level of blockage in the engine, Jonn has done a great job in making sure that when the cylinder head for the XJ6 is ready to be fitted back on that everything else will be at the same standard to ensure a happy and long life for this wonderful piece of British engineering.
The 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster which we know as Fern Grey has officially been moved over to the the trim shop! A massive milestone in the build, which means now Brian, Kath and Lydia can began work on getting the handmade interior into this stunning E Type.
To begin with, Brian started to mark out and prepare the sound deadening panels for the car. This will be a crucial part of the interior as not only will it help with the final fit and finish of each of the handmade pieces, but will also be key for a pleasant driving experience for its owner. So, Brian used his years of experience and reference photos to place the sound deadening panels in just the right place which should mean all the piece go into the car perfectly but it has less intrusive cabin noise.
With the sound deadening now secured into the car, Brian could turn his attention to the doors. Brian and the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim team have custom made these absolutely stunning green door cards to match the rest of the interior accent colours. These are two piece door panels with an upper cap and a lower door card but were created specifically for this car. The door cards needed to be secured into place for Brian to do the last piece for passenger side doors. The all important sill cap.
The sill cap for Fern Grey is much like the rest of the car, entirely bespoke to the project. Wanting to continue to the elegance and comfort all the way from the centre of the car out, Brian wrapped the sills in upholstery foam to give them a totally new look and feel. Like they had become an extension of the dash/seats/consoles. Then, wrapped in a colour matched vinyl the sills look absolutely sensational and there’s still so much more to come!
Expect to see quite a few more updates in the coming weeks on Fern Grey here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
The interior of the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 is the next item on the list of jobs to complete for its very lucky owner. With this, it’s been down to our in-house trim expert Brian to carefully dismantle and evaluate the intricate interior of the MkII.
Removing both the front seats, Brian could begin to carefully pull up and remove the front carpet from the car. This is being done as part of the replacement with a brand new matching set of carpets we have got for the car. Also during this process, Brian removed several leather-wrapped panels and the centre console that will need Brian’s expert eye and skill cast over them.
With the centre console and seats out of the car, Brian also needed to remove the rear air vents for the next phase.
With the front carpets removed from the car and safely stored away in case they are needed. Brian could turn his attention to stripping down the rear seats and floors ready for the refit. For that, Brian also had to strip the leather from the original rear seat bases to prepare for the new kit.
With everything stripped, Brian could then put the new matching set into the car. And, they look absolutely incredible!
This 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 is in with Bridge Classic Cars for our amazing in-house restoration teams to have a look and some work for its owner.
First is a trip to the trim shop where Brian has been working on fixing the drivers armrest. Brian carefully removed the door card from the car to take it into our trim shop and begin working on fixing the issues.
Brian got to work on carefully and methodically removing the old coverings, making sure not to cut or tear any of the original material so as to use it as a template for the new piece. Once the inner piece of the armrest was cleaned up and prepared, Brian could then begin making the new covering for the armrest itself.
Using the original piece for reference, Brian went through our leather stock to find the closest material in terms of colour and grain to the original. Once the hide had been selected then Brian could begin to transfer the templates and cover the armrest bolster with all new foam topping.
Finally, installed back onto the car it looks phenomenal.
Whilst Fern Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster, is being mechanically finished in our workshop. The interior is being worked on by our amazing in-house trim experts over in the trim shop.
Brian has been fitting brand new seals to the removable hardtop that has been completely retrimmed and repainted to match the car. These seals are vital to keeping the water out of this stunning roadster when the hardtop is on the car. All new seals have been carefully fixed into the necessary channels to ensure a good tight fit between the body and the hardtop by Brian.
Whilst the trim shop was working on the interior for Fern Grey, Brian also began to repair the centre console before it is retrimmed to match the car. A large crack in the material was found and repaired by the team, making sure to smooth out the surface perfectly so that when it is trimmed in its leather covering, you won’t ever know it is there.
It’s the special details on the Bridge Classic Cars restoration projects that make them bespoke to each of the owners. Take for example this storage cubby made by our incredible in-house trim team for the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster. It was completely built and upholstered by our in-house expert Brian to match the rest of the car.
Starting from scratch, Brian created the wooden shell for the storage box that is designed to specifically fit around the car without getting in the way of its owner while out enjoying their amazing Fern Grey roadster. Then after Brian had test fit the piece into the interior, he had the job of trimming this bespoke piece to match the rest of the interior.
Every single piece on the storage box is covered in the deep green leather that flows throughout this iconic sportscar.
It looks absolutely incredible and is a perfect piece to add a little bit extra to the driving experience.
Brian has been working on the dashboard on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster in preparation for the rest of the car being finished off in the workshop over the next few weeks.
Brian, one of our master in-house trim experts, has worked his magic on the dashboard of Fern Grey. Once the original covering had been carefully removed, Brian could then begin to prepare the surface for it’s new cover.
Fern Grey is a special car. Everything on the entire car (not just the interior) has been worked on by our in-house restoration teams. Brian completely recovered the dash in a new black leather piece. But, it’s not just the cover that Brian worked on. The Trim team also refurbished all the trim pieces, especially the air vents on the leading edge of the dash.
Carefully, Brian cut the new cover to accept the dash vents. Then, began to fit them up onto the panel. It looks absolutely sensational.
From our last post, you saw our in-house restoration technician Scott busy at work in the workshop at Bridge Classic Cars plumbing and wiring the freshly built 5 litre V12 that sits at the heart of this gorgeous E Type Roadster. While that has been going on in the workshop, one crucial piece has been in the trim shop under the talented eye of our expert trimmer Brian.
The hardtop. An important part of any Roadster has been carefully painted by our amazing in-house paint shop in glorious deep black. Then, it was time for Brian to work his magic. Slowly and methodically, Brian began to remove the old headlining to reveal the shell underneath. Some of the material was saved in order to create the templates for the new pieces that would be needed to completely restore the hardtop to a standard matching the car itself.
Brian worked through the hardtop piece by piece to ensure the best and finish possible on such a bespoke project as Fern Grey. Even taking care to form the new openings for the speakers that sit in the pillar behind the drivers and passengers headrests. Once the underlay had been put in and secured, Brian then got to work with the finish touches.
Using swatches of existing black material, Brian took the time to find not only a close colour match but also a complimenting texture to work with the hardtop shell but also the other interior pieces that are in dark green leather. It’s these details that truly make this build, one of a kind.
Scott has been hard at work on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster that is being built by Bridge Classic Cars.
Since the last update, Scott has fitted the new radiator along with its dual Spal fans to make sure that when this freshly built 5 litre V12 is fired off for the first time and gets up to temperature, it stays safe and stable in the green zone. In preparation for that important moment, a lot of wiring has to happen along with the plumbing of hoses. Scott has been working on wiring up all the switchgear and gauges so that during the testing period and when the customer is doing many happy miles in the car, they are safe in the knowledge that everything is showing accurately and properly.
The detail of this car is truly amazing. Scott is testing the systems and then going back to make sure all the wiring is bundled and routed correctly to each individual component, should it ever have to be inspected in the future. Along with that is yards and yards of hard and Flexi lines that criss-cross the engine bay. Providing vacuum or air to different systems that run within or off of the V12. The throttle cables have been run from the large disc-shaped rotor out to each of the newly in-house rebuilt Stromberg carburettors so that when all that power is released on the road, it can be modulated and applied precisely.
Importantly aswell, Scott has been working with John to get the brand new belts in place for the engine. In total 5 belts are needed to drive the different systems for the Series 3 V12. These must go on in the right order as they are staggered specifically for the different components they drive. Once the final belt was wrapped around the alternator, Scott could then wire it to the car and its harness so when the car is running it is charging correctly (which will be able to be seen on the dial panel on the dash)
There will be more updates on Fern Grey very soon! Keep an eye on the blog page.
Scott, one of our in-house restoration experts has been hard at work getting ”Fern Grey” the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster plumbed and wired.
Recently Scott carefully got the newly built 5 litre V12 into place in the car, taking his time to make sure everything was exactly where it should be and safely locked into place. Then once the engine was in its final position, Scott got to work hooking up the various systems needed to fire this stunning 12 cylinder Jaguar into life.
First up, the team fitted up the newly rebuilt Stormberg carburettors onto either side of the engine. Along with that were the large aluminium intakes that feed the Strombergs. Along with that are the various pipes and hoses that need to be spread across the engine bay and allow the long-legged V12 to run faultlessly and reliably. All of these components needed to go into place first to then get the heater system into place as it sits close to the back end of the carburettors.
From there, Scott worked his way from the engine bay into the cabin with the wiring. All of the related dials and lights needed to be wired up to the engine and the fuse box for when Fern Grey bursts into life. Each of the wires was meticulously run by Scott to ensure they would not chafe or mar the elegant green/grey paintwork that flows with the elegant, iconic lines of this E Type Roadster.
Some of you may remember the 1984 Jaguar XJ bonnet and boot that a customer had asked us to refinish. The rest of the car had been painted elsewhere but that isn’t a problem for our in-house paint team.
After working on the rust repairs for the panels and making sure the surfaces were flat and true, Chris and the team got to the meticulous job of paint matching.
Thanks to our state of the art paint system as well as years of experience, Chris managed to exactly match the shade and hue of deep, vibrant maroon for this classic Jaguar. The results look incredible.
Chris and the team take their time with the prepping of each individual piece that needs painting and that also includes laying the primer in just the right way that it sits and shines just in the right way for the colour coat to achieve the best finish.
The 1954 Jaguar MkVII that was in with us for restoration is back in the workshop to look into a leak from under the car.
Upon inspection by the Bridge Classic Cars restoration team, it was found to be an issue with a gearbox seal. This has been sent away to a specialist gearbox expert to have the proper rectified in order to the engine and gearbox back in the car as soon as possible.
Keep a look out on the News Page for more updates on the Jaguar MkVII
There’s always certain parts of any build that can be classed as milestone moments. That rings especially true for the first time the chassis is reunited with its powertrain.
This 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster being built by us here at Bridge Classic Cars has just met that fabled milestone. The built 5 litre V12 is now safely in place between the immaculately restored frame rails and securely in the car. Scott has been working hard to get all the necessary systems in place for a few days before the engine was carefully lowered into position. Firstly to ensure they will fit and secondly so that no damage is done to the long list of refurbished or brand new parts.
The engine looks incredible inside the car. In terms of its packaging, it is a feat of engineering to fit an engine this large in such a compact but stylish skin.
Once Scott has finalised the installation into the car, it will then be time to get everything hooked up and ready to be tested.
This 1963 Jaguar MkII 3.4 is back in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop after its recent overhaul to investigate an oil leak from underneath this impressive tourer.
Our workshop manager John and in-house engine builder are on hand to look into the issue and will advise on the next steps to take to resolve the issue.
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more
As with any classic car, you want to try and exercise a certain amount of reserve and caution when working on them. Try to be sympathetic to their age and their condition. So, when the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 that we have had in at Bridge Classic Cars developed a misfire our in-house restoration team did everything they could before having to dive deep.
The XJ6 has had its fuel tanks replaced, new fuel lines and was tested by our technicians. Before the tanks were replaced this classic Jaguar had real trouble staying running. Now though, it will run for as long as there is fuel in it. However, now that it was running long enough, Dave noticed a misfire on the big straight-six.
Originally Dave thought it to be connected to the ignition system. It would arc out to the nearest metal point. We also discovered exposed wires in the connectors that join the condenser. Those were all then replaced along with the HT leads but to no avail. It had got marginally better but the misfire was still rather prominent.
With that, our in-house engine guru Ady was called in to take a look at the straight-six. The only thing left to do was to gently remove the cylinder head. Carefully and patiently, Ady eased the head from the block to expose the pistons but more importantly the head gasket. On the cylinder closest to the firewall, the gasket was in tatters. The XJ6 had blown a head gasket. Also, Ady had noticed coolant marks down the side of the block. Another sign that the gasket is not sitting correctly between the cylinder head and the engine block.
With that, it also damaged the chamber of the corresponding cylinder in the head. A large chunk of material is missing from between the leading edges of the valve. But, all may not be lost. The head is currently in the process of being stripped down and assessed so that a plan can be made to get this wonderful straight-six back in action.
Once the plan for the XJ6 engine has been confirmed, work will begin to get the car back to its former glory.
The carburettors on the 1973 Fern Grey Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster are freshly rebuilt. Our master engine builder Ady spent many hows carefully dismantling each and every component to check for any damage.
Each of the pieces was given a clean bill of health by Ady. From there it was time to clean down every surface of the giant Strombergs. Ady always takes great pride in his work, he sat there and hand cleaned every individual part to continuously inspect the component while he cleaned away years of dirt.
With a full gasket rebuild kit, Ady managed to get the Carburettors back together in an afternoon, performing a small part of the set-up while still on the bench.
Next up for the carburettors is to be bolted up the manifold and put back on that glorious V12. Expect to see that very soon on the Bridge Classic Cars website.
The wealth of knowledge held in our workshop is incredible. Centuries almost of combined experience allow Bridge Classic Cars to look into a wide spectrum of issues on classic cars.
Take for instance this 1971 Jaguar XJ6. Recently it had its fuel tanks replaced with us but during the setup, our in-house restoration team noticed that it had a pretty bad misfire. This needed to be looked into more in-depth. Dave, one of our most experienced technicians, began to dive deeper into the straight-six.
Dave had noted that the HT leads and the coil was arching to the closest metal object. So, with that and his experience he elected to replace the leads and the coil as the first port of call. However, after startup, the misfire was still prominent. At that point, it was decided to perform a compression test. 5 out of the 6 cylinders were all within spec. However, 1 of them was suspiciously low. With the classic cars, it can be a myriad of things that can cause this.
Dave then pulled the rocker cover off of the intake side of the engine to gain access to the rockers and more importantly the valves. With the help of our in-house engine builder Ady, Dave checked each of the valves for the correct lash. Originally they would have been between 10-14 thousandths of an inch but on Ady’s guidance, he is happy to see them between 8-10 thousandths with a vehicle of this age and mileage. All of the valves however fell within those guidelines. Nothing was noticeably out of place.
With that, Dave then found the leads had begun to arch again. This time through a set of pliers and straight to the cylinder head, which was worrying. So, Dave is going to rebuild the distributor with new points and condenser along with a completely new set of HT leads again.
Expect to see more of the progress of diagnosing the misfire on the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 at Bridge Classic Cars very soon on the News Page.
The replacement fuel tanks are now secured in their new home at the rear of the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 at Bridge Classic Cars.
After much hard work and careful approach by our incredibly experienced technician Dave, the XJ6 can now start to be fitted back together. As you may have seen previously, Dave was working on converting a set of later style tanks to work on this earlier car. Some of the fittings and placement for a series of vents and inlets were in slightly different places over the production run of these wonderful cars.
As you can see from the photos, the tanks nestle up under the rear quarter panels in a very tight fit. Dave worked his magic gained from years of experience to ensure they were safely fitted and secured for the owner.
There’s more to come from the XJ6 so keep an eye out on the News Page of Bridge Classic Cars.
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.
