Nearly There
September 25, 2023
Classic car technician Rob has continued his work putting our 1959 Jensen 541R back together. The steering wheel has been stripped and a new rim
classic jensen 541R
Highlights Of A Paint Job
February 20, 2023
Our 1959 Jensen 541R has recently been painted green. While the car looks great in its painted state, it’s always exciting to see some of
Repairing Old Repairs
February 20, 2023
Since the chassis of our 1960 Jensen 541R has returned from sandblasting, classic car technician Rob has found some old repairs that need to be
Interior Work On Our 1958 Jensen 541R
September 23, 2022
More work continues to be completed on the interior of our 1958 Jensen 541R. Lydia has been extremely busy fitting the rear squab seat cover
Fresh Finish – Freshly Blasted Parts from the 1959 Jensen 541 ‘Hepburn’ in Gloss Black
September 5, 2022
The freshly blasted parts for the 1959 Jensen 541R ‘Hepburn’ have returned to our Suffolk HQ for the team to get into perfect condition for
Trimmed – Trimming the Glovebox of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 30, 2022
The original glovebox on the 1958 Jensen 541R has been completely stripped back in order to be retrimmed by the Bridge Classic Cars team. The
Built-Up – Making The Rear Seat of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 17, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars interior trim team have been working on making the rear squab seat of the 1958 Jensen 541R from scratch. Brian, one
Stripped Back – Stripping Back the Dashboard on the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 5, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked on stripping down and refurbishing the dashboard of the 1958 Jensen 541R. Everything from the instrument
Onto the Next Stage – Filler and Primer on the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 25, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has had its filler work completed by the Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team. Chris, one of our paint and
Inside the Workshop – Filler Work on the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 19, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team have been working on perfecting the fibreglass bodywork of the 1958 Jensen 541R. Check out the latest
Stripped – Tearing Down the Seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 19, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have begun work on stripping back the rear seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R in with our team
Refurbished – Refurbishing Pieces from the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 7, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been working on more pieces of the 1958 Jensen 541R. Lydia first worked on the seats of the
Perfect Lines – Bodywork on the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 1, 2022
The body shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been refining the bodywork on the 1958 Jensen 541 after its fibreglass repairs have cured. The team
Clear Out – Cleaning Out the Sills of the 1958 Jensen 541R Navy
April 29, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R Navy has been with the Bridge Classic Cars restoration team to have the final part of its work completed by our
Changes – Working on the Bonnet and Suspension of the 1958 Jensen 541R ”Navy”
April 25, 2022
The restoration technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ have begun works on the 1958 Jensen 541R known to us as
Piece Together – Interior Pieces for the 1955 Jensen 541
April 13, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim team have been continuing on the hand-made one-off interior for the 1959 Jensen 541R Princess Grey. Lydia has been
Finished Up – Fitting up the Cover onto the Squab Seat of the 1955 Jensen 541
April 5, 2022
The in-house trim shop at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop has been working on finishing up the rear squab seat on the 1955 Jensen
Old & New – Finishing the Front Seats and Stripping the Rear Seats of the 1955 Jensen 541
March 25, 2022
The interior of the 1955 Jensen 541 has been in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop to have the front seats completed and begin
Seats and Ceilings – Foam and Panel Work on the 1955 Jensen 541
February 17, 2022
The trim team at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in our Suffolk HQ are working through the interior pieces and trims for the 1955 Jensen
Nearly There
September 25, 2023
Classic car technician Rob has continued his work putting our 1959 Jensen 541R back together.
The steering wheel has been stripped and a new rim has been fitted to the refurbished hub. The rear screen is also back in the car and there has been great progress made in the engine bay.
Rob also fitted the clutch slave cylinder and he made up and fitted the pipework before bleeding the clutch.
Highlights Of A Paint Job
February 20, 2023
Our 1959 Jensen 541R has recently been painted green. While the car looks great in its painted state, it’s always exciting to see some of the steps in more detail that led to the finished paint job.
Classic car technician Al took some photos during the process and, as you can see from the photos below, his hard work and skill have led to a job well done.
Once Al had finished painting our 541R, he went through the process of flatting using a 1500 trizact followed by a 3000. The car was then polished and cleaned ready for fitting up very soon.
Repairing Old Repairs
February 20, 2023
Since the chassis of our 1960 Jensen 541R has returned from sandblasting, classic car technician Rob has found some old repairs that need to be cut out and corrected. These repairs have clearly been done at some point in the car’s life before it found its way into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Now that it is with us, and in Rob’s capable hands, the old repairs will soon be rectified and the chassis will be in much better condition.
Rob started with the right-hand rear wheel arch. He has been cutting out the bad repairs from previous work so he can then return the car back to its original condition.
A new wheel arch was made and welded in before more bad repairs were cut out and removed.
Work continues to bring our 1960 Jensen 541R back to life. The poor past repairs have provided an additional challenge to Rob and the rest of the workshop team but, once resolved, progress will continue to be made on this beautiful classic car.
Interior Work On Our 1958 Jensen 541R
September 23, 2022
More work continues to be completed on the interior of our 1958 Jensen 541R.
Lydia has been extremely busy fitting the rear squab seat cover onto its frame. Once she had done this, her attention turned to the rear base. After carefully measuring the material, Lydia cut out the pieces of leather and vinyl she needed before sewing them together.
After sewing everything together, she then went on to create the foam frame.
The cover was glued and stapled onto the newly made frame before Lydia could take a moment to take in her handy work.
It wasn’t long before Lydia was back to work though – binding carpet edges and sewing vinyl and carpet together (and piping them) for the door cards.
In addition to this, Brian has been working on the dash panel, glovebox, door panels, and kick pads which have also been made, ready to be installed into the car in the very near future.
The window trims have also been covered in vinyl as the interior work on the 541R makes some good progress. You can see this progress for yourself from the impressive haul of photos below.
Fresh Finish – Freshly Blasted Parts from the 1959 Jensen 541 ‘Hepburn’ in Gloss Black
September 5, 2022
The freshly blasted parts for the 1959 Jensen 541R ‘Hepburn’ have returned to our Suffolk HQ for the team to get into perfect condition for its restoration.
The freshly stripped parts were meticulously cleaned to get rid of any residual blasting material before they were refinished in hard-wearing gloss black.
The parts were then left to sure completely before carefully being packaged and put into storage to awaiting the cars reassembly.
Trimmed – Trimming the Glovebox of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 30, 2022
The original glovebox on the 1958 Jensen 541R has been completely stripped back in order to be retrimmed by the Bridge Classic Cars team.
The original piece was carefully taken apart by the team to assess its condition. After inspecting, the team had to remake the wooden pieces for the glovebox before then retrimming it black vinyl ready to go back on the car when the time comes.
Built-Up – Making The Rear Seat of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 17, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars interior trim team have been working on making the rear squab seat of the 1958 Jensen 541R from scratch.
Brian, one of our trimmers, has handmade each of the wooden pieces before fitting them together and refining their shape before the various coverings and foams are installed.
Stripped Back – Stripping Back the Dashboard on the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 5, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked on stripping down and refurbishing the dashboard of the 1958 Jensen 541R.
Everything from the instrument cluster to the wooden structures has been completely stripped back to their core components to be inspected, refurbished and reassembled as part of the car’s aesthetic restoration. Any metal pieces were completely stripped and cleaned down before being sprayed in hardwearing black.
Onto the Next Stage – Filler and Primer on the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 25, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has had its filler work completed by the Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team. Chris, one of our paint and body specialist, has been carefully perfecting the body lines and curves of the classic Jensen with minimal filler work.
Each panel and piece was worked on by the team in the absolute pursuit of perfection. From electrical sanders to the finest of sandpaper, the team have made the body of the 1950s GT car superb.
Then, it was time to get all the panels and the body into our in-house spray booth.
The classic Jensen was then taken into the paint booth to have the 2nd round of its primer laid down. First was the normal primer before then having its body and all the panels finished in Polyfan.
The team will then inspect and assess the body before moving on to the next stage of the cars aesthetic work.
Inside the Workshop – Filler Work on the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 19, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team have been working on perfecting the fibreglass bodywork of the 1958 Jensen 541R.
Check out the latest video from Bridge Classic Cars Inside the Workshop series!
Stripped – Tearing Down the Seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 19, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have begun work on stripping back the rear seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R in with our team for paint and trim work.
Lydia, one of our trimmers, has carefully unpicked the covers to expose the foam core underneath. All of these pieces are being used for reference as part of the work, so are carefully organised and stored for the time being.
Once the covers had been taken off, Lydia could then begin piecing together and shaping out the new foam which will make up the core of the new rear seat of the 541R.
Refurbished – Refurbishing Pieces from the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 7, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been working on more pieces of the 1958 Jensen 541R.
Lydia first worked on the seats of the 541R with stripping down the backrests and beginning to re-foam the piece.
Then, it was time to strip down and completely refurbish the centre-console cubby for the interior of the classic Jensen. Stripping everything back to its base components, remaking some parts and cleaning up others in order to get all the parts ready to be retrimmed.
Perfect Lines – Bodywork on the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 1, 2022
The body shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been refining the bodywork on the 1958 Jensen 541 after its fibreglass repairs have cured.
The team use a specialist fibreglass filler to perfect the lines on the classic 1950s GT car and make sure that everything is just right for the car. The team will only use filler where absolutely necessary and the vast majority will be completely sanded from the body.
This is the first step into the team getting the car ready for its Ice Blue respray.
Clear Out – Cleaning Out the Sills of the 1958 Jensen 541R Navy
April 29, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R Navy has been with the Bridge Classic Cars restoration team to have the final part of its work completed by our workshop team.
Part of the work is to clean out and inspect the sills of the classic Jensen 541R. The team have a series of areas where they know road dirt and debris can build up and in the long run cause issues so as part of its work, we have cleared out these areas.
The team also checked over a suspected fuel leak that couldn’t be identified and all was found to be ok on inspection. And with that, all levels were checked and topped off before being made ready to go home to its owner.
Changes – Working on the Bonnet and Suspension of the 1958 Jensen 541R ”Navy”
April 25, 2022
The restoration technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ have begun works on the 1958 Jensen 541R known to us as ‘Navy’.
The team began by carrying out several jobs on the rear axle of the classic Jensen. The rear axle strap required a repair to be carried out on it and along with that, repositioning of the brake pipe to a safe location on the rear axle.
The team then began working on preparing the front suspension to be stripped so the team can replace the perished bushes in the upper arms, making sure the front suspension is the best condition possible.
One issue that was noted by the owner of Navy, was that the one-piece fibreglass bonnet was interfering with the driver’s door when opened. The team began the process of adjusting the hinge in order to get the correct spacing and alignment for the panel and not contact the edge of the door.
Piece Together – Interior Pieces for the 1955 Jensen 541
April 13, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim team have been continuing on the hand-made one-off interior for the 1959 Jensen 541R Princess Grey.
Lydia has been working on getting the centre console and rear seats finished up for this particular 541R. Finished in all matching red, this interior for Princess Grey is going to look absolutely incredible when back in the car.
Each piece has been individually cut, stitched and finished to ensure the best possible fit and final result for the classic Jensen.
Finished Up – Fitting up the Cover onto the Squab Seat of the 1955 Jensen 541
April 5, 2022
The in-house trim shop at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop has been working on finishing up the rear squab seat on the 1955 Jensen 541.
Lydia and the trim team have made the new red leather covering for the squab seat from scratch specifically to fit the new foam and base intended for the interior of the classic Jensen 541.
Using what was left of the original material, Lydia created templates that she could then refine further to get the best fit and finish for the piece. After each piece had been sewn together, Lydia finished the edging for the seat in matching bright red for the final touch.
Once wrapped around the foam and base, Lydia could systematically staple the covering down to the piece carefully stretching and pulling it for the final shaping.
Old & New – Finishing the Front Seats and Stripping the Rear Seats of the 1955 Jensen 541
March 25, 2022
The interior of the 1955 Jensen 541 has been in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop to have the front seats completed and begin the strip-down of the rear seat.
The front seats for the Jensen 541 have been completed and finished in a beautiful bright shade of red. Lydia has meticulously been working on getting these seats into the incredible shape that you see here completely from scratch.
With the front seats complete, the trim team could begin carefully dismantling the fragile rear seat to use as a template for the brand new rear seats being made. Every piece of the rear seat had to be slowly unpicked in order to preserve each panel to be used later on in the process.
Seats and Ceilings – Foam and Panel Work on the 1955 Jensen 541
February 17, 2022
The trim team at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in our Suffolk HQ are working through the interior pieces and trims for the 1955 Jensen 541.
Brian, one of our trimmers, has been working on shaping and putting together the fitted rear seats for the 1950s GT car. Each part of these rear seats is made by hand by our trim shop in-house. Every car is unique so each interior we do for a Jensen is also unique and fit specifically for that car.
This 541 is no exception. The rear seats have had their foams cut and shaped by hand to get the best fit and finish possible for the interior of the classic Jensen. Along with that, Brian has also remade and trimmed the ceiling pad to match.
