The restoration workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on the 1956 Jensen 541.
This time, our technician Rob has been finishing up adjusting and finish welding the door supports for the car. With all of the supports and brackets perfectly in place to get the door gaps and alignment right, Rob could then finish welding all of the pieces into place including the all-important A pillar post.
With that now complete, the team could get the front suspension mocked up and into place. To begin with, the team worked on aligning the front tower in just the right place to then be spot-welded to the new frame and the controls arms mocked up into place to check measurements.
The 1956 Jensen 541 has had some new parts and pieces fitted during its build-up in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ.#
The team have test fit a new door skin to the frame to make sure everything lines up and fits as it should before then fitting the door to the frame to check for any interference from the door to the bodywork or the various pieces of the framework on the classic 1950s GT car.
Once the door had been checked, Rob, could begin working on the roof frame on the other side of the car. This was offered up and any adjustments needed to make sure it had a correct tight fit up to the roof panel while still being squared and aligned to the other side of the car.
The workshop team have made new strengthening brackets for the roof and A-Pillar of the 1956 Jensen 541 which is in for restoration.
Rob, one of our restoration technicians, has handmade the brackets which are done specifically for each area of the car to tie the various pieces together. After shaping and test fitting, the A-Pillar support could be welded into the car and then the rear roof bracket was welded into the frame after being bolted to the roof.
All of this is part of the process of getting the classic Jensen body into perfect alignment before it is handed over to our in-house body and paint team.
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on getting the 1958 Jensen 541R into the next stage of its journey with the team at our Suffolk HQ.
Previously, the team finished masking up classic GT car ready for the first stage of primer to be laid down onto the car in preparation for its Ice Blue Metallic paint job.
The team made sure to cover the body evenly and thoroughly to get the best start to the paintwork as possible. And now with the car in primer, the team will sand it back to look for any adjustments that need to be made.
As part of the restoration journey, the 1959 Jensen 541R has had its bonnet and windows stripped back by the Bridge Classic Cars workshop team.
The restoration technicians have got everything back to its core components in order to evaluate their condition and operation. Anything that can be refurbished will be worked on to make the pieces as good if not better than new.
Everything removed from the car has been carefully catalogued and put into storage for later in the restoration process.
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.
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked on the fine alterations to the framework of the 1956 Jensen 541 in for restoration at our Suffolk HQ.
The team have test fit the rear fibreglass clamshell and with that, they could make small changes to the framework which gives the body panels structure and helps to align them. These were carefully cut, trimmed and reframed to get each section of the rear bodywork line up just right onto the new chassis.
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have worked their skill and craft in making the brand new seats foams for the 1958 Jensen 541R. The team discovered what was left of the original cushion material after the covers were removed and could then begin to build them out of new, more modern materials.
Lydia, one of our amazing trimmers, carefully put together the combinations of foams in different thicknesses and densities to give the right amount of support once the seat base is all back together.
Once the pieces had been put together, Lydia could begin to hand shape the foams to their original contours to slip under the new covers which will be made by our in-house team.
Our 1955 Jensen 541 ”Number 8” has an amazing history. Through reference materials and historical documents, EX9090 is believed to be only the 8th Jensen 541 to be built by the factory. Through the years, it had been worked on, changed, rebuilt, and modified until it was a shadow of its former self.
We found the car in Lincolnshire as a parts car. Missing was the 4-litre straight-six it would have originally been supplied with, replaced with a Jaguar straight-six of the same time. The seats also appeared to be out of another car and its bright red paintwork had flaked, cracked and weathered. We know this from these photos we were sent of the car in what appears to be the early to mid-1990s from the background objects referenced.
But it wasn’t always this way. The other photos we were sent across are of another Jensen 541 which is in a matching colour scheme to how our 1955 Jensen 541 was originally delivered.
After checking documents and reference sources, we too believe that this is how the car was originally supplied in 1955. As part of its eventual restoration commission, this car will be put back to all original specifications, as seen in the photographs, and reunited with the 4-litre straight-six, a hallmark of the character of the car.
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on refurbishing the front seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R which is in at our Suffolk workshops from Holland.
The interior of the car has been put in the hands of our trimmer Lydia who has been working on stripping down the original seat ahead of not only its rebuild but its new colour.
To begin with, the team have separated the front and back of the fibreglass bucket seat in order to begin removing the original black coverings which have been put to one side as use for references in the new templates. Then, the team could begin separating the foam from the bases.
Once completed stripped down to its base components, the team could sand back the pieces and anything that needed to be repainted could be done properly.
After that, Lydia could work on setting the new foam pieces into place before beginning to refine and contour them into the correct shape and form for the new blue coverings which the team will make specifically for the car.
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars has been making the fine adjustments to the inner framework of the 1956 Jensen 541 in with us at our Suffolk HQ for restoration.
Rob, one of our technicians, has carefully had the fibreglass body panels placed around the framework and on top of the chassis of the classic Jensen to check for any adjustments needed to get the bodywork fit and square on the 541. Bit by bit, he has made adjustments to the steel pieces to allow the body to sit correctly on top of the chassis.
Not only was this for the rear clamshell but for the all-important fibreglass roof and windscreen panel.
The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working with our workshop to carefully and completely remove the interior from the 1959 Jensen 541R as part of its restoration journey.
Brian, one of our trimmers, has removed everything from the inside of the 541R. All of these pieces will be stored to use as a template and if anything can be reused or refurbished for the car. Everything from the headliner to the seat runners have been taken out of the car for the team to carefully look through and assess.
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the process of carefully stripping down the 1959 Jensen 541R ahead of its restoration beginning.
The workshop team have worked alongside our trimmers to remove everything from both the inside and outside of the classic GT car. Even under the front clamshell, the wiring and various hoses have been removed in preparation for the 4 litre straight-six engine to be pulled out.
Once this is complete, the team can begin to remove the bodywork from the frame to assess and inspect the running gear move thoroughly.
To see some more detailed shots from our workshop on the teardown of the 1959 Jensen 541R, check them out below:
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.
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars is working on the chassis of the 1956 Jensen 541 currently in for its full restoration by us here in Suffolk.
Recently the team have been working on adjusting and refining the brand new chassis for the classic GT car. Now with the majority of the reinforcements and adjustments in place, the team can begin to fit up the various framework pieces which create the substructure for the body.
A network of cross-linked metal channels combine to create the skeleton of the car. The team had to make sure the chassis was perfect before this could be done to ensure the framework sits exactly where it should do at this key stage.
After being stripped down and inspected, the body of the 1958 Jensen 541R has been checked over and had the start of its fibreglass repairs in the Bridge Classic Cars bodyshop.
The team have gone over the entire body to inspect any visible cracks or defects in the body before sanding back certain known and suspect areas to find any piece of the composite body which will require attention. In some areas, simply a small build-up material is needed to strengthen or flatten out a particular place.
Once the matting was laid down onto the panels and then resined, it is left to cure and harden before being sanded down.
The 1958 Jensen 541R which arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ recently from Holland has begun its first steps into colour with our in-house body team.
The team have been assessing and inspecting the body of the classic Jensen for any damage to the fibreglass or to any fittings/trim work. Once this was done, the body shop could begin to remove the parts off of the body individually before cataloguing and putting them safely into storage to await its reassembly by the team later in the process.
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the fine adjustments to the chassis of the 1956 Jensen 541 in for restoration.
The team are beginning to weld in the necessary braces and panels as the sides and roof structure begin to be put onto the brand-new frame. For a job such as this, the team are having to make sure that each dimension and axis of the chassis is square when it is welded in. Carefully, the team have moved around the frame to allow for this and gently push and pull certain places in order to bring them into line before welding them in permanently to tie the whole piece together.
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have fired up the ‘Barn Find’ 1959 Jensen 541R for the first time in several years.
The team used a small electric fuel pump to feed the carburettors, cleaned up the spark plugs and it fired up first time! The 4-litre straight-six ran absolutely perfectly with our workshop manager Jon at the wheel and our senior technician Dave handling the fuel.
Take a look at this amazing moment at our Suffolk HQ.
The paint and body team at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been out to inspect the 1958 Jensen 541R which arrived yesterday at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ from Holland.
Chris and Mauro inspected the body for damage and areas which need repair or refinement in order to come up with a plan to get this stunning 1950s GT car into the best shape possible before heading into the booth for its paintwork.
The car will be finished in Ice Blue Metallic with a Lobelia Blue roof by the team for its owner.
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop team have been looking at the 1960 Jensen 541S as part of an investigation into a running issue on the classic GT car.
The team have decided to drain the fuel tank on the classic Jensen to both inspect the fuel and the tank itself as part of the diagnostics. For this, the team use a small electric fuel pump to siphon the fuel out of the tank to be stored in transparent containers for visual inspection of sediment or dirt.
Then, the team can begin the visual inspection of the fuel tank itself to check for debris or dirt in different areas. At the same time, they will begin to inspect the carburettor for any build-up of dirt and debris. After looking into the bowls of the carburettor, they found some small deposits of sediment at the base of the bowls but not an amount which could cause the issue.
The team will continue to inspect and investigate the root cause of the running issue on the 1960 Jensen 541S.
The Bridge Classic Cars transport team have headed north from our Suffolk HQ to collect a very specialist Jensen 541.
This Jensen 541 was a stalled restoration in Lincolnshire which the team have managed to acquire. This particular 541 is special in the fact its identifying numbers, when checked against The Jensen Bible, show this to be the 8th production car built by Jensen in the 541 run.
The car was collected and put into our enclosed transporter to be taken to our secure storage facility, The Hangar, to await its restoration commission.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates soon on this 1955 Jensen 541.
After arriving this morning at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ, the 1959 Jensen 541R has already made its way onto the ramp for the team to begin assessing and inspecting the 1950s GT car.
As with all of our restorations and projects, the car will go through a full inspection and assessment by the various departments (both aesthetic and mechanical) to compile a report and come up with a plan for the restoration of the unique British grand tourer.
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon for more updates on the 1959 Jensen 541R.
The body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been performing some fibreglass repairs on the boot lid of the 1956 Jensen 541 in with us for restoration.
Mauro has carefully reglassed certain areas of the bootlid to strengthen key places as well as refit the stripped-back boot latch. All of these were then built up over several layers before the resin was left to harden and cure.
The 1959 Jensen 541R which was recently in with Bridge Classic Cars for some work has won several trophies at a large Jensen show it was due to attend.
The team here at Bridge Classic Cars are always immensely proud when a car we have worked on gets recognised for its acclaim. So, when the owner sent us over a photo of the car with the Ron Smith Cup and the Members Trophy from the show which turns out was its first show ever!
We had done some set-up, interior and mechanical work on the Jensen in the run-up to it making the trip to the show and we also organised the car to be professionally valeted and cleaned ahead of its competition debut.
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been continuing work on the roof supports of the 1956 Jensen 541.
Previously, our trimmer Brian handmade the roof supports for the rear window of the classic Jensen which have been specifically profiled to fit the recess perfectly. With the pieces now test fit, the team could prepare the area and the pieces before applying the adhesives and clamping them securely down to let cure.
The paint and body shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been continuing with the fibreglass work on the 1956 Jensen 541 in at our Suffolk workshop for restoration.
Previously, the team remade the aluminium wheel wells which were then refinished in hardwearing black before being put into storage. Now, they can be pulled out and the team begin the process of making them into one complete unit.
The aluminium wheel wells have been bonded onto the fibreglass inner wings of the classic 541 before then have layers of fibreglass resined over the edge in order to create a uniform piece. From there, the team began work on the fibreglass filler used to perfect and refine the shapes which make up the pieces.
The interior trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have worked on crafting new wooden support beams for the 1956 Jensen 541 in for restoration.
Brian, one of our trimmers, made templates of the original pieces to begin work on carefully cutting and angling the new pieces of pine into the factory position. Each of these pieces were first rough cut before being refined to ensure the perfect fit as these pieces not only add a bit of support to the rear window opening but will also allow the trim team a place to attach the headliner once the interior of the car begins to go in.
Each of the two pieces which made up the beam are cut by hand and then offered up as no two are perfectly uniformed due to the handmade nature of the cars originally.
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been carrying out a series of delicate fibreglass repairs to the bodyshell of the 1956 Jensen 541.
The team have been working on the joins between the front pillars and the windscreen surround which over time had cracked. The team carefully strapped the piece into place to make sure the piece was in alignment once the resin had set.
Along with this piece the team also had to carry out some repairs on the rear body section in places around the wheel wells to repair some small cracks and thin areas.
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