This Just In – 1991 Mercedes Benz SL300
August 9, 2022
Just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this stunning 1991 Mercedes Benz SL300 R129. The classic convertible Mercedes will
classic mercedes specialist suffolk
This Just In – 1969 Mercedes Benz 220
August 5, 2022
Just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration HQ in Suffolk is this 1969 Mercedes Benz 220. The classic German saloon will be going into
Guarded – Raptorgaurding the Inner Wings and Bulkhead of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 21, 2022
The inner wings and several pieces of the bulkhead from the 1987 Mercedes 500SL have been finished in thick durable Raptorguard by the Bridge Classic
Flawless Finish – Painting the Final Parts of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 20, 2022
The final parts and panels for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL have been finished in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop ready for reassembly on
Final Push – Priming the Last Panels for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 14, 2022
The final panels and trims for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL in for restoration have been prepared and primed by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint
Final Finish – Painting the Doors and Quarter Panels of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 11, 2022
The final panels for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL have been carefully and meticulously prepared by the paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars. Alan,
Colour Matched – Painting the Bonnet on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 7, 2022
The bonnet of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL has been taken into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop to be painted by our in-house paint team.
Piece by Piece – Painting the Bonnet and Boot on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 6, 2022
The bonnet and boot of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL have been into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop to be finished in the matching Selenit
The Pursuit of Perfection – The 1987 Mercedes 500SL in Colour
April 1, 2022
The 1987 Mercedes 500SL has been moved from the preparation area at Bridge Classic Cars into the paint shop and then, into our in-house paint
Prepped and Ready – The 1987 Mercedes 500SL Masked and Ready for Paint
March 25, 2022
The 1987 Mercedes 500SL has had all its fabrication work completed by the fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars and been moved into the paint
In-Place – Fitting the New Heater Matrix and Reinstalling the Dash on the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda
March 24, 2022
The brand new heater matrix has been installed into the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda by the workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars. During testing, the
Out the Box – Brand New Heater Matrix for the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda
March 16, 2022
The brand new heater matrix for the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Suffolk ready to go back
Getting to the Root – Fixing the Rust Areas on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
March 10, 2022
The 1987 Mercedes 500SL has been transferred from our body shop to the fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars workshops. During the preparation of
Discoveries – Finding a Leak on the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda
March 8, 2022
The 1969 Mercedes 280SL had begun the final stages of its testing since the engine and gearbox rebuild at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshops
Updates – Preparation and Discoveries on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
February 25, 2022
The 1987 Mercedes 500SL in the Bridge Classic Cars body shop having its engine prepared has turned up some new discoveries. Our body and paint
In the Booth – Priming the Panels on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
February 22, 2022
The rest of the panels from the 1987 Mercedes 500SL which is in with Bridge Classic Cars for restoration have been in the in-house spray
Preparations – Preparing and Inspecting Components for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
February 22, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars body team have been working on getting the parts and pieces from the doors of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL prepared and
Primed and Ready – The 1987 Mercedes 500SL in Primer
February 18, 2022
The stunning 1987 Mercedes 500SL which has been in the Bridge Classic Cars body shop getting prepared for its paint job has been transferred into
Closer and Closer – Final Pieces of Body Preparation on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
February 17, 2022
The final process to get the 1987 Mercedes 500SL restoration ready for its first coats of paint has been completed by the Bridge Classic Cars
One Step Closer – More Bodywork and Removing the Window Regulators on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
February 16, 2022
The body team at Bridge Classic Cars are continuing at full pace to get the 1987 Mercedes R107 500SL ready to head into the spray
Upon Inspection – Damage to the Rear Diff Seal on the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda
February 14, 2022
After the installation of the engine and gearbox back into the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda, the team at Bridge Classic Cars have found some historic
Body Prep – Getting the 1987 Mercedes 500SL Ready for Paint
February 11, 2022
The 1987 Mercedes 500SL is in with the Bridge Classic Cars body shop to be prepared for its upcoming paintwork. Our technician Mauro has been
This Just In – 1991 Mercedes Benz SL300
August 9, 2022
Just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this stunning 1991 Mercedes Benz SL300 R129.
The classic convertible Mercedes will be inspected by our restoration teams to check over the car and compile their condition report to see if anything needs doing to get this beautiful silver sports car in the best shape possible.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic News page for more on the 1991 Mercedes Benz SL300 very soon.
This Just In – 1969 Mercedes Benz 220
August 5, 2022
Just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration HQ in Suffolk is this 1969 Mercedes Benz 220.
The classic German saloon will be going into the various departments for our restoration teams to inspect and assess before compiling their findings and reporting back on the car.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon for more on the 1969 Mercedes Benz 220.
Guarded – Raptorgaurding the Inner Wings and Bulkhead of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 21, 2022
The inner wings and several pieces of the bulkhead from the 1987 Mercedes 500SL have been finished in thick durable Raptorguard by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop.
Alan, one of our painters, has been working on completing this task as part of the final paint stages on the classic Mercedes R107. This stage involved coating several key areas of the car with a thick, durable Raptorguard. This particular product seals the surface from any form of moisture that can find its way inside the metal. So, the team have finished the inside of the front wings and several key parts of the bulkhead and heater matrix.
With this done and now curing, the team can soon begin reassembly of the classic Mercedes 500SL.
Flawless Finish – Painting the Final Parts of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 20, 2022
The final parts and panels for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL have been finished in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop ready for reassembly on the car.
The team have taken their time to make sure each individual piece has been properly prepared, cleaned and primed before being taken back into the booth to be finished in matching Selenit Grey to the rest of the classic 1980s Mercedes.
Part of the process involved also painting several key parts of the car in a deep black before being masked off and finished in the glossy grey.
Final Push – Priming the Last Panels for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 14, 2022
The final panels and trims for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL in for restoration have been prepared and primed by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop.
Alan, one of our painters, has been carefully preparing each individual piece before carefully loading them onto the jigs in our in-house paint booth before laying down the first coats of epoxy primer. After these had flashed off and began to cure, Alan laid several coats of high-build primer for the body shop team to begin working on before they head back in to be finished in matching Dark Grey to the rest of the car.
Final Finish – Painting the Doors and Quarter Panels of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 11, 2022
The final panels for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL have been carefully and meticulously prepared by the paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars.
Alan, has worked on getting each panel individually prepared and then cleaned down before taking them into our in-house paint booth where they were to be finished in matching Selenit Grey to the rest of the car.
He laid down layer after layer of the deep, glossy grey to the doors and front quarter panels which marks the final major pieces of the 1987 500SL to be painted and the car will soon begin the rebuild of the car.
Colour Matched – Painting the Bonnet on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 7, 2022
The bonnet of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL has been taken into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop to be painted by our in-house paint team.
The piece has been beautifully prepared and readied to go into the booth with our painter Alan to shoot the layers of Selenit Grey needed to complete the deep, glossy paintwork which has been done to the body of the classic Mercedes.
Piece by Piece – Painting the Bonnet and Boot on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
April 6, 2022
The bonnet and boot of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL have been into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop to be finished in the matching Selenit Grey to the rest of the bodywork.
Alan has been carefully preparing and readying the panels before they went into the booth to get the perfect finish identical to the rest of the classic Mercedes.
The Pursuit of Perfection – The 1987 Mercedes 500SL in Colour
April 1, 2022
The 1987 Mercedes 500SL has been moved from the preparation area at Bridge Classic Cars into the paint shop and then, into our in-house paint booth/oven.
The paint and body team, along with the fabrication shop, have spent a lot of time getting the classic R107 ready for its date with the paint booth making sure each part, panel and piece was perfect before beginning the painting process.
The car is being finished in a classic Mercedes colour, Selenet Grey. Most notably seen on the classic 280SL Pagodas, it was chosen to compliment the beautiful burgundy red interior that the trim team have made for the car.
So, with the car ready it was time for Alan and Nick to go into the booth with the car and lay down the first coat onto the body of the SL. Starting with the engine bay.
Alan began under the transmission tunnel and worked his way up and across the firewall making sure every inch was covered to give each coat an even and flowing look. The inner wheel arches and front core support finished off the first stage. Then, Alan began to work getting the scuttle panel and windscreen surround shot in the dark, deep grey and worked his way back towards the boot on the classic Mercedes.
The rear quarter panels and rocker panels were coloured line by line. Each gently overlapping on the previous to give the consistent and uniform look needed to achieve the flawless finish that comes with Selenet Grey. But with the car having its first coat complete, it was time to let it settle and get the paint mixed for the next round.
The 2nd coat was done in the same order as the first. Alan making sure to get every exposed piece of bodywork coated properly for the uniform look. Again, it was all about consistency and movement in order to achieve the finish on the classic R107. And once the 2nd layer had flashed off, Alan waited for the prescribed time and then shot the 3rd coat to finish off the car.
With that, it was left in the ovens to completely cure and harden. Once it has completely hardened, it will be carefully transferred back to the preparation area in order for polishing and preparation for the next stage.
Prepped and Ready – The 1987 Mercedes 500SL Masked and Ready for Paint
March 25, 2022
The 1987 Mercedes 500SL has had all its fabrication work completed by the fabrication team at Bridge Classic Cars and been moved into the paint preparation area.
The car has had several crucial pieces of the car’s metalwork repaired by the fabrication shop. The paint and body team then worked on getting the car reprepared for the spray booth by sanding down the panels and masking the car ready for its date with the spray booth.
In-Place – Fitting the New Heater Matrix and Reinstalling the Dash on the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda
March 24, 2022
The brand new heater matrix has been installed into the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda by the workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars.
During testing, the original heater matrix was found to be leaking so the Bridge Classic Cars team sourced a new replacement. This was fitted in behind the dash by the workshop team and the various pieces of the dash assembly secured around it.
Now with the heater matrix in place inside the classic Mercedes, the workshop technicians can begin testing the car once again.
Out the Box – Brand New Heater Matrix for the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda
March 16, 2022
The brand new heater matrix for the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Suffolk ready to go back into the car.
Previously, our workshop technicians discovered a leak under the dash of the classic Mercedes Pagoda and upon inspection discovered the heater matrix was leaking from a previous poor repair on the piece. The original was sent to a specialist to be refurbished but the workshop took the decision to source a brand new component for the car to make sure that everything works exactly as it should when the coolant system is repressurised.
Getting to the Root – Fixing the Rust Areas on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
March 10, 2022
The 1987 Mercedes 500SL has been transferred from our body shop to the fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars workshops.
During the preparation of the body for paint, our body shop noticed some areas of corrosion in some key places. These are being cut out and addressed by our fabricators so the classic Mercedes R107 is in perfect condition to go back into the body shop to have those areas prepared again for paint.
Discoveries – Finding a Leak on the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda
March 8, 2022
The 1969 Mercedes 280SL had begun the final stages of its testing since the engine and gearbox rebuild at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshops at our Pettistree HQ. During that testing, our restoration technicians discovered a leak.
Part of the tests on the classic Pagoda was to pressurise the cooling system of the car. During that crucial test, our technician John discovered a leak coming from underneath the dashboard. Removing various pieces of trim, he discovered the heater matrix for the car was leaking due to previous poor repairs at some point in the car’s life. With that, the heater matrix was removed from the car to be fully inspected.
After the inspection, it has been sent away to a Radiator and Heater Matrix specialist to be refurbished for the car.
Updates – Preparation and Discoveries on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
February 25, 2022
The 1987 Mercedes 500SL in the Bridge Classic Cars body shop having its engine prepared has turned up some new discoveries.
Our body and paint technicians have been working on getting the engine bay of the classic Mercedes into the same shape as the outside of the car but upon further inspection during sanding, some areas have some rust issues and previous poor repairs.
These will need to be addressed before the rest of the engine bay is finished in primer ahead of its colour coat.
Alongside that our technician, Mauro, has removed several pieces of the suspension in order to get to the harder to reach areas of the classic Mercedes. This is is to make sure every area of the car is inspected, prepared and primered.
In the Booth – Priming the Panels on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
February 22, 2022
The rest of the panels from the 1987 Mercedes 500SL which is in with Bridge Classic Cars for restoration have been in the in-house spray booth to be finished in bright white primer.
Chris, one of our amazing painters, has been getting the first layers of finishing primer onto the pieces of the classic Mercedes. This is all being done in preparation for the car to be completely refinished in the Mercedes Pagoda colour, Selenit Grau.
It’s all moving quickly now on the restoration of this beautiful Mercedes R107 and we can’t wait to show you the next step!
Preparations – Preparing and Inspecting Components for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
February 22, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars body team have been working on getting the parts and pieces from the doors of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL prepared and catalogued before being painted and put into storage.
Mauro has been working on checking each of the components before then carefully disassembling and refurbishing anything that needed to be reworked before final assembly on the classic Mercedes.
Primed and Ready – The 1987 Mercedes 500SL in Primer
February 18, 2022
The stunning 1987 Mercedes 500SL which has been in the Bridge Classic Cars body shop getting prepared for its paint job has been transferred into the spray booth for the first layers of finish primer to be laid onto the iconic classic Mercedes.
Chris, one of our paint technicians, has taken the R107 into the booth and thanks to the hours of preparation on the body by our body team, flawlessly laid down the first in a long process of getting the car into its final colour of Selenit Grau.
Chris treats every coat of primer like it is a final layer of colour or clear and all the paintwork that comes out of the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop is held to the same exacting standards.
We’re excited to show you the next step in the restoration of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL very soon here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
Closer and Closer – Final Pieces of Body Preparation on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
February 17, 2022
The final process to get the 1987 Mercedes 500SL restoration ready for its first coats of paint has been completed by the Bridge Classic Cars body shop.
Mauro has been working on getting the last few pieces of the classic Mercedes ready for its date with the paint booth. Mauro has been meticulously going through the whole car piece by piece to make sure everything is in perfect shape before the first layers of final primer are laid onto the body and panels. This involved several hours of sanding in places with very limited access but needed to be done for the best finish possible.
Along with that, Mauro removed the final parts and pieces from the doors of the 500SL to be able to sand inside the doors so the paint shop can get the best finish possible inside and out.
We’re so excited to see the 1987 Mercedes 500SL finally go into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop for the first steps of its paint process.
One Step Closer – More Bodywork and Removing the Window Regulators on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL
February 16, 2022
The body team at Bridge Classic Cars are continuing at full pace to get the 1987 Mercedes R107 500SL ready to head into the spray booth.
Mauro has been working on getting every single surface of the iconic grand tourer into perfect shape for our painters to lay down the first coats of ”Selenit Grau”. That is the new chosen colour of the 500SL, originally available on the 280SL Pagodas in the 1960s.
The body team have also worked on getting the window regulators and all brackets, hinges, door strikers etc off of the car and catalogued. Not only for assessment but also to gain access to the inside of the doors to prep them for their new colour.
It’s all moving ahead with the 1987 Mercedes 500SL, and we’re excited to show you the next phase of the restoration on this classic Mercedes.
Upon Inspection – Damage to the Rear Diff Seal on the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda
February 14, 2022
After the installation of the engine and gearbox back into the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda, the team at Bridge Classic Cars have found some historic damage to the rear diff seal on the car.
The technicians at Bridge Classic Cars, as part of the refit, inspected all aspects of the driveline in the iconic Mercedes. Upon inspection of the rear differential, Paul discovered some historic damage to the rear different seal.
This will need to be resolved before the drive shaft can be installed back into the car and begin road testing. Paul has drilled out the original damaged nut to gain access.
Keep a lookout for more updates on the Pagoda here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
Body Prep – Getting the 1987 Mercedes 500SL Ready for Paint
February 11, 2022
The 1987 Mercedes 500SL is in with the Bridge Classic Cars body shop to be prepared for its upcoming paintwork.
Our technician Mauro has been working on getting the bodywork in the best order possible before it’s handed over to the paint team. He has been making sure that every panel is flat and smooth before the body goes in to be re-primed and then its full colour and clear coats are applied.
Things are moving quickly on the R107 500SL so make sure to check in on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for updates.
