More Paint And The Rebuild Begins
June 21, 2024
Our 1960 MGA has continued its stay in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop. Mauro painted the wings while Chris painted the rest of the
classic mga
Seeing Clearly
July 24, 2023
Our 1960 MGA has had a new windscreen fitted by classic car technician Jonn and workshop manager, John. The clutch was also bled and a
An MGA Arrives
July 3, 2023
Our 1960 MGA 1600 has just come into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. Now that it is with us, our team of classic car technicians
First Off – Servicing and Inspecting the 1957 MG A Roadster
August 24, 2022
The 1957 MG A Roadster is up on the ramps in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ for the team to inspect
Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the 1957 MG A Roadster & 1997 Rover Mini
July 8, 2022
Last night the live draw of the 1957 MG A Roadster and the 1997 Rover Mini from Bridge Classic Cars. The Mini was so popular
Loose Edges – Sticking Down the Loose Trims in the 1957 MG A Roadster
June 10, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars trim team have also focused on the trims in the 1957 MGA Roadster in our workshop. Over the years, several of
Delivering the Dream – The 1959 MG A Twin Cam at Its New Home
April 12, 2022
The team at Bridge Classic Cars Competitions have delivered the 1959 MGA Twin Cam to its excited new owner, Peter. Peter won the MGA Twin
Nostalgia – 1957 MGA Roadster in the 2000 Monte Challenge
March 28, 2022
We’ve been sent in these amazing photos of our 1957 MGA Roadster as part of its previous life. The car took part in the Monte
Behind the Scenes – Photoshoot with the 1957 MGA Roadster For Sale
March 23, 2022
The stunning 1957 MGA 1500 Roadster in with Bridge Classic Cars has been photographed by the team here at Bridge ahead of being put up
This Just In – 1957 MGA Roadster
March 4, 2022
The latest arrival into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this beautiful 1957 MG A Roadster. Finished in fiery Red with
Behind The Scenes – Shooting the 1959 MGA Twin Cam
February 1, 2022
It was a cold and damp January morning as the 1959 MGA Twin Cam fired into life outside the Bridge Classic Cars hangar. As the
Clear Out – Rebuilding the Carburettors of the 1959 MGA Twin-Cam
January 14, 2022
The 1959 MGA Twin-Cam that is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in our Pettistree, Suffolk HQ isn’t running quite right. So, our incredible
Happy 60th Birthday Little MG A
June 18, 2021
Our 1960 MG A’s owner got in touch to tell us that it’s his classic’s 60th birthday, marking 60 years since it was first registered.
Day 5 – Cylinder Headed Welded
April 8, 2021
Richard Kimberley from Manningtree sent us back the cylinder head which has been welded to replace part of the ring that had corroded. He lined
Day 2 – Removing Cylinder head
March 25, 2021
Ady has continued working on our 1960 MGA buy removing the cylinder head in his endeavour to fix the issue with the engine.
Welcome Back Old Friend
February 4, 2021
We’ve welcomed back this lovely 1960 MG A for a service. We originally restored this stunning classic and were delighted to hear how happy Mike
Final Farewell Dear MGA
September 8, 2020
It’s a bitter sweet feeling when we say our final goodbye’s to a classic that’s been with us for a full restoration. Our gorgeous 1960
More Paint And The Rebuild Begins
June 21, 2024
Our 1960 MGA has continued its stay in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop. Mauro painted the wings while Chris painted the rest of the car before the rebuild began.
Seeing Clearly
July 24, 2023
Our 1960 MGA has had a new windscreen fitted by classic car technician Jonn and workshop manager, John. The clutch was also bled and a new master cylinder was fitted.
Our MGA hasn’t been in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for very long but, already, it is making great progress and we are looking forward to it going home to its owner soon.
An MGA Arrives
July 3, 2023
Our 1960 MGA 1600 has just come into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Now that it is with us, our team of classic car technicians will get to work to resolve any issues so it can be returned back to its owner ready to get back out on the road.
First Off – Servicing and Inspecting the 1957 MG A Roadster
August 24, 2022
The 1957 MG A Roadster is up on the ramps in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ for the team to inspect and service the classic roadster.
The team have worked through the car methodically, from front to back. Every suspension component and driveline piece has been checked over to make sure everything is working just as it should and is in good condition for the owner. This is also to try and find out the issue with the ride that the customer has brought up on the car.
Whilst carrying out the service, the team have also checked everything in the engine bay. The team did find a leak from the carburettors of the car which will be taken off and stripped down on the bench.
Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the 1957 MG A Roadster & 1997 Rover Mini
July 8, 2022
Last night the live draw of the 1957 MG A Roadster and the 1997 Rover Mini from Bridge Classic Cars.
The Mini was so popular it had sold out by Wednesday morning!
Going into the live draw though, there were still quite a few tickets remaining on the classic MGA. But, as the live stream began at 7pm on our Facebook page people were still getting their last-minute tickets before the competition closed at 7:10.
As always, the team gave all of our viewers a look around the other classic cars in our new competition building. Including some very special upcoming competitions… make sure to sign up to our mailing list to get the inside scoop on what’s coming!
But, it was time to find out who our very lucky winners were!
As always the entry lists are published beforehand on the website. The Mini list had been up for several days, so as we waited for the MGA list to go live, the team ran the draw for the 1997 Rover Mini.
We use a google random number generator to pick a winner. Hayley at the controls of the laptop, made sure that everything was working just as it should do with a few tests and the commenters gave the team that the stream was coming through nice and clear. So, the team set the numbers between 1 and 3999.
And just like that, the winner had been decided. 2228 – A ticket which had been allocated to David Renn.
As the fate of the Mini was being decided, the entry list for the MG A went live.
Next, we had to find out who had won our amazing 1950s sports car. Not all of the 6666 tickets had sold when the competition closed, so as the team again used the random number generator to find a winner – it took a couple of tries to land on a number which had been allocated to one lucky person.
That happened to be Stephen Walton with ticket number 6294.
We want to wish both winners congratulations on their new dream classics.
Loose Edges – Sticking Down the Loose Trims in the 1957 MG A Roadster
June 10, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars trim team have also focused on the trims in the 1957 MGA Roadster in our workshop.
Over the years, several of the leather-wrapped trim panels in the classic sports car have begun to loose their adhesive and curl round to the front of the panels or began to fall away from them. So, the trim team have gone through each of the pieces to reglue and secure them adding that little extra touch to the amazingly storied interior of the car.
Delivering the Dream – The 1959 MG A Twin Cam at Its New Home
April 12, 2022
The team at Bridge Classic Cars Competitions have delivered the 1959 MGA Twin Cam to its excited new owner, Peter.
Peter won the MGA Twin Cam through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions and as part of every competition, we deliver their dream classic directly to their door. With such a special car, the team wanted to go along and capture the moment where the enclosed trailer ramp was dropped, and Peter saw his classic MGA Twin Cam for the first time.
You could be just like Peter! Head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website and enter now for any of the competitions.
Nostalgia – 1957 MGA Roadster in the 2000 Monte Challenge
March 28, 2022
We’ve been sent in these amazing photos of our 1957 MGA Roadster as part of its previous life.
The car took part in the Monte Challenge, a classic rally much in the spirit of the original Monte Carlo rally organised by the CRA but now part of the HERO calendar of classic car events.
The results postings for the 2000 edition show that number 47, the number was worn by our 1957 MGA 1500 Roadster, was run by Philip Swain and Frank Lyons in the 2000 edition of the rally. From this results book, we can see that the car managed 45th place overall with a little over 2hrs in accumulated penalties.
It’s always amazing to see the lives of some of the cars in our care before they found their way to us here at Bridge Classic Cars and seeing an MGA used in the way they would have been in period.
–
Remember, you can send in your classic car stories! Drop us an email with some photos and your story to marketing@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk
Behind the Scenes – Photoshoot with the 1957 MGA Roadster For Sale
March 23, 2022
The stunning 1957 MGA 1500 Roadster in with Bridge Classic Cars has been photographed by the team here at Bridge ahead of being put up for sale on our new online classic car sales platform MyClassics.
With the weather near enough perfect, Nick set out to shoot the classic MG Roadster at our secure storage facility The Hangar. The vintage Roadster was brought out of The Hangar and moved into position on the pad for its photoshoot.
The car is even more beautiful in person. Finished in vibrant red with its contrasting white hardtop and sitting on wire wheels with disc brakes on the front and drums on the back it looked perfect in the late winter sunshine. The interior is one of the most characterful we’ve come across. The seats show age cracks and the red has darkened over time to give a beautiful contrast against its exterior. The beige harnesses that drape across the leather make the car feel as racy as it looks and being fitted with a later 5-speed gearbox helps this MGA become a car for all occasions.
The car has been entirely inspected by our restoration workshops, where only a minimal carburettor set-up was required to have it running perfectly. The car was restored in the late 1990s and bought by its previous owner after searching for what he deemed to be the most perfect MGA in the UK, and was found at a Lotus Main Dealer in Henley. The optional white hardtop is in good condition and allows that extra level of confidence should the weather turn on a Sunday blast or to cut down the wind noise on a cross-continent jaunt however the beige soft top on the car is in fine condition with minimal marking and little to no tears or fraying.
The car is now for sale on the all-new Bridge Classic Cars online sales platform MyClassics. An online sales platform where there are no fees for buying and no fees for selling your classic inside a community of like-minded enthusiasts.
To view the beautiful 1957 MGA 1500 Roadster for sale by Bridge Classic Cars on our MyClassics platform, simply click the link below.
Click here to view the 1957 MGA 1500 Roadster for sale on MyClassics.
This Just In – 1957 MGA Roadster
March 4, 2022
The latest arrival into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ is this beautiful 1957 MG A Roadster. Finished in fiery Red with contrasting white hardtop and wire wheels and perfectly aged red interior.
The car will soon go into the various departments to be inspected and assessed to see if anything needs to be done to this gorgeous 1950s sports car to get it running as good as it looks. Once the teams have looked through the car and given their report, you’ll see much more on this wonderful car here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.
Behind The Scenes – Shooting the 1959 MGA Twin Cam
February 1, 2022
It was a cold and damp January morning as the 1959 MGA Twin Cam fired into life outside the Bridge Classic Cars hangar. As the 1600cc 4 cylinder thumped away to warm up, the Bridge Classic Cars team got ready to capture just how beautiful this little sports car really was.
As Freddie got his camera gear ready to film, Nick gave Hayley the rundown on the car. The engine was snappy and responsive and this car had disc brakes all around. That was the only thing that our presenter needed to know because it was about as perfect as an MGA Twin Cam can be.
Hayley got in the bright blue, low slung sports car. And with a simple push forward on the gearstick, it slipped straight into 1st. The car began rolling down the runway towards our filming location with the camera car in hot pursuit. The now 62-year-old ex-race car wanted to stretch its legs…
Once the convoy had reached the outskirts of the airbase, the team went through the plan. All the while, the B series engine sat there idling perfectly. Throughout the whole time, it never missed a beat. It put the biggest smile on Hayley’s face despite the sub-zero temperature.
From every angle, the car looked fast. It had grace, it had presence and it had a purpose. The dark, black, all business interior just went further to compliment the stunning pale blue exterior in the mid-winter sun.
And best of all? You could win this very car. Just head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website for your chance to be part of the next chapter in our 1959 MGA Twin Cam’s story.
Clear Out – Rebuilding the Carburettors of the 1959 MGA Twin-Cam
January 14, 2022
The 1959 MGA Twin-Cam that is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in our Pettistree, Suffolk HQ isn’t running quite right. So, our incredible team of in-house technicians have been working on the beautiful light blue sports car.
Jon, one of our in-house restoration technicians, has been working on the car along with our other John (workshop Manager). During the inspection and assessment of the car, John noted that there was a misfire when the engine was under load. It was time to look into the issue.
Jon, as a matter course, decided to check the carburettors on the MGA. These aren’t the easiest to get out of a Twin-Cam due to the two large banks on the cylinder heads. Finally, Jon managed to release the set of carburettors from the engine bay and get them onto the workbench. After carefully pulling the units apart, he found quite a few valves and galleys to be full of sediment and sludge. So, with new rebuild kits in hand, Jon began the process of carefully clearing and cleaning each of the carburettors ready to put them back together and back on the car.
Once he had cleared out any form of dirt or sediment from every part of the carburettors, Jon put them back together on the bench. With these carburettors, there is a very specific way of putting them back onto the car. The top bolts for the carbs to fix to the manifold have to be put in off the car or else it is a nightmare to get them in the designated holes. Once the top bolts were in place with their nuts in place behind the flange on the manifold, Jon could use the inspection cover in the front wheel well to get the bottom bolts onto the carburettors.
Now that the units are back on the car, it can be roadtested by John, our workshop manager, to see if the misfire has been cured.
Happy 60th Birthday Little MG A
June 18, 2021
Our 1960 MG A’s owner got in touch to tell us that it’s his classic’s 60th birthday, marking 60 years since it was first registered. Happy birthday MG A!
Day 5 – Cylinder Headed Welded
April 8, 2021
Richard Kimberley from Manningtree sent us back the cylinder head which has been welded to replace part of the ring that had corroded. He lined up the gasket to determine how much needed to be welded. We will now be lap in the valves before sending it off to Scholar to be refaced.
Day 2 – Removing Cylinder head
March 25, 2021
Ady has continued working on our 1960 MGA buy removing the cylinder head in his endeavour to fix the issue with the engine.
Welcome Back Old Friend
February 4, 2021
We’ve welcomed back this lovely 1960 MG A for a service. We originally restored this stunning classic and were delighted to hear how happy Mike is with his beloved motor when he dropped it off with us this morning.
We’ve begun by draining the oil out of the engine to replace it as this is advised to do either once a year or every 6000 miles. This is important to do as when the oil has circulated around the engine numerous times, it can collect metal pollutants and lose its effectiveness.
Final Farewell Dear MGA
September 8, 2020
It’s a bitter sweet feeling when we say our final goodbye’s to a classic that’s been with us for a full restoration. Our gorgeous 1960 MG A has been with us for over a year, so we’ve got pretty used to seeing this beautiful car every day.
We’ve completed many an MG restoration over the years, but none quite tugged on our heartstrings quite like this one. Not least because of how beautiful the car is itself, but the owner Mike too, who’s won us over with the love he holds for this very special piece of history.
Mike is clearly besotted with his MGA, and rightly so. We too couldn’t help but swoon over the pictures of the MGA from back in her prime in the 70’s. “I was driven in this MGA on my wedding day, by my best man” Mike told us, “so it holds a very special place in my heart”.
After years searching for his beloved MG A, Mike eventually tracked her down. She’d spent 26 years stored in a barn, and although we could all see her potential, a lot of work needed to be done.
Mike had met the Bridge Classic Cars team years before, so knew we were the ones he wanted to bring his precious MGA back to life. We started work on the MGA by stripping the car bare and removing the engine to complete a full engine rebuild.
With the engine parts restored, any parts that couldn’t be restored replaced and a fresh coat of paint on the engine block, the engine was then fully reassembled and looked a treat.
The car’s shell was treated to a good rub down and primed, ahead of going into our specialist paint shop here at Bridge Classic Cars. With so much nostalgia attached to this car, Mike decided to keep her in the original signal red he knew and loved.
The MGA had a lot of mechanical and electrical work to have done to get her into full working order. Restoration work was carried out by Bridge Classic Car’s specialists technicians on the dashboard, suspension, gearbox and brakes.
It was then time for the Bridge Classic Cars specialist trim shop to work their magic on the cars interior. For a full interior restoration the MG A was given newly upholstered chairs, flooring, door and boot panels.
Not forgetting the MGA’s iconic soft top, which was also treated to a custom made roof by Bridge’s specialist trim shop team. All in-keeping with the original design of the car, but with a black roof, as per Mikes request.
With the final finishing touches added to this stunning car, including chrome bumpers, wing badges, a new windscreen and a spare tyre cover, the 1960 MG A was really starting to look like herself again.
As the entire car was undergoing a full restoration, most members of the Bridge Classic Cars family play a part in putting this beauty back together again. We are so chuffed with the final result – as is Mike!
Mike came to collect his pride and joy and was overwhelmed with the special memories this classic car brings back to him.
Mike marked the occasion with a special poem, written especially for us at Bridge Classic Cars.
From a barn to a palace – Bridge Classics.
From a palace to a crown.
The crown fits an Austin Princess,
But who now wears the crown?
1960 to 2020 – the story goes,
The crown was replaced by an octagon (no less!)
In which the immortal letters MG are found,
And in 60 long years,
She faithfully conveyed seven proud owners-
With assorted histories of lives lived and journeys made.
And where is she now?
Why back with me my lads and lassies,
My very first car!
Oh, what a star.
Come back from afar.
Thank you all, at Bridge Classic Cars’
We all wish Mike many more joyous road trips in his beautiful 1960 MG A, it’s been an absolute pleasure for us to restore. Happy driving Mike!
