Just arrived into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this incredible 1993 Rover Mini Sprite.
This classic Mini will go through our restoration departments to inspect and assess the car to see if anything needs doing on it.
Apart from its arrival photos, the previous owner sent us over some photos of this stunning little 1993 Rover Mini and some of the work done to it.
The Team C Racing classic Mini shell has been in with the Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team in preparation for its new colour scheme.
Our paint and body restoration technician Mauro has worked on preparing the classic Mini. The car arrived into us in grey primer, but the team have begun body sanding the entire shell to make sure that every curve and panel is in perfect shape before it finally gets its new colour.
The shell, after being sanded, has been taken into the booth and prepared for its next round of primer and sanding in the pursuit of perfection.
March 14, 2022 8:30 am
The newest arrival to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Pettistree HQ is the first of the 3 classic Mini shells that the restoration teams will be working on for our friends at Team C Racing.
This car will be worked on by our paint and body teams to be transformed into a brown body/white roof classic Mini for Team C.
Keep a lookout on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates very soon on this classic Mini.
March 10, 2022 8:15 am
Continuing our relationship with Team C Racing, we are about to being the process of respraying 3 classic Mini’s for the local Mini specialists.
Firstly, the car finished in grey primer. This will be changed to brown with a white roof. A classic colour combination for a Mini.
Secondly, the black and red car. The entire car will be changed over to orange and a fibreglass bonnet fitted to the car.
Lastly, the white car. This will be having some bodywork carried out on the car before it is resprayed in a brand new white. This car is having a new front panel fitted and a rear quarter panel to make sure the body looks as good as the paintwork on top of it.
Anyone who knows of Team C will know they’re keen racers and true enthusiasts and experts when it comes to everything classic Mini. So, Bridge Classic Cars is happy to help and will be painting these 3 Mini’s over the next few weeks.
March 1, 2022 9:03 am
The amazing 1967 Austin Mini 850 which was converted to all-electric not only will be premiering on Discovery Channels Vintage Voltage on Thursday but it will soon be appearing on YouTube!
The car, which Bridge Classic Cars helped the project by handling the paint and bodywork for, was driven by our friends Simon and Petrol Ped to showcase this incredible project to everyone online.
Keep a lookout on the Petrol Ped YouTube channel for this exciting video.
February 9, 2022 11:09 am
It’s always a lovely sight to see our previous projects out in the world. An example of this is the 1967 Austin Mini 850 owned by our friend Simon Benton.
This Mini was aesthetically restored by Bridge Classic Cars last year in preparation for its all-electric conversion done by Team C Racing and Electric Classic Cars. The car arrived at our workshop as a shell, then our in-house paint and body team got to work getting this wonderful classic Mini back to better than new condition before its date with the workshop in Wales for the conversion.
You can see more on this project in the upcoming Discovery Channel series about the car.
To read the full article, click the link below.
Ipswich Star: Classic Electric Mini Article
January 31, 2022 9:24 am
Our in-house restoration technician Jon has been working on the front end of the 1990 Austin Mini 30 before it is transported to its new owner. As part of its check over, Jon had to make some tracking adjustments to get the Mini’s steering spot on.
With a few small tweaks, Jon managed to get the Mini’s steering completely dialled in and nicely balanced. Making sure everything under the car was torqued and secure, the car went for its final road test.
This little 1990 Austin Mini 30 will soon be off to its very lucky new owner.
January 13, 2022 9:47 am
The beautiful 1989 Austin Mini is safe and sound at her new home in Scotland. Also, she seems to have got some company for her life up north.
The new owner of the straight cut gearboxed 1989 Austin Mini also has a very nice 1275GT which will be sharing its stable with the little blue car. The 1275GT was given the name of Little Floorie by its owner, who has decided that the name of the 1989 Austin Mini will be Little Lottie.
We wish Ken and his wife many happy miles with our little Mini and look forward to seeing more of Little Lottie on her adventures in years to come.
January 12, 2022 9:10 am
Jon, one of our amazing Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, has been working on getting the last few bits and pieces done on the 1990 Austin Mini 30 before it heads off to its very lucky new owner.
The last job to complete underneath this fantastic Mini is to install a new exhaust mount onto the car. The old one had become loose and wasn’t in the best state so our workshop ordered up a replacement piece and got it into the car. This particular clamp also acts as a hang and is secure to the gearbox, so it’s crucial in keeping the exhaust spaced far enough away from the gearbox as to not rattle or chafe.
With this done, it will have its pre-delivery inspection and very soon be off to its new home!
January 12, 2022 8:42 am
Bridge Classic Cars Competitions has made another lucky winners dream come true. This time it was the turn of Billy Spellman with his winning ticket of 776 and now the proud new owner of this amazing 1990 Mini 30.
During the live stream, Hayley showed everyone around the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and some of the restoration projects that are currently happening here. Freddie and Hayley always enjoy chatting to everyone on the live stream and hearing suggestions for future competition cars while also hearing what people have been up to since this was our first live draw of 2022 and what a special car to draw to kick the year off.
Then, it was time for the main event. As Freddie and Hayley went over to the laptop. Hayley showed the pre-published entry lists (which come out 30 minutes before we go live at 7 o’clock once entries have shut) and someone on that list of 2299 tickets was about to have a bit of a change to their lives in the next few minutes. Using a Google random number generator, Hayley checked to see it was all working correctly before putting the range needed for the competition. With one click of a button and a flash of numbers flying past, it landed on 776. Consulting the entry list, Hayley and Freddie found that particular number had been issued to Billy Spellman.
Once we had found Billy’s contact details through our online members’ list, it was time to call him. Once we had explained who was calling him, the penny dropped. He was blown away that he had in fact won the car. That’s what it’s all about, giving cars to people who are genuinely thrilled to now on their dream classic for the price of a ticket.
We always have new competitions going live every couple of weeks, so head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website and enter now for your chance!
January 6, 2022 9:15 am
It’s always incredible when old projects come back to visit. Especially ones that have gone out there and developing a life of their own. For example, this bright blue 1967 Austin Mini 850 belongs to our dear friend Simon. Simon owns this incredible little car that hides a small secret.
Well, it’s not a small secret at all. This Mini has been converted to have an electric drive train out of a Tesla… The equivalent of 300BHP in a tiny package is always guaranteed to put a smile on your face. We here at Bridge Classic Cars did the bodywork and paint for the project. It was delivered to us as basically a bare shell with all the potential in the world ahead of it. Our expert restoration teams set about preparing the car for its new electrified life.
The conversion itself was handled by our friends over at Team C (formally the East Anglian Mini Centre) and also by Electric Classic Cars in Wales.
With the project gaining popularity across the world (it was also recently at the Classic Show at the Birmingham NEC) several media outlets have picked up the story of this wonderful car and its sentimental attachment to Simon. Recently it was featured in The Telegraph and very soon it will be beamed into your homes on the Discovery Channel. Before then, however, it will appear on ITV news in a segment filmed in our workshop.
So, we wanted to take you behind the scenes of the shoot along with Freddie, Nick and Gordon from Bridge Classic Cars to give you a sneak peek at what you can expect. This Mini is truly beautiful, the colour was incredible in the winter sun. The brightwork glistened and all of its small and special details were on display for everyone to see. After speaking to Simon on his own about the car, the guys from ITV had a quick chat with Ted from Team C and our very own director, Gordon who shared their thoughts on being involved in such an incredible project and just how far this little car has come from when it first rolled into our workshop in February 2020.
It will be broadcast on ITV Anglia News at 6pm on January 6th 2022. Be sure to tune in and watch!
January 5, 2022 2:24 pm
Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the 1990 Mini 30 ahead of its upcoming draw.
During its inspection, our in-house restoration technicians noted a small leak coming from underneath the car. After looking into it further, it was found to be coming from the gearbox oil seal. So, a new seal was ordered along with new spark plugs and ignition leads to make sure this very special little Mini was running perfectly.
Our technician Paul carefully removed the old seal from the gearbox and then cleaned up the entire area in preparation to install the new seal in place. Once the new piece had been put into place in the gearbox, it was reinspected and all was ok on the report.
So, with everything completed on the 1990 Mini 30, it’s nearly time to find out who the lucky new winner will be!
January 4, 2022 1:54 pm
Some of you may remember this stunning Cherry Red Mini from last year when Courtney Barker won it through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, well she’s offered it back to us and now it could be yours!
This is a limited edition Austin Mini 30, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the legendary Mini. The car is in amazing condition which is why the team at Bridge Classic Cars Competitions bought it back when it was offered to us. The car had a full respray and sympathetic interior restoration by our in-house restoration teams.
The car is well known around the area, having spent much of its life in Southwold and then in Ipswich with Courtney. It also did the rounds of almost every car show such as Stonham Barns as well as several appearances at our own meet-ups. Since August 2020, the car has only covered an additional 3,000 miles meaning this 31-year-old pocket rocket has got just 66074 miles showing on the clock.
This could be yours! Ready to go for 2022, all you need to do is head over to the Bridge Classic Cars website and get your tickets now!
But hurry, these little things are very popular with just 2299 tickets available. Click the link below!
December 20, 2021 3:57 pm
The blue all-electric Classic Mini we worked on a while ago has been spotted at the recent Birmingham NEC Classic Car Show!
The car was on a stand with several all-electric classics to showcase one of the ways that classic cars will be used in the future. This little car is absolutely incredible and we’re proud to have played a part in its story.
We handled the bodywork and paint for the project, working to make sure the outside met the same wow factor as what lay beneath its tiny turquoise bonnet.
November 26, 2021 11:16 am
A nice surprise today at Bridge Classic Cars! A previous project dropped by the workshop today.
This 1967 Austin Mini 850 is pretty famous… You may have seen it in several videos displaying some of its incredible party tricks. This Mini is not like the others. It is in fact all-electric.
A while back we did the body and paintwork on the car but now it’s in with us to visit before it goes to the Classic Motorshow at the Birmingham NEC. The car was built by Electric Classic Cars and TeamC and features a Tesla powertrain to allow it to do outrageous things!
Recently it was testing its Track Mode on a runway and the results were nothing short of terrifying but also exciting. We love this little Mini every time we get to see it so it was a lovely surprise for it to drop by today.
For more on the car – Go check out our blog posts on it here
October 28, 2021 12:37 pm
It’s that time! The start of possibly the most famous event in historic motorsport, The Goodwood Revival.
Now, if you can’t make your way down to West Sussex then fear not. You can still enjoy all the amazing races and even more incredible cars thanks to the Goodwood Revival Livestream on YouTube by clicking the link.
If you are lucky enough to be going to the home of Historic Racing, then we at Bridge Classic Cars have put together a list of cars to look out for.
There’s a long, long list of incredible machines racing this weekend, but a fantastic time will be had by all attending and all watching on from their living rooms!
Keep an eye out on our social media pages for updates from the event.
September 17, 2021 11:59 am
The Surf Blue Mini that we worked on with Ted from Team C Racing for Electric Classic Cars has been up and running at the London Classic Car Show.
We’re delighted to see it up and running after its long restoration story.
June 29, 2021 10:43 am
Lydia has been working on making a new boot liner for our 1989 Austin Mini. She started by making the paper pattern and then taped it onto cardboard. She then double-checked that the pattern would fit, by fitting it into the boot. She then cut out the plywood to get the shape for the middle and used the template to cut the fabric out. Lydia also cut out black strips of vinyl for the binding. She then laid the carpet out over the top of the wood and fitted it.
Our little blue Austin Mini has finally landed in the workshop and is ready to be fitted with its new back seats and have a thorough service before we decide its fate…
Our elusive 1989 Austin Mini has had its back seats completed. The mini itself is set to be in soon. Kath has been working on refurbishing the back seats. She’s added pipping and a skirt around the edges and then fit the cover over the foam base. She then sewed up the cover for the squab and taken off the rust from the wire frame. She added in 12mm of scrim foam on the front and 3mm on the back. After gluing the foam to the frame, Kath then cut out the pipping, back flap and side skirt. After fitting new foam and the new cover on, Kath could sew up the final pieces.
Our new Mini is having some new interior made up before in comes into us. Kath is working on taking apart the rear seats and recovering them. She begun by removing the old covers, making new vinyl which she mounted on 12mm scrim foam. Kath then made up some piping, sealed the edges and trimmed off excess foam. Next up, Kath cut out the calico to sew into the base for attached the foam to. Once she’d sewn up the flutes and sewn in the calico, she could attach the piping along each side.
This stunning baby blue 1989 Austin Mini is coming into the workshop soon. Keep an eye out for where this mini will end up…
Our brown 1978 1275 GT Mini is all rubbed down, masked up and ready to paint. The front and sill has been stone-chipped and was then painted.
Pricey has been taking apart and rebuilding the lower rear sills, entire lower sill, rear inner sill and floor as all of it were showing series signs of corrosion as the structural integrity was challenged.
The process includes correcting previous fixes and a lifetime of rust and wear. Pricey has been fabricating new sections and welding them in so that the lower sills are ready to be repainted.
Pricey has been addressing the poor alignment issues and previous corrections. He has stripped parts back to good metal to be able to fabricate new parts.
Friend of Bridge Classic Cars, Kieran Roper, has recently bought this rare 1977 Silver Mini that has gone on to get him featured in local news papers. This silver classic has only 5501 miles on the clock after being won by a school teacher in 1977 who couldn’t drive. This Mini is one of just 25 that was given the special colour to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.
We can’t wait to see what he gets up to with this rare classic and we hope to see him soon!
This little brown 1978 Mini GT 1275 is in for some bodywork. We work closely with Ted from Team C Racing, who specialises in Minis as he will often send his projects our way for paintwork and bodywork, such as this Mini.
Our Surf Blue mini that we helped restore with Ted from Team C Racing is now set to star on Vintage Voltage on tv. We’ve recently been mentioned in an EADT article about it which you can read here.
The car has spent the 6 months in Wales at Electric Classic Cars undergoing a Tesla conversion.
Owner Simon Benton, has had the mini in his family its whole life. Originally purchased for him and his sister to learn in, the car then became their mother’s daily before retiring to their garage where it sat untouched for many years.
The characterful mini gained the name ‘OBie’ after its number plate and the release of Star Wars the summer they bought it.
May 11, 2021 7:48 am
Last but certainly not least, our spectacular orange mini 1275 GT arrived at the David Gair-Steven’s house this week.
David Gair-Stevens won with ticket number 632.
We wish you many happy memories in your classic Mini, David!
We’re delighted to announce that Matthew Evans has received his new 1969 Mini MKII 850 Super Deluxe safe and sound. Matthew won with his lucky ticket number 1532.
Matthew bought only one ticket with us which happened to be his first ever ticket he’d bought with us – and as fate would have it, it happened to be his winning ticket.
Our talented paint shop colour matched, masked up, primed and painted our 1993 Mini Rover side panels before it was sent back to Ted at Team C Racing (Formerly known as Anglian Mini Centre).
