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An E-Type Road Trip

July 1, 2024

We recently received an amazing update from one of our customers regarding our beautiful 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2. Not only is the car being

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An E-Type Road Trip

July 1, 2024

We recently received an amazing update from one of our customers regarding our beautiful 1970 Jaguar E-Type Series 2.

Not only is the car being used, it has been used for an incredible road trip. Travelling well over 1000 miles, our E-Type was driven from Southwold to Plymouth before boarding a ferry to Santander. It was then back on the road to Burgos, Salamanca, Douro, Porto and on to Santiago de Compostela.  

They then arrived at the Parador Gil Blas in Santanilla del Mar.

Work on the 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe

May 17, 2024

Jon has been continuing his work on waking the stunning 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Coupe up from its sleep.

After getting the car fired up the other day, he then moved onto getting the cooling system sorted on the iconic GT car. The first step was to carry out a vacuum test to make sure that all of the system was able to build and hold vacuum/pressure as intended. Unfortunately, the system failed the test. So from that Jon then did the opposite of this system, and worked to pressurise the entire system to check for leaks, it was discovered that the header tank had a leak and had ‘holed’ so was removed from the car and stripped down. Then, with this out the way Jon could remove the fuel filter and and lines in order to carry out a filter element change, and thoroughly clean out the sight glass. Alongside this as an added layer of protecting to the carburettors, Jon fitted a small, discrete in line filter to catch any sediment which may have made its way through.

Jon then moved onto getting the rest of the fuel system sorted which involved the fitting of the new fuel tank. The new tanks was set up with its new pump and sender unit and a complete set of new gaskets, previously we showed the state of the original tank which was removed from the car.

Before the new tank was dropped into the boot of the car, Jon thoroughly cleaned out the area before laying down the isolation foam to protect the tank and the car, and then could safely install and secure the new tank into the car. Once in place, Jon could fit up the new sediment catch can and begin getting the fuel system plumbed and wired in.

Once the fuel tank was in, Jon moved on to working on the exhaust system of the car. He removed the entire system front to back including the manifolds, which were replaced due to several broken studs and corrosion.

Jon that removed the radiator from the car to take it away to be thoroughly flushed out due to years of sediment building up inside the unit. Then it could be put back in the car and Jon could route the new hoses.

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Jonn then removed the rear axle assembly and stripped it on the floor. He removed the drive shaft, calipers, and old pads before cleaning and prepping the caliper for refitting.

After removing the hub and trailing arm, Jonn removed the old small bush and fitted a new one.

Inspection And Repairs – E-Type

March 1, 2024

Classic car technician has been taking a look at our beautiful 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5

While working on the car he refitted the nearside front bumper trim and swapped the spare wheel with the offside rear and knocked it up tight. He then cleaned and reglued the boot seal.

Jonn also tightened the nearside rear front shock absorber top bolt before checking all fluid levels (these were fine).

He went on to fit new exhaust nuts to the downpipe flange. After adjusting the washer jets, Jonn fitted O rings to the bonnet rear grille and secured them.

The road test of our E-Type went very well and Jonn was happy with the result.

Collecting An E-Type

February 27, 2024

Tony recently picked up an old friend of ours, our 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5.

It is now safely parked up in the workshop ready for the team to look at.

E-Type Gear Shift Cover

June 29, 2023

Classic car technician Brian has been working on the interior of our 1973 Jaguar E-Type Roadster Series 3. His focus has been on making some improvements to the gear shift selector. This work started with the removal of the old cover from the selector.

Brian cleaned up the metal frame before cutting out new vinyl and glueing this in place. The brushes were next to be fitted and the top trim panel was fitted to the surround.

Work Continues On Our E-Type

June 26, 2023

Our beautiful 1973 Jaguar E-Type Roadster Series 3 has been in the hands of classic car technician Steve. One of the tasks that Steve completed was to fit new blower intake vents.

Once this was done, Steve found that there was very little clearance between the brake vacuum reservoir and the blower fan housing which resulted in a knocking sound being produced. The blower fan motor end float was adjusted to help resolve this issue.

The brake vacuum reservoir was also adjusted before Steve found that the choke mechanism was catching on the rear carburettor air filter retainer clamp. There was also a worn float valve that was causing the rear carburettor to fuel starve.

Steve went on to strip down part of our E-Type and removed the air conditioning evaporator box. This was cleaned and a new matrix support bar was made. The sump and gasket surfaces were also cleaned before being refitted.

Investigating A Rattle

January 30, 2023

Our 1972 Jaguar E-type V12 Series 3 has been in the experienced hands of classic car technician Jonn.

A rattling sound has been heard coming from under the dash of this beautiful classic car. Jonn has been investigating what could be causing the noise and finding the best way of resolving it.

During his investigation, Jonn traced the rattling noise to a loose ac fan.

Once the fan was properly secured, Jonn found that the noise was no longer happening and everything was working as it should.

New Manifolds For Our 1972 Jaguar E-Type

December 12, 2022

Our 1972 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 has had new manifolds installed by classic car technician Jon.

There was lots of stripping and refitting to be done throughout the process but, the end result made all of the effort very much worthwhile.

While Jon was working to strip components to access the offside exhaust manifolds, there was a particular bolt that proved to be quite challenging. The problem was that the bolt was seized and, each time Jon tried to remove the bolt, it felt like it was going to snap. Fortunately, with lots of patience (and even more lubrication), Jon was able to successfully remove the bolt and continue his work on gaining access to the offside manifolds.

Once the manifolds were removed, Jon cleaned everything up in preparation for the new ones to be installed.

The new manifolds were put in place and secured before Jon reattached the engine to its engine mounts.

When the new exhausts were fitted and secured, the original front pipe was found to be too long. Classic car technician Monty stepped in to help at this point and shortened the pipe while Jon continued his cleaning and reassembling.

While Jon was putting our E-Type back together, he noticed that a small coolant pipe was completely blocked. He unblocked this and replaced the hose from the header tank to this pipe.

As they were disturbed during the process of installing the new manifolds, all of the fuel hoses going to the carburettors leaked. These were stripped and replaced, as was the braided fuel pipe as this had gone hard and leaked too.

Once everything was back together, Jon found no obvious leaks. He replaced the vac hoses before starting the car. It ran as expected and Jon was satisfied.

The coolant vac filled and held pressure as it should.

Jon wasn’t done with his work on our E-Type just yet though as he went on to fit a battery isolator. To do this, he removed the top pad of the dash to meet the criteria of the car owner who wanted this part to be hidden. The glovebox and trim were removed so Jon could make and install a bracket to hold the isolator behind the glovebox.

A safe route needed to be found to route the cables through the bulkhead. Once Jon had decided on the best route, he drilled the holes accordingly. The isolator was then wired up and secured before the glovebox and trims were refitted.

Jon has spent quite a bit of time with our 1972 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3 lately and lots of progress has been made. It won’t be too much longer before we have to say goodbye to this beautiful classic car as it returns to its owner to enjoy being back out on the road again.

1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Replacement
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Replacement
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Replacement
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Replacement
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Replacement
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Replacement
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Replacement
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Replacement
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Replacement
1972 Jaguar E-Type Blocked Coolant Pipe
1972 Jaguar E-Type Blocked Coolant Pipe
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type New Pipes
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip
1972 Jaguar E-Type Manifold Strip

Breathing Easy – Fitting the New Mangolite Air Filter to the 1970 Jaguar E Type Series 2 Coupe

February 15, 2022

The team at Bridge Classic Cars always like to see a familiar face. Just like this, the 1970 Jaguar E Type Series 2 Coupe which we did some work on last year.

This visit is for our workshop team to fit a new Mangoletsi air filter to the classic Jaguar. Now that the car could breathe a bit better, we had booked the car in with our friends over at Hangar 111 to get the E Type on their Rolling Road.

With the car safely strapped down, the team at Hangar 111 could work on getting the carburettors of the E Type perfectly set for the car.

Diagnostics – Testing the Heater Valve on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Coupe

February 11, 2022

Our restoration technician, Jon, has been working on trying to get the heater valve on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Coupe.

After finally being able to free off the valve, he discovered that this still didn’t fix the issue of the heater being on constantly. For this, Jon has advised that this component be replaced. All other parts of the heating system are working as they should be except the heater valve.

There’s more to come on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Coupe very soon.

Brackets – Preparing the Hardtop Brackets for the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

February 11, 2022

The brackets which hold down the hardtop of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster have been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop.

With the hardtop recently test fit onto the car, the restoration technicians needed the brackets to be finished for the car in order to finish the installation.

Once these have hardened and cured, they will go onto the car and fix to the hardtop and the body.

Systems Check – Check Over of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

January 27, 2022

The Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster ‘Fern Grey’ is getting closer to beginning its road tests here at Bridge Classic Cars.

Scott, our in-house restoration technician in charge of the build of Fern Grey, has begun going through and completing his electrics and wiring checks on the one of a kind E Type. Scott has also been going through and fitting all the necessary covers and shields under the bonnet of the E Type.

After Scott has completed all of these tests and checks on the Roadster, it will then begin its series of road tests and inspections to make sure the car is 100% ready for handover to its very lucky owner.

Final Details – Fitting the Bonnet and Wiring Changes to the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

January 25, 2022

The team at Bridge Classic Cars are on the final stretch in getting the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster ready for road testing.

One of the biggest and most delicate jobs of the whole build was fitting the bonnet to this one-off E Type. Carefully (and using almost everyone in the workshop) the bonnet was gently lowered onto the nose of Fern Grey. Once in place, our technicians Jon and Scott could begin the task of firmly attaching all the necessary brackets and braces to secure the bonnet to the car. Along with our bodywork expert Chris, the team worked on getting the hinges and clips aligned so the bonnet sat perfectly on this beautiful car.

Along with the bonnet being fitted, the team went through the car to add some last-minute adjustments. A new passenger grab handle was made and fitted by Brian, our lead in-house trimmer, and the headlights have been removed and rewired for a new pair that feature sidelights incorporated into the unit themselves.

It’s all coming together on Fern Grey, so keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for updates on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster.

Small Details – Post Test Checks on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

January 21, 2022

Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, Jon and Scott, have been working on some minor repairs and revisions to Fern Grey after its tests.

Fern Grey is of course the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster we have been building in our Suffolk HQ. After the tests, Jon and Scott noticed some issues with a couple of interior/dash lights which were solved by removing the cover plate and rerouting some of the elaborate wiring with a few pins needing to be recrimped and shielded.

Along with that, Jon has made a new fuel return pipe for the car as he found the original was not returning correctly to the fuel tank. So, with all of the underside jobs finished on Fern Grey Jon could begin to fit the shields to the underside of this one-off E Type.

Now, with everything buttoned up on Fern Grey, our technicians can begin retesting and rechecking the car before its road tests begin.

Catches and Hinges – Fitting up the Bonnet Hardware on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Roadster

January 20, 2022

Our in-house restoration technicians, Jon and Scott, have been preparing the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.

They have been fitting up the refurbished and new hardware to the firewall and the front frame of the E Type ready for when the gorgeous one-piece bonnet of Fern Grey is fitted. Before then, our technicians want to test run the V12 and all of its systems whilst they have easy access to the engine bay for any adjustments or changes to be made.

Soon, you will see a big move ahead with the E Type here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Extra Touches – Creating New Bags for the 1974 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

January 12, 2022

Lydia, one of our incredible trimmers here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been busy handmaking the extra pieces for Fern Grey. Fern Grey is of course the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster that our in-house restoration teams have been working on rebuilding from the ground up for a client of ours.

Lydia began by remaking the original tool wrap that was supplied originally with the car. It had seen better days and was not befitting of such a creation as the mighty Fern Grey. So, using the original as a template, Lydia remade the piece by hand to fit the same fit and finish as the car it will belong to.

Then, with the E Types new tonneau cover completed, Lydia began to hand make the bag which the cover folds into to be stowed away. Much like the tool wrap, Lydia has made it to the same extraordinary standards as the rest of the car.

Final Fitment – Fitting the Exhaust to the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

January 12, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians have finished up the custom-made exhaust on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster that we refer to as Fern Grey.

Paul has been working on getting the new exhaust safe and secure underneath the iconic sports car. From the exhaust collector to the stunning, bright double-tipped outlet which perfectly follows the line of the bottom of Fern Grey.

With the new exhaust fitted underneath the E Type, our in-house restoration technicians can move forward wit the final assembly of this stunning classic Jaguar.

Bits and Pieces – Continuing on the Interior of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

December 17, 2021

Brian in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop has been continuing on his highly skilled work on the interior of Fern Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster.

Brian has been working on test and final fitting the various small trim pieces onto the car. One of the big jobs is making sure the recently finished dash and windscreen trim to fit and flow correctly across the front of the interior of this stunning sports car. With the pieces in their final place, Brian could begin working his way towards the back of the car.

Brian also worked on the soft top where it meets the windscreen trims to ensure all of the trims for the soft top also worked alongside the various windscreen pieces. Any adjustments or refinements could be completed piece by piece to get the best fit for every different aspect of the interior.

Then, in the rear of Fern Grey, Brian began to get the new rear panels into place and make sure they perfectly fit around the hinges and mechanism for the soft top while up, but also when it is folded down into place.

As you can see, its full steam ahead on Fern Grey in the trim shop! And it is looking fantastic.

The Next Phase – Dash and Hood Pieces for the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

December 9, 2021

Brian, Kath and Lydia have been working on the next phase of the interior for the 1973 Jaguar E Type Roadster that Bridge Classic Cars calls Fern Grey. Now that the windscreen has been fitted and cured, it’s time to start getting the trim, dash and hood in place.

Using the original dash panels and A-Pillar trims, Brian stripped apart the panels ready to be recovered. The original foam for these pieces was in remarkably good condition so they were refreshed and reused. The trimming in the rich black leather however is all brand new. Brian selected a hide that compliments the rest of the interior but also matches closely what would have originally been used on the E Type’s to trim the pieces with.

Each of the panels and trims was hand-cut and finished by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim team to ensure the best fit. Including the dash pad which now that the windscreen is safely in place could be secured to the top of the dash after test fitting multiple times.

With all of the dash and trim around the windscreen fitted, Brian and the team began to work on getting the foldable hood mechanism in place. Checking the mounting points for the front and back of the hood, Brian began the task of gently manipulating the mounts to ensure the best possible fit as well as making sure each of the spars sat level and true. Thankfully after some skilled moving, the hood sat perfectly inside the gorgeous roadster.

Touch Points – More Progress on the Interior of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

December 6, 2021

Brian, one of our incredible in-house trim experts here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been hard at work getting the interior of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster.

Brian and the trim team are going full force at the interior of the E Type we know as Fern Grey in preparation for its completion. Brian began by lining and fitting the new boot liner to the Roadster.

The boot of the E Type is actually rather large. This is due to its design as being a long-distance grand tourer. Carrying 2 people in as much comfort, luxury and speed as was possible was the name of the game when it came to the E Type’s original design brief. Throughout its development, that always remained the same. Brian, finished the boot of Fern Grey in a beautiful soft camel colour to compliment the smooth green of the bodywork.

Next, Brian and the trim team got to work on the convertible hood for the E Type. This is being entirely built from scratch around Fern Grey. Using original templates, Brian has managed to recreate the padding for the top rail where it will meet the elegant, wrapping windshield of the E Type.

Whilst working on his next piece of the puzzle, Brian has wrapped the transmission tunnel in the vibrant green carpeting that is found throughout the entire car from front to back. Hand edged in leather that matches the exterior, this gives another level of sophistication and style to Fern Grey that helps to compliment all the small details.

Small details such as the cubby/armrest. Brian has worked really hard on getting the fit and finish of the armrest cubby to such a level it almost deserves a story of its own. The entire assembly was handmade by Brian to ensure the best fit and the best surface on which to wrap the green leather. Neat, precise cuts in every opening allow for a brand new feel to this and the trims to fit tight and close to the cubby.

Expect to see much more on Fern Grey in the coming weeks here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Moving Forward – The 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster Gets Closer to the End

November 19, 2021

Our in-house restoration technicians have been hard at work on Fern Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster, which is being built and restored in-house by Bridge Classic Cars here in Suffolk.

Whilst John, our workshop manager, has been working on getting all of the wiring on the E Type preparing it for its first fire up. Our other technician Paul has been working alongside Scott to begin to fit the brightwork and body trim back onto this stunning Fern Grey Jaguar.

One of the big bits of the update is that the fuel tank is now in the car and wired/plumbed up also in preparation for the first fire up of that newly built 5 litre V12.

Expect to see a lot more very soon as parts of Fern Grey are in multiple departments here at Bridge Classic Cars currently so keep an eye here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.