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Jaguar

Pre Mot Check

September 2, 2024

Jonn has been getting our 2010 Jaguar XKR Supercharged ready for its MOT. Here are his notes: Torque up sump bung. Refit undershields and secure.

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A Jaguar Arrives

June 12, 2024

Earlier today, we welcomed our 2010 Jaguar XKR Supercharged into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. Now that it is here, it will be thoroughly inspected

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XJS Inspection

April 4, 2024

Jonn has been inspecting our 1991 Jaguar XJS Le Mans. Here are his notes: Start repairs 8n competition workshop. Strip boot and remove battery and

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Fitting Dash

March 25, 2024

Over the weekend, John finished wiring in the dash of our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica. He also fitted the Brantz system and trial-fitted the switches

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A New Battery

March 11, 2024

After replacing the battery on our 1969 Jaguar E-Type, it was safely delivered back home to its owner in Norfolk.

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Welcome Back

November 27, 2023

We recently welcomed our 2001 Jaguar XKR back into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. While it was here, Brian made some repairs to the carpet

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Pre Mot Check

September 2, 2024

Jonn has been getting our 2010 Jaguar XKR Supercharged ready for its MOT. Here are his notes:

Torque up sump bung. Refit undershields and secure. Carry out pre mot check over. Torque wheels and inflate tyres. Locking wheel nut socket back in boot.

Fit new oil filter and top up oil. Refit engine cover, run and t3st. Carry out road test to warm up. Leave outside with ignition on for 10 mins to display oil level. Top up oil once display working. Recheck oil level, ok.

XKR Oil and Filter

August 30, 2024

Jonn has been looking at our 2010 Jaguar XKR. After getting it up on the ramp, he drained the oil and changed the filter.

Pre Mot Work On Our E-Type

June 10, 2024

Jonn has been looking after our 1962 Jaguar E-Type as it was prepared for an MOT. Here are his notes:

Investigate charging issue and order new regulator. Remove auxiliary belt sprung tensioner and fit smaller belt from stock. Run up. Drain coolant and replenish with anti freeze.

Bleed brakes with pressure bleeder. Carry out pre mot check over. Nearside number plate light not working and stripped and traced fault to poor earth. Clean contacts and refit, ok. Fit new grommet to throttle shaft. Remove throttle rod, clean and free off and refit and secure.

Fit new washer pump and test. Blow out offside jet. Clean out washer bottle. Test, ok. Remove steering wheel and align steering and refit wheel loosely until road tested.

Remove old voltage regulator. Clean all connections. Fit new regulator but slightly bigger than original and touches body. Remove and grind down for clearance and remount. Connect and test. Ignition light now goes out and charging at 13.1v. Carry out 1st proper roadvtst. Stop and tune carbs roughly by ear. Return to workshop. Adjust steering wheel to straight ahead position and secure. Lube throttle linkages. Adjust nearside binnetvcatch. Adjust handbrake. Tighten fuel connections to carbs.

XJS Brakes And Rear Axle

April 11, 2024

Classic car technician Jonn has been continuing his work on our 1991 Jaguar XJS Le Mans. His notes were:

Strip and clean caliper to be re used. Blow off and dry. Rub down and mask and paint with silver bake caliper paint. Clean both pistons ready for new seal kit. Strip both hand brake calipers. Clean and blow off. Rub down and mask. Paint silver the same as service brake caliper. Repeat process for other side. Hang all up to dry.

Start to reassemble rear axle. Fit new discs and refit driveshaft flanges and shims. Fit new caliper to offside rear. Refit handbrake caliper and new handbrake pads and secure to caliper. Secure caliper and fit new pads. Fit new axle mounts to frame.

Fit new caliper seal kit to nearside rear caliper. Fit caliper and handbrake caliper to axle. Fit new pads and adjust handbrake caliper. Fit easy bleed pipes.

XJS Inspection

April 4, 2024

Jonn has been inspecting our 1991 Jaguar XJS Le Mans. Here are his notes:

Start repairs 8n competition workshop. Strip boot and remove battery and poorly fitted isolator. Copy original battery tie down and make new battery tie down for one side. Make bracket to mount isolator and get Christian to weld to battery securing frame. Mock up and mark each wire ready to cut. Remove frame and cut earth lead. Solder on 2 battery cable eye terminals and connect to isolator.

Fit battery and security frame complete with isolator and tighten tie downs to secure. Connect earth cable and tighten battery terminal. Re route positive lead and connect and tighten terminal. Test isolator, ok. Mount battery cover and mark position of isolator. Drill hole and make 2 small alloy brackets to fit securing holes at bottom. Secure brackets and use hole cutter to make hole. Mount on top of battery and secure. All ok. Remove interior light. Resecure nearside sun visor clip.

Fit battery and security frame complete with isolator and tighten tie downs to secure. Connect earth cable and tighten battery terminal. Re route positive lead and connect and tighten terminal. Test isolator, ok. Mount battery cover and mark position of isolator. Drill hole and make 2 small alloy brackets to fit securing holes at bottom. Secure brackets and use hole cutter to make hole. Mount on top of battery and secure. All ok. Remove interior light. Resecure nearside sun visor clop.

Repair interior light with single screw. Reconnect and refit. Tested ok. Mastic cigarette lighter socket back into centre console as all lugs broken off? Tape up and leave to go off. Investigate nearside window not working g and found window operates fine today. Drill out and re rivet bonnet secondary catch. Investigate front fogs not working. Use power probe to check each light and bulb. Nearside has dead short. Remove and strip light. Test bulb, ok. Refit and reconnect, ok now. Trace fuses to inside car and found blown fuse. Replace and test, all,working ok now. Strip and fit nearside track rod end rubber. Use lockwire to secure and refit. Refit wheel.

Jonn also removed the rear axle and stripped it.

Our 1972 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 returns

April 4, 2024

Lovely to welcome back our 1972 Jaguar E-Type Series 3, having been away and enjoyed for the passed year. The car returns for a general service and to look into a potential blown exhaust. Whilst in with us we are also going to check the electric fans are working and fit an electrical over-ride switch to be able to switch the fans on. This way the car and owner are not 100% reliant on the temperature sensor doing all of the hard work.

Fitting Dash

March 25, 2024

Over the weekend, John finished wiring in the dash of our 2022 Bridge C-Type Replica.

He also fitted the Brantz system and trial-fitted the switches and gauges to help find the best location for each one.

Jaguar C-Type Replica rebuild progress

March 20, 2024

Every day is that one step closer to revealing the finished project. Our 2023 Jaguar C-Type replica is coming on leaps and bounds now with the refit well and truly underway. John has been busy fitting the lights back up and the wiring back in.

The next biggest piece in the colour changing process was the bonnet and Alan has been making this a reality this week. We now have colour.

Meanwhile we have removed the spacer blocks from the boot lid pins. We have now fitted in place and masked in position.

We have heated up with hot air gun to reshape and periodically repeated the process over a few hours.

The front suspension braces are now spaced.

We have wire brushed and painted the rusty engine mount bolts and finished in black. The rusty calipers bolts have been wire brushed and paint in silver.

The fuel filler cap has been removed and the neck clamp has been slackened. Two of the screws have been removed and repositioned to the left in rotation before re-securing. Fit filler cap, grease seal and Loctite threads and knock up tight.

Jaguar S-Type Power Steering

March 19, 2024

Jon has just completed the task of replacing the filter in the power steering set up on our Jaguar S-Type

A New Battery

March 11, 2024

After replacing the battery on our 1969 Jaguar E-Type, it was safely delivered back home to its owner in Norfolk.

Welcome Back

November 27, 2023

We recently welcomed our 2001 Jaguar XKR back into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.

While it was here, Brian made some repairs to the carpet and the roof system was looked at. To do this, several components had to be removed from the car.

When Brian was done, Jonn hoovered out the car before refitting the seats. He then reconnected and tested the seat operation. The roof system was topped up with hydraulic fluid before Jonn ran the roof through the full sequence again.

After wiping over the car, Jonn noticed that the airbag light was flashing. When Jonn tried to clear the code, he was unsuccessful. The code was B2291 – passenger seat occupancy sensor. The connections under the seat were checked but the code would still not clear.

As a result, more investigative work will be required.

E-Type ZP Collection – A Tribute To The First Racing E-Types

June 12, 2023

Jaguar Classic is celebrating the iconic race-winning E-Types by creating seven exclusive pairs of E-Type ZP Collection vehicles. The luxury (and highly collectable) cars pay homage to the first E-types used in competition. These racing E-Types were originally produced under the project name “ZP” and, within months of their introduction in 1961, they picked up their first victories.

Each of the commemorative pairs includes a drophead coupe and a fixed-head coupe, both finished in liveries paying tribute to the original race-winning cars. The two cars that provided inspiration for this incredible project were referred to by their registration numbers ‘ECD 400’ and ‘BUY 1’ and were driven by Graham Hill and Roy Salvadori.

Paul Barritt, Director of Jaguar Classic, said: “The E-type ZP Collection is the ultimate tribute to the E-type’s triumphant racing debut, in itself part of Jaguar’s rich motorsport history. Each pair tells a fascinating, and often untold, story of the E-type’s history. The ZP Collection honours not only the vehicles but the racers who drove them to victory on the track. With 2,000 hours lovingly spent on each vehicle by the craftspeople at Jaguar Classic, our discerning clients will be able to enjoy a unique tribute to two of the greatest cars in the E-type’s history.”

Jaguar E-Type ZP Collection
Image Credit: Jaguar Classic
Jaguar E-Type ZP Collection
Image Credit: Jaguar Classic
Jaguar E-Type ZP Collection
Image Credit: Jaguar Classic
Jaguar E-Type ZP Collection
Image Credit: Jaguar Classic

If this E-Type project wasn’t special enough, later this year, the personalisation team at Jaguar will be unveiling a limited-edition production run of matching F-Type ZP Editions. These will be inspired by the E-Type ZP collection and will also only have seven pairs available. The fourteen 5-litre supercharged V8 F-Types will be reserved for E-Type ZP Collection clients meaning that each client could own an unrepeatable and historic quartet of very special vehicles. It’s worth keeping in mind that, from 2025, Jaguar will become a pure electric modern luxury brand so this looks to be something of an unforgettable swan song.

Indigo Blue E-Type Drophead Coupe

In honour of Graham Hill’s Indigo Blue E-Type drophead coupe, the E-Type in the ZP collection will be finished in Oulton Blue and will have a black hood along with bonnet roundels finished in white with matching front ‘lipstick’ around the inside of the front airtake.

The interior is finished in red leather by Bridge of Weir and in-period Hardura trim.

Unlike the original E-Type, driven by Graham Hill, though, the ZP collection hasn’t been developed for just racing so the engineers at Jaguar Classic have reworked and hand-finished the nose of these very special cars.

Image Credit: Jaguar Classic
Image Credit: Jaguar Classic
Image Credit: Jaguar Classic

Crystal Grey E-Type Fixed-Head Coupe

Like the Oulton Blue version, the Crystal Grey fixed-head coupe comes with white roundels and similar exterior detailing, including the removal of the motif bar and Jaguar badge across the grille. The Crystal Grey coupe also has the same chrome bumpers as the drop-head, along with the welded bonnet louvres and unique side graphic detail.

The interior features a Dark Navy Bridge of Weir leather with matching Hardura trim and a Beechwood steering wheel.

Image Credit: Jaguar Classic
Image Credit: Jaguar Classic
Image Credit: Jaguar Classic

E-Type ZP Collection Changes

The most significant mechanical upgrade to these stunning tributes is the specially developed five-speed manual transmission for quieter, more comfortable cruising. It features synchromesh on all ratios, helical cut gears and a reinforced cast aluminium casing for enhanced reliability and durability, with closer gear ratios for smoother changes.

An Extra Tribute With The E-Type ZP Collection

Every vehicle in the collection undergoes 2,000 hours of work by the experts at Jaguar Classic to make sure each and every one is a perfect tribute. Each one comes with a tailor-made car cover with ZP logo and a bespoke jack with a unique storage bag to be stored beneath the boot floor.

A period helmet to match those worn by Hill and Salvadori is also included. These have been crafted by British expert Bill Vero of Everoak and are a beautiful display piece that can be worn, and hand adjusted for each client. The helmets are provided with a tailored leather storage bag crafted from the same leather as the interiors and made onsite by the expert in-house trimmers at Jaguar Classic. The helmet bag also complements the leather pouch for the vehicle handbook, which is made with the same leather by the same team.

1988 Jaguar XJS Convertible in for a service

November 30, 2022

Arriving earlier this week, our beautiful 1988 Jaguar XJS Convertible is in with us for a general check over underneath but more importantly it’s service is due.

The car has been undersealed so the owner is interested to see the integrity of the sealant and whether any additional work is required.

The car will also undergo a full service with an overhaul of the brake fluid too.

1954 Jaguar MKVII – The Restoration Continues

November 21, 2022

The restoration of our 1954 Jaguar MKVII has continued recently with quite a bit of work being completed by classic car technician Dave.

After the engine of this beautiful classic car was removed a little while ago, it has now been rebuilt by our friends at Coltec and delivered back to us here at Bridge Classic Cars. Dave has been working on getting the engine back into the car so it can continue on its restoration journey.

Prior to the engine returning to us, we were able to see the pistons being machined so it was great to see the full engine back with us and ready to go back into the car.

Once the engine was back in, Dave was able to get it running and conduct a check of its condition. He was pleased with the temperature levels but did some additional work on other areas of the car.

The 2 fuel pumps were drained, removed, and replaced.

While working on our 1954 Jaguar MKVII, Dave noticed that the fan was broken. A new fan was installed but, as is the case with a lot of the classic cars we work on, the new fan didn’t quite fit into place exactly as it should. Luckily, our classic car technicians are master craftsmen so Dave was able to weld some new lugs onto the car so it would accept the new fan being installed.

To make sure the new lugs blended perfectly with the rest of the car, Dave painted them black and, as you can see from the photos below, they are now in perfect keeping with the rest of this classic car.

Now that the engine is back with the car, work can continue on our 1954 Jaguar MKVII. We are looking forward to seeing things progress over the coming weeks and we are excited to see this impressive classic car back out on the road with its owner.

1954 Jaguar MKVII engine
1954 Jaguar MKVII engine
1954 Jaguar MKVII engine
1954 Jaguar MKVII engine
1954 Jaguar MKVII fuel pumps
1954 Jaguar MKVII fuel pumps
1954 Jaguar MKVII fuel pumps

New Arrival: 1972 Jaguar E-Type V12 Series 3

September 15, 2022

A new arrival this morning to the Bridge Classic Cars workshops. Working in conjunction with our good friend Lee at Autoshack. The 1972 Jaguar E-Type V12 you see below belongs to a customer of Lee’s having very recently been purchased from the The Classic Sale at Silverstone 2022 hosted by Silverstone Auctions.

The description reads as follows:

A decade after the original Jaguar E-Type arrived, the design progressively matured through 1971 with the introduction of the Series 3.  Designed to showcase the new smooth and torquey 5.3-litre engine, originally developed for Le Mans, the Series 3 cars were available as a Roadster or a 2+2 Coupé. The Series 3 is easily identifiable by its large cross-slatted front grille, flared wheel arches, wider tyres, a larger bonnet bulge, updated bumpers, four exhaust tips, and a badge on the rear that proclaims it to be a V12. It also featured uprated brakes, power steering as standard and a large horizontal scoop added to the underside of the bonnet to assist with cooling. The interior was entirely new in the V12, with more comfortable seating, stylish new door panels and a smaller, dished and leather-rimmed steering wheel. Being slightly larger and altogether much softer in nature, the E-Type in Series 3 form had lost the wildness of its youth but gained the long-legged touring profile to which it was arguably better suited.

The United States was always the target market for the E-Type and the model evolved over a decade to cater for the needs of the American driver, a fact that has always been downplayed this side of the pond. The ‘Jagwar’ has always been held in high regard by the American enthusiast-driver that considered the homegrown muscle cars as too blue-collar and the precocious exotica of Italy as too expensive. The Series 3 had now evolved into a sports coupé that offered a smooth automatic gearbox and rear seats. The iconic lines of the early car is still unashamedly British but capable of outperforming bloated V8 rivals with its smooth V12. According to the Heritage Certificate, this Coupé, with automatic gearbox and air conditioning, was dispatched to British Leyland, New York on 10th April 1972 in Primrose Yellow with a Cinnamon interior. Our vendor informs us it was owned by one family from new in Louisiana, and it was imported to the UK and registered on the 1st December 2019.

Buying the car on the 1st December 2021 with the intention of reliving his E-Type owning youth as a racing engineer with the Le Mans winning Group 44 Race Team, our vendor’s ill-health sees the car regretfully offered to auction. The odometer reading of 23,393 miles, at the time of cataloguing is assumed to be genuine, although not warranted, whilst our vendor asserts that the family ownership prior to the 2019 registration in the UK is certainly persuasive. The colour was changed during restoration whilst the delightfully original Cinnamon leather shows lovely patina. Recently a new braking system was fitted to the front and new pads fitted to the rear. Our vendor, having worked on Jaguar V12 racing engines changed the oil himself, and the car will have a fresh MOT for the sale. The history file contains receipts, Heritage Certificate, importation documentation, handbook and V5C.

Residing overseas, the customer would like the car fully assessed and for a full service to be carried out. There also seems to be some issues with the cooling system and air conditioning which we would also like to look at.

Keep up to date with our progress as we get the car prepared and ready for it’s trip back home to Europe.

Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the 1985 Porsche 911, TAG Heuer Carrera & 2007 Jaguar XKR at Beach Street Felixstowe

May 19, 2022

With the weather getting better and better, the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions team decided to change things up a little bit. For this, we took our latest competition cars down to Beach Street in Felixstowe to find out who the lucky winners were of our amazing 1985 Porsche 911, TAG Heuer Carrera and the 2007 Jaguar XKR.

The setting was perfect by the coast as the late spring sun began to move back towards the horizon. The team set up the cars ready to show everyone online and everyone at Beach Street to look around, including a newly launched 1980 supercharged Mini Van.

After the usual walk around, it was time to find out who’s lucky day it really was. The team input the numbers for the Google Random Number Generator to choose from and then with a single click, it was done.

The winners:

  • 1985 Porsche 911 – Gareth Evans with Ticket Number 4541
  • 2007 Jaguar XKR – William Pearson with Ticket Number 3102
  • TAG Heuer Carrera – Andrew Parry with Ticket Number 2367

It was a brilliant evening for all and we, at Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, want to say a big thank you to Beach Street Felixstowe for inviting us down and we cannot wait to come back soon!

To rewatch the live draw, please see below:

Behind the Scenes – Shooting the 2007 Jaguar XKR

May 6, 2022

The Jaguar XKR is the perfect example of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. An elegant, sophisticated coupe with the heart of a wild animal hidden underneath its long, flowing aluminium bonnet.

The XKR is special in that the 4.2-litre V8 has been fitted with a supercharger to get more power and more torque directly to the rear wheels. Our 2007 Jaguar XKR, is finished in a beautiful bright silver with a contrasting black leather interior, adding yet another level to its hidden talents.

The team at Bridge Classic Cars Competitions were beyond excited to bring this car up to our filming location and shoot the car ahead of its launch. It had been through our restoration workshop to be checked over and given the green light for the team to drive it for filming.

The weather was perfect for this type of car. Bright sun with a few banks of clouds drifting across the Suffolk countryside while the air filled with a V8 rumble only broken by the characteristic whine of the supercharger. The leather seats, modern controls and easy handling made the XKR a perfect car for any occasion.

For lap after lap, Hayley rumbled her way around the film site with the XKR not so much as even breaking a sweat but underneath, you could tell the big coupe just wanted to stretch its legs but was more than happy to lazily drift around the circuit.

And it could be yours! This is the latest competition car. Head over to the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website now for your chance to win this incredible 2007 Jaguar XKR.

Click here to enter

Ready for Brightwork – Ready for Chrome on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

January 13, 2022

The team at Bridge Classic Cars have begun work on the stunning bonnet of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster we have built for a client. With all of the weatherstripping installed into the headlight surrounds, they can now begin with the final brightwork.

All of the chrome for Fern Grey was sent off to a specialist, Wyatt Polishing, for refurbishment and polishing to make sure it looked as good as the rest of the incredible car. Now Paul, one of our in-house technicians, will start the meticulous task of getting the chrome back onto the headlights ready for when the bonnet is finally installed onto the car in the coming weeks.

Expect to see a lot more on the progress of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster here on the Bridge Classic Cars newspage.

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.

Coated – Exhaust for the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

January 11, 2022

The 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster, Fern Grey, is getting closer to completion by the day. Recently our in-house restoration technicians have been working on completing the exhaust for this amazing project.

Our technician Paul has been working on cleaning, preparing and coating the exhausts for the 5 litre V12 that sits at the heart of this E Type. Paul carefully cleaned and prepared the original headers for the car before applying several coats of glossy black exhaust paint. This paint is specific for the use on exhausts as it can withstand incredible high temperatures and the environment.

Paul also worked on cleaning and painting the exhaust brackets for Fern Grey to match the rest of the immaculate underside of the car.

Raising the Roof – Fitting the Soft Top to the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster

January 4, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been incredibly busy just before Christmas. One of the jobs that has been done was fitting the foldable soft top into Fearn Grey, the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster.

Brian, our head trimmer, has been carefully pulling and stretching the new material into place and securing it to the spars on the hood to make sure that the fit and finish on the soft top is perfect with no creases or loose spots. Once it was in place, Brian could then focus on testing the mechanism worked flawlessly up and down without binding up or damaging the new soft top material in any way.

Along with the completely refurbished hard top, Fearn Grey is looking absolutely sensational! and the interior is definitely a massive part of that process.

Wheel of Fortune – Refinishing the Wheels of the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4

December 10, 2021

One of the jobs to be done on the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 was to paint the wheels to a colour matched off white, just the same as the body. So, it was off to the paint shop under the watchful eye of our in-house paint expert Alan.

Finished in a healthy layer of primer, to begin with, the wheels were then prepared to be put in the booth ready for painting. Alan used our state of the art paint mixing computer to find the closest match possible to the existing paint of the MkII in order to get the best match.

Then, with the right amount of paint mixed up and in the gun, it was time to start laying down the first of many coats to get these wheels to look perfect. Alan took his time to make sure the paint fell evenly and was given enough time in-between coats to achieve the best results straight out the gun. And, as you can see the results are absolutely incredible.

Pieces of the Puzzle – Installing the Windscreen of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster

December 8, 2021

The windscreen of the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series III Roadster is now in the car!

This moment has been a long time coming. The curving and elegant windscreen for the E Type is like a jewel in its crown. This completely bespoke Jaguar has been cherished by the in-house restoration teams at Bridge Classic Cars throughout its build so, having one of the final aesthetic pieces complete was a true milestone.

For windscreen removal and installs, we use a local specialist called Car Glass and Trim who we have worked with for many years. Their technicians came out to install the glass into Fern Grey with the same attention to detail and care as our very own technicians. With the windscreen and its seals in place, it was time to let the adhesives cure while Kath and Brian in the trim shop carry on fitting out the E Type.

Back at It – Preparing the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 Engine and Cylinder Head

December 7, 2021

The cylinder head for the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 is back at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. This has been away at a local specialist to be assessed and repaired ready for the car.

Some may remember that our in-house restoration teams found a large chunk of material missing from the leading edge of two valves in the front cylinder. Also, it was discovered along with this that a blown head gasket had been what caused the misfire and running issue noted on the straight-six.

In preparation, Jonn had cleaned up the entire engine block which was discovered to be completely packed with sludge in every coolant galley and water jacket. Jonn has spent hours clearing out all the debris and flushing through the engine block to ensure all is ok when the engine is finally fired up for testing.

Now, it is down to Paul to install the cylinder head on top of the straight-six. For that, he will prepare the new head gasket and double-check all tolerances before the head is finally bolted down.

Expect to see more on the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon.

Falling Inline – The Story of the Jaguar XK Straight-Six

December 7, 2021

Jaguar. A legendary name in both performance and luxury. Just the name is enough to conjure images of elegant, long-legged coupes and saloons powered by the now infamous XK straight-six engine. But, what is the story behind this incredible powerhouse which lived 1000 different lives?

Debuting in 1949, the XK straight-six came with a sizeable 3.4-litre displacement, it was the brainchild of four very important icons in the Jaguar world. Sir William Lyons, William Heynes, Walter Hassan and Claude Bailey. The introduction of this engine however stretches back nearly a decade before. During World War II when the company still went under the name SS Cars, the team were actively seeking and developing replacements for its engine lineup so, during its wartime efforts they worked on the new powerplants for its post-war cars. Jaguar had begun to produce and develop the engine just after the nightmares of war had begun to subside at the end of the 1940s. The cornerstone of these engines was to be higher output, higher quality and higher style, thus the XK Inline-Six was born.

The XK engines first saw service in 1947 with the 3.2-litre units (XJ 6 Cylinder) but during testing of the engines, it was found they severely lacked low-end torque, so the blocks were bored out to 3.4 litres (XK 6 Cylinder) and were destined to be the beating heart of one of the most beautiful cars ever made, the XK120 which broke cover at the 1948 London Motor Show. This would then see the engines fitted to the upcoming MkVII’s and countless other models over its production run.

The cast-iron engine blocks were not the lightest but were highly durable. The construction techniques developed for this engine would push other manufacturers to refine and develop new and improved engines to try and match the level that Jaguar was achieving. Jaguar fitted special vibration dampers to the crankshaft of the engine to absorb and limit the number of frequencies travelling through the crankshaft and ultimately the XK’s split case engine design.

In 1951, Jaguar began work on developing the idea of a smaller displacement but still useable version of XK straight-six. The results for the 2-litre engine were mixed and by 1954 the engine had grown to become a 2.4-litre unit. The engine itself was actually shorted than the bigger displacement engines but remained under the same name and architecture. These engines would be put forward to power the upcoming stylish and sleek saloon, the MkI. The road engines were entirely carburetted until 1978 (the first year of road engines being fuel injected for the US market) but would use a combination of two or three SU’s. Webers or Zenith carburettors except for the MkII 240 which had a set of downdraught Solex units.

From this, all the subsequent Jaguar XK straight-sixes were laid out. Short block engines would make up the smaller displacements such as the 2.4 and 2.8-litre engines and the longer, more torquey powerplants would go anywhere from 3.4 to 4.2 litres by the end of its production. Jaguar officially retired the XK 6-cylinder in 1992 replaced by the newly developed AJ6 platform it used alongside the faithful XK until the AJ6 was then also retired in 1996.

During this incredible engines lifetime, it would see all manner of changes and applications. From racing to agricultural work. Le Mans to Leicester and beyond. This incredible piece of not only industrial design but of engineering excellence and durability should be remembered and revered for the legend it surely is.

Long live the XK Straight-Six.

Preparing for the Next Phase – Continuing Work on the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4

December 6, 2021

Bridge Classic Cars have been working on preparing the 1978 Jaguar MkII 2.4 to prepare it for the next phase of work to begin.

Dave, one of our most experienced in-house restoration technicians, has been working on removing the interior and other parts of the car to begin working through the mechanical jobs on this stunning MkII. Carefully, as each piece is removed from the car, it is then catalogued and safely stored for later during its rebuild.

For now, it’s carefully assess the areas of attention for the owner and coming up with a plan to deliver the best result.

Expect to see more on the 1968 Jaguar MkII 2.4 here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon.

Thorough Clean – Further Cleaning of the Engine of the 1971 Jaguar XJ6

December 6, 2021

Jonn, one of the Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians, has been working on cleaning out the engine block of the 1971 Jaguar XJ6 currently in our workshop.

In the last update, Jonn had discovered the block of the straight-six packed with brown sludge.

Jonn has been working on thoroughly cleaning out every passage inside the engine as well as cleaning up the threads of the head studs. Jonn has methodically worked his way through the entire engine from front to back, cleaning and flushing through any remnants of the dirt.

With this complete, Jonn is confident that the engine block is now completely clear and ready for the next stage of the work to begin.