Interior work on our Jensen 541
November 8, 2023
Some additional shaping was needed to the floor mats upon inspection. Lydia cut down the sides slightly and shaped the back edge. She added a
jensen 541 restoration
A New Coat Of Paint
April 5, 2023
Some good progress has been made on our 1956 Jensen 541 recently. After being prepped and primed, the body and various components have been painted.
Refurbishing Jensen Carbs
January 31, 2023
Classic car technician Scott has refurbished a set of carbs from a Jensen 541. We have had a number of Jensen 541s in the Bridge
Repairing A Hole In The Bonnet
October 6, 2022
Not only has classic car technician Alan been busy repairing the fibreglass roof of our 1956 Jensen 541, but he has also been repairing a
Together – 1958 Jensen 541R In Full Bodywork
September 9, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has worked on getting all the panels onto the car to double-check fitment after paint. The team have put the one-piece
Winner – 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’ Wins at Classic at Glemham 2022
September 9, 2022
The 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’ which was restored by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house team has won Best Restored Car at Classic at Glemham 2022.
Finishing Touches – Finishing The Seat Pockets and Rear Seat Bases on the 1958 Jensen 541R
September 9, 2022
The trim shop at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ have been working on more parts of the 1958 Jensen 541R. The team have been working
Inside – Working on the Interior of the 1958 Jensen 541R
September 9, 2022
With the paint shop now finished with the 1958 Jensen 541R, the Bridge Classic Cars trim team can begin working on the interior of the
Repaired – Repairing the Subframe for the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’
September 8, 2022
The subframe for the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’ has been reworked by the Bridge Classic Cars team. The part was in need of some
Back and Sides – Handmade Seat Parts for the 1958 Jensen 541R
September 2, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been working on making more of the handmade parts for the interior of the 1958 Jensen 541R. This
Teardown – Stripping Down the Body of the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’
September 1, 2022
The 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’ has been further stripped down by the Bridge Classic Cars workshop team. The workshop have removed the roof and
Check Over – Inspecting the Subframe from the 1960 Jensen 541R ‘Lilac’
September 1, 2022
The subframe from the 1960 Jensen 541R has arrived back at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop after being sent away for blasting. The team sent
Inspection – Checking the Blasted Subframe from the 1959 Jensen 541R ‘Hepburn’
August 30, 2022
As part of the restoration of the 1959 Jensen 541R ‘Hepburn’, several key pieces along with the body and chassis have been blasted by a
Trimmed – Trimming the Glovebox of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 30, 2022
The original glovebox on the 1958 Jensen 541R has been completely stripped back in order to be retrimmed by the Bridge Classic Cars team. The
Up Front – Trimming the Front Seats on the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 30, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars trim team have been busy stripping down and retrimming the front seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R. The team have stripped
Teardown Begins – Beginning to Teardown the Trim on the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’
August 25, 2022
As part of the inspection on the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’ by the Bridge Classic Cars team, the workshop have begun to tear down
Centre Piece – Retrimming the Armrest of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 24, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been making progress on the interior of the 1958 Jensen 541R. The team have retrimmed the centre
In Colour – Body of the 1958 Jensen 541R Painted
August 23, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has been back into the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth to have its body painted. The team began by getting
Success – The 1960 Jensen 541S Wins Best Car
August 22, 2022
The 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony Red’, which was restored by the Bridge Classic Cars team, has won Best Car 1956 to 1980 at the 2022
Remake – Replacing the Broken Ceiling Pad on the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 22, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars interior trim team have been back working on the 1958 Jensen 541R. The team have been repairing the top rail for
Stripped Back – Stripping Down the Suspension from the 1959 Jensen 541R for Blasting
August 22, 2022
The suspension and steering components of the 1959 Jensen 541R have been carefully removed from the car in preparation for them to be sent off
The Next Phase – 1956 Jensen 541 Moves into Body Prep
August 22, 2022
The 1956 Jensen 541 has been moved from the Bridge Classic Cars workshop to begin its bodywork journey. As part of its restoration, the team
Close Contact – Retrimming and Stripping Interior Pieces of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 17, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on more of the interior pieces of the 1958 Jensen 541R in at our Suffolk
Built-Up – Making The Rear Seat of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 17, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars interior trim team have been working on making the rear squab seat of the 1958 Jensen 541R from scratch. Brian, one
Watercolour – Artwork of our 1959 Jensen 541R From Helmingham
August 16, 2022
Local artist Paul Seymour has sent us in this beautiful watercolour painting of our 1959 Jensen 541R that he sketched at our stand at this
Headed Off – The 1959 Jensen 541R Off to Blasting
August 12, 2022
The 1959 Jensen 541R ‘Hepburn’ has been completely stripped back to a bare shell by the Bridge Classic Cars workshop as part of its restoration
Final Stage – The 1958 Jensen 541R in Final Primer
August 10, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint booth to have its final stage of primer laid down onto the bodyshell.
Finesse – Sanding the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 5, 2022
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the 1958 Jensen 541R in preparation for the colour stage of its
Fine Touch – Working on the 1956 Jensen 541
August 5, 2022
The 1956 Jensen 541 has been worked on in the Bridge Classic Workshop at our Suffolk HQ to have several parts on the car adjusted
Coming Out – Teardown Continues on the 1959 Jensen 541R
August 5, 2022
The 1959 Jensen 541R in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop has been stripped down even further in pursuit of the car’s total restoration. This
Interior work on our Jensen 541
November 8, 2023
Some additional shaping was needed to the floor mats upon inspection. Lydia cut down the sides slightly and shaped the back edge. She added a rubber floor mat to the drivers side to give some protection for the mat.
The front carpet mats have been altered to improve the fit and she also located the seat bars to secure the seat bases to the sliding rail. Heat shrink has been added to the end of these to give them a better finish.
Most of the interior is now complete. The centre arm rest storage has been fitted and the front seats are now secured in as well. Just awaiting the capping pieces for the door cards to be finished.
Cutting and fitting weather strips to the door tops, adjusting the ends of the door cappings so the doors close properly. Lydia has cut out insert panels for the door panels, covering insert panels in leather and fitting to the door panels, fitting door panels back onto the car.
A New Coat Of Paint
April 5, 2023
Some good progress has been made on our 1956 Jensen 541 recently. After being prepped and primed, the body and various components have been painted. As you can see from the images below, the new colour looks great and was the perfect choice from the owner of this classic car.
While Chris was painting our 541, classic car technician Brian was working on the interior. He cut out the under-dash panels along with the kick panels and air vent holes.
Refurbishing Jensen Carbs
January 31, 2023
Classic car technician Scott has refurbished a set of carbs from a Jensen 541.
We have had a number of Jensen 541s in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop so the team here is very used to working on these rare and beautiful classic cars.
These carbs were refurbished for a customer and, as you can see from the photos below, Scott has done a great job in refurbishing them.
Repairing A Hole In The Bonnet
October 6, 2022
Not only has classic car technician Alan been busy repairing the fibreglass roof of our 1956 Jensen 541, but he has also been repairing a hole in the bonnet too.
He repaired the inside first by attaching some meshing which would provide more support for the repair. Once the inside of the hole was sealed, he then repaired the outside.
Repairs like this may seem small but they require high levels of skill and form an important part of the overall restoration project.
Together – 1958 Jensen 541R In Full Bodywork
September 9, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has worked on getting all the panels onto the car to double-check fitment after paint.
The team have put the one-piece clamshell bonnet and both doors and boot lid onto the classic GT cars to begin adjusting and checking over everything to make sure there’s no interference and damage any of the paintwork.
It’s incredible to see the car together as a whole and see all of the various lines and curves which blend into one another on the body of the car.
Winner – 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’ Wins at Classic at Glemham 2022
September 9, 2022
The 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’ which was restored by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house team has won Best Restored Car at Classic at Glemham 2022.
It’s amazing to see the reception and accolades that this particular Jensen has been chalking up since being completed by the workshop here at our Suffolk HQ. We can’t wait to see what it does next!
Finishing Touches – Finishing The Seat Pockets and Rear Seat Bases on the 1958 Jensen 541R
September 9, 2022
The trim shop at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ have been working on more parts of the 1958 Jensen 541R.
The team have been working on finishing up the amazing fluted rear seat bases. Each line of the fluting has been carefully stitched by hand by Lydia closely following the original as a reference. The covers are now finished and stretched around the bases.
After that, Lydia could work on getting the handmade seat pockets attached onto the back of the front seats before trimming the hoop base and fitted it to the underside of the seat back.
Inside – Working on the Interior of the 1958 Jensen 541R
September 9, 2022
With the paint shop now finished with the 1958 Jensen 541R, the Bridge Classic Cars trim team can begin working on the interior of the car insitu.
To begin with, the trim shop have made new wooden bases for the front seats of the classic 541R which have been made specifically to fit each individual seat perfectly. Along with that, the team could make the new rear window trim rib, which was cut and refined by hand to ensure the best possible fit of the arch by the rear window of the classic GT car.
The trim shop then used the old door cards to begin templating for the new handmade pieces for the aesthetic rework of the 541R. Brian has carefully refined each door card to fit tightly into the door while also leaving enough room for the material which will wrap around the fibreglass panel.
Then finally he could make the kick panels. These were template and then transferred to ply wood.
Repaired – Repairing the Subframe for the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’
September 8, 2022
The subframe for the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’ has been reworked by the Bridge Classic Cars team.
The part was in need of some repairs and revisions so was taken to the bench for the restoration technicians to rework. The team have completely remade some of the tabs and mounts which will be needed for it to be reattached to the frame while also reinforcing certain areas.
Back and Sides – Handmade Seat Parts for the 1958 Jensen 541R
September 2, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been working on making more of the handmade parts for the interior of the 1958 Jensen 541R.
This time, Lydia has been working on trimming the backs and sides of the front seats. Each of these parts, including the foam pieces, have all been made and cut specifically for each of the seats to get the best fit for them both.
Lydia has carefully stretched and pulled the material to make sure there were as few creases and folds as possible. The bases will be finished with the cushion and bases that will help to pull the material of the bases taught.
Teardown – Stripping Down the Body of the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’
September 1, 2022
The 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’ has been further stripped down by the Bridge Classic Cars workshop team.
The workshop have removed the roof and rear bodywork from the early 541 to expose its chassis to be thoroughly inspected. The fibreglass parts have been put away into storage after being catalogued for when the classic GT car is ready for restoration.
Check Over – Inspecting the Subframe from the 1960 Jensen 541R ‘Lilac’
September 1, 2022
The subframe from the 1960 Jensen 541R has arrived back at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop after being sent away for blasting.
The team sent away the subframe for blasting to get a better look at the condition of the piece. Once it arrived back, the team have noticed that several of the mounts and brackets are heavily bent and misshapen while the bottom of the subframe has some areas of corrosion.
The subframe will be taken over to our in-house fabrication shop to be repaired and further checked over.
Inspection – Checking the Blasted Subframe from the 1959 Jensen 541R ‘Hepburn’
August 30, 2022
As part of the restoration of the 1959 Jensen 541R ‘Hepburn’, several key pieces along with the body and chassis have been blasted by a local specialist.
Our workshop team can now more thoroughly inspect each of the pieces which make up the front subframe. Inspecting the welds and bends but also assessing all the mounting points and brackets.
The subframe will be stripped down further and then any repairs needed carried out.
Trimmed – Trimming the Glovebox of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 30, 2022
The original glovebox on the 1958 Jensen 541R has been completely stripped back in order to be retrimmed by the Bridge Classic Cars team.
The original piece was carefully taken apart by the team to assess its condition. After inspecting, the team had to remake the wooden pieces for the glovebox before then retrimming it black vinyl ready to go back on the car when the time comes.
Up Front – Trimming the Front Seats on the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 30, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars trim team have been busy stripping down and retrimming the front seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R.
The team have stripped the seats all the way back and removed any old padding or coverings to begin to remake the seats to the customer’s specifications. Each piece has been completely hand-cut and made for the seats to ensure the best possible fit and finish for the car.
These were then put together over the modern foam backings to finish.
Teardown Begins – Beginning to Teardown the Trim on the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’
August 25, 2022
As part of the inspection on the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’ by the Bridge Classic Cars team, the workshop have begun to tear down all the trims, doors and windows for the car.
This is to check the function and condition of each individual piece which will be put together in their report.
Centre Piece – Retrimming the Armrest of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 24, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been making progress on the interior of the 1958 Jensen 541R.
The team have retrimmed the centre console/armrest on the classic Jensen. Each individual piece has been hand-cut and finished to give it the best possible fit. The team retrimmed the top piece in leather whilst the rest of the part is done in colour-matched vinyl as well as some of most of the others pieces from the interior of the car.
In Colour – Body of the 1958 Jensen 541R Painted
August 23, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has been back into the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth to have its body painted.
The team began by getting the doors and grille painted in a dark silver/bronze colour, contrasting against the beautiful dark blue of the roof. Then, each piece was clear coated and left to cure.
The body was then taken into the booth to be finished. Chris, one of our amazing painters, laid down layer after layer of the paint letting it cure before applying the clearcoat which is being left to harden before it can be sanded and fully polished to a mirror-like finish.
Here are some photos of what it looks like together:
Success – The 1960 Jensen 541S Wins Best Car
August 22, 2022
The 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony Red’, which was restored by the Bridge Classic Cars team, has won Best Car 1956 to 1980 at the 2022 Stonham Barns Classic Vehicle Display.
It’s amazing to see the reception this beautiful classic Jensen has received every time it goes to a show!
Remake – Replacing the Broken Ceiling Pad on the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 22, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars interior trim team have been back working on the 1958 Jensen 541R.
The team have been repairing the top rail for the ceiling pad inside the classic GT car. The team have remade the wooden piece by hand using traditional methods to make a total replica of the original piece for the car.
Stripped Back – Stripping Down the Suspension from the 1959 Jensen 541R for Blasting
August 22, 2022
The suspension and steering components of the 1959 Jensen 541R have been carefully removed from the car in preparation for them to be sent off to a local specialist for blasting.
As part of the cars ground-up restoration, the team will have these pieces carefully and methodically blasted before being brought back to our Suffolk HQ to be thoroughly inspected.
Each piece has been catalogued and readied for their next phase.
The Next Phase – 1956 Jensen 541 Moves into Body Prep
August 22, 2022
The 1956 Jensen 541 has been moved from the Bridge Classic Cars workshop to begin its bodywork journey. As part of its restoration, the team will go through every panel and gap to make sure everything is absolutely perfect before it is painted.
Before then, our restoration workshop have worked on every aspect of the body and frame of the classic 541. This 541, being a very early car noted by the very thin body contour that extends from the rear arch, sits on top of a brand new handmade frame made especially for this particular car and incorporates the early style front suspension. The final finishing touch the workshop had finished was the stunning aluminium sill caps which were capped and fitted to the car along with the new lower front wing and door skins.
All of these identifiable pieces will be worked on and perfected by the in-house body shop team.
Close Contact – Retrimming and Stripping Interior Pieces of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 17, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on more of the interior pieces of the 1958 Jensen 541R in at our Suffolk HQ.
To begin with, our trim Lydia has retrimmed some of the interior trim panels in new leather to go towards the elegant and stylish final finish on the car. All of these pieces have been specially tailored and glued tight onto the panels to get the right fit and finish for the car.
Next, Lydia began by stripping back the original glovebox on the car to be prepared and readied to be refinished to the rest of the interior.
Built-Up – Making The Rear Seat of the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 17, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars interior trim team have been working on making the rear squab seat of the 1958 Jensen 541R from scratch.
Brian, one of our trimmers, has handmade each of the wooden pieces before fitting them together and refining their shape before the various coverings and foams are installed.
Watercolour – Artwork of our 1959 Jensen 541R From Helmingham
August 16, 2022
Local artist Paul Seymour has sent us in this beautiful watercolour painting of our 1959 Jensen 541R that he sketched at our stand at this years Helmingham Hall Classic & Sports Car Festival.
We brought along the 541R which is in the early stages of its restoration with us.
We’ve even got some photos of Paul at work while he roughed out the sketch which you can see below and head over to his website and check out some of the other amazing artwork he has done and the tuition courses he offers.
Headed Off – The 1959 Jensen 541R Off to Blasting
August 12, 2022
The 1959 Jensen 541R ‘Hepburn’ has been completely stripped back to a bare shell by the Bridge Classic Cars workshop as part of its restoration and to prepare it for blasting.
The bodyshell has been loaded onto a rotisserie for media blasting so that every part of the frame and body can be got to and exposed with the carefully selected blast media. The bodyshell was then loaded onto one of our trailers to be transported to a local trusted specialist to carry out the job.
Once complete, it will come back and be inspected and assessed by the restoration departments.
Final Stage – The 1958 Jensen 541R in Final Primer
August 10, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint booth to have its final stage of primer laid down onto the bodyshell.
The team have been working hard to prepare the bodywork of the classic GT car. Every surface has been carefully sanded, worked and primed several times over to make sure everything is perfect.
Then the final glass-like primer could be sprayed onto the bodyshell and left to cure properly in our in-house oven.
Finesse – Sanding the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 5, 2022
The paint and body team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the 1958 Jensen 541R in preparation for the colour stage of its work with us.
The team have been sanding and finessing each individual panel in the pursuit of absolute perfection we aim to achieve on all of our restoration projects. Chris, one of our paint and body technicians, has been using varying sandpapers and abrasives to get into every shape and curve across the body of the classic GT car.
Fine Touch – Working on the 1956 Jensen 541
August 5, 2022
The 1956 Jensen 541 has been worked on in the Bridge Classic Workshop at our Suffolk HQ to have several parts on the car adjusted and refined.
Our technician Rob first fabricated the new handbrake bracket/mount. This was bent up and shaped before the original piece was cut off the frame and the new piece welded on after having its hole and mounts put in.
Then it was time to move to the outside of the car and finesse the one-piece fibreglass bonnet. Rob has worked on adjusting the panel in every axis possible to get the unit to sit properly on the car. Once roughly in shape, Rob made new strengthening brackets which mount inside the fibreglass clamshell.
The final piece was to adjust and finesse the flange on the gearbox tunnel to perfectly meet up with the large single-piece gearbox cover that mounts up to the firewall.
Coming Out – Teardown Continues on the 1959 Jensen 541R
August 5, 2022
The 1959 Jensen 541R in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop has been stripped down even further in pursuit of the car’s total restoration.
This time, our technicians have been working on completely clearing out the engine bay. To begin with, all of the simple and easy pieces were removed from the car to be inspected and catalogued. Then, with everything out of the way, the straight-six engine and its gearbox could be gently removed from the car.
Every single piece that comes off the car has been safely put into storage.
