Getting Ready – Preparing to Remove the Engine on the 1959 Jensen 541R
August 3, 2022
The engine from the 1959 Jensen 541R is due to come out of the frame any day now as part of the restoration of the
jensen 541 restoration
To The Core – Stripping Back More Interior Pieces on the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 2, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on stripping back more interior pieces from the 1958 Jensen 541R. Lydia, one of our
Progress – New Seat Mounts and Panel Adjustments on the 1956 Jensen 541
July 28, 2022
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have been making good progress on the 1956 Jensen 541 at our Suffolk HQ for restoration. To begin with,
Update – Progress on the 1956 Jensen 541
July 22, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop have made great progress on the 1956 Jensen 541. Our technician, Rob, has been working on the front end of
Check – Checking Door Clearance on the 1956 Jensen 541
July 14, 2022
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars are in the process of getting the doors aligned and adjusted to the body of the 1956 Jensen 541.
Inside the Workshop – 1958 Jensen 541R in Primer
July 13, 2022
Check out the latest video from Bridge Classic Cars! We go into the paint booth as the team get primer on the 1958 Jensen 541R.
Crossing Over – New Door Skin and More Roof Framework on the 1956 Jensen 541
July 13, 2022
The 1956 Jensen 541 has had some new parts and pieces fitted during its build-up in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ.#
Stronger Together – Roof and A Post Brackets for the 1956 Jensen 541
July 12, 2022
The workshop team have made new strengthening brackets for the roof and A-Pillar of the 1956 Jensen 541 which is in for restoration. Rob, one
Come Together – Bolting the Roof and Rear Bodywork to the 1956 Jensen 541
July 11, 2022
The restoration workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have bolted the roof and rear bodywork to the new frame of the 1956 Jensen
Refurbished – Refurbishing Pieces from the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 7, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been working on more pieces of the 1958 Jensen 541R. Lydia first worked on the seats of the
Masked Up – Bodyshell of the 1958 Jensen 541R Ready for Primer
July 7, 2022
The bodyshell of the 1958 Jensen 541R has been moved into the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth. The team carefully cleaned off any dust,
First Step – 1958 Jensen 541R Body Panels in Epoxy Primer
July 6, 2022
The first panels from the 1958 Jensen 541R have been moved into the in-house paint booth/oven here at Bridge Classic Cars for its next step
Starting Anew – New Seat Base Foams for the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 6, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have worked their skill and craft in making the brand new seats foams for the 1958 Jensen 541R.
Remove & Rebuild – Teardown, Refurb and Refoam of the 1958 Jensen 541R Seats
July 5, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on refurbishing the front seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R which is in at our
Fine Adjustments – Adjusting the Framework of the 1956 Jensen 541
July 4, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars has been making the fine adjustments to the inner framework of the 1956 Jensen 541 in with us
Inside Work – Stripping The Interior of the 1959 Jensen 541R
July 4, 2022
The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working with our workshop to carefully and completely remove the interior from the 1959 Jensen
Teardown – Stripping Down the 1959 Jensen 541R
July 1, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the process of carefully stripping down the 1959 Jensen 541R ahead of its restoration beginning. The
Perfect Lines – Bodywork on the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 1, 2022
The body shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been refining the bodywork on the 1958 Jensen 541 after its fibreglass repairs have cured. The team
Progress – Framework Fit on the 1956 Jensen 541 Chassis
July 1, 2022
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars is working on the chassis of the 1956 Jensen 541 currently in for its full restoration by us here
Strip Down – Tearing Down the Seats and Panels of the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 1, 2022
The trim team have begun the interior side of restoring the 1958 Jensen 541R. The first stage is to strip back the fibreglass bucket seats
This Just In – 1955 Jensen 541 Arrives at the Bridge Classic Cars Workshop
July 1, 2022
The 1955 Jensen 541, which records show is the 8th car ever built, has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ. The team recently
Inspect & Assess – Inspecting the Chassis for the 1960 Jensen 541R ‘Lilac’
June 29, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars team are currently in the process of stripping back and inspecting the chassis for our 1960 Jensen 541R, Lilac. The team
Fine Adjustments – Bracing the 1956 Jensen 541 Chassis
June 29, 2022
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the fine adjustments to the chassis of the 1956 Jensen 541 in for restoration. The
Perfect Finish – Wheel Wells on the 1956 Jensen 541 in Primer
June 28, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team have been working on perfecting the wheel wells of the 1956 Jensen 541. After the team had
First Fire – Firing Up the 1959 Jensen 541R for the First Time
June 28, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have fired up the ‘Barn Find’ 1959 Jensen 541R for the first time in several years. The team
Inspection – The Bridge Classic Cars Paint & Body Team Inspecting the 1958 Jensen 541R
June 28, 2022
The paint and body team at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been out to inspect the 1958 Jensen 541R which arrived yesterday at
The First Steps – Work Begins on the 1956 Jensen 541 Chassis
June 28, 2022
The 1956 Jensen 541 chassis which arrived back at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ recently has been moved into our restoration workshops for the team
This Just In – 1958 Jensen 541R Arriving from Holland
June 27, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop welcomed the latest arrival to our Suffolk HQ recently, another very special Jensen. This 1958 Jensen 541R is actually one
This Just In – 1959 Jensen 541R
June 24, 2022
The 1959 Jensen 541R which has been up for sale and stored at our secure storage facility, The Hangar, has been transferred over to our
Getting Ready – Preparing to Remove the Engine on the 1959 Jensen 541R
August 3, 2022
The engine from the 1959 Jensen 541R is due to come out of the frame any day now as part of the restoration of the car by Bridge Classic Cars.
For this, the team have been preparing all the surrounding areas to make sure the engine cannot get hung up or caught on anything on its way out of the classic GT car.
To The Core – Stripping Back More Interior Pieces on the 1958 Jensen 541R
August 2, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars has been working on stripping back more interior pieces from the 1958 Jensen 541R.
Lydia, one of our trimmers, has carefully been taking apart the original pieces all the way back to their core components in order to inspect and assess the structure underneath. Each of the pieces was taken off and visually checked over individually.
Progress – New Seat Mounts and Panel Adjustments on the 1956 Jensen 541
July 28, 2022
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have been making good progress on the 1956 Jensen 541 at our Suffolk HQ for restoration.
To begin with, our technician Rob, has made and welded in the new seat mounts into the specially made chassis of the classic GT car and ground them smooth to blend them into the cross member.
After that, Rob could begin to adjustment refine the fitment of the doors by carefully reshaping the front and rear wings to achieve a uniform door gap on both sides of the car.
Update – Progress on the 1956 Jensen 541
July 22, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop have made great progress on the 1956 Jensen 541.
Our technician, Rob, has been working on the front end of the classic Jensen. To begin with, he fully welded in the suspension towers onto the new chassis. This is a crucial stage as it also acts as a tie-in for the front wing braces and forms part of the core support.
Next, Rob could fit the new wheel arches and begin to make the new brackets now that the towers were firmly in place, and accurate measurements could be taken to ensure the inner arches/wings sat squarely in the car and to the frame.
With all of these pieces firmly in place, Rob could begin to test fit the lower part of the front wing. This could then be adjusted for the right fitment and alignment to the body to act as one of the datum points with the fibreglass front end is fitted.
Check – Checking Door Clearance on the 1956 Jensen 541
July 14, 2022
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars are in the process of getting the doors aligned and adjusted to the body of the 1956 Jensen 541.
To begin with, our technician Rob welded in the A-pillar bracing fully before offering up the door frame. Once in place, he could then begin to check throughout the opening and the door for any interference or clearance issues which needed to be adjusted out before the door skin is test fit and the process done again to double-check.
All of these parts of the build are crucial to the final fit and finish of the car.
Inside the Workshop – 1958 Jensen 541R in Primer
July 13, 2022
Check out the latest video from Bridge Classic Cars! We go into the paint booth as the team get primer on the 1958 Jensen 541R.
This is the first stage of getting the fibreglass-bodied GT car in perfect condition before its Ice Blue Metallic paintwork.
Crossing Over – New Door Skin and More Roof Framework on the 1956 Jensen 541
July 13, 2022
The 1956 Jensen 541 has had some new parts and pieces fitted during its build-up in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ.#
The team have test fit a new door skin to the frame to make sure everything lines up and fits as it should before then fitting the door to the frame to check for any interference from the door to the bodywork or the various pieces of the framework on the classic 1950s GT car.
Once the door had been checked, Rob, could begin working on the roof frame on the other side of the car. This was offered up and any adjustments needed to make sure it had a correct tight fit up to the roof panel while still being squared and aligned to the other side of the car.
Stronger Together – Roof and A Post Brackets for the 1956 Jensen 541
July 12, 2022
The workshop team have made new strengthening brackets for the roof and A-Pillar of the 1956 Jensen 541 which is in for restoration.
Rob, one of our restoration technicians, has handmade the brackets which are done specifically for each area of the car to tie the various pieces together. After shaping and test fitting, the A-Pillar support could be welded into the car and then the rear roof bracket was welded into the frame after being bolted to the roof.
All of this is part of the process of getting the classic Jensen body into perfect alignment before it is handed over to our in-house body and paint team.
Come Together – Bolting the Roof and Rear Bodywork to the 1956 Jensen 541
July 11, 2022
The restoration workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have bolted the roof and rear bodywork to the new frame of the 1956 Jensen 541 for the first time!
After making the careful and delicate adjustments to the framework and chassis of the classic Jensen, the team could begin the process of mocking up the full rear bodywork onto the car to check for any interference or binding.
Refurbished – Refurbishing Pieces from the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 7, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have been working on more pieces of the 1958 Jensen 541R.
Lydia first worked on the seats of the 541R with stripping down the backrests and beginning to re-foam the piece.
Then, it was time to strip down and completely refurbish the centre-console cubby for the interior of the classic Jensen. Stripping everything back to its base components, remaking some parts and cleaning up others in order to get all the parts ready to be retrimmed.
Masked Up – Bodyshell of the 1958 Jensen 541R Ready for Primer
July 7, 2022
The bodyshell of the 1958 Jensen 541R has been moved into the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint booth.
The team carefully cleaned off any dust, debris or dirt from the classic GT before it was then masked up and cleaned down once more in preparation for the team to begin laying the epoxy primer on the fibreglass shell.
First Step – 1958 Jensen 541R Body Panels in Epoxy Primer
July 6, 2022
The first panels from the 1958 Jensen 541R have been moved into the in-house paint booth/oven here at Bridge Classic Cars for its next step into colour.
After numerous hours perfecting the panels and body of the classic Jensen, the pieces were handed over to the paint team for their work to begin. Beginning, with epoxy primer. Each of these parts had several coats of the hard wearing base coat for the team to rework and then repeat the process with several different primers in order to have a perfect base to lay down the Ice Blue Metallic soon.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars website very soon for more on the incredible 1958 Jensen 541R.
Starting Anew – New Seat Base Foams for the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 6, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have worked their skill and craft in making the brand new seats foams for the 1958 Jensen 541R. The team discovered what was left of the original cushion material after the covers were removed and could then begin to build them out of new, more modern materials.
Lydia, one of our amazing trimmers, carefully put together the combinations of foams in different thicknesses and densities to give the right amount of support once the seat base is all back together.
Once the pieces had been put together, Lydia could begin to hand shape the foams to their original contours to slip under the new covers which will be made by our in-house team.
Remove & Rebuild – Teardown, Refurb and Refoam of the 1958 Jensen 541R Seats
July 5, 2022
The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on refurbishing the front seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R which is in at our Suffolk workshops from Holland.
The interior of the car has been put in the hands of our trimmer Lydia who has been working on stripping down the original seat ahead of not only its rebuild but its new colour.
To begin with, the team have separated the front and back of the fibreglass bucket seat in order to begin removing the original black coverings which have been put to one side as use for references in the new templates. Then, the team could begin separating the foam from the bases.
Once completed stripped down to its base components, the team could sand back the pieces and anything that needed to be repainted could be done properly.
After that, Lydia could work on setting the new foam pieces into place before beginning to refine and contour them into the correct shape and form for the new blue coverings which the team will make specifically for the car.
Fine Adjustments – Adjusting the Framework of the 1956 Jensen 541
July 4, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars has been making the fine adjustments to the inner framework of the 1956 Jensen 541 in with us at our Suffolk HQ for restoration.
Rob, one of our technicians, has carefully had the fibreglass body panels placed around the framework and on top of the chassis of the classic Jensen to check for any adjustments needed to get the bodywork fit and square on the 541. Bit by bit, he has made adjustments to the steel pieces to allow the body to sit correctly on top of the chassis.
Not only was this for the rear clamshell but for the all-important fibreglass roof and windscreen panel.
Inside Work – Stripping The Interior of the 1959 Jensen 541R
July 4, 2022
The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working with our workshop to carefully and completely remove the interior from the 1959 Jensen 541R as part of its restoration journey.
Brian, one of our trimmers, has removed everything from the inside of the 541R. All of these pieces will be stored to use as a template and if anything can be reused or refurbished for the car. Everything from the headliner to the seat runners have been taken out of the car for the team to carefully look through and assess.
Teardown – Stripping Down the 1959 Jensen 541R
July 1, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the process of carefully stripping down the 1959 Jensen 541R ahead of its restoration beginning.
The workshop team have worked alongside our trimmers to remove everything from both the inside and outside of the classic GT car. Even under the front clamshell, the wiring and various hoses have been removed in preparation for the 4 litre straight-six engine to be pulled out.
Once this is complete, the team can begin to remove the bodywork from the frame to assess and inspect the running gear move thoroughly.
To see some more detailed shots from our workshop on the teardown of the 1959 Jensen 541R, check them out below:
Perfect Lines – Bodywork on the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 1, 2022
The body shop at Bridge Classic Cars have been refining the bodywork on the 1958 Jensen 541 after its fibreglass repairs have cured.
The team use a specialist fibreglass filler to perfect the lines on the classic 1950s GT car and make sure that everything is just right for the car. The team will only use filler where absolutely necessary and the vast majority will be completely sanded from the body.
This is the first step into the team getting the car ready for its Ice Blue respray.
Progress – Framework Fit on the 1956 Jensen 541 Chassis
July 1, 2022
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars is working on the chassis of the 1956 Jensen 541 currently in for its full restoration by us here in Suffolk.
Recently the team have been working on adjusting and refining the brand new chassis for the classic GT car. Now with the majority of the reinforcements and adjustments in place, the team can begin to fit up the various framework pieces which create the substructure for the body.
A network of cross-linked metal channels combine to create the skeleton of the car. The team had to make sure the chassis was perfect before this could be done to ensure the framework sits exactly where it should do at this key stage.
Strip Down – Tearing Down the Seats and Panels of the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 1, 2022
The trim team have begun the interior side of restoring the 1958 Jensen 541R. The first stage is to strip back the fibreglass bucket seats and rear panels.
The team carefully unpick all of our restoration pieces, catalogue each piece and store it for templating later. With the team having done over a dozen Jensen 541 interiors by this point, they have perfected the art of disassembly on them.
The team begin by separating the base from the back and then remove everything down to its fixings, covers and foams in order to inspect and assess any of them.
The team also stripped down the handmade rear quarter panels to their coverings, backboards and the hand shape wooden framework.
This Just In – 1955 Jensen 541 Arrives at the Bridge Classic Cars Workshop
July 1, 2022
The 1955 Jensen 541, which records show is the 8th car ever built, has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ.
The team recently picked up the classic Jensen from its previous owner in Lincolnshire before being bought home to Suffolk for our team to inspect. As soon as it came out of our enclosed trailer, the workshop technicians began to roughly reassemble the car’s panels back onto the framework before it was loaded back up and taken to our secure storage facility, The Hangar, to await its commission.
Keep a look out here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon for more updates on this very early 1955 Jensen 541.
Inspect & Assess – Inspecting the Chassis for the 1960 Jensen 541R ‘Lilac’
June 29, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars team are currently in the process of stripping back and inspecting the chassis for our 1960 Jensen 541R, Lilac.
The team have been looking into the depth of any corrosion and also to the extent of previous repairs to the chassis which will need to be rectified and corrected by the team to bring this frame back to better than new.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page soon for more updates on the 1960 Jensen 541R.
Fine Adjustments – Bracing the 1956 Jensen 541 Chassis
June 29, 2022
The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the fine adjustments to the chassis of the 1956 Jensen 541 in for restoration.
The team are beginning to weld in the necessary braces and panels as the sides and roof structure begin to be put onto the brand-new frame. For a job such as this, the team are having to make sure that each dimension and axis of the chassis is square when it is welded in. Carefully, the team have moved around the frame to allow for this and gently push and pull certain places in order to bring them into line before welding them in permanently to tie the whole piece together.
Perfect Finish – Wheel Wells on the 1956 Jensen 541 in Primer
June 28, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team have been working on perfecting the wheel wells of the 1956 Jensen 541.
After the team had finished with the careful resin and fibreglass filler work, the team brought them into our in-house paint booth/oven to have their first coats of primer.
The team have carefully blended aluminium and fibreglass to remake and repair the wheel wells so the primer has covered these seamlessly blends. The wells will be now put into storage for the reassembly stage of the restoration.
First Fire – Firing Up the 1959 Jensen 541R for the First Time
June 28, 2022
The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have fired up the ‘Barn Find’ 1959 Jensen 541R for the first time in several years.
The team used a small electric fuel pump to feed the carburettors, cleaned up the spark plugs and it fired up first time! The 4-litre straight-six ran absolutely perfectly with our workshop manager Jon at the wheel and our senior technician Dave handling the fuel.
Take a look at this amazing moment at our Suffolk HQ.
Inspection – The Bridge Classic Cars Paint & Body Team Inspecting the 1958 Jensen 541R
June 28, 2022
The paint and body team at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop have been out to inspect the 1958 Jensen 541R which arrived yesterday at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ from Holland.
Chris and Mauro inspected the body for damage and areas which need repair or refinement in order to come up with a plan to get this stunning 1950s GT car into the best shape possible before heading into the booth for its paintwork.
The car will be finished in Ice Blue Metallic with a Lobelia Blue roof by the team for its owner.
The First Steps – Work Begins on the 1956 Jensen 541 Chassis
June 28, 2022
The 1956 Jensen 541 chassis which arrived back at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ recently has been moved into our restoration workshops for the team to begin work on the brand-new frame.
At this stage, Rob is preparing the blank bulkhead to be fitted onto the car in preparation for its left-hand drive conversion. Carefully he has set the pieces into place along the bulkhead before using another 541 chassis next to it in the workshop as reference. This will be used as a guide for hole diameters and orientation purposes for the brand new, hand-made chassis for the 1956 Jensen 541 undergoing its restoration journey.
Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1956 Jensen 541 restoration very soon.
This Just In – 1958 Jensen 541R Arriving from Holland
June 27, 2022
The Bridge Classic Cars workshop welcomed the latest arrival to our Suffolk HQ recently, another very special Jensen.
This 1958 Jensen 541R is actually one of the prototype cars produced by Jensen as a proof of concept for the automatic gearbox option. It is also believed one of its original owners was part of the Lever family, which went on to become the global company behind Unilever.
It also features a custom, handmade grille which was made by the owner for the car that the team will incorporate into the reassembly for its owner but our team will be delivered to the customer with its signature radiator flap, a key element of the 541R.
This 1958 Jensen 541R has come to us from the Netherlands for our body and trim teams to work their craft on the classic GT car. The car will be fully assessed for any repairs that need to be made before it is refined and worked on by the body team while the trim shop begins work on the interior of the classic 541R.
The car will be finished in Ice Blue Metallic with a Lobelia Blue roof by the paint team with a complimenting dark blue interior and grey piping.
We’re always excited to welcome another 541 into the Bridge Classic Cars family and can’t wait to show you the progress very soon on this special 1958 Jensen 541R.
Have a look at the gallery below of the 1958 Jensen 541R as it arrived on its trailer from Holland!
This Just In – 1959 Jensen 541R
June 24, 2022
The 1959 Jensen 541R which has been up for sale and stored at our secure storage facility, The Hangar, has been transferred over to our Pettistree restoration workshop to begin its journey.
The classic Jensen has been commissioned to be built by our workshop from the ground up for its new owner.
Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates very soon on the 1959 Jensen 541R.
