Off To The Sandblasters
October 18, 2022
The body of our 1956 Jensen 541 has been carefully removed ready to be sent for sandblasting. While the body of this rare vehicle is
jensen 541
More Fibreglass Work
October 14, 2022
Classic car technician Alan has once again been repairing and replacing parts of the fibreglass body of our 1956 Jensen 541. He ground back the
Jensen Bonnet Strips
October 10, 2022
Our classic car technician, Clinton, has been making parts that will ultimately go on to be fitted into one of our ongoing Jensen projects. The
A Very Special Roof
October 5, 2022
The history of the Jensen 541 is an interesting story that goes all the way back to 1953. Before the release of the 541, Jensen
More Jensen Parts
October 5, 2022
Classic car technician Paul has been making several different parts that will eventually be used on one of our Jensen restoration projects. These include parts
A Brief History Of The Jensen 541
October 4, 2022
The Jensen 541 was a car produced by Jensen Motors. Each one of these cars has an individual story to tell, but the story of
More Parts For Our Jensens
September 26, 2022
There are quite a few Jensens being restored in our workshop at the moment (7 at the last count including 541s, 541Rs, and an Interceptor
More Work On The Subframe Of Our 1955 Jensen 541
September 23, 2022
More repair work was needed on the subframe of our 1955 Jensen 541. This work has been undertaken and completed. The finished subframe will now
1958 Jensen 541R – Leather Interior
September 22, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has already come a long way since its arrival at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Suffolk. With recent work being
Jensen 541R headlining fitted
September 15, 2022
The roof bars have now been removed to make way for the new foam to be glued and fitted. The bars, covered in the correct
Various Jensen parts being prepared
September 15, 2022
Mauro spent the afternoon in the booth preparing parts for a number of our Jensen projects. Blasted parts have been prepared and painted and will
Re-making the front base cushion covers of our Jensen
September 14, 2022
Using a combination of existing material and brand new designs Lydia has managed to re-produce the templates for the front seat covers for our 1958
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.
Stripped Back – Stripping the Subframe of the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’
September 6, 2022
The subframe for the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’ has been delivered back to the Bridge Classic Cars Pettistree workshop. The subframe has been checked
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
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
Final Drive – Getting the 1958 Jensen 541R Ready for Final Primer
August 9, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has been having its final stages of sanding finished before it is taken into the Bridge Classic Cars paint booth for
Out & About – 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’ at a Car Show
August 8, 2022
The 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’, which was restored by Bridge Classic Cars, has been to several recent classic car shows with its proud owner sending
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
Fitted – Mount, Panels and Hinges Fitted to the 1956 Jensen 541
August 2, 2022
The restoration workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ have been working on getting the various mounts, brackets and hinges into place on the 1956
Taken Apart – Disassembling the 1959 Jensen 541R
July 22, 2022
The teardown of the 1959 Jensen 541R continues at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ. Our restoration technicians have been methodically
Fitting Up – Final Welding of the Door Supports and Mocking Up the Suspension on the 1956 Jensen 541
July 19, 2022
The restoration workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on the 1956 Jensen 541. This time, our technician Rob has been
Stripped – Tearing Down the Seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 19, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have begun work on stripping back the rear seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R in with our team
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.
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
Stripped Back – Stripping Down the Bonnet and Windows on the 1959 Jensen 541R
July 11, 2022
As part of the restoration journey, the 1959 Jensen 541R has had its bonnet and windows stripped back by the Bridge Classic Cars workshop 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
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
Off To The Sandblasters
October 18, 2022
The body of our 1956 Jensen 541 has been carefully removed ready to be sent for sandblasting.
While the body of this rare vehicle is out of the workshop, classic car technician Alan has been doing some work on the bonnet, boot lid, and bonnet flap. These have all had a coating of epoxy primer ready for the final coats to be added later on.
More Fibreglass Work
October 14, 2022
Classic car technician Alan has once again been repairing and replacing parts of the fibreglass body of our 1956 Jensen 541.
He ground back the cracks in the bonnet before covering it in a new sheet of fibreglass.
In addition to this, Alan also reinforced all the bonnet supports as they were weak and loose. Once this had been done, the bonnet went on to be prepped on both sides ready for its coat of epoxy primer.
Jensen Bonnet Strips
October 10, 2022
Our classic car technician, Clinton, has been making parts that will ultimately go on to be fitted into one of our ongoing Jensen projects.
The bonnet strips he made can be seen in the photos below.
A Very Special Roof
October 5, 2022
The history of the Jensen 541 is an interesting story that goes all the way back to 1953. Before the release of the 541, Jensen Motors predominantly used aluminium to make the bodywork of their Interceptors. Interestingly, the boot lid of the Jensen Interceptor though was made from fibreglass.
Fibreglass was not commonly used in car manufacturing at the time, so when Jensen released the 541 with a fibreglass body, it was actually the first European production car to be made in this way.
At Bridge Classic Cars, we have a wealth of experience in restoring classic Jensens. Considering only a few hundred 541s were made, we have had several come through our workshop and undergone restoration work with us.
Our classic car technicians work hard to make sure the restored cars are as close to the original specifications as possible. That’s why Alan has been doing some very special work to repair the fibreglass roof of our 1956 Jensen 541.
This type of work may not be seen in many other workshops so we had to take some photos of Alan at work as the restoration of this classic Jensen continues.
More Jensen Parts
October 5, 2022
Classic car technician Paul has been making several different parts that will eventually be used on one of our Jensen restoration projects.
These include parts such as seat runners, bonnet supports, gutter trim, and door frames. All of these will go on to be further prepped before being installed in one of the cars.
Paul also tested Jensen heater box fans as well as cleaning them, painting them, and reassembling them.
A Brief History Of The Jensen 541
October 4, 2022
The Jensen 541 was a car produced by Jensen Motors. Each one of these cars has an individual story to tell, but the story of the Jensen 541, in general, is one that many car enthusiasts should be keen to hear.
If you want to know more about these truly iconic classic cars, then this brief history of the Jensen 541 can give you a good idea of how special (and rare) these cars really are.
October 1953 – The Launch Of The Jensen 541
At the Earls Court Motor Show of 1953, the Jensen 541 was shown to the public for the very first time. It would be another eight months before production properly started but, this was the date when the world was officially introduced to the 541.
Up until the 541, Jensen had mostly been using aluminium for the bodywork of their Interceptors (there were restrictions on the use of steel still in place as the world recovered from the second world war). When it came to making the boot lids of the Interceptors though, Jensen played around with a new material of the time – fibreglass.
When working on the idea for the 541, Jensen wanted to do something big, so they decided to make a lot more of the car from this new wonder material.
June 1954 – Production Begins
In June of 1954, production of the Jensen 541 began. At the time, you could buy your very own 541 for £2146.
October 1956 – Say Hello To The 541 Deluxe
A little over 2 years after production of the 541 began, the 541 Deluxe was introduced. As this was a more luxurious car that featured all disc brakes, the price of the car increased to £2626.
Only 53 Jensen 541 Deluxes were made in total.
October 1957 – Here Comes The Jensen 541R
A year later, the 541R was introduced. When first released, these were fitted with Austin Princess (DS7) twin-carb engines, and an overdrive gearbox. The price tag for a 541R, at the time, was £2866.
January 1958 – No More Original Jensen 541
At the beginning of 1958, the very last Jensen 541 was made.
October 1960 – From R To S
Two years later, the Jensen 541R was pulled from production too. At this point, less than 200 541Rs had been made. Jensen had now moved on to the Jensen 541S which had a larger interior, and automatic transmission as standard. Due to these upgrades, the 541S cost £3195.
January 1963 – The End Of The Road
At the beginning of 1963, production of the Jensen 541S ended. Less than 150 had been made before being replaced by the Jensen CV-8 which had been introduced the previous year (1962).
Bridge Classic Cars And The Jensen 541
Jensens have had a strong presence in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for a long time. Our team of classic car technicians have restored multiple 541s and some of our current projects include a few more too.
Considering only a few hundred of these classic cars were made, we love seeing them in the workshop. We love working on them, and we love getting them back on the road for everyone to enjoy.
More Parts For Our Jensens
September 26, 2022
There are quite a few Jensens being restored in our workshop at the moment (7 at the last count including 541s, 541Rs, and an Interceptor MK3).
As there is a lot of work to get done on these classic cars, it’s usually very beneficial to bulk produce some of the smaller parts so they are always available if and when our classic car technicians need them.
Clinton has been busy handcrafting several components that will eventually go on to be part of several of our Jensens. As you can see from the photos below, he has been making bonnet hinges and rear seat location pins. Even small parts like this play a big role in classic car restoration.
More Work On The Subframe Of Our 1955 Jensen 541
September 23, 2022
More repair work was needed on the subframe of our 1955 Jensen 541.
This work has been undertaken and completed. The finished subframe will now be able to offer the support it needs to, in order to keep the classic car running smoothly and safely when it is fully restored.
1958 Jensen 541R – Leather Interior
September 22, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has already come a long way since its arrival at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Suffolk. With recent work being completed on the front and rear seats, attention turned to the leather that would be covering the interior bodywork.
The material selected perfectly complements the dark blue interior that the finished 541R will have. This also pairs nicely with the metallic body and lobelia blue roof that the paint team gave the Jensen a few weeks ago.
Skilfully cutting out the templates to ensure the leather was ready to be installed before glueing them into position takes a bit of time and patience – something that our classic car technicians have in vast quantities.
The finished job has an impressive look and perfectly fits in with the work completed so far on this classic car.
Jensen 541R headlining fitted
September 15, 2022
The roof bars have now been removed to make way for the new foam to be glued and fitted. The bars, covered in the correct material are then screwed back into position. The headlining is then positioned and carefully glued around the edges before being tightened and secured. Finally, access is gained in the new material for the interior light wiring.
Various Jensen parts being prepared
September 15, 2022
Mauro spent the afternoon in the booth preparing parts for a number of our Jensen projects. Blasted parts have been prepared and painted and will now be wrapped up ready for reassembly.
Re-making the front base cushion covers of our Jensen
September 14, 2022
Using a combination of existing material and brand new designs Lydia has managed to re-produce the templates for the front seat covers for our 1958 Jensen 541R.
With these templates a new seat of covers can be made and the base cushions can be fitted.
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!
Stripped Back – Stripping the Subframe of the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’
September 6, 2022
The subframe for the 1955 Jensen 541 ‘Number 8’ has been delivered back to the Bridge Classic Cars Pettistree workshop.
The subframe has been checked over and all areas in need of repair have been noted by the workshop for our amazing fabrication shop to carry out getting the piece back to full strength and squareness.
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.
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.
Final Drive – Getting the 1958 Jensen 541R Ready for Final Primer
August 9, 2022
The 1958 Jensen 541R has been having its final stages of sanding finished before it is taken into the Bridge Classic Cars paint booth for its last stage of primer.
The classic Jensen has been worked on by the body team to perfect each curve and shape across the entire car as a whole. Then, some of the panels were taken into the booth to have their final coat of primer before the bodyshell is taken in soon.
Out & About – 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’ at a Car Show
August 8, 2022
The 1960 Jensen 541S ‘Peony’, which was restored by Bridge Classic Cars, has been to several recent classic car shows with its proud owner sending us over some photos of the gorgeous classic Jensen GT car in pride of place.
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.
Fitted – Mount, Panels and Hinges Fitted to the 1956 Jensen 541
August 2, 2022
The restoration workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ have been working on getting the various mounts, brackets and hinges into place on the 1956 Jensen 541.
To begin with, our technician Rob made new arch filler panels which bridge the gap between the frame and the fibreglass body, blending the two together for strength and alignment.
Then, he could turn his attention to the various hinges around the classic GT car. At the front, Rob made a new strengthening bracket which sits behind the fibreglass for the bonnet hinges. The brackets are welded into the firewall and chassis for rigidity and to take the load of the one-piece clamshell bonnet.
At the rear, the workshop team mounted the boot hinges in place and use the boot lid for mock-up to adjust the placement of hinges to make sure the panel fitment is just right for the car.
Taken Apart – Disassembling the 1959 Jensen 541R
July 22, 2022
The teardown of the 1959 Jensen 541R continues at the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ.
Our restoration technicians have been methodically stripping down the classic GT car to assess and inspect any of the parts which have been taken off the car. One technician, Paul, has been working on stripping down the rear end of the car such as the boot with all of the accompanying fittings and hardware being removed and catalogued.
At the same, Jon has been working in the engine bay of the car. He has been carefully removing the various pipework which runs along the firewall and bulkhead of the car. All of this will be catalogued and reported on its condition.
Fitting Up – Final Welding of the Door Supports and Mocking Up the Suspension on the 1956 Jensen 541
July 19, 2022
The restoration workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on the 1956 Jensen 541.
This time, our technician Rob has been finishing up adjusting and finish welding the door supports for the car. With all of the supports and brackets perfectly in place to get the door gaps and alignment right, Rob could then finish welding all of the pieces into place including the all-important A pillar post.
With that now complete, the team could get the front suspension mocked up and into place. To begin with, the team worked on aligning the front tower in just the right place to then be spot-welded to the new frame and the controls arms mocked up into place to check measurements.
Stripped – Tearing Down the Seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R
July 19, 2022
The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have begun work on stripping back the rear seats of the 1958 Jensen 541R in with our team for paint and trim work.
Lydia, one of our trimmers, has carefully unpicked the covers to expose the foam core underneath. All of these pieces are being used for reference as part of the work, so are carefully organised and stored for the time being.
Once the covers had been taken off, Lydia could then begin piecing together and shaping out the new foam which will make up the core of the new rear seat of the 541R.
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.
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.
Stripped Back – Stripping Down the Bonnet and Windows on the 1959 Jensen 541R
July 11, 2022
As part of the restoration journey, the 1959 Jensen 541R has had its bonnet and windows stripped back by the Bridge Classic Cars workshop team.
The restoration technicians have got everything back to its core components in order to evaluate their condition and operation. Anything that can be refurbished will be worked on to make the pieces as good if not better than new.
Everything removed from the car has been carefully catalogued and put into storage for later in the restoration process.
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.
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.
