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left hand drive conversion

Going Back Together – 1970 Bristol 411 Reassembly

July 28, 2022

The workshop at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ have begun the process of getting the interior of the 1970 Bristol 411 following its in-house LHD conversion.

The trim team recently installed the carpet set into the floor of the classic GT car, and from there the workshop team could start to put the seats and all other pieces into the car. Along with that, they can start to align all the panels as part of its aesthetic work and finish off getting the trims and wiring/plumbing routed in the engine bay.

In Place – Fitting the Oil Filter, Power Steering Pump and Servicing the Brakes on the 1970 Bristol 411

May 20, 2022

The workshop team have completed the next round of jobs on the classic Bristol 411 in for a left-hand drive conversion at Bridge Classic Cars.

The first stage was to mount the oil filter housing to the opposite side of the engine bay after the conversion. The team have made sure that each component will not interfere with each other and also have enough space to be able to be safely worked on during the service of the car in the future.

Then, the team have carried out the final test fit of the power steering pump to the engine of the classic Bristol using the specially fabricated brackets. These will be taken off the car and finished in matching black to the other bracketry in the engine bay.

Next up, the team will be performing a full brake service on the classic GT car with a full inspection of seals, lines and pistons.

Mounted – Securing the New Power Steering Pump on the 1970 Bristol 411

May 20, 2022

The restoration team in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ have begun to fix the position of the new Power Assisted Steering Pump as part of the carts left-hand drive conversion by our workshop.

With the pump in place, the team could begin to inspect and assess the areas around the pump to make sure that the all-important belt isn’t interfered with or is in the way of anything else. For this, the team have made a custom set of brackets to hold the pump on the engine and perfectly in line with the other pulleys which will drive it.

Continual development of our Bristol LHD conversion

May 19, 2022

More images have made their way over to Gary and the guys at Re-Go Autoparts as we continue with the development works on our 1970 Bristol 411. Faced with a lot of challenges so far, Gary has been paramount at assisting with our needs and working alongside us to achieve the desired outcome.

A brief history of Re-Go Autoparts – established in 1985, Rego Autoparts is synonymous with high-quality remanufactured steering components. The Lenco brand carried by the owners of Rego Autoparts has been trading since the 1970’s.

Specialists in the left-hand-drive market, Lenco has comprehensive catalogues listing models of every car manufacturer from Alfa to Volvo, for steering racks, steering boxes and steering pumps.

Lenco is a Certified TecDoc Data Supplier. Since 2004 we have continued to uphold the standards for ISO9001 with incorporation of TS16949, ISO14001 and ISO18001.

Lenco reconditions steering components made by all O-E-manufacturers, e.g. TRW, Koyo, Saginaw, ZF, SMI, Mando, Atsugi, Hitachi, Young-Shin etc.

Specializing in supply to large distributors who in turn service buying groups, wholesalers and garages, Lenco has an extensive range of reconditioned stock in mainland Europe enabling supply of orders quickly and efficiently.

Lenco has a vast stock of ‘old core’ units covering the majority of its catalogue applications, enabling us to supply rare and high-demand applications without hassle. In the unlikely event that we do not have an old unit to recondition, we can recondition the customer’s unit.

Lenco has remanufacturing facilities in the UK and Belgium. In addition to the factories there is a logistics warehouse in Belgium handling the stock and distribution of the combined factory outputs.

Every unit produced by the factories is tested and warranted with a 2-year unlimited mileage.

Key Points – Progress on the 1970 Bristol 411

May 17, 2022

The restoration team in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ have been making progress on the 1970 Bristol 411 in for its left hand drive conversion.

The team have begun the work by rebuilding and fitting out the modified firewall/bulkhead with the necessary systems moved from one side of the firewall to the other. This has been done for the next stage where the team have fitted up the heater hoses and pipes from the heater box under the dashboard of the classic Bristol.

After this, the team moved to the underside of the car to begin work on several jobs that need to be completed. The first, was to fit the newly fabricated jacking plates onto the car. These could now be fitted after the repairs carried out to the sills of the car and everything being structurally sound.

Next, was a quite badly corroded area in the battery compartment of the classic Bristol. This was cut out with a new plate welded in its place to strengthen the floor of the area.

Whilst under the car, the team noticed some corrosion to boot floor support which had been filled with fibreglass but corroded through to the boot floor on the near side rear of the car. This area was carefully marked and cut out of the car in preparation for the new piece to be templated and welded into the car making the boot floor stronger and sealed.

Closing Up – Replacing the Sill Straps and Closing Panels on the 1970 Bristol 411

April 21, 2022

After carefully opening up the sills of the 1970 Bristol 411 and thoroughly inspecting them, our technicians have begun the process of sealing them back up in the car.

The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have hand fabricated new sills straps and new closing panels for the classic Bristol after inspecting the inner sills for any form of corrosion. The originals had to be cut out of the car and couldn’t be reused so our fabrication team made brand new, tight-fitting and durable panels to replace them.

The original flanges were cleaned up and straightened to give a good mounting surface for the workshop to weld the new panels back into place and seal up the underside of the classic Bristol.

All By Hand – Hand Stitching Dash Pieces for the 1970 Bristol 411

April 13, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working alongside the workshop team on the left-hand-drive conversion of the 1970 Bristol 411.

In the last update, we showed you getting the dash panel pieces test fit into the car but our trimmer Lydia took some detailed photos showing the process of hand-cutting and stitching these beautiful black leather pieces together to make the final covers.

Retrimmed – Dash Panel on the 1970 Bristol 411 Retrimmed

April 11, 2022

The dash panels of the 1970 Bristol 411 have been completely refurbished and retrimmed by the trim team at Bridge Classic Cars.

These pieces have been trimmed in black to match the original dash pad covering and to work around the new LHD conversion being carried out by the restoration workshop. With these pieces now finished, the team can begin to refit them into the car.

Final Placement – Fitting and Fully Welding the Steering Rack Mounts for the 1970 Bristol 411

April 11, 2022

The steering rack mounts for the 1970 Bristol 411 have been final welding into the engine bay of the classic GT car.

As part of the left-hand drive conversion that our team are carrying out on the car, new steering rack mounts had to be made to move the rack from one side of the car to the other. Because of the forces put through the piece, the mounts have been welded onto thicker metal plates which have been grafted into the car to strengthen the piece.

Changes – Modifying Dash Trim and Making the Glove Box Insert on the 1970 Bristol 411

April 1, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on modifying and creating parts for the dash of the 1970 Bristol 411 for a left-hand drive conversion.

The dash cover and panel have been modified and stripped in order to work with the new placement of the ignition barrel and steering column. The ignition barrel also needed several small brackets made to reattach it to the column after the change over from right to left which after this was completed, meaning the whole piece could be recovered.

The team also handmade a new glovebox insert to work around the different bracketry and supports which now lay behind it.

Handmade – New Glovebox for the 1970 Bristol 411

April 1, 2022

The 1970 Bristol 411, which is having a LHD conversion carried out, has had a brand new glovebox insert made by our incredible trim shop.

Because of the change around in placement, the original insert conflicts with several brackets behind the glovebox itself. So, Brian has made one entirely from scratch built specifically for the car by hand. He took measurements from the car in our workshop to get the best fit possible and also keep it the same volume inside as the original.

It’s a beautiful piece for this unique and special project.

Support and Extend – Progress on the Left-Hand Drive Conversion of the 1970 Bristol 411

March 25, 2022

The left-hand drive conversion of the 1970 Bristol 411 has been moving forward in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ.

Paul has worked on building a new bracket that changes the angle of the steering column. This is needed for the steering column to be at the correct orientation and angle to meet up with the pinion of the new steering rack.

The wiring behind the dash has also been worked on as part of the conversion. Paul has worked on extending several key parts of the dash harness since its move in the car. These have been carefully cut, soldered and protected for future use.

Test Fit – Trial Fitment of the New Steering Rack on the 1970 Bristol 411

March 22, 2022

The all-new steering rack for the 1970 Bristol 411 has been test fit into the car by the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop.

As part of the cars left-hand drive conversion, the technicians have specced a brand new power-steering rack. Previously, the workshop has been busy making new plates and brackets for this moment.

With the new rack in place, the technicians can take measurements and double check tolerances for any interference which may happen.

Fabrication – Brackets and Mounts Fabricated for the 1970 Bristol 411

March 22, 2022

The Bristol 411 left-hand drive conversion is moving forward with new mounts and brackets being fabricated by the restoration team in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.

Paul has made new glovebox brackets to reinforce behind the dashboard now the dash has rotated.

The biggest change has been underneath the car. Paul has made new plates that will be used to attach the all-new steering rack for the conversion. The pieces were cut to shape and then carefully refined to fit into the car.

Progress – Brake Lines, Wiring Harness, Steering Locks and Brake Reservoirs on the 1970 Bristol 411

March 16, 2022

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been progressing on the left-hand drive conversion of the 1970 Bristol 411.

Paul has been working on getting several key pieces of the conversion completed. Firstly he has made all new brake lines for the car since the master cylinder and reservoir have been moved in the engine bay. Each of these was handmade and flared to the exact needs of the car.

Next up was the wiring harness for the dashboard. Each of the wires will need to be precisely lengthened with the change in position for several key components.

In preparation for the new steering rack for the car, the existing lock stops on the steering box had to be removed for space to fit the new system into the classic Bristol.

Finally, with everything in the correct place orientation, Paul could lengthen the wires which go to and from the brake reservoir.

Making Room – New Throttle Pedal on the 1970 Bristol 411

March 11, 2022

As part of the left-hand drive conversion on the 1970 Bristol 411 currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, the team have had to make a new throttle pedal for the car.

The conversion to the classic Bristol is moving along quickly, but part of the changeover is relocating the throttle pedal of the classic car. Paul has had to remanufacturer a throttle pedal to get the new set up to work correctly. Along with this, the routing of the wiring loom has also had to be changed to allow the throttle mechanism and the pedal itself free movement without risk of being caught on any part of the loom.

Changes – Modifying the Dash Surround of the 1970 Bristol 411 Left Hand Drive Conversion

March 10, 2022

The trim shop at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ in Suffolk have been working alongside the restoration workshop to convert the 1970 Bristol 411 to left-hand drive.

Part of that is modifying the dashboard of the car to the correct orientation in the cabin. With everything on the dash being moved from right to left, the instrument cluster needed to be reworked to line up with the existing woodwork and supports.

Referencing the car and the original dash pieces, Brian could make the precise and crucial cuts in the cluster to not only allow the wooden panel to sit in place but so that the existing material could be fitted back into the new cut with a perfect fit.

Changes – Working on the Steering Column of the 1970 Bristol 411

March 9, 2022

As part of the left-hand drive conversion of the Bristol 411, the Bridge Classic Cars workshop technicians have had to adapt the original column and shrowd to the new orientation.

Whilst the majority of the bulkhead and firewall have been adapted to the new left-hand drive conversion of the car, our restoration technician Paul has turned his attention to the steering column of the car. Especially the ignition barrel.

When the car was right-hand drive, the barrel would sit out at an angle and allow the driver to easily insert the key but, after the shrowd had been moved to the other side of the column as part of the conversion, the key couldn’t be easily put into the ignition. So, Paul worked on reworking the shrowd, column and barrel to get the access to the ignition as easy as possible for the new owner.

Revisions – Modifying the Heater box of the 1970 Bristol 411

March 7, 2022

The 1970 Bristol 411 which is in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop to be converted to left-hand drive has to have several important pieces in the engine bay modified to fit the application.

One of these pieces is the heater box of the classic Bristol. The inlets and outlets of the heater box, once it has been rotated during its relocation across the firewall, were in entirely the wrong orientation. This means that our restoration technicians have had to modify and relocate each of the individual outlets. Along with that, other openings in the heater box has had to be blanked off and reopened 180 degrees out.

Piecing Together – Relocating the Heater Box of the 1970 Bristol 411

March 4, 2022

The 1970 Bristol 411 in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop is continuing with the modifications needed for its LHD conversion.

Paul is working on moving each of the components over from one side of the engine bay to the other. This not only involves modifying the firewall/bulkhead but also the components themselves. A lot of the pieces needed to be adapted for left-hand drive use by being rotated and changed in order for the necessary lines and vents to line up after moving from one side of the car to another.

All of these pieces are first test fit onto the car before being welded in to complete the conversion on this unique 1970 Bristol 411.

Remove and Replace – Stripping Down and Modifying the Firewall of the 1970 Bristol 411

March 1, 2022

The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have been stripping down and modifying the firewall/bulkhead of the 1970 Bristol 411 for its conversion to left-hand drive.

Our technician Paul, has been removing all necessary bracketry and components from the car in order to change over any of the pieces from one side to the other. With pieces being moved around in the engine bay, he has welded created replacement pieces which will be welded in to plate over and then any access or holes that need to be made can be cut into the new material.

The Start of Something Great – Work Begins on the 1970 Bristol 411

February 15, 2022

This 1970 Bristol 411 which has been stored at our secure storage facility, The Hangar, has been moved to our Pettistree workshop for work to begin on this amazing project.

This car was acquired by us for a customer based in Europe who has asked to carry out a series of works on the car including a left-hand drive conversion which we are getting asked more and more by clients if we can carry out. But before any of that work can begin, our teams will check the entire car over.

The first step is to get the car running. Our workshop technician have had to a light recommission of the to get it running and make sure that all the systems work correctly such as cooling and oiling. The technicians have reported that all was okay once the V8 had been run up to temperature and sat happily at temperature. The other piece that our workshop have completed is reinstating the chrome core support guard which carries the cars build plate, this is now safely back on the car for all to see.

This is going to be a very exciting project for the Bridge Classic Cars workshop on an amazing car.

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