Search
Close this search box.
My Account
My Account

mercedes restoration

500SL Centre Console

June 30, 2021

Craig’s Mercedes 500 SL restoration has taken a back seat recently but Brian has been working on covering the centre console by pulling tight the

Read More »

Repaired, Painted, And Looking Good

November 28, 2022

Our 1998 Mercedes E240 has recently undergone some repair and paintwork.

Now that this classic car has some new paint, it is looking much better than it did when it first arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and classic car technician Mauro has been putting things back together to get the car ready to move on to the next stage of its stay with us.

Our 1998 Mercedes E240 will eventually be put up for sale. It’s a beautiful car and will make a great addition to someone’s garage in the future.

For now though, we will enjoy admiring it in the workshop.

Paint Repairs – 1998 Mercedes E240

November 22, 2022

Our 1998 Mercedes E240 has been in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop with classic car technician Mauro recently.

Mauro stripped parts of the car down in preparation for paint repairs to be completed. As you can see from the photos below, the main area of focus was on the off-side rear door.

Once Mauro had stripped the door and appropriately prepped it, the paint repairs could be done.

Our 1998 Mercedes E240 already has an improved look since it first arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop and we are looking forward to seeing the finished product very soon.

Guarded – Raptorgaurding the Inner Wings and Bulkhead of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

April 21, 2022

The inner wings and several pieces of the bulkhead from the 1987 Mercedes 500SL have been finished in thick durable Raptorguard by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop.

Alan, one of our painters, has been working on completing this task as part of the final paint stages on the classic Mercedes R107. This stage involved coating several key areas of the car with a thick, durable Raptorguard. This particular product seals the surface from any form of moisture that can find its way inside the metal. So, the team have finished the inside of the front wings and several key parts of the bulkhead and heater matrix.

With this done and now curing, the team can soon begin reassembly of the classic Mercedes 500SL.

The Pursuit of Perfection – The 1987 Mercedes 500SL in Colour

April 1, 2022

The 1987 Mercedes 500SL has been moved from the preparation area at Bridge Classic Cars into the paint shop and then, into our in-house paint booth/oven.

The paint and body team, along with the fabrication shop, have spent a lot of time getting the classic R107 ready for its date with the paint booth making sure each part, panel and piece was perfect before beginning the painting process.

The car is being finished in a classic Mercedes colour, Selenet Grey. Most notably seen on the classic 280SL Pagodas, it was chosen to compliment the beautiful burgundy red interior that the trim team have made for the car.

So, with the car ready it was time for Alan and Nick to go into the booth with the car and lay down the first coat onto the body of the SL. Starting with the engine bay.

Alan began under the transmission tunnel and worked his way up and across the firewall making sure every inch was covered to give each coat an even and flowing look. The inner wheel arches and front core support finished off the first stage. Then, Alan began to work getting the scuttle panel and windscreen surround shot in the dark, deep grey and worked his way back towards the boot on the classic Mercedes.

The rear quarter panels and rocker panels were coloured line by line. Each gently overlapping on the previous to give the consistent and uniform look needed to achieve the flawless finish that comes with Selenet Grey. But with the car having its first coat complete, it was time to let it settle and get the paint mixed for the next round.

The 2nd coat was done in the same order as the first. Alan making sure to get every exposed piece of bodywork coated properly for the uniform look. Again, it was all about consistency and movement in order to achieve the finish on the classic R107. And once the 2nd layer had flashed off, Alan waited for the prescribed time and then shot the 3rd coat to finish off the car.

With that, it was left in the ovens to completely cure and harden. Once it has completely hardened, it will be carefully transferred back to the preparation area in order for polishing and preparation for the next stage.

Out the Box – Brand New Heater Matrix for the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda

March 16, 2022

The brand new heater matrix for the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda has arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in Suffolk ready to go back into the car.

Previously, our workshop technicians discovered a leak under the dash of the classic Mercedes Pagoda and upon inspection discovered the heater matrix was leaking from a previous poor repair on the piece. The original was sent to a specialist to be refurbished but the workshop took the decision to source a brand new component for the car to make sure that everything works exactly as it should when the coolant system is repressurised.

Getting to the Root – Fixing the Rust Areas on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

March 10, 2022

The 1987 Mercedes 500SL has been transferred from our body shop to the fabrication shop at the Bridge Classic Cars workshops.

During the preparation of the body for paint, our body shop noticed some areas of corrosion in some key places. These are being cut out and addressed by our fabricators so the classic Mercedes R107 is in perfect condition to go back into the body shop to have those areas prepared again for paint.

In the Booth – Priming the Panels on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

February 22, 2022

The rest of the panels from the 1987 Mercedes 500SL which is in with Bridge Classic Cars for restoration have been in the in-house spray booth to be finished in bright white primer.

Chris, one of our amazing painters, has been getting the first layers of finishing primer onto the pieces of the classic Mercedes. This is all being done in preparation for the car to be completely refinished in the Mercedes Pagoda colour, Selenit Grau.

It’s all moving quickly now on the restoration of this beautiful Mercedes R107 and we can’t wait to show you the next step!

Preparations – Preparing and Inspecting Components for the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

February 22, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars body team have been working on getting the parts and pieces from the doors of the 1987 Mercedes 500SL prepared and catalogued before being painted and put into storage.

Mauro has been working on checking each of the components before then carefully disassembling and refurbishing anything that needed to be reworked before final assembly on the classic Mercedes.

One Step Closer – More Bodywork and Removing the Window Regulators on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

February 16, 2022

The body team at Bridge Classic Cars are continuing at full pace to get the 1987 Mercedes R107 500SL ready to head into the spray booth.

Mauro has been working on getting every single surface of the iconic grand tourer into perfect shape for our painters to lay down the first coats of ”Selenit Grau”. That is the new chosen colour of the 500SL, originally available on the 280SL Pagodas in the 1960s.

The body team have also worked on getting the window regulators and all brackets, hinges, door strikers etc off of the car and catalogued. Not only for assessment but also to gain access to the inside of the doors to prep them for their new colour.

It’s all moving ahead with the 1987 Mercedes 500SL, and we’re excited to show you the next phase of the restoration on this classic Mercedes.

Upon Inspection – Damage to the Rear Diff Seal on the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda

February 14, 2022

After the installation of the engine and gearbox back into the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda, the team at Bridge Classic Cars have found some historic damage to the rear diff seal on the car.

The technicians at Bridge Classic Cars, as part of the refit, inspected all aspects of the driveline in the iconic Mercedes. Upon inspection of the rear differential, Paul discovered some historic damage to the rear different seal.

This will need to be resolved before the drive shaft can be installed back into the car and begin road testing. Paul has drilled out the original damaged nut to gain access.

Keep a lookout for more updates on the Pagoda here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Safe and Sound – Engine for the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda Installed

February 3, 2022

The 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ has hit a milestone! The engine and gearbox are now safely and securely in the car.

Jon and Paul have been working on the car for the past few days preparing everything for this moment. Carefully, the engine and gearbox were lowered into the nose of this iconic Mercedes sports car. The technicians lowered it inch by inch into the car, checking all the way that it wouldn’t snag or catch on anything. Thanks to the hard work and diligence of our technician Jon in prepping the engine bay, it all went in without a hitch.

With the engine and gearbox firmly in place by our in-house team, Jon could begin getting the wiring and the rest of the pipework all in place and ready to go. Then, the team begin the slow and important task of getting fluids into the new engine for its first start up very soon.

Cleaned Up – Preparing the Engine Bay of the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda

January 27, 2022

The Mercedes 280SL Pagoda is an iconic piece of design and automotive history. Effortlessly stylish and has cultural importance within the car world. This particular 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda is in with Bridge Classic Cars for an engine rebuild which is nearing completion. But, we want the heart and soul of this beauty to be as clean and crisp as the rest of the car.

So, the team at Viper Auto Valet came over to our Suffolk workshop to clean up the engine bay of this classic Mercedes. Colin from Viper has been methodically going through each part of the bay to make sure it is clean of any oil, grease or any other containments. Using specialist treatments, he is working on completely rejuvenating and thoroughly cleaning up this area for when the engine is finished.

With this step in progress, we can’t wait to share with you the results of the treatment. Keep a lookout on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates on the 1969 Mercedes 2680SL Pagoda very soon.

Going Together – Preparing Parts and Fitting the Gearbox for the Engine of the 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda

January 26, 2022

The 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda might just be one of the most beautiful cars we’ve had in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ. But, we want to hear it run and drive.

So, our in-house restoration technician Jon has been working on getting all the parts ready for the car and fitting up the automatic gearbox.

Jon has carefully inspected and refinished most of the reusable metal hoses for the 280SL so that each individual piece looks as good as the day it was new. He also dismantled many of the air and oil boxes/cans so they could be taken into our in-house paint shop and refinished.

Once all the pieces were back on Jon’s bench, he began to reassemble them ready for the engine installation into the car. But before then, a big piece of the puzzle had to be put in.

Jon and Paul prepped the engine to be mated to its automatic gearbox. This has been rebuilt and refinished so it looks as good as the newly built engine. Once the technicians had got the gearbox secured to the back of the engine block with all the internals correctly fitted up and spaced, Jon then began to test fit the various pipes and wires that go to and from the gearbox to make sure everything was present and correct before the next phase begins…

Carrying On – Inspection and Cataloguing Parts from the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

January 25, 2022

Tamas, one of our amazing in-house restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been inspecting and cataloguing the parts and pieces from the 1987 Mercedes 500SL restoration project we are currently carrying out.

Each individual piece has been carefully inspected and noted down on a manifest to identify if anything is missing and what condition each part is in. This is a very important part of any restoration project we undertake here so if anything is needed to be ordered or sent away for refurbishment it can be done in time for the cars final assembly.

Tamas has gone through hundreds and hundreds of parts for this car, each of them has been individually wrapped and then put away into our parts department for safe keeping.

From Scratch – Trimming the Armrests on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

January 24, 2022

The in-house Trim Shop at Bridge Classic Cars can create just about anything. This time, our lead trimmer Brian has been trimming the armrests for the 1987 Mercedes R107 500SL.

Beginning with the original piece, Brian hand-made a template for the new pieces which would find their way onto the armrest of the handsome R107.

Carefully careful traced his patterns onto the same stunning red leather that the rest of the car has been trimmed in. Then, with millimetre precision, Brian cut out the templates ready for when they will be stitched and finished by hand.

Expect to see much more on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

All Gone Through – Cataloguing Parts Off the 1987 Mercedes 500SL

January 21, 2022

Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration team have been busy assessing and cataloguing the next round of parts from the 1987 Mercedes 500SL restoration project.

Tamas, has been going through each individual part to check its part number and operation/condition for when the car comes back in for final assembly. This is a crucial part of any restoration project so that replacements can be sourced or pieces can be sent off for refurbishment.

Expect to see a lot more on the 1987 Mercedes 500SL here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page very soon.

Sealed Up Tight – Fixing the Water Leak on the 1966 Mercedes 250SE Coupe

January 4, 2022

Our Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration technicians were busy testing the 1966 Mercedes 250SE W111 Coupe before its delivery to its new owner when they noted a slight water leak coming from the car.

Once the thermostat was inspected, it was found that this was the cause of the leak. Paul, one of our technicians, removed the component carefully from the car and prepared it for a replacement gasket and reinstalled back into the car. After this has been put back into the car, it will be tested and checked over again.

Headed in the Right Direction – Installing the Rebuilt Steering Box on the 1966 Mercedes 250SE

December 16, 2021

The steering box for the stunning 1966 Mercedes 250SE W111 Coupe is back at Bridge Classic Cars after being refurbished by a local specialist. Now, it’s time to get it back into the car ahead of tonight’s live draw!

Paul, one of our in-house restoration technicians, was given the task of getting the classic Mercedes pointed in the right direction. Carefully pull rechecked the condition of all the splines and arms to make sure once the new steering box went in, it would work perfectly and only add to the experience of driving this incredible classic German coupe.

With the box fitted up into the car and everything tightened, rechecked and tested it was Paul’s job to road test the car and make sure everything was working just as it should. Success! this historic piece of automotive style, luxury and engineering was all set to find it’s new owner later this evening.

Preparing For It’s Big Day – Removing the Steering Box on the 1966 Mercedes 250SE Coupe

November 25, 2021

The 1966 Mercedes Benz 250SE Coupe is in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop today ahead of its competition draw to have its steering box removed.

On assessment by our in-house restoration teams, it was determined that the steering box would need to be removed and sent away to a specialist that we have used for many of our steering box rebuilds in the past. So, with that, Paul began to remove the box from the W111 Coupe.

After carefully pulling the unit from the car and inspecting all other components and systems connected to the steering box, all was deemed to be ok underneath the large german 2 door grand tourer.

There is still time to win this amazing car! Head over to Bridge Classic Cars Competitions to enter now!

Coming Soon – 1969 Mercedes Benz 250SE Automatic W111 Coupe

October 14, 2021

Coming soon to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this stunning 1969 Mercedes Benz 250SE Automatic W111 Coupe!

This will be making its way into us for assessment ahead of the plans that are being considered for its future. This is an incredible example of the W111 and 1960s German luxury which Mercedes were renowned for from its earliest days all the way to the present day.

Keep a look out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for any updates on this gorgeous example.

Start at the Beginning – Preparing for Work to Begin on the 1999 Mercedes E55 AMG.

September 15, 2021

This 1999 Mercedes E55 AMG was recovered into Bridge Classic Cars recently with a hydraulic issue.

Upon inspection, our technicians found that many of the metal lines that run under the vehicle had corroded to the point where some had unfortunately cracked.

Along with the hydraulic lines for the rear brakes and suspension, our in-house technicians also discovered a leak coming from the radiator at the front. On these specific cars, the radiator also acts as a gearbox cooler (with a secondary internal core) which our technicians believe to be the culprit for the suspected leak on the bottom of the pan.

After putting together the list of specific hoses needed to get this exceptional piece of ’90s performance back into safe and working condition, next was the prepare the car for install.

To do this, our technicians had to meticulously go through the rear suspension in order to make sure that the rear axle could be taken out of the car safely and securely. With the rear axle now removed from the back end of the V8 wagon, Paul could start to remove all of the affected hydraulic lines and begin to work his way getting the car ready to accept the new lines.

Expect to see more on this wonderful Super Wagon very soon on our News Page!

The Tactile Feeling – Retrimming the door panels on our 1987 Mercedes 500SL

September 14, 2021

Interior trim is one of the key elements of any restoration, and we here at Bridge Classic Cars have got probably the best in-house trim shop bar none. Take for example this classic car, Craig’s 1987 Mercedes 500SL which is having a whole new interior done by our in-house trimmers. The fit and finish on these custom-made interior pieces are worthy of an article in themselves.

Those of you following the project will know that the original interior was a, once upon a time, dark royal blue but as part of the restoration of the car here at Bridge Classic Cars, the whole interior is being retrimmed in a deep and beautiful Claret Red.

Starting with the original door cards as a template to work from, our in-house trim experts got to work creating new door cards from scratch in order to create the best fit and keep them as close to the originals as possible. Once the new door cards had been shaped, finessed and test fitted it was time to choose the right hide. Matched to this amazing example of 1980s German luxury performance was stunning deep Claret Red. Every mark, indent or locator was carefully and skillfully transferred onto the new door cards by hand to ensure they were an exact match for the existing interior trim pieces.

The deep red colour of the door cards was carefully selected to match the previous material used through the 500SL. The centre console, dash covering and all the other refinished trim work all match up thanks to the expertise and attention to detail that our interior team at Bridge Classic Cars has and the devotion to their craft.

500SL Centre Console

June 30, 2021

Craig’s Mercedes 500 SL restoration has taken a back seat recently but Brian has been working on covering the centre console by pulling tight the fabric and glueing down the stitching.

Behind The Scenes: Mercedes CL 600

June 17, 2021

The team headed over to Bentwaters recently to shot our Mercedes CL600, our recent competition car. Although an overcast day, the lighting was perfect to capture the sheer light interior trim which contrasts with the mahogany beautifully. The paint, which is a subtle pale blue silver, sparkled under the light.