Our SL returns with a noise…
June 27, 2024
Firstly, we have road tested the vehicle to experience what the customer is experiencing.Found the noise to be coming from the nearside rear wheel so
mercedes
Bridge Van Check-Up
April 26, 2024
The Bridge Classic Cars 2005 Mercedes Vito recently came into the workshop so Jonn could give it a health check. Here’s what he did:
Mercedes 230SL – possible engine rebuild
March 22, 2024
Arriving in with us this week is our 1964 Mercedes 230SL. The car has come in for a possible engine rebuild but at this stage
Mercedes Front Hubs
October 25, 2023
Jonn has been working on our 1987 Mercedes 500SL. He assembled the wheel bearings and hubs and fit them to the car. New discs were
Headliner Finished
April 28, 2023
Classic car technician Brian continued his work on our 1993 Mercedes E220 and recently finished repairing the headliner of this classic car. He glued the
A New Arrival
April 12, 2023
Our 1993 Mercedes E220 has just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. While with us, it is having its headliner repaired as it was
For Sale – 1998 Mercedes E240
December 7, 2022
Our 1998 Mercedes E240 is for sale! This is a beautiful car that has only covered 34,000 miles from new. Very little work was needed
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
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
Refurb – Wheels from the 2012 Mercedes SLK250
March 8, 2022
The wheels on the 2012 Mercedes SLK have seen better days. There’s some corrosion and paint flaking around the hub centres which is a common
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
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
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
Tear Repair
September 14, 2021
We have an inquiry as to whether we could repair a rip in the seat of a modern Mercedes. As you can see it is
Investigation work continues on the Mercedes engine…
August 26, 2021
Ady has been investigating the engine on the 1976 Mercedes 350SL. Initially we were lead to believe this to be a running car but unfortunately
Aztec Gold Mercedes coming this way!
August 11, 2021
Another car which we have recently purchased is this 1976 Mercedes R107 350 SL. With the exterior of the car painted in Aztec Gold and
Engine out for the Pagoda!
August 3, 2021
Paul has successfully removed the engine from our beautiful blue 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda. The engine will be rebuilt by Ady and the engine bay
Local Man wins £100,000 Mercedes Cl600
July 8, 2021
Graham Cousins entered one of our classic car competitions. His ticket, number 382 was drawn and today he has come to our classic car workshop
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
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
Mercedes CLK 200 Finished
May 26, 2021
Our 2006 Mercedes CLK200 came in for some small paint and bodywork touch ups which have now been completed. The wheel arch dent has been
Work Van Needs Some TLC
May 25, 2021
We’ve had to replace the flywheel, prop shaft and clutch as well as the front lower ball joints as the clutch was slipping. Now with
Mercedes CLK200 In For Paint
May 25, 2021
We will occasionally get in cars that push the term ‘classic’. This 2006 Mercedes CLK 200 isn’t quite classic status but its certainly on its
Spot The Difference
May 12, 2021
Notice anything about these two images? We were stunned to see the difference in colour once Colin for Auto Valet had cleaned the seats on
Behind The Scenes: Mercedes CL500
May 12, 2021
Take a look at the full photo gallery for our Mercedes CL500:
New Mercedes In
April 15, 2021
This stunning 1986 420SL has just come in for a re-commission. Our technicians will take a look over this classic to evaluate what needs to
Mercedes CL600 V12 Arrival
April 7, 2021
This stunning modern classic arrived recently and is being prepared to be launched soon. After its had a thorough clean and a service, the team
Mercedes 500SL Dash and Panels
March 29, 2021
The trim shop has started on Craig’s 1987 Mercedes 500SL trim which is being done in a Claret red. Kath has been painstakingly pouring over
Bridge Van Awaiting New Graphics
March 25, 2021
Our company van has been serviced and refurbished so it’s now running smoothly. We’re currently awaiting new graphics to be designed and applied, which we’re
New Mercedes Coming In Soon
March 9, 2021
This metallic green classic 1986 Mercedes 420SL is coming in soon to be re-commissioned and assessed to see how much needs doing to it. We
Our SL returns with a noise…
June 27, 2024
Firstly, we have road tested the vehicle to experience what the customer is experiencing.
Found the noise to be coming from the nearside rear wheel so we have stripped out wheel hub and replace wheel bearing.
Whilst the car is in with us, we have fitted a DAB radio with DAB aerial and microphone.
We’ve also had reported to us a smell of fuel so we have looked into this also. Having stripped out the boot linings to check all fuel pipes we have not found there to be any leaks.
We have remove the dash cluster in order to replace the left hand bulb assembly.
The car is now ready to go but as the weather is so beautiful, the customer has asked us to store his hardtop in the summer months. Great choice. If you have a car, motorcycle or even a hardtop to store check out our amazing storage facility.
Bridge Van Check-Up
April 26, 2024
The Bridge Classic Cars 2005 Mercedes Vito recently came into the workshop so Jonn could give it a health check. Here’s what he did:
- Check lights and levels
- Secure loose trim under the nearside front bumper and check gear linkage etc
- Adjust the park brake via cable
- Refit nearside sliding door rubber
Mercedes 230SL – possible engine rebuild
March 22, 2024
Arriving in with us this week is our 1964 Mercedes 230SL. The car has come in for a possible engine rebuild but at this stage we are not convinced that this work is required. We want to carry out a few tests and checks before we make the decision of whether the engine needs to be removed.
Mercedes Front Hubs
October 25, 2023
Jonn has been working on our 1987 Mercedes 500SL. He assembled the wheel bearings and hubs and fit them to the car.
New discs were also fitted before the wheels were refitted. Jonn checked and adjusted the bearings. The bearing nut needed to be tightened, which Jonn did as well as fitting a dust cap.
Headliner Finished
April 28, 2023
Classic car technician Brian continued his work on our 1993 Mercedes E220 and recently finished repairing the headliner of this classic car.
He glued the wood to the back of the headliner board for the rear blind hooks before glueing the foam to the board too. Brian then glued the headliner material to the board and fitted a velcro strip behind the sunroof opening.
The board was fitted into the car and the light was put back into the rear of the roof. The grab handles were reinstalled, as were the front pad and sun visors. Brian fitted the metal trims to the edge of the sunroof and the headliner repair was complete.
A New Arrival
April 12, 2023
Our 1993 Mercedes E220 has just arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
While with us, it is having its headliner repaired as it was sagging upon its arrival. Classic car technician Brian has already been working on the repair. He started by undoing the grab handles followed by the B-post panels. The sun visors were removed and the front pad was loosened.
The metal trims that go around the sunroof opening were next to be removed before the headliner board was released. Brian then removed the material from the board and cleaned the glue off of both the board and the material,
Brian will continue his work to repair the headliner and we look forward to the headliner looking much better very soon.
For Sale – 1998 Mercedes E240
December 7, 2022
Our 1998 Mercedes E240 is for sale!
This is a beautiful car that has only covered 34,000 miles from new. Very little work was needed but we have painted the off-side rear door as the lacquer was slightly faded.
We originally purchased our E240 from a good friend of Bridge Classic Cars to be part of our own personal collection. However, it is such an impressive car that we feel it needs to be enjoyed by a new owner who will get more use out of it.
It has been extremely well cared for with no rust and the interior looks to be in the condition it would have been in when it first left the factory.
Our 1998 Mercedes E240 is available on eBay.
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.
Refurb – Wheels from the 2012 Mercedes SLK250
March 8, 2022
The wheels on the 2012 Mercedes SLK have seen better days. There’s some corrosion and paint flaking around the hub centres which is a common occurrence on this generation of Mercedes wheels. But, they can be refurbished!
Our good friends over at WheelWorx came down to the Pettistree workshop to assess the wheels and then safely remove them from the car to be taken back to their workshops to be entirely refurbished for this beautiful modern Mercedes convertible. Once these are back on the car, we can’t wait to show you the rest of it.
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.
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.
Tear Repair
September 14, 2021
We have an inquiry as to whether we could repair a rip in the seat of a modern Mercedes. As you can see it is the main seat area on the base and in order to repair properly the entire material from that section would need to be replaced.
The customer has asked whether we can glue up the tear which would is an option. It is not ideal but it can be done.
This may be one for the trim shop in the coming weeks, we’ll see.
Investigation work continues on the Mercedes engine…
August 26, 2021
Ady has been investigating the engine on the 1976 Mercedes 350SL. Initially we were lead to believe this to be a running car but unfortunately it has arrived with us as a non-runner, and he’s found that this is probably due to an electrical fault.
There are two sides to the V8 engine and only one bank works. the right hand bank looks to have been tampered with.
The wiring to the injectors on that bank have been cut and rewired to earth. We don’t understand why someone has done this unless they are trying to cover up something more. There would be no other obvious reasoning. Rewiring to earth could possibly mean the engine can still run, albeit on 4 cylinders as it will hopefully not be sending any fuel into the ‘dead’ side. If it has then we have a problem.
We have replaced the points and adjusted the timing but the car remains on 4 cylinders.
We have then removed the plugs and checked the condition of the number 6 plug which looks to have a carbon build up. We have checked easy access compressions on all cylinders.
We have refuelled the vehicle but as before, the engine can only run on 4 cylinders and is therefore running dangerously rich.
Aztec Gold Mercedes coming this way!
August 11, 2021
Another car which we have recently purchased is this 1976 Mercedes R107 350 SL. With the exterior of the car painted in Aztec Gold and the interior being Chocolate Tex colour, it screams the 1970s. The exterior of the car is in great condition and with the seats being made of vinyl, they’ve done extremely well with the age of the car. In terms of the engine, the vehicle has been kept very original but has had work done to it in the past couple of years. Watch this space to find out when it’s made its way to our workshop!
Engine out for the Pagoda!
August 3, 2021
Paul has successfully removed the engine from our beautiful blue 1969 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda. The engine will be rebuilt by Ady and the engine bay will be detailed as part of the project.
Apart from a couple of small paint imperfections the engine bay is very good order so a really good clean followed by some touching up in places will present us with a lovely space to return the engine to once completed.
Local Man wins £100,000 Mercedes Cl600
July 8, 2021
Graham Cousins entered one of our classic car competitions. His ticket, number 382 was drawn and today he has come to our classic car workshop to collect his prize.
New, these CL600’s were £100,000! A dream car for many, Graham won this car from a £5 ticket!
Graham is fairly local to us, so accompanied by wife Sandra, opted to visit us for a tour of our classic car workshop when collecting his car. A lovely couple, Graham and Sandra were blown away seeing their new Mercedes CL600 in person.
Could you be our next winner?
We’ve got some incredible cars live on our website.
www.bridgeclassiccarscompetitions.co.uk
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.
Mercedes CLK 200 Finished
May 26, 2021
Our 2006 Mercedes CLK200 came in for some small paint and bodywork touch ups which have now been completed. The wheel arch dent has been worked out and the front bumper which suffered from stone chips has been repainted.
Work Van Needs Some TLC
May 25, 2021
We’ve had to replace the flywheel, prop shaft and clutch as well as the front lower ball joints as the clutch was slipping. Now with new components, our work van should be good to go again soon.
The new parts came in today, allowing Mauro to get cracking with the replacements.
Mercedes CLK200 In For Paint
May 25, 2021
We will occasionally get in cars that push the term ‘classic’. This 2006 Mercedes CLK 200 isn’t quite classic status but its certainly on its way to being a modern classic at 15 years old. This lovely red convertible has come in for some paint and dent corrections on the front bumper and rear quarter panel upper wheel arch.
Spot The Difference
May 12, 2021
Notice anything about these two images?
We were stunned to see the difference in colour once Colin for Auto Valet had cleaned the seats on our Mercedes CL600! The line across each photo shows the before and after of the leather seats in our Mercedes.
We can’t wait to see how it all looks once clean!
Behind The Scenes: Mercedes CL500
May 12, 2021
Take a look at the full photo gallery for our Mercedes CL500:
New Mercedes In
April 15, 2021
This stunning 1986 420SL has just come in for a re-commission. Our technicians will take a look over this classic to evaluate what needs to be done. At a first glance there are some serious signs of rust on the lower sills, worn and torn interior, paint bubbling, chips and blemishes as well as cracks in the glass. We’re looking forward to getting this charming classic back on the road and looking healthy again.
Mercedes CL600 V12 Arrival
April 7, 2021
This stunning modern classic arrived recently and is being prepared to be launched soon. After its had a thorough clean and a service, the team can begin preparing all the visuals surrounding the launch. Watch this space!
The 2000 Mercedes CL600 V12 is often referred to as a super-coupé and has the drive and delivery to wow any driver. With a comfortable and stylist interior, it rivals its plush competitors over at Bentley.
Mercedes 500SL Dash and Panels
March 29, 2021
The trim shop has started on Craig’s 1987 Mercedes 500SL trim which is being done in a Claret red. Kath has been painstakingly pouring over the dash, making sure the intricate details of the holes and curves are perfectly catered for and covering in bespoke fabric, which has been pulled taught and glued back by hand. Dashboards are one of the interior details that many people forget about in their car but is the most likely to show signs of wear and sun damage. Being exposed to the sun and regularly act as a shelf for all kinds of ornaments, car dash’s can take quite the beating in their lives and often need re-covering to give it a new lease of life. Kath made a paper pattern first which she followed up by making a mock-up out of black vinyl before cutting and fitting the leather.
Brian has been working on removing the old covers from the rear quarter panels. Brian started at the end of the panel, glueing the leather cover onto the panel. He worked along with the panel slowly, glueing down parts one bit at a time to make sure the leather was pulled tight. Brian also had to work around details such as the speaker hole where he had to sand the edges of the board so it was smooth before applying the glue. Once it was sanded down, he glued the leather onto the back of the panel, sewing on flaps, fasteners and rivets to finish.
Bridge Van Awaiting New Graphics
March 25, 2021
Our company van has been serviced and refurbished so it’s now running smoothly. We’re currently awaiting new graphics to be designed and applied, which we’re excited to see when finished. The graphics are likely to be similar to our lorry.
New Mercedes Coming In Soon
March 9, 2021
This metallic green classic 1986 Mercedes 420SL is coming in soon to be re-commissioned and assessed to see how much needs doing to it. We can’t wait to get started!
