Transport And Investigation
After Tony transported our 1968 MGB GT from its home to the workshop, John began his investigation into why it was losing coolant. John’s notes
After Tony transported our 1968 MGB GT from its home to the workshop, John began his investigation into why it was losing coolant. John’s notes
Our 1971 MGB Roadster has been undergoing its PDI with technician Jonn. Here are his notes: Carry out Pdi and road test. Adjust idle speed.
Earlier today, Craig and Nick took our 1971 MGB Roadster out on the roads around the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. It’s safe to say…it was
Back in January last year, Steve won our 1975 MGB GT V8 through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. Since then, Steve has become a great friend
Steve is very impressed with the floor and chassis on our 1971 MG B Roadster. “This is a very nice, clean and well protected floor
Our 1972 MGB Roadster was recently collected and transported by Tony to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. Now that it is here, the team will
Over the next couple of weeks we’ll see lots of new classics arriving at our workshops, all believed to be in fantastic condition so we
Former competition car, our 1975 MGB GT V8 has returned to Bridge Classic Cars. However, rather than returning to the workshop, it has actually gone
Towards the end of our New Year’s Car Meet, we handed our 1970 MGB Roadster back to its owners. After spending some time in the
Our 1970 MGB Roadster is coming to the end of its time here at Bridge Classic Cars. Jonn has been refitting parts to the engine
We recently had a visit from a long-term friend and customer of Bridge Classic Cars, Stephen Norman, the ex-boss of Vauxhall and a walking encyclopedia
Our 1970 MGB Roadster has come to the end of its time in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop. It recently moved into the main
Work begins on the front wings of our 1970 MG B Roadster project. Mauro has removed the wings to reveal some corrosion.
Entry is now open for our 1980 MGB GT on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website. This type of classic car is always popular so
We currently have two attention-grabbing sportscars in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in the form of our 1980 MGB GT and our 2007 Porsche Cayman
Our 1980 MGB GT will soon be available to win through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. However, before that happens, classic car technician Jonn has been
Classic car technician Jonn has been working on our 1963 MGB Roadster by fitting a new starter to try and resolve the starting issues the
Our 1971 MGB Convertible has been the focus of classic car technicians John and Jonn recently as they have been fitting a new alternator and
MG hosted a special preview event where the brand showed off a pre-production design model of its brand-new all-electric roadster – The Cyberster. With a
Classic car technician Mauro has been getting our 1980 MGB GT prepped for paint. He has been stripping the car down taking the areas to
Classic car technician Scott has been working on our 1971 MGB Convertible recently. After being off the road for a considerable length of time, there
It’s no secret that everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars loves an MG! In particular, the MGB has proven to be extremely popular with the
It’s a divisive viewpoint in the classic car world – Do you use your classic in the snow and clean it down afterwards or keep
Classic car technician Steve has continued his work on our 1975 MGB GT V8. As this will soon be a competition car on Bridge Classic
Our 1975 MGB GT V8 has been undergoing its initial checks and assessment by classic car technician Steve. When any classic vehicle arrives at the
Everyone here at Bridge Classic cars loves an MG. We have had lots come and go in the past so it’s always exciting to see
Despite our 1968 MGB GT not being in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for very long, our team of classic car technicians have already begun
Our 1968 MGB GT has recently arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. As with all the cars that come to us, our classic car
As our 1978 MGB GT continues to move through the restoration process, things are progressing well and more tasks have been ticked off the checklist.
Classic car technician Rob has been making and fitting the new brake and fuel lines for our 1978 MGB GT. He also fitted the brake
After Tony transported our 1968 MGB GT from its home to the workshop, John began his investigation into why it was losing coolant.
John’s notes are below:
Top up coolant level and observe where the coolant is leaking from. Hose from water pump to bottom hose has perished and split. Replace hose and add anti freeze and run up to temperature, check for leaks. Looked at other hoses and noticed both heater hoses have started to crack. Replace both hoses as a precaution.
Our 1971 MGB Roadster has been undergoing its PDI with technician Jonn. Here are his notes:
Carry out Pdi and road test. Adjust idle speed. Washers not working. Inspect behind dash and found pipes had come off the back of the manual pump. Reconnect and test, ok. Horn not working and switch faulty. Engine breaths a bit from pipe to atmosphere. Remove rocker cover and get Clinton to weld a pipe outlet to front corner and order a breather catch tank to be fitted.
Rub down area around outlet welded in by Clinton. Paint with Dtm matt black and leave to dry. Refit and secure, ready for breather catch tank to be fitted.
Earlier today, Craig and Nick took our 1971 MGB Roadster out on the roads around the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
It’s safe to say…it was a very enjoyable drive.
There are still a few hundred tickets left if you want the chance to win this beautiful classic for just a few pounds; but they are selling fast!
Enter here.
Back in January last year, Steve won our 1975 MGB GT V8 through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. Since then, Steve has become a great friend to the team here.
This past weekend Steve took his MGB (now called Velma) to the Inter-club International Weekend at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern.
Not only does Velma look incredible in Steve’s photos below, but Steve also reported that she made the 340-mile round trip with no issues at all!
It’s fantastic to see winners enjoying their classic so thank you Steve for sharing this trip with us.
Steve is very impressed with the floor and chassis on our 1971 MG B Roadster.
“This is a very nice, clean and well protected floor and chassis.”
The brakes have been cleaned and checked and are in very good condition. Good news!
And a slight smart repair has been carried out on the body.
Our 1972 MGB Roadster was recently collected and transported by Tony to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
Now that it is here, the team will thoroughly inspect and assess this beautiful classic.
Over the next couple of weeks we’ll see lots of new classics arriving at our workshops, all believed to be in fantastic condition so we are not expecting to have to carry out much work on these…but I’m sure they’ll be something!
First up, we have a super impressive Fiat X1/9 Bertone. First registered in 1986 the car was once part of a very well known collection of classic cars. The Robert Furniss Riding collection was featured quite heavily in the national press after Robert sadly passed away leaving his collection to H&H classic auction for it to be sold off, with all proceeds going to the RNLI.
The entire collection made over ยฃ1.4 million.
Part of the collection was his 1986 Fiat X1/9 Bertone but instead of this being sold off in auction, it was gifted to his friend who has been looking after it ever since.
Believed to be the only Vanden Plas in this colour combination. We believe the car requires very little work but we will put it through the workshops to get her tip top and ready for competition.
Finally, our beautifully restored 1972 MG B Roadster. This will most certainly be a popular one in our competitions. We all love an MG B Roadster and being so wonderfully presented, coming in to the summer, this will be a perfect competition prize.
Former competition car, our 1975 MGB GT V8 has returned to Bridge Classic Cars.
However, rather than returning to the workshop, it has actually gone into our brand-new secure storage facility.
Tony collected the car and it is now safe and secure surrounded by other stunning classics.
Towards the end of our New Year’s Car Meet, we handed our 1970 MGB Roadster back to its owners.
After spending some time in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, it was great to see the happy owners here with us, taking their car back where it belongs.
Our 1970 MGB Roadster is coming to the end of its time here at Bridge Classic Cars.
Jonn has been refitting parts to the engine now the engine is fitted. After filling it with oil, he removed the spark plugs and coil lead. He then cranked the engine over until oil pressure was made.
The spark plugs were refitted and the coil lead. The oil level was checked and topped up and Jonn attempted to start the car.
After charging the battery, the car wouldn’t fire. The spark plugs were checked and found to be ok. Fuel to the carbs was checked and found to be ok too.
Jonn removed the rocker cover to align the timing marks. He removed the distributor cap and checked the timing was ok. After resetting the distributor, the cap was refitted and a small amount of petrol was poured into the carbs which let the engine fire on cranking.
Jonn stripped the carbs and found the jets were set too high, and running a very weak mixture. He set the jet depths to approx 2 1/2 turns down (0.090″). The car then started and ran fine so Jonn refitted the radiator and fan.
After finishing checking over the engine and finding no leaks upon inspection this morning, the bonnet was fitted and adjusted. The car was taken outside and ran up to temperature. A leak from the top radiator hose was found so Jonn tightened the jubilee clip but still noticed a leak. A second jubilee clip was fitted behind first and secured, (it had 2 clips on when it came in) which resolved the leak.
Jonn noted that the fan cuts in ok so a road test was carried out. The road test was successful after Jonn stopped to secure the distributor and adjust the idle speed.
Our MGB Roadster was tested at all speeds up to 65mph in stop/start traffic conditions and all was fine.
We recently had a visit from a long-term friend and customer of Bridge Classic Cars, Stephen Norman, the ex-boss of Vauxhall and a walking encyclopedia of British automotive history.
We have been working on our 1970 MGB Roadster and, while having a closer look at the progress of his 1976 Triumph Spitfire that is currently in the workshop, Stephen spotted our MGB and had a few things to say about it.
As one of the people who actually saw the MG Midget and MGB rolling off the production lines at the Abingdon factory, Stephen’s thoughts are always amazing to hear.
Take a look at the video below and see what Stephen had to say.
Our 1970 MGB Roadster has come to the end of its time in the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop. It recently moved into the main workshop where classic car technician Jonn has been giving it some attention.
After removing the old coil, Jonn turned the engine over and aligned the timing marks. He then removed the old distributor and swapped over the distributor clamp to the new distributor.
Jon cut the wires to length and taped them up before soldering the new terminals and connecting them to the coil.
While following the setup instructions for the distributor, Jonn found that the engine code is 18GB and is not listed in the paperwork for the distributor, so he was unable to select the correct torque curve from the list.
Jonn set it to number 3 on the list – timing static at 7 btdc, stroboscopic timing at 17btdc. He swapped the HT leads to a new cap and connected. During a road test, Jonn stopped to adjust the timing a few times and to tighten the distributor clamp.
He then cable-tied the wiring before removing the rocker cover and adjusting the tappets. Number 7 appeared to have wear and valve clearance was large.
Further investigation is needed.
Work begins on the front wings of our 1970 MG B Roadster project. Mauro has removed the wings to reveal some corrosion.
Entry is now open for our 1980 MGB GT on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website.
This type of classic car is always popular so we are very excited to see someone win it on the 4th of July 2023.
After undergoing an aesthetic restoration, our MGB GT has been refinished in Vermillion Orange, which pairs beautifully with its grey-striped interior and full-length sunroof.
You can enter the draw to be in with a chance of winning our 1980 MGB GT for the launch sale price of just ยฃ7.50. Once the launch sale ends, the price will increase to ยฃ8. Competitions MGBs have a habit of selling out fast and we are expecting this one to be the same.
We currently have two attention-grabbing sportscars in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in the form of our 1980 MGB GT and our 2007 Porsche Cayman S.
These two cars are finished in great colours. Our MGB is finished in Vermillion Orange while our Cayman is finished in the rare PTS 8C6 Orange (RS Orange). After both vehicles had been valeted, we thought it would be a great opportunity to take a photo of them next to each other.
As you can see, the Atelier proved to be a great environment to catch the cars in all their orange glory.
Our 1980 MGB GT will soon be available to win through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions. However, before that happens, classic car technician Jonn has been making some repairs and improvements to this eye-catching classic car.
A new wing mirror base plate was fitted and the mirror secured in place. Jonn also fitted a new horn/indicator stalk.
The paintwork where the radiator mounts was cleaned and the fan guard was removed for painting. Once this was painted, it was re-fitted and now looks much improved.
Classic car technician Jonn has been working on our 1963 MGB Roadster by fitting a new starter to try and resolve the starting issues the car has been experiencing.
When Jonn was trying to remove the old starter, he was unable to remove it from the engine bay as it was too big to come out without first grinding through the starter shaft. After Jonn had done this, the old starter was removed and a new one was fitted. The new starter was much smaller than the original and fitted with ease into our classic MGB.
Our 1971 MGB Convertible has been the focus of classic car technicians John and Jonn recently as they have been fitting a new alternator and completing other work on the car too.
New headlights were fitted to our MGB Convertible. Before this was done though, the ring surrounds were cleaned and polished. After the new lights were fitted, the beam patterns were adjusted and the chrome surrounds were re-fitted.
MG hosted a special preview event where the brand showed off a pre-production design model of its brand-new all-electric roadster – The Cyberster. With a release expected in the summer of 2024, a new chapter in the MG story is being written as the iconic manufacturer returns to its roots with this exciting new sports car.
The Cyberster made its debut at the event held at the MG Motor UK headquarters in Marylebone, London. It was there that advanced design director, Carl Gotham and team โ who played a key role in creating the Cyberster โ introduced the model for the first time.
Carl said โIt is a special moment for all of us who have played a part in designing this unique car. The Cyberster will offer MG customers a striking, all-electric roadster which will be as exciting as MG sports cars of the past.โ
To mark the upcoming release of the Cyberster, MG has released a film which helps tell the story of the work that went into designing and creating a sports car that is set to be the very first all-electric roadster on the market.
Inspired by MGs heritage, the Cyberster has the distinctive long bonnet, a low nose, and plenty of curves. In addition to the recognisable features that indicate the car’s MG lineage, new features such as scissor doors and a Kammback rear design bring a classic design into a stylish new future.
The creation of the Cyberster marks MG’s return to sports car production. Not only does the Cyberster do this in attention-grabbing fashion, but it also brings the MG story right up to date and allows for another generation of drivers to enjoy this iconic British brand.
Classic car technician Mauro has been getting our 1980 MGB GT prepped for paint. He has been stripping the car down taking the areas to be improved back to bare metal.
Once it leaves the paint shop, it will continue to progress through the Bridge Classic Cars workshop until it is ready to move into the next chapter of its life on the road.
Classic car technician Scott has been working on our 1971 MGB Convertible recently.
After being off the road for a considerable length of time, there are several issues that need to be resolved before this classic MG can get back on the road again.
Scott began by sorting an issue with the fuel pump. He replaced the lines, drained the old fuel and replaced it with new. He was then able to get the car running.
A leak on the carbs was fixed and the brakes were stripped and checked. Scott cleaned and regreased the rear brakes before running our MGB up to temperature and test-driving it around the grounds surrounding the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
The water pumper will need to be replaced so Scott removed this and prepared the car for the arrival of the new pump.
Finally, Scott gave the underside of the vehicle a clean and applied rust protection to any bare areas.
It’s no secret that everyone here at Bridge Classic Cars loves an MG! In particular, the MGB has proven to be extremely popular with the team here and with our customers too.
That’s just one of the reasons why we are excited to welcome our 1971 MGB Convertible into the workshop. We have it with us to investigate and resolve several issues that its owner has been experiencing.
After being rebuilt in 1998, it has been used infrequently and was SORN from 2009 through to 2019. Now that it has come out of storage, the list of issues to look at include a broken sender on the petrol tank, fitting a new battery, finding out why the radiator is losing water, and repair the faulty spline on the spare wheel.
The car will also undergo a full valet and will be prepared to MOT level.
It’s a divisive viewpoint in the classic car world – Do you use your classic in the snow and clean it down afterwards or keep it tucked away?
Well, the cold weather was closing in on our Suffolk HQ this morning. As the snow began to fall across the surrounding countryside, some of our own cars which are stored outside whilst awaiting time in the workshop got a light dusting. One of those, was our personal 1969 MGC GT.
That’s what sparked this question. In period, these cars would of course have been taken out and driven in all weathers but as their rarity and age grow so does the scarcity in which they are used in the majority of cases.
During the cold snap a few years ago, I owned a 1972 Volkswagen Beetle 1300 and proved (if only to myself) that categorically it was the greatest all-terrain vehicle of all time. With no ABS, no power steering or traction control to interfere with driving and all its mighty 36BHP heading straight to the rear wheels with the weight of its flat-four engine sitting right above it, the grip was phenomenal as I drove on my hour long commute across the wintery Suffolk countryside on back lanes and B-roads.
But, it did pay a price. I forgot to clean down the wings and front edge of the pan which began to corrode. This would ultimately spread and caused me some more issues down the line. But, I learnt from that. Just like with a modern car, the salt and moisture will begin to cause damage and corrode components if left.
It’s not as noticeable with modern cars as it is with classics, perhaps down to the wider use of plastics and composites for body panels and trims or better weather proofing in modern paints and coatings but if left long enough for long periods of time, the dreaded bubbles start to appear…
Our customer cars do not go outside in this kind of weather. At the first hints of any rain or not ideal weather, they are brought inside for safe keeping and cleaned down instantly before being put away in the shelter of our workshop.
But it’s an interesting thought, do you use them in the winter or keep them tucked away?
Classic car technician Steve has continued his work on our 1975 MGB GT V8. As this will soon be a competition car on Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, the workshop team are making sure it is working as it should and is ready to be won by its new owner in the near future.
Steve noticed a dent in the sump which he removed and repaired before reinstalling back onto this beautiful classic MG. As well as fixing the dent in the sump, Steve also fitted a new timing cover and water pump rear housing. This was to replace the corroded and leaking housing that Steve found on the car during his initial inspection and assessment.
The engine of this classic car has been put back together now too which has given the car a big leap forwards toward being ready to leave us and get back out on the road.
Steve wasn’t done yet though as he went on to fit a new exhaust mount and clamp as well as new rear shackle bushes too.
Work continues on our 1975 MGB GT V8 and it won’t be long before it goes live on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website ready for someone to win. This will no doubt be a very popular competition but, until then, our workshop team will continue getting it ready for its new owner.
Our 1975 MGB GT V8 has been undergoing its initial checks and assessment by classic car technician Steve.
When any classic vehicle arrives at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, it is thoroughly inspected and assessed to identify any restoration work that may need to be carried out before the car is ready to move on through its restoration journey, back to its owner, or over to Bridge Classic Cars Competitions for someone to win.
Some of the tasks that were completed to make sure everything is as it should be on this beautiful classic car include Steve checking and cleaning the rear brakes as well as cleaning the sump and engine gasket surfaces before reassembling them.
While Steve was working on our 1975 MGB GT V8, he noticed that there appeared to be coolant leaking from the car. To find the cause of the leak, he removed the inlet manifold and water pump rear housing. Once these were removed, Steve was able to identify that there were actually two leaks – one coming from the inlet manifold gasket and the other from the steel heater pipe under the manifold.
Steve’s inspection and assessment of our MGB GT V8 will continue until he is completely satisfied that the car is ready to move on to the next chapter of its story.
If you can see yourself as the new owner of our 1975 MGB GT V8, then keep an eye on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website as, at some point in the near future, it will be one of the impressive classic vehicles you can win for yourself.
In the meantime though, it will continue its stay in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop while Steve and the rest of the workshop team continue making sure it drives as good as it looks!
Everyone here at Bridge Classic cars loves an MG. We have had lots come and go in the past so it’s always exciting to see a new one come into the workshop.
The latest addition is our 1975 MGB GT V8.
As you can see from the photos below, it is a beautiful car and will soon be back out on the road for everyone to enjoy.
Despite our 1968 MGB GT not being in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop for very long, our team of classic car technicians have already begun working on it.
Paul has been assessing the car and has found some rust-related issues that need to be resolved.
While Paul was assessing the mechanical condition of the car, classic car technician Brian got to work on the interior. There was some damage to the driver’s seat that had Brian’s initial focus.
He started the repair process by removing the damaged front squab. He then went on to remove the cover before re-fitting the backboard. New foam was added around the edges of the squab before all the damaged areas were glued.
Calico was added to strengthen the back of the foam before the foam was glued to the frame.
After the repair had been completed, Brian re-fitted the cover back onto the seat and reinstalled the squab back into the car.
It has made a significant difference to the look of the interior of this beautiful classic car by repairing the damaged squab. Now work has started on our 1968 MGB GT, it will continue to make progress through its restoration journey and, ultimately, back out onto the road.
Our 1968 MGB GT has recently arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.
As with all the cars that come to us, our classic car technicians will give it a thorough assessment and inspection before its future is decided.
All we know so far is that this is one beautiful classic car to look at.
As our 1978 MGB GT continues to move through the restoration process, things are progressing well and more tasks have been ticked off the checklist.
Classic car technician Rob has painted and fitted the number plate backing panels, fitted the door trim and handles on the right-hand side of the vehicle, as well as making new backing panels for the C pillar trim.
Rob has been extra busy as he also assembled and fitted the rear anti-roll bar and fitted the rear roof trim too.
Classic car technician Rob has been making and fitting the new brake and fuel lines for our 1978 MGB GT.
He also fitted the brake master cylinder, which brings the car one step closer to being able to get back out on the road.
Other work continues on the MGB GT in the form of more trim being installed. This helps the car look much closer to how the finished restoration will look.
Bridge Classic Cars are award winning Classic Car Restoration and Maintenance specialists. Your pride and joy is in safe hands with our expert Classic Car Technicians. Take a look at our awards here.
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