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MGB Roadster

MGB Prep

September 19, 2024

Here are Jonn’s notes for his recent work on our 1973 MGB Roadster: Remove both headlights for replacement. Clean chromes and tighten spring to nearside

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Time To Go Home

January 10, 2024

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

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MGB Engine

December 20, 2023

After the engine of our 1970 MGB Roadster had its engine prepped and painted in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop, classic car technician Jonn reassembled

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A New Start

June 5, 2023

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

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Seat Belts

June 1, 2023

Classic car technician Jonn has been busy installing seatbelts into our returning 1963 MGB Roadster. During the installation, Jonn found that the hole in the

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MG B Roadster Underseal

October 25, 2024

So we closed the week off with Dave having finished stripping the MG B Roadster in order for Chris to prepare the car for underseal.

All of this took place over the weekend which meant that Chris could successfully seal the underside with Schutz and let it settle through to the Tuesday when the technicians return from their weekend breaks.

MGB Parts

October 21, 2024

Various parts of our 1973 MGB Roadster have been taken for sandblasting.

MGB Prep

September 19, 2024

Here are Jonn’s notes for his recent work on our 1973 MGB Roadster:

Remove both headlights for replacement. Clean chromes and tighten spring to nearside bucket. Remove offside steering rack gaiter and check where play is. Remove pinion plate and spring. Found 3 shims inside. Remove all shims and refit spring and plate. Test rack and its a bit tight lock to lock. Repeat process and refit 1 shim and retry. Ok now. Refit and secure rack gaiter.

Rob also removed the LH front shock absorber and replaced it. He then fitted new headlight units and checked the beam settings.

Time To Go Home

January 10, 2024

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.

MGB Engine

December 20, 2023

After the engine of our 1970 MGB Roadster had its engine prepped and painted in the Bridge Classic Cars paintshop, classic car technician Jonn reassembled it.

He refitted the painted parts and ancillaries and refitted the oil pump with new gaskets (pump filled with engine grease to avoid cavitation). He then fitted the new main bearing nuts and washers and retorqued to 95nm. Jonn went on to pre-oil all moving parts before fitting the sump and securing it.

To get the engine back into the car, Jonn mounted the engine on the engine crane so he could rub it down and paint the steering rack and column. The engine was then put back into the car.

Stephen Norman Talks about Our MGB Roadster Restoration

December 14, 2023

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.

A New Start

June 5, 2023

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.

Seat Belts

June 1, 2023

Classic car technician Jonn has been busy installing seatbelts into our returning 1963 MGB Roadster.

During the installation, Jonn found that the hole in the seatbelt mount needed enlarging so it would fit the spacers that he had made. Once this had been done, the spacer fit perfectly and was ready to be put into the car.

Jonn fitted the offside seatbelt first and secured it in place. Once he was happy it was functioning properly, he repeated the process on the nearside of the vehicle.

Update – Working on the 1971 MG B Roadster

August 10, 2022

Our 1971 MG B Roadster, which was won last week through our Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, has been in the workshop to have a few of the final jobs done on the classic roadster before it heads off to its new home.

The team have swapped out the brake master cylinder for a brand-new replacement due to not being able to bleed the system. Once this was all fit up and plumbed in, our technicians could then work on replacing the wheel cylinders and resetting the pistons back into the front calipers correctly.

Finally, it was time to get the steering wheel realigned while also replacing the rubber boots on the track-rod ends.

Clean & Set Up – Sorting out a Running Issue on the 1963 MG B Roadster

June 24, 2022

Our friend Chris has brought his Iris Blue 1963 MG B Roadster in for the workshop team to have a look at a running issue on the classic convertible.

When out for a drive and trying to pull away from a junction, the car stalled and wouldn’t restart until the car had cooled down enough. At the moment, we’re experiencing very warm weather here in Suffolk so the team wanted to get the beautiful MGB back to Chris as quickly as possible for him to enjoy in the amazing Summer weather.

Jon, our workshop technician, test drove the car and confirmed the issue with the car near our workshop. From there, he began to inspect the car and found a cracked fuel hose which was replaced with a new piece and then began to look at the carburettors.

Jon removed the units from the car in order to strip them down on the bench after noticing an idle speed issue with the car and adjusting it while running. This helped the pulling away problem but didn’t resolve it. So, a thorough clean-up of the body and ports inside. He also cleaned up the carburettor piston and jets to make sure that no sediment or debris was blocking the fuel flow.

Then, the carburettors were fitted back onto the manifold of the classic MG B before Jon took it back out on a road test to check for the issue. All was ok on the road test while pulling away from a junction after the car was up to temperature and started multiple times while hot.

After that, the car was signed off and delivered back to Chris to enjoy the amazing weather!

Final Pieces – Fitting The Hood, Brackets and Sill Plates to the 1977 MGB Roadster

February 10, 2022

As the aesthetic restoration of the 1977 MGB Roadster in the Bridge Classic Workshop at our Suffolk HQ gets closer to completion, the in-house trim team have been finishing off the final parts and pieces for the car.

Brian, our lead trimmer, has been working on getting the original hood fitted back to the car at the customer’s request. Not only did that involve stretching and fitting the hood over the newly refurbished hood frame but also replacing the rear screen with a brand new high-quality replacement we had sourced for the project.

With the hood now stretched over the frame, Brian could begin making sure all the associated clips and brackets for securing it to the car were in the correct place and correctly fitted to the car. Installing convertible hoods is somewhat of an art form but with Brians years of experience, he can stretch and refit an original hood to make it look as good as new.

One of the final pieces on the car that needed to be completed was the decorative sill plates. These highly polished pieces were riveted to the sills, as they were originally, to finish off the amazing work that Brian and Lydia in our Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have done on the car.

Coming Together – Fitting the New Rear Screen into the Original Hood of the 1977 MGB Roadster

February 8, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars trim shop have put a new rear screen into the original convertible hood for the 1977 MGB Roadster.

The use of the original hood was a request from the owner. But, the rear screen was very deteriorated and split in places. So, the trim shop replaced the rear screen and stitched it into the existing material.

With this now in place, the hood can be fitted onto the car.

Unpleasant Find – Rust Inside the Bumpers of the 1977 MGB Roadster

January 26, 2022

With the reassembly of the 1977 MGB Roadster going on in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, our technician Jon has been working on refitting the bumpers to the car.

Whilst refitting the bumpers, Jon made a rather unpleasant discovery. We were aware of some corrosion in the back of the bumpers but that had been treated and neutralised. However, when Jon took the bumpers apart during refit to try and best align them on the car, the backside of the bracket/support was covered in rust. The extent of the rust was something we were not aware of.

With this, the team have decided to repair the bumpers. The rust itself is thick surface rust mainly so the team will strip them all back and prepare them for reassembly.

Expect to see more on the process of repairing the bumpers very soon on the Bridge Classic Cars News Page.

All the Details – Continuing to Reassemble the 1977 MGB Roadster

January 25, 2022

Mauro, one of our restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been hard at work reassembling the 1977 MGB Roadster we have in for restoration in preparation for the next phase of the project.

Mauro has been fitting all of the trims and windows to the car since the paintwork is now fully cured and hardened. This really makes the little sportscar come alive!

As with this being new paint, our team take their time and carefully manoeuvre the trims into place as to not cause any damage to the beautiful dark blue roadster. Some of the pieces have been refurbished but those that couldn’t be have been replaced with the highest quality pieces we have sourced.

The windows were thoroughly cleaned and all mechanisms liberally greased to ensure they work flawlessly when needed and all the trim pieces have new clips and hardware to create a good, tight fit to the body of the car.

Mauro is systematically working through each part of the car to complete each section before moving on to the next.

Also, the team fitted the windscreen to the car as a finishing touch!

Expect to see more on the beautiful 1977 MGB Roadster soon, here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

Coming Back Together – Reassembly on the 1977 MGB Roadster

January 21, 2022

The 1977 MGB Roadster currently in with Bridge Classic Cars has finished its time in our in-house paint shop and has now been moved into our restoration workshop to begin reassembly.

After previously assessing the condition of the trims when the car first came into us, they were bagged and catalogued for this stage of the car’s aesthetic restoration. Some of the trims and parts weren’t able to be refurbished or reused so high-quality replacements from trusted suppliers were sourced to make sure the Roadster looks and works perfectly. That includes cleaning and refinishing the fuel tank to match the standard of the rest of the car.

Our in-house restoration technician Mauro has been working alongside our other technician Paul to get the trims and pieces back onto the MGB before it goes into our in-house trim shop for its interior. Mauro and Paul will work methodically through the car to ensure every component and fitting is secure and neatly back onto the car.

Expect to see more in the very near future on the 1977 MGB Roadster in with Bridge Classic Cars.

In Colour – Painting the 1977 MGB Roadster

January 13, 2022

The first layers of colour are now on the body of the 1977 MGB Roadster in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop.

Our head painter Chris has spent hours, along with our other painter Alan, getting the MGB Roadster’s body ready for its first coats of colour. It looks absolutely fantastic and these results only come with the extensive and meticulous prep work done by our in-house restoration teams. The colour sits nice and evenly across all the panels to give a beautiful uniform look on the 1970s convertible.

Next, Chris and Alan will prepare and begin the next stage of getting this 1977 MGB Roadster looking better than new.

Prep and Paint – 1977 MGB Roadster Begins Paint

January 12, 2022

The 1977 MGB Roadster that is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop is moving along quickly!

Whilst Alan is busy preparing the body for its turn in the paint booth, Chris is working on getting the first layers of colour onto the front wings and doors of the sports car. The entire body has been sanded back down to make sure the shape of each of the panels flows perfectly.

The colour on the wings and doors will have its colour slowly built up to get the correct depth of colour.

A Flash of Colour – Primer and Guide Coat on the 1977 MGB Roadster

January 11, 2022

The Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop have been busy getting the 1977 MGB Roadster we have in for restoration ready for its first coats of colour.

Chris, our lead painter, has been working on getting the body panels just right for the next phase of painting the MGB Roadster. Hours of sanding, filling and more sanding to ensure that each panel sat correctly with its bodylines and also in terms of its curve down and across the body. Then, the body and all its panels had several coats of epoxy primer.

Once the primer had cured enough, it was time to begin working on the first coat of colour on the roadster. A Light guide coat for the car in preparation for its full colour coat which will be going on very soon.

Primed and Ready – 1977 MGB Roadster in Primer

January 5, 2022

The 1977 MGB Roadster which is in for aesthetic restoration, has now been prepared and taken into the paint booth where Chris and the paint team have applied the first coats of primer to the car.

Now, there’s a process of sanding the primer back and preparing it for the next stage in its aesthetic restoration which will build up the layers of primer before finally the colour is applied and make this iconic sports car dazzle once again.

More very soon on the 1977 MGB Roadster in on the Bridge Classic Cars news page

Preparations – Getting the 1977 MGB Roadster Ready for Paint

January 4, 2022

Our in-house paint and body experts have been busy preparing the 1977 MGB Roadster for its date with the Bridge Classic Cars in-house spray booth.

Chris has been busy working on the back half of the MGB getting all the new metalwork to sit correctly and flow neatly and gently into the other panels. This is a crucial part of any aesthetic restoration so that when the primer and paint are applied to the car there is no change in the laying of either.

Soon, the car will soon go into the booth to have its epoxy primer laid and then it will all be prepared for its colour and clear coat.

Mirror Image – Bodywork on the 1977 MGB Roadster

December 6, 2021

This 1977 MGB Roadster is in with Bridge Classic Cars for a full cosmetic restoration. That does involve a bit of cutting…

Scott has worked his magic on the passenger side of this amazing sports car over the last few weeks. Carefully removing any corroded metal on its flanks so that the new wings can be grafted in and secured. Now, it was time for Scott to begin work on the driver’s side. Much the same as the other, Scott only cut where was needed to remove the material and give enough room to comfortably weld the new panels in with very little distortion from the heat.

Using a thin cutting disc, Scott managed to create clean and precise cuts to remove firstly the original rear wing and then the structure and wheel arch behind it. These are needed to be removed and replaced with brand new pieces as part of the car’s aesthetic restoration.

Now, with the wings all on and cleaned up. It’s time to move forwards.

Making Headway – New Panels on the 1977 MGB Roadster

November 30, 2021

Scott, one of our incredible in-house restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been working on getting the new inner and out rear quarter panels fitted onto the 1977 MGB Roadster.

This process is best-done inch by inch when it involves the removal of inner body panels. The rear wings, needed to be replaced so the best quality replacement wheel arches and rear quarter panels were sourced for this car. After removing the pieces from the car carefully, Scott could then begin to test fit and trim the new panels into the car. A job where precision, accuracy and a steady hand are crucial but that is something we pride ourselves on here at Bridge Classic Cars.

With the panels now cut to size and shape, Scott methodically welded the new pieces into the Roadster so as to not warp the shape on the pieces. Then, that was one side of the car done and just the other side to go!

All in the Preparation – Preparing the 1977 MGB Roadster for Paint

November 18, 2021

Chris and the incredible team at the Bridge Classic Cars in-house paint shop have been hard at work preparing the 1977 MGB Roadster for its new coat of paint.

With all classic car paintwork, it is all in the prep. Chris is meticulous in his preparation of each individual panel that is on each and every classic car that goes through his team’s paint booth. It was the turn of the 1977 MGB Roadster.

Chris has been busy preparing each panel on the car to ensure they are perfect in terms of smoothness and their fit back onto the car. The wings have had their first coat of colour and are looking absolutely incredible! This is a very light base coat to begin with and most of it will be sanded back off during its preparation to then go back into the booth to be finished.

The bonnet on the MGB has also been in the paint booth with Chris’s team. This is now primed and ready to be sanded back to ensure everything is exactly where it needs to be.

Primed & Ready – 1977 MGB Roadster is in Primer

November 15, 2021

Whilst the interior for this amazing 1977 MGB Roadster is in with our extremely talented in-house trim shop here at Bridge Classic Cars, the body is in with our paint expert Kris at our in-house paint shop.

Kris has been working on making sure that all the panels and pieces have come off the car carefully and safely for them to be inspected and assessed by Kris experienced eye. From there, Kris could then begin working on the panels to make sure all of the metal beneath the cars dark blue paint was in good order to be worked on.

Thankfully, it was all in really good shape beneath the surface. From that, Kris could then begin to get the car in primer. After several coats, Kris could then begin to test fit the panels back onto the car to make sure before any paint touches the car. The reason for this is to make sure that any working of the panels hasn’t caused them to distort or change shape in any way.

Because of Kris’s experience and care, each panel worked perfectly. Now that the pieces are primed and they fit, it’s soon going to be time for Kris to begin applying his talents to adding colour to this beautiful sportscar.

Just Like New – Refinishing the Seats of the 1977 MGB Roadster

November 11, 2021

Brian, one of our incredible in-house trim experts at Bridge Classic Cars, has been hard at work rebuilding and refitting the seats of the 1977 MGB Roadster that is currently in at Bridge Classic Cars for restoration.

The seat bases were checked and new rails fitted, to begin with. Then, it was time to begin the process of the new webbing and padding that allows for comfort and support whilst out enjoying these brilliant little sportscars. With the new padding in place, Brian could attach it to the seatbacks and the squab bases. Making sure that the foams for each part were uniform and smooth. Then, slowly and carefully the trim team stretches the dark blue coverings over each of the seats to finish them off.

Once the backs and the bases were bolted together, Brian could then start fitting the handles to the interior mechanisms so the seats would recline and move just live brand new. Then, the finishing touch. The stunning black headrests that complete these wonderfully retrimmed seats.

Back to Basics – Stripping Down the 1977 MGB Roadster

October 21, 2021

The Bridge Classic Cars paint and body experts have been busy assessing the 1977 MGB Roadster that is in with us for Aesthetic restoration.

Chris and the team careful began to take apart and inspect every aspect of the car. Removing the interior to assess condition but also to gain access to vital structural parts of the car’s chassis. In all, the car’s underpinnings were in relatively good shape. However, some of the body panels will require work done to them in order for this stunning little roadster to be in the best condition possible.

Chris and Lydia then began to remove the paint for each of the panels to assess any more repairs that will be needed in terms of bodywork.

This Just In – 1977 MG B Roadster for Restoration

October 14, 2021

New to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this 1977 MG B Roadster. It is in with us for a full aesthetic restoration which will include a brand new paint job along with a full interior, a new convertible hood and a new radio.

Work will begin shortly and getting this iconic sportscar stripped down and ready for our in-house paint team to work their magic on the car.

Expect to see much more on this MG B Roadster on the news page on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.

In With the New – Recommissioning the Cooling System on the 1973 MGB Roadster

October 6, 2021

The 1973 MGB Roadster we currently have in at Bridge Classic Cars for work has been having its cooling system gone through.

Our in-house restoration technician Ady last time worked on removing the water pump and the old radiator from this iconic little sportscar. New parts were put on order and have now been fitted into the front of the bright red MG B.

A completely new water pump has been fitted to make sure that when it is eventually driven, the temperatures stay nice and safe. Working alongside the new water pump is the replacement radiator.

This was crucial in the cooling system as the old one had seen better days and on the advice of our in-house technician, a new one was fitted for peace of mind.

More will be coming up soon on the MGB Roadster so be sure to keep an eye on our News Page.

Held in Place – Removing the Radiator of the 1973 MG B Roadster

October 4, 2021

Work is continuing on the 1973 MG B Roadster that is in at Bridge Classic Cars to be recommissioned. This time, our in-house restoration technicians are looking into the cooling system. A crucial part of any classic.

The reason we needed to remove the radiator was to gain access to the water pump. This was due for replacement as Ady had noticed it begin to weep. Whilst the radiator is out, it allows our in-house team to inspect and assess the radiator itself to see if it needs any repairs or is in need of replacement.

Keep a lookout on our news page for any updates on the MG B Roadster.

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