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restoration

Suffolk Show 2024

May 10, 2024

We had some very exciting post today, our passes and pitch information for the Suffolk Show 2024 arrived. We are really looking forward to returning

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Jensen Surrounds

February 9, 2024

We have now received hand delivery of the door surround brightwork, all wrapped and ready to be fitted later on in the restoration journey. For

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Honda gets shiny!

July 2, 2021

Pricey has been repairing one of the rear sides of the Honda Integra. First of all, he welded a new inner arch, grinded it and

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A few new arrivals…

December 9, 2024

1998 Rover 200

Coming in to Bridge Classic Cars HQ with a heater issue, John is already on with finding the fault and hopefully being able to rectify it so it’ll be back to it’s owner in no time.

1998 rover 200 arrival
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1998 Rover Mini Cooper

Meanwhile, a new addition to the The Classic Lounge, home to Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, our 1998 Rover Mini Cooper. Somewhat of a minor celebrity in the Mini world, this Cooper has gathered up a decent following over it’s lifetime, having it’s own website and social channel. The car has frequented many a local car show and meet and will soon be available as a competition car.

1998 rover mini cooper arrival
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If you think you know this car, you may well do. The car is famed for the social channel ‘The Mini Resto‘ and was set to become the poster car for a new competition website. The previous owner soon realised the cost of running these competition models and thought again. The car comes to us to complete it’s journey in the competition world so coming to you very soon…

1998 rover mini cooper s le (1)
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1998 rover mini cooper s le (6)

1975 MG B GT V8

And finally for this week, our 1975 MG B GT V8. This has been sourced for a customer with a specific requirement in mind. We have found the car, purchased the car and now it awaits it’s turn in the workshop for a full and through restoration.

mg b gt v8 arriving 01
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Stripping our 1973 MG B Roadster – engine, carbs, heater box, wheels

October 14, 2024

Week 1 for new guy Dave has already been a busy one as his first project is our 1973 MG B Roadster. Gordon has not started Dave off lightly. The MG B is needing a serious amount of attention but that hasn’t seemed to phase Dave so far. The engine and gearbox have been removed. The radiator and surrounding panels and hoses are all now out. We have removed the heater box, bulkhead parts, blanking plates and covers. The body is now stripped ready for welding, the windscreen, door glass, all chrome and trims, soft top and rear trims are all removed.

The suspension has been removed and will be completely rebuilt. The engine is out and work has begun on stripping down to component level.

The heater box has been stripped down to component level and will be prepared for rebuild.

Stripped down carburettors, cleaned manifold gasket surfaces, cleaned carburettors, polished dash pots and rebuilt carburettors new jets and fuel line’s replaced gaskets.

Wheel refurb

New arrival – 1976 Jensen Interceptor

September 16, 2024

The latest addition to the hangar and a future restoration project for us at Bridge Classic Cars is our 1976 Jensen Interceptor.

Work will commence in 2025 on this one. We are very much looking forward to it.

Suffolk Show 2024

May 10, 2024

We had some very exciting post today, our passes and pitch information for the Suffolk Show 2024 arrived. We are really looking forward to returning this year, this time with our own stand!

The Suffolk Show is a well established event having been running for a long time, it has been on its current site since 1960! The event always showcases the very best of local agriculture and produce including live animals. The two day event features many shows including horse events, prize cattle and sheep shearing. There are hands on activities for all the family as well as plenty of corporate stands to show you just what the county has to offer. Many industries are present, the emergency and armed services are always in attendance. You just need to keep your fingers crossed for sensible weather.

The Bridge Classic Car stand will of course feature our classic cars as well as many team members who are excited to meet you. It will be a great opportunity to discuss any restoration questions and to tell you about our new exclusive members club. We look forward to seeing you all at Suffolk Show 2024.

Suffolk Show 2024

Jensen Surrounds

February 9, 2024

We have now received hand delivery of the door surround brightwork, all wrapped and ready to be fitted later on in the restoration journey.

For now, they will remain wrapped and will be stored away awaiting their time to shine!

Mechanical Work on Amphicar

November 10, 2023

The new clutch has been fitted and the engine re-installed in the car.

All of the ancillaries have been refitted, the radiator has been tested and refitted also along with the exhaust.

The engine has been run up with new oil and coolant, and the engine lid attached.

Now on to the door seals and final mechanical parts before passing to the trim team to refit the interior and the soft top to the frame.

Amphicar assembly continues

November 8, 2023

More progress fitting the doors and locks, bonnet catches and lock covers, final assembly of the dashboard and controls including cables.

The front and rear bumpers and over riders have been fitted along with the outer door handles.

Mercedes SL Front Brakes

November 4, 2023

Jon has fitted up the new bleed nipples to the freshly painted calipers.

The bolts have been cleaned and painted

We have cleaned up and reused the pad sensor wires and fitted the calipers to the car.

The old pads have been reused as they are nearly new and we used a new fitting kit to secure the pads.

New front shock absorbers have been fitted.

Ford Transit Door Cards

November 1, 2023

The old door cards had been finished to a poor standard and Lydia felt were not fit for purpose.

She has cleaned off the old door cards and removed foam that had been incorrectly and poorly stuck down. New vinyl was cut and laminated onto scrim foam. This meant that the stitched design now stood out well from the rest of the vinyl , without looking garish like the previous design.

She then applied the new vinyl to the panels and cleaned off my pencil marks.

Preventing further corrosion on our Morris Minor

September 15, 2022

Areas of corrosion are being dealt with on the offside of our 1969 Morris Minor convertible. The area of interest has been cut out, the underseal has been removed and a brand new repair panel has been fabricated and welded back in to position.

Various Jensen parts being prepared

September 15, 2022

Mauro spent the afternoon in the booth preparing parts for a number of our Jensen projects. Blasted parts have been prepared and painted and will now be wrapped up ready for reassembly.

Cleaning and preparing parts for Jensen

September 14, 2022

Some of the peripheral parts belonging to our 1959 Jensen 541R are currently being cleaned up and prepared for refit. Once they are ready to go back on the car they will get packaged and stored away and await refit.

Rob continues work on MG B GT

September 14, 2022

Lots of progress has been made on our 1978 MG B GT (Blaze).

As you can see, the rear brakes have now been stripped, serviced and refitted. The handbrake lever and gear lever have both been overhauled and refitted. The prop-shaft has been sandblasted, the U/J’s have been replaced and painted and the cooling fan has been overhauled and refitted.

Jensen 541R – fibreglass door card backing

September 14, 2022

We very much encourage new technologies and forward thinking here at Bridge Classic Cars. Research and development is a huge part of what we do here. Just because a classic car was built using a classic skillset and classic approach that’s not to say that when rebuilding our beautiful cars we must always adhere to the traditional methods.

There is always a time and a place for emerging the two worlds and why shouldn’t the modern and classic processes join forces.

Our 1958 Jensen 541R arrived to us with many many parts ready to be assembled. The owner had commissioned interior panelling to be produced using fibreglass to help further reduce the risk of moisture or water to get in to the hard to reach places. The panelling has been fitted underneath the original style of door cards so that they will be seen when the car is completed.

Engine and front end fit on Morris Minor

September 14, 2022

Scott is making great progress with our 1969 Morris Minor rebuild. Various components are now back on the engine and the fit up of the front end continues.

Back Together – Refitting the Engine and Gearbox to the 1998 Honda Integra Type R

October 22, 2021

Tamas and Paul, our in-house restoration technicians have been busy refitting the wiring harness, accessories, engine and gearbox back into the 1998 Honda Integra Type R that is in at Bridge Classic Cars.

Using reference photos and the catalogued parts from the dismantling of the car, the whole engine bay now looks as good as new.

Next stages for the Integra will be to get the vehicle back together before final check overs. Expect to see more here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.

Recommission our 1973 MG B

September 15, 2021

In our workshops later this month we will be welcoming our 1973 MG B roadster. Having spent the majority of it’s recent years sat up in a barn the project will involve getting the car up and running and back on the road.

The owner is in two minds whether to sell up but maybe when he gets the car back on the road he may think again! We’ll see…

1954 Jaguar Mk VII home-time

August 19, 2021

She’s been with us in the workshops for sometime now but today we bid farewell to our 1954 Jaguar Mk VII.

Looking beautiful and fresh, the car is now ready to be driven and enjoyed, hopefully to have many many more years out on the country roads.

Source: Lancaster Insurance – the Jaguar Mk VII at 70

Over 70 years ago, Jaguar introduced a large saloon that epitomised the famous slogan ‘Grace, Space, Pace’. Here are some useful facts.

  1. Jaguar kept the Mk. VII a secret until its debut at Grosvenor House on 16th October 1950.
  2. The sales material claimed the Mk. VII was ‘An entirely new car of unparalleled beauty’ – and it was undoubtedly a star of Earls Court -The Mk. VII replaced the Mk. V; there was no “Jaguar Mk. VI” as the name was registered to Bentley.
  3. The XK120 was intended as the test-bed for the Mk. VII’s 3442cc DOHC straight-six engine.
  4. The initial price was £1,693, which included adjustable steering, a sliding roof, fog lamps, and (naturally) leather upholstery.
  5. The top speed was a shade over 100 mph – an astounding achievement for the period.
  6. On 25th April 1952 Autocar magazine concluded the Mk. VII was an outstanding car. It has extremely good performance, is very comfortable to drive and to ride in, is very completely equipped, has a modern yet dignified appearance and is very good value – indeed, it is in that respect phenomenal.
  7. 1952 saw the Mk.VII became the first Jaguar available with Borg Warner automatic transmission; albeit on export models only.
  8. Laycock de Normanville overdrive became an optional extra in 1954.
  9. Stirling Moss drove a Mk. VII to victory at the 1952 and 1953 International Trophy Production Touring Car race at Silverstone. Ian Appleyard equalled this feat in 1954.
  10. In September 1954 the Mk. VII was facelifted as the Mk. VIIM, featuring externally mounted auxiliary lamps, improved transmission and flashing indicators.
  11. Automatic transmission was now available on the home market, and Autocar of 11th May 1956 descried the Borg Warner-equipped Jaguar as ‘a happy marriage’.
  12. Famous Mk. VII owners included Diana Dors, Jack Hawkins, Peter Sellers and HM The Queen Mother.
  13. Browns Lane fitted their Mk. VII test-car, registration KRW 621, with lightweight magnesium body panels, disc brakes, modified suspension and the D-Type
  14. The Jaguar crewed by Ronnie Adams, Frank Biggar and Derek Johnstone took first place at the 26th Monte Carlo Rally in 1956.
  15. Later that year, the Mk. VIII made its bow at the London Motor Show.
  16. As compared with its predecessor, the latest model sported a single-piece windscreen and a choice of two-tone paint finishes. The 3.4-litre engine now sported a modified “B-Type” cylinder head. Jaguar also enhanced the list of equipment, and the automatic version even boasted a clock for the rear passengers.
  17. In 1958, the Mk. IX featured the famous 3.8-litre engine and – “firsts” for a Jaguar – power-assisted steering and all-disc brakes as standard.
  18. Motor Sport described the Mk. IX as: the business executive’s ideal motor-car, handsome, impressive, able to hurry to the tune of 0-60 mph in under 19 secs and a top speed of over 115 mph when called upon, yet luxuriously and sensibly appointed and equipped.
  19. British films frequently used the Mk. VII family as screen getaway cars into the early 1960s – perhaps most famously in The Fast Lady.
  1. The Mk. X replaced the Mk. IX in October 1961 – by which time the previous generation of “Big Jaguars” had re-defined an entire market sector.

Honda gets shiny!

July 2, 2021

Pricey has been repairing one of the rear sides of the Honda Integra.

First of all, he welded a new inner arch, grinded it and then dressed it up. He then went on to fabricate the inner wheel arch. Next, was to clean surface corrosion off the outer wheel arch and treat it, panel beat out any damage, and prime with zinc.

The inner sills needed repairing as well, the sill closing and middle sill both had corrosion, and the lower sill panel had jack damage and corrosion. He welded and fabricated them all before going back in.

Continental Bentley gets a refresh!

June 28, 2021

One of the recent projects in the trim shop has been to make new seats for a Series 3 Continental Bentley. The old seats were getting a bit tired looking so it was time for a cleaner look!

Lydia was behind taking off the old covers and making the new ones. She started by taking the base seats and removing the old covers off, before moving onto the front squabs and then the rear seats… All were held in place using various methods.

The new base seats were the first to be made. These were a simple construction of a large piece of leather cut to shape with a piped skirt sewn around the sides.

The front squabs were created next. These had an armrest in the side of each one. The “faces” of the front squabs were fluted, with a surrounding piece of leather sewn around it, with piping, and then a piped “skirt” around that. The armrest comprised of a main piece that wrapped around the middle of the armrest form, and then two piped sides. There was a tab that was sewn in and formed the purpose of being able to pull the armrest out of the seat. The back of the front squabs had a backboard, covered in the leather, and then a binded carpet below it.

The rear squab seat was next. This was a similar design to the front squabs, consisting of fluted faces and an armrest in the middle of them. The armrest this time was a large blockish design, which came out on a screwed mechanism. Their was a covered backboard on the top half.

The rear base was the final one to make. This was a similar design to the front bases, comprising of plain design “faces”, with a piped “skirt” wrapped around the sides and sidebands. The other end of the “faces” was French-Seamed.

Once all the new covers were sewn up, it was time for Brian to fit them back on the original frames, using similar methods to the original ones, to attach them. All the seat frames were spring-based and in great usable condition.

1997 TVR Chimaera Hood Repair

June 17, 2021

An enquiry has come in to repair the clear screen in the hood of a 1997 TVR Chimaera. Unfortunately this is not an easy job and therefore means could be quite costly in time and labour.

The best and most effective option on this occasion is to fit a new hood that is pre-made.

This may be the route the owner opts to choose at a later date. We will wait to hear and hopefully look forward to seeing this stunner in our trimshop sometime in the future.

1960 Jensen 541S Collection Day

April 28, 2021

Mauro and Craig re-visited Jensen Service Ltd in Winchester to collect our 1960 Jensen 541S restoration project.

The car will soon be available for sale, either restored or unrestored. If you would like to know more about this car or any of our other 541 restoration projects please fee to contact the office on 01473742038 or email info@bridgeclassiccars.co.uk

The origins of our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4

April 8, 2021

Thanks to Nick at Stratton Motor Company and Aston Martin Heritage Trust for connecting us with Aston Service Dorset.

Aston Service Dorset purchased the manufacturing rights and engineering drawings for the post-war Feltham Aston Martins from Sir David Brown in the early 1970s and have been providing  parts, service and restoration for these and the later models of Aston Martin since those times.

They have been able to dig deep into the archives to find the original heritage certificate and factory specifications of our 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4.

This information confirms to us the original colour combination of Moonbeam Grey with red, piped in grey. It also matches nicely to the description given to us from Bonhams as to the origins of the owner and location of the car in it’s history.

Work will now commence on the strip down in preparation for restoration to begin.

© Bridge Classic Cars Holdings Ltd, T/ as Bridge Classic Cars. Registered in England and Wales with company number 5047706.