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This Just In – 1993 Rover Mini Sprite

March 16, 2022

Just arrived into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop is this incredible 1993 Rover Mini Sprite.

This classic Mini will go through our restoration departments to inspect and assess the car to see if anything needs doing on it.

Apart from its arrival photos, the previous owner sent us over some photos of this stunning little 1993 Rover Mini and some of the work done to it.

Behind The Scenes – Photoshoot with the 1986 Ford Capri

March 15, 2022

With the 1986 Ford Capri being completely checked over, inspected and worked on by the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop, it’s time to do this iconic classic Fords photoshoot.

With a clean bill of health by the workshop, Freddie and Hayley took the legendary sports car up to our filming location to shoot this car’s photos and videos because it is now a competition car! Yes, you could win this very car.

The light was near enough perfect for the shoot. The deep, rich black bodywork contrasting against the green background of the location. The 1.6-litre based 4 cylinder was bustling with life, wanting to stretch its legs at less than a moment’s notice. In the winter sun, it was idyllic. The long, flowing bonnet which greets the driver, the short stubby back and the signature Ford steering wheel talking away to the driver about the road which rushes past the low slung GT car.

This Capri benefits from some engine work done to it by its previous owners in which oversized pistons and a new cam profile mean that this Capri really does pick up and go.

You can check it out and enter now over on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website! Click the link below.

Click here to go to Bridge Classic Cars Competitions

From Scratch – Making the New Rear Seat Coverings for the 1978 MGB GT

March 15, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on handmaking the new rear seat cover for the 1978 MGB GT in for restoration.

The rear seat is being refinished in black leather to match the rest of the car. For this, Lydia used the original cover as a template to work from to get the best fit for the seat. Along with the new covering is new leather straps and a felt/carpet base piece to cover the wooden base board of the seat.

First Donation – Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal 1989 TVR S2

March 15, 2022

The first round of donations has been sent to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Ukraine Appeal from our 1989 TVR S2 competition.

Jar has selflessly donated the car for this appeal in order to raise as much as possible to help the people of Ukraine directly affected by the invasion. In under a week, we have managed to send £10,000! A truly incredible total that will be going directly to the charities and organisations involved in helping those in direct need.

Remember, you too can help support this amazing gesture by entering the competition and be in with a chance of also winning a classic TVR. Click the link below to find out more!

Click here to enter the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal 1989 TVR S2 competition.

Stripped Back – Removing the Wood Panels on the 1968 MGC Roadster

March 14, 2022

The 1968 MGC Roadster is now in the hands of the Bridge Classic Cars trim team who have been working on refinishing the wooden panelling on the interior of the MGC.

Brian carefully removed the veneer on the dashboard and centre console piece by piece to strip the panels back to their most basic. He also removed the radio blanking plate as well as several gauges in order to get access and check over.

In Colour – The Body of the 1965 Porsche 912 Now in Polo Red

March 14, 2022

Following on from getting the body panels of the 1965 Porsche 912, the Bridge Classic Cars paint team have shot the body hell of the classic Porsche in period-correct Polo Red.

The car was wheeled into the booth and carefully prepped by Alan before mixing up a litre of Polo Red to be laid across the body. Coat by coat the red lay perfectly onto the body of the car after testing it in places to get the fan shape on the paint gun perfect for laying down the colour.

Alan worked his way from front to back on the car, allowing each coat to flash off and begin its curing process inside the booth. The 6 coats of colour on the body, were done in 2 sessions which allowed the paint time to set up before the next round of painting.

After the paint had cured in the booth for a few hours, it was time to carefully push the beautifully painted 912 into the preparation department to begin the colour sanding process for lacquer and polishing.

Unpicked – Deconstructing the Rear Seat of the 1978 MGB GT

March 14, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on very carefully unpicking and deconstructing the rear seat of the 1978 MGB GT.

Brian carefully unpicked all the stitching of the rear seat in order to assess and inspect the piece.

He also has been making new straps for the car out of handpicked leather to suit the rest of the cars interior.

Preparations – Preparing the Team C Racing Mini Shell

March 14, 2022

The Team C Racing classic Mini shell has been in with the Bridge Classic Cars paint and body team in preparation for its new colour scheme.

Our paint and body restoration technician Mauro has worked on preparing the classic Mini. The car arrived into us in grey primer, but the team have begun body sanding the entire shell to make sure that every curve and panel is in perfect shape before it finally gets its new colour.

The shell, after being sanded, has been taken into the booth and prepared for its next round of primer and sanding in the pursuit of perfection.

Making Room – New Throttle Pedal on the 1970 Bristol 411

March 11, 2022

As part of the left-hand drive conversion on the 1970 Bristol 411 currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop, the team have had to make a new throttle pedal for the car.

The conversion to the classic Bristol is moving along quickly, but part of the changeover is relocating the throttle pedal of the classic car. Paul has had to remanufacturer a throttle pedal to get the new set up to work correctly. Along with this, the routing of the wiring loom has also had to be changed to allow the throttle mechanism and the pedal itself free movement without risk of being caught on any part of the loom.

Clean Down – Cleaning Up the Engine and Gearbox from the 1978 MGB GT

March 11, 2022

With the bodywork on the 1978 MGB GT currently happening in the Bridge Classic Cars body shop, the restoration technicians in the workshop have taken the opportunity to clean up the engine and gearbox in preparation to go back in the car at a later date.

Our technician Rob has completely steam cleaned both the engine block, cylinder head and gearbox of the classic MGB. After plugging up any oil galleys and vital ports (as well as the exposed valvetrain), he could use our high pressured steam clean to knock the years of dirt and road grime off the 4 cylinder powertrain from the car.

Once thoroughly cleaned and dried, the engine and gearbox were put back together and stored ready for when the restoration calls for the drivetrain and the body to meet again.

Inspection – Clutch Slave Cylinder on the 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite

March 11, 2022

The 1959 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Suffolk HQ has been having the clutch system inspected and assessed.

After very little use since being replaced, the inside of the slave cylinder has corroded and seized. The brakes and the clutch for the Frogeye Sprite share the same hydraulic system, so when the team at Bridge Classic Cars attempted to bleed the brakes, the seized clutch slave wouldn’t allow the brakes to be fully bled and adjusted.

A new slave cylinder is required in order to complete the overhaul.

Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the 1952 MG TD & 1973 MGB GT V8

March 11, 2022

Last night, March 10th 2022 saw the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions find out not only who the lucky new owners for the 1952 MG TD and 1973 MGB GT V8 were but we also launched a very special competition that is close to our hearts and has such an amazing story which will go on to help and support people most in need right now.

On the live stream to our Facebook page, we welcomed those who tune in every week and some new names. The first order of business was to unveil the latest competition.

A 1989 TVR S2 2.9 has been amazingly donated by its owner Jar Joyce. Jar had been so moved by the Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine that he felt compelled to do the most he could. Jar had won the TVR from us in October, and a few days ago got in touch with us to help him use the car to raise funds and awareness for the situation the Ukrainian people have been forced into. In Jar’s own words ”I have had a very lucky life and now I would like to share my luck with those who need it most.”, so we will be drawing this 1989 TVR S2 at the end of April with 100% of the proceeds going straight to the Disasters Emergency Committee who are working with the Ukrainian people to support and help in so many worthwhile and incredible ways.

If you want to enter this amazing competition to win the TVR or just to help support this noble effort, click the link below (or share this with everyone you know) and remember 100% of the proceeds will be sent at the end of every week directly to the DEC to make a direct impact to those displaced and victims of the invasion.

Click here to enter the Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal 1989 TVR S2 2.9

After Craig had gone through the details of this wonderful, heartfelt appeal on behalf of Jar and all of us here at Bridge Classic Cars, it was time to run the live draw of these two classic sports cars.

First up, was the beautiful Acconite purple 1973 MGB GT V8. Hayley, using the random number generator, input the numbers. The odds for this car were fantastic as by the time the competition closed, a few hundred of the 4666 tickets were remaining. So, with one click of a button, the next owner of the BGT V8 was decided. 1602. That number had been the single ticket bought and allocated to Richard Holland. The lucky new owner of this stunning V8 sports car.

Next was the 1952 MG TD. A very special car with again, fantastic odds for all those who entered. Just under 300 tickets remained from the 1999 tickets allowed for this competition. Hayley reset the random number generator for between 1 and 1999 and with a single click, the fate of the TD was decided. 1476 appeared on the screen. This particular ticket was again a single ticket bought by a long time player with Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, Alan Cockerill.

Covered – Retrimming the Window Trim, Headliner and Sunroof of the 1987 Daimler Double Six

March 10, 2022

The sunroof, headliner and window trim from the 1987 Daimler Double Six are in the Bridge Classic Cars trim shop to be recovered in matching beige material.

Brian has been working on getting each individual piece cut out and perfectly retrimmed after being carefully stripped back and prepared for this stage. Each individual piece has been hand-worked to give the best fit and finish for the classic Daimler.

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.

Safe and Secure – Working on Fitting Up the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

March 10, 2022

The restoration workshop at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on getting several crucial pieces of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona restoration completed.

Scott has been working on carefully routing the various coolant hoses from the V12 to the new radiator set up for the car. Part of that radiator/cooling set-up involves the installation of not only a set of electric fans but also the new AC condenser. He has made up a beautiful set of custom brackets to hold these pieces to the radiator shroud.

The other pieces that have been completed on the Daytona are the installation of various key pieces to the engine such as the oil filter housing, the new exhaust bracket/mounts which has allowed Scott to begin fitting the exhaust to the V12. And with the new fans and other parts fitted to the car, he could begin working out the coolant hoses for any interference that may occur.

The Next Stage – First Colour on the 1965 Porsche 912

March 10, 2022

The body panels of the 1965 Porsche 912 have gone into the Bridge Classic Cars paint shop to have the first layers of colour laid onto the meticulously prepared pieces.

The car is being finished in a period-correct Porsche colour Polo Red.

Alan, one of our incredible painters, has been working on preparing the panels and pieces of the classic Porsche in preparation for this stage of the car’s bodywork. Each panel was perfectly sanded, cleaned and positioned inside the booth before he walked into our in-house spray booth/oven.

The first layer was light and delicate on the panels. Creating almost a pink covering before being allowed to set up and let the next coats adhere perfectly to the piece. Then, over time each layer was built up and allowed to flash off before the next round of Polo Red was laid onto and inside each of the pieces.

With these pieces curing in the ovens overnight, the next step is to prepare the body for the booth.

Changes – Modifying the Dash Surround of the 1970 Bristol 411 Left Hand Drive Conversion

March 10, 2022

The trim shop at the Bridge Classic Cars HQ in Suffolk have been working alongside the restoration workshop to convert the 1970 Bristol 411 to left-hand drive.

Part of that is modifying the dashboard of the car to the correct orientation in the cabin. With everything on the dash being moved from right to left, the instrument cluster needed to be reworked to line up with the existing woodwork and supports.

Referencing the car and the original dash pieces, Brian could make the precise and crucial cuts in the cluster to not only allow the wooden panel to sit in place but so that the existing material could be fitted back into the new cut with a perfect fit.

Top Work – Rust Repairs to the Sunroof of the 1987 Daimler Double Six

March 10, 2022

The fabrication team in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ are hard at work repairing the rust issues in the sunroof of the 1987 Daimler Double Six.

Monty has been working his way methodically through the entirety of the classic Daimler. This time he has turned his attention to the sunroof and sunroof opening of the car, which is showing some noticeable signs of corrosion both on the interior and exterior of the car. Firstly, the sunroof panel was removed and stripped back to best assess the piece.

With everything cleaned back, the level of corrosion could be seen and assessed. Monty began handmaking the various patch panels and pieces needed for both the roof panel and the sunroof rails. With all of these pieces carefully templated and made, the process of welding them into the car could begin.

Because of the tolerances in the sunroof mechanism, the welding process has to be precise and accurate as to not warp any of the pieces with the heat generated by welding.

Trimmed – Trimming the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Dash and Transmission Tunnel

March 10, 2022

With all of the preparations made by the Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop, the dashboard and transmission tunnel for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona has been retrimmed in all-new Alcantara.

Lydia has worked on creating a beautifully fitting and clean template for the new Alcantara covering for the pieces of the classic Ferrari replica. Now, it was time to begin the process of securing the material to the reshaped fibreglass panels.

Using specialist adhesives, the material was carefully stretched and glued down before being pinned in place to let the adhesives cure and strengthen.

Once the material was in place, Lydia could then begin trimming out the openings for things such as the dash vents, switchgear etc. and then proceeded to methodically glue down the tags and get the best finished possible for when the trim pieces were fitted back on to the car.

Coming Soon – 1985 Jaguar Double Six

March 10, 2022

Coming soon to Bridge Classic Cars is this stunning 1985 Jaguar Double Six.

The classic 4 door saloon will be arriving at our Pettistree workshops very soon to go through its full inspection and assessment by the restoration teams.

Expect to see more on the 1985 Jaguar Double Six very soon on the Bridge Classic Cars news page.

This Just In – Team C Racing Classic Mini

March 10, 2022

The newest arrival to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Pettistree HQ is the first of the 3 classic Mini shells that the restoration teams will be working on for our friends at Team C Racing.

This car will be worked on by our paint and body teams to be transformed into a brown body/white roof classic Mini for Team C.

Keep a lookout on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates very soon on this classic Mini.

This Just In – 2003 Jaguar XKR

March 9, 2022

The latest arrival into the Bridge Classic Cars workshop at our Pettistree HQ is this stunning 2003 Jaguar XKR.

The owner has reported a knocking sound coming from the rear of the supercharged Jaguar so our workshop technicians will be inspecting and reporting back on any findings to pinpoint the exact cause of the issue.

Changes – Working on the Steering Column of the 1970 Bristol 411

March 9, 2022

As part of the left-hand drive conversion of the Bristol 411, the Bridge Classic Cars workshop technicians have had to adapt the original column and shrowd to the new orientation.

Whilst the majority of the bulkhead and firewall have been adapted to the new left-hand drive conversion of the car, our restoration technician Paul has turned his attention to the steering column of the car. Especially the ignition barrel.

When the car was right-hand drive, the barrel would sit out at an angle and allow the driver to easily insert the key but, after the shrowd had been moved to the other side of the column as part of the conversion, the key couldn’t be easily put into the ignition. So, Paul worked on reworking the shrowd, column and barrel to get the access to the ignition as easy as possible for the new owner.

Assess and Repair – Removing and Repairing the Interior of the 1978 MGB GT

March 9, 2022

The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars worked on removing the interior of the 1978 MGB GT before it headed to our body shop to begin its rust repairs.

With the interior of the classic MGB removed and safely upstairs into our in-house trim shop, the team could begin working through the interior for the car.

The front seats of the sports car are in incredible condition, all that was needed was to tighten up the clips to pull the covers a touch tighter and regrease the mechanisms to avoid any unpleasant squeaking.

The rear seat of the MGB GT had slightly more wear, however. The ends of the foam panel underneath had deteriorated away so the trim team removed the cover and carefully cut and sectioned in new pieces to the ends of the base.

The next job was to strip back and inspect the rear squab panel. This involved the removal of all hardware, covers and foam from the panel.

Update – Progress on the 1968 MGC Roadster

March 9, 2022

The 1968 MGC Roadster in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Pettistree HQ has had a series of key jobs finished on the classic roadster.

Jon has been working on getting the MGC Roadster sorted for its new life. Ranging from the engine bay, under the dash and the wheels.

The first job was to fit up the new hoses which lead to the breather tank in the engine bay of the car. This is vital that any excess oil or any fumes are routed into a separate tank. There are several vent tubes associated with the 6-cylinder engine that are required to be routed to the catch can.

Next, he began to look into getting the heater cable fixed in place and linked up to the controller/dial on the dashboard of the MGC. With everything linked up, Jon could test the heating system in the cabin of the classic MGC.

A crucial job that needed to be done on the car was replacing one of the wheel bearings. Jon noticed that the wheel was making some small noises and allowed for some small movement back and forth when rocked.

With all of this done, the car can be completely road tested and signed off.

Teething Issue – Fixing the Door Mechanism on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster

March 9, 2022

The technicians in the Bridge Classic Cars restoration workshop at our Suffolk HQ have been working on a slight issue with the driver’s door on the 1973 Jaguar E Type Series 3 Roadster, Fern Grey.

Jon has been looking into the door mechanism which when the window is closed, cannot be opened from the inside.

Upon inspection, Jon found that the window regulator was interfering with the door latch mechanism and had knocked the release bar out of its guide. After removing the bar to modify and straighten the piece, he reinstalled the mechanism into the door and tested its function.

With the slight changes to the door release bar, everything was all okay after testing.

Stronger Together – Strengthening Panels in the Dash of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

March 8, 2022

The fibreglass dashboard on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona is being worked on by the trim team here at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ.

Brian has been working on cutting new ply strengthening plates for the fibreglass to make sure it is rigid and strong for not only the retrimming of the pieces but also for when the dash is installed back into the car and allow for perfect fitment in the cabin of the classic Daytona replica.

Top End – Retrimming the Window and Sunroof Pieces from the 1987 Daimler Double Six

March 8, 2022

Several pieces from the interior of the 1987 Daimler Double Six have been transferred to the in-house trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars.

The trim team have been carefully deconstructing and stripping back the various pieces of trim and panels from the roof of the classic Daimler. The sunroof of the car was removed in order to be inspected and assessed before it will be retrimmed by the team.

Next, the headliner of the car was stripped back and the foam sanded to be readied for the new headliner for the car fitted very soon.

Finally, the trim team carefully took apart the rear window trim and after cleaning up the surface retrimmed it in brand new foam strips.

Top Board – Making the Rear Quarter Panel Top Boards for the 1955 Jensen 541

March 8, 2022

The top boards for the rear quarter panels on the interior of the 1955 Jensen 541 have been made by hand in our in-house trim shop at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop.

Brian has made each individual piece by hand using original templates for the interior of the Jensen 541s. After they have been hand finished they will be retrimmed in the matching material to the rest of the car.

All-New – Recovering the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Dash in Alcantara

March 8, 2022

The dash for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona is continuing its journey with Bridge Classic Cars at our in-house trim shop.

The team have been working on transferring the pattern made on the black vinyl to the black Alcantara the owner has chosen. The new covering has been hand cut and stitched by Lydia to create a tight, elegant fit to the synthetic suede.

With these pieces now in their finishing stages, we’re excited to show you the next stage of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

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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