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Autoshack – July 2021

Good friend to Bridge Classic Cars, Lee from Autoshack has shared our latest competition car, our 1983 Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk1. Lee and Autoshack have

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Lotus Cars – July 2021

Special thank you to Lotus Cars for sharing our beautiful Elise Sport 240 Final Edition competition to their equally impression 800,000+ audience. Norwich City Football

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MiniWorld – May 2021

The world’s best selling Mini magazine since 1991, MiniWorld features a fantastic article on the restoration works involved in our 1967 Austin Mini 850. Thanks

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Featured – 1967 Austin Mini 850 on Petrol Ped YouTube Channel

The amazing 1967 Austin Mini 850 which was converted to all-electric not only will be premiering on Discovery Channels Vintage Voltage on Thursday but it will soon be appearing on YouTube!

The car, which Bridge Classic Cars helped the project by handling the paint and bodywork for, was driven by our friends Simon and Petrol Ped to showcase this incredible project to everyone online.

Keep a lookout on the Petrol Ped YouTube channel for this exciting video.

Featured – A Couple of our Previous Ford Escort RS2000’s on Facebook

Bridge Classic Cars have a history with the fabled Ford Escort RS2000. We have restored a couple of these amazing Fast Fords for customers and a pair of them have popped up on an enthusiast Facebook page.

The orange 1977 Ford Escort RS2000 featured in the first image was restored by our in-house team. And the white car is also a 1977 Ford Escort RS2000 which was sold at Auction by ourselves but cared for the car for its new owner. The top car in the 2nd photo is that 1977 RS2000 outside the turnstiles at the home of Ipswich Town Football Club, Portman Road.

Featured – Man With The Golden Roller Outside Buckingham Palace

Our former 1974 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 1, now owned by The Man with The Golden Roller, has been on its travels recently.

The car has been photographed outside the gates of Buckingham Palace to commemorate the 70-year reign of HRH Queen Elizabeth II with this iconic Rolls Royce.

Head over to Instagram and take a look at the adventures of this beautiful 1974 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 1 with The Man with the Golden Roller.

Featured – SuffolkAndFast with our incredible 1967 Jaguar Series 1 Racing E-Type

Our friend, SuffolkandFast, shared this a little while ago and it got us feeling all nostalgic about our 1967 Jaguar E Type Series 1 Racer that we built in house.

Mike drove the racer for the photo and video shoot of the car. We at Bridge Classic Cars are massively proud of this project which was entirely built by our amazing in-house team from the ground up. To watch the video that we made to go along with the car, just click on the video below.

Featured – 1967 Austin Mini 850 in the Ipswich Star

It’s always a lovely sight to see our previous projects out in the world. An example of this is the 1967 Austin Mini 850 owned by our friend Simon Benton.

This Mini was aesthetically restored by Bridge Classic Cars last year in preparation for its all-electric conversion done by Team C Racing and Electric Classic Cars. The car arrived at our workshop as a shell, then our in-house paint and body team got to work getting this wonderful classic Mini back to better than new condition before its date with the workshop in Wales for the conversion.

You can see more on this project in the upcoming Discovery Channel series about the car.

To read the full article, click the link below.

Ipswich Star: Classic Electric Mini Article

Featured – The 1967 Austin Mini 850 on ITV Anglia News

Recently, the all-electric converted 1967 Austin Mini 850 which belongs to our friend Simon was featured in a segment on ITV Anglia News.

Bridge Classic Cars handled the body and paintwork for this amazing project alongside the guys from TeamC (a local Mini specialist) and Electric Classic Cars in Wales.

Click the link below and see what Simon had to say about his amazing passion project.

Watch ITV Anglia News segment on the 1967 Austin Mini 850

Behind the Scenes – 1967 Austin Mini 850 on ITV News

It’s always incredible when old projects come back to visit. Especially ones that have gone out there and developing a life of their own. For example, this bright blue 1967 Austin Mini 850 belongs to our dear friend Simon. Simon owns this incredible little car that hides a small secret.

Well, it’s not a small secret at all. This Mini has been converted to have an electric drive train out of a Tesla… The equivalent of 300BHP in a tiny package is always guaranteed to put a smile on your face. We here at Bridge Classic Cars did the bodywork and paint for the project. It was delivered to us as basically a bare shell with all the potential in the world ahead of it. Our expert restoration teams set about preparing the car for its new electrified life.

The conversion itself was handled by our friends over at Team C (formally the East Anglian Mini Centre) and also by Electric Classic Cars in Wales.

With the project gaining popularity across the world (it was also recently at the Classic Show at the Birmingham NEC) several media outlets have picked up the story of this wonderful car and its sentimental attachment to Simon. Recently it was featured in The Telegraph and very soon it will be beamed into your homes on the Discovery Channel. Before then, however, it will appear on ITV news in a segment filmed in our workshop.

So, we wanted to take you behind the scenes of the shoot along with Freddie, Nick and Gordon from Bridge Classic Cars to give you a sneak peek at what you can expect. This Mini is truly beautiful, the colour was incredible in the winter sun. The brightwork glistened and all of its small and special details were on display for everyone to see. After speaking to Simon on his own about the car, the guys from ITV had a quick chat with Ted from Team C and our very own director, Gordon who shared their thoughts on being involved in such an incredible project and just how far this little car has come from when it first rolled into our workshop in February 2020.

It will be broadcast on ITV Anglia News at 6pm on January 6th 2022. Be sure to tune in and watch!

Featured – Our 1967 Mini 850 in The Telegraph

The bright blue all-electric 1967 Mini 850 that our paint and body experts at Bridge Classic Cars got back into tip-top shape for the project.

It’s amazing to now know the back story on the project and just how much this bright blue little car means to Simon, the owner. It’s incredible to see the coverage this fantastic car has been getting and we wish Simon many happy miles in the car and hope to see him again soon at events.

Read more about the amazing car and its story over on The Telegraph website.

Behind The Scenes – Handover of the 1975 Ford Escort Mk1 RS Mexico Recreation with BBC Radio Suffolk

One of the best parts about the process of someone winning a dream classic from Bridge Classic Cars Competitions is the look on their face when their new pride and joy is revealed to them for the first time. It’s a beautiful moment and with our latest competition winner, Chris and his 1975 Ford Escort Mk1 RS Mexico Recreation, we were lucky enough to capture the whole process along with a good friend of Bridge Classic Cars.

As the team arrived, with the RS Mexico safely stowed away inside our enclosed transporter, the air was electric. Chris, who won the Escort RS Mexico Recreation on Thursday last week, was there to meet the team and the transporter. As the team got the Transporter in position, a long time friend of Bridge Classic Cars and Classic Bus Enthusiast Luke Deal arrived. Luke is of course one of the voices of BBC Radio Suffolk. Luke has been a friend of Bridge Classic Cars since we did our 1948 Morris Lowlight competition which, just like Chris, was won by someone just round the corner from our headquarters in Pettistree.

After the introductions and the plan had been gone through. It was time for the next big surprise for Chris. He was about to be interviewed live on BBC Radio Suffolk about how he won the car and his thoughts and emotions about now being the proud owner of this incredible classic. As this was happening, the Bridge Team were busy shooting videos and photographs but also Live Streaming the handover on our Facebook Page. Along with Luke having a chat with Chris about his prize, he also spent a few minutes talking to Charlotte about Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, how it is done and the amazing response that we have had across the enthusiast community.

Then, it was time for the big reveal. Standing off to one side of the car, Chris watched on with Luke as Charlotte and Craig pulled back the fitted black cover to reveal Chris’s bright green pride and joy. It was quite a sight to see him overcome with emotion as the realisation sunk in that the car well and truly belonged to him. He had to pause during his live reaction chat with Luke to gather his thoughts a couple of times as you could see how much this car meant to him.

With Chris now the proud new owner of the 1975 Ford Escort Mk1 RS Mexico Recreation, he had a chat with Freddie and Charlotte about how he had entered and his feelings about winning which was so lovely to see a real, genuine person so filled with happiness and excitement about his dream classic. That is what sits at the core of Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.

To listen to both Chris and Charlotte live on the air with Luke Deal today on BBC Radio Suffolk, click the link below and skip to 10:45.

Click here to Listen to Luke Deal with Bridge Classic Cars and the latest winner Chris.

Featured – Our 1966 Mercedes Benz 250SE W111 on the Mercedes Benz Club UK page on Instagram

The 1966 Mercedes 250SE that is currently live on Bridge Classic Cars Competitions has been featured on the Mercedes Benz Club UK Instagram Page.

This incredible classic Mercedes Benz is up for grabs by one very lucky winner. The car itself has a long and colourful history, with celebrity owners such as E L James and David Walliams, it has also been a member of the Mercedes Benz Club UK previously with it’s owners.

It is an absolutely stunning example of the W111 Coupe! It’s honest and has a beautiful story that is written across its 55-year-old body and its wonderfully characterful interior.

To read more about the car or to enter the competition, click the link below and you could be in with a chance to win this stunning classic coupe.

Click here to enter the 1966 Mercedes Benz 250SE Coupe

Featured – Bridge Classic Cars on the Norwich City Football Club Website

After our recent trip to Hethel for the handover of Alex Juggins’s 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition that he won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions.

Bridge Classic Cars alongside Norwich City, Lotus Cars and Norwich City Community Sports Foundation helped to raise £100,000 for the Community Sports Foundation that helps to drive inclusion in the Norfolk area by helping young people from different backgrounds and abilities get into sport.

It was an incredible cause and we are honoured to have played our part in organising, promoting and heading up the competition of the car for the Foundation and all those involved.

Featured – Our 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition in Car & Classic

Our Bridge Classic Cars Competitions 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition has been featured in Car & Classic!

The car, which is being drawn on Sunday 31st October at 7 pm on our Facebook page, is the first VIN number for the last ever Lotus Elise production run. Together with Lotus Cars and Norwich City Football Club, Bridge Classic Cars Competitions wants to give one lucky winner the chance to become the owner of this very special sports car. And at the same time, help support an incredible charity.

Chris Pollitt has written up an amazing piece shared on their main website which you can see here!

The car is still available to enter, however. Tickets are £9 and 100% of the proceeds go towards helping the Norwich City Community Sports Foundation.

Click here to enter now!

Featured – Our 1965 Amphicar is on the Top Gear Website!

Our 1965 Amphicar that is currently up for auction with Car & Classic Auctions has found its way onto the Top Gear website!

The team here at Bridge Classic Cars painstakingly restored this car over countless hours into a full working, fully certified Amphicar.

Check out the article here or check out the auction with Car & Classic here!

Featured – Our Bridge Classic Cars / Norwich City Community Sports Foundation Lotus Elise on the Lotus Newsletter.

Our 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition which is being given away to support the important work that the Norwich City Community Sports Foundation do was featured in the latest online Lotus email Newsletter.

The Lotus is still up for grabs to one lucky winner. And all the proceeds will go towards helping the work that NCCSF do with young people of different abilities and backgrounds to get involved in the amazing world of sport.

You can enter just by clicking the link below!

Win the 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition

Featured – 1973 Rolls Royce Corniche on Car & Classic Auction

Recently our 1973 Rolls Royce Corniche that has been at Bridge Classic Cars was featured on Car & Classic Auction. This is a superb example of a Mulliner Park Ward Rolls Royce finished in Willow Gold over Brown which was paint in-house by our paint experts.

Here’s what Car & Classic had to say about the 1973 Rolls Royce Corniche.

”A development of the Mulliner Park Ward two door Silver Shadow, the Corniche became a model in its own right in 1971, although the cars continued to be built by Park Ward, and draws its name from the French word corniche, meaning coast road and was first given to a 1939 prototype which was tested across continental Europe.

Available as a 2 door saloon or drophead coupe, both came with a 6.75 litre V8 under the bonnet with a three-speed automatic transmission and an opulent, handcrafted interior.

This car has been very well cared for over the years, with the Corniche having light use and regular servicing and maintenance, and the receipts show how any small jobs have been tackled as needed.

In 2007, when it was a popular addition, an LPG kit was added. It has not needed any big repairs over the years but has just had a full respray by Bridge Classics in the original colour, with the addition of a second colour lower half.

Included with this Rolls Royce is a pair of thick folders of receipts showing the care that has been lavished on this car over the last four decades. 

There are decades of MOT certificates and receipts for parts from the well-known suppliers such as Flying Spares, BCI and Intercar, almost all for minor and service parts as no major work has been needed over the years, and there is a sheet of notes showing every service from March 1973 until 2002. The original Rolls Royce service book shows service stamps at 2273,3617, 6616, 12861, 21803, 26261, 28361, 40682 miles.

The Corniche’s interior is untouched and original, with a gentle and beautiful patina of time and care across the soft leather and fine wood. It even still has its original radio and Radiomobile Eight track player.

The magnolia cream leather seats have contrasting brown piping, and show very little wear, just some very light lines from use, while the thick, dark brown carpet has always been protected by the lighter deep-pile lambswool over mats, also in fine condition.

On the dashboard, door caps and through the centre is the fine wood that is to be expected in a Rolls Royce. There are a few age related marks on the surface, small cracks in the dashboard lacquer and around the dials the darker inner rim has flaked in places.

In the boot, the floor carpet has a few marks but the side carpet is very good and the trim under the lid is excellent. The spare wheel is present and has good tread.

The body has just been repainted by the Bridge Classics workshop in the original willow gold, but now in a two-tone combination with the addition of wendy brown lower panels. Any repairs needed to the metalwork were taken care of while the car was stripped so the panels should be solid, clean metal under the fresh paint with its deep gloss finish. 

The chrome work is excellent, with the bumpers very good, the big radiator grill and of course, the flying lady is beautiful and the stainless wheel trims unmarked, and the wheels are shod in Uniroyal tyres with good tread. There is a brown vinyl roof matching the lower half of the car, in excellent condition.

The 6.75 litre V8 and GM automatic gearbox have a reputation for solid reliability, and we are told the car runs very smoothly and glides between gears. 

The car was fitted with an LPG kit by Energyshift in 2007 at a cost of £1440 and most recently had a gas safety inspection certificate in 2013, although we have not tested this and this can be removed by the dealer where specialist where the car is stored.

Although not required as the car is well over 40 years old, it has just passed an MOT, so is covered until summer 2022.

The handcrafted wood and leather of the interior, the flowing lines of the body and that imposing grill create an impression like no other. When close up to one of these automobiles it’s hard not to be drawn into the allure of these fine country house drawing rooms on wheels.

This example has a full and detailed history, a fabulous condition interior and having just been treated to a high-quality paint job it looks superb. ”

This is a lovely example of the pinnacle 1970s luxury. The Corniche has been painstakingly worked on by the team here at Bridge Classic Cars and it’s always nice to see it being appreciated out there in the world.

To Read More, or see the full gallery of images on the 1973 Rolls Royce Corniche, Click the link below.

Car & Classic Auction – 1971 Rolls Royce Corniche

Jensen Journaal – July 2021

It is lovely to receive a copy of the Zomer 2021 Jensen Journaal in the post this week.

Several of our Jensens that we have restored have been featured in this month’s copy of the Dutch magazine, Jensen Journaal! https://jensenholland.nl/ It’s an absolute privilege, so thank you.

The magazine talks about our 1957 Jensen 541R, the 1958 Jensen 541R, the 1960 Jensen 541R and the 1960 Jensen 541S (The Prototype).

Here are our website links to the cars that were featured to find out more information on each of the restoration projects.

https://bridgeclassiccars.co.uk/category/projects/completed/1958-jensen-541r-navy/

https://bridgeclassiccars.co.uk/category/projects/completed/1957-jensen-541r/

https://bridgeclassiccars.co.uk/category/projects/completed/1960-jensen-541r-01/

https://bridgeclassiccars.co.uk/category/projects/completed/1960-jensen-541s/

Autoshack – July 2021

Good friend to Bridge Classic Cars, Lee from Autoshack has shared our latest competition car, our 1983 Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk1. Lee and Autoshack have been a huge part of the recent times of our Golf GTI. The car has been regularly maintained in the Autoshack workshops.

Thanks for sharing our competition Lee…

Lotus Cars – July 2021

Special thank you to Lotus Cars for sharing our beautiful Elise Sport 240 Final Edition competition to their equally impression 800,000+ audience.

Norwich City Football Club’s Principal Partner, Lotus Cars, has generously donated a Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition for a competition to support the Community Sports Foundation.

Production of the iconic Lotus Elise is ending after 25 years and the competition prize is the first car to be built from the Final Edition range.

It comes with a customised Certificate of Provenance pack from Lotus and will be provided with a new bespoke Lotus Elise car cover.

The competition winner will also have an exclusive handover day at Lotus HQ in Hethel, which includes a private factory tour and test track experience.

#DrivingInclusion for people with disabilities

All proceeds from the competition will help the Foundation to continue our work to provide inclusive environments for people with disabilities in Norfolk.

Jake Humphrey, TV presenter and trustee of the Foundation, was on hand to unveil the car and further explain the significance of the competition.

“This is an incredible prize; all of the Elise Final Edition cars have been snapped up, so this is the only way to get your hands on one.

“As a trustee of the charity, I have seen first-hand the importance of its work and the impact it has on people in Norfolk.

“Without vital fundraising this work would stop, and many across Norfolk would be deprived of our support.

“We want to thank Lotus Cars for this incredible opportunity to boost our fundraising this year.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, said:

“At Lotus, we are great supporters of the power of sport, not only for mental and physical wellbeing, but also how it can help inclusiveness amongst the community. Providing this unique version of the Lotus Elise, a sports car that is so admired around the world, will enable even more people in the region from around the county to benefit from the wonderful work of the Community Sports Foundation.

Tyre Assist Ipswich – July 2021

Tyre Assist Ipswich, formerly know as We Fit Any Tyres Anyway has successfully re-fitted the tyre to our freshly painted Morris Minor wheel. It was caught up in a spot of bother when a vehicle collided with our Morris but failed to stop. The car is in with us now being repair. Thanks as always Graeme.

Classic Car Weekly – May 2021

We were recently featured in Classic Car Weekly after journalist, Paul Guinness got in touch wanting to write an article about our Ford Model T recommissioning.

Land Rover Owner International – May 2021

We’ve been featured in Land Rover Owner International. Theo, editor, rang us up and had a chat with Ellie, about our beloved Land Rover and the competitions. After sending over visuals and some more information, we saw out feature on the website and absolutely love it.

“Series Land Rovers are sadly growing out of reach for an increasing number of us, as the costs of buying and restoring them are much higher than they used to be. Bridge Classic Cars has adopted a novel approach to selling vehicles, and one that could allow competition entrants to snap up this 1964 Series IIA for only £9.50″

You can read the article here.

TVR Racing Grantura Update

Raymond bought our rare 1962 TVR Racing Grantura a while back and he’s now restoring it to its former glory. On The right you can see a progress photo of the Grantura he bought from us and on the left is another rare racing Granture he’s recently bought – what a fantastic collection!

This is what the racing Grantura looked like when Raymond bought it: