Inside The Bridge Classic Cars Workshop – 15th February 2023

February 15, 2023

Join Molly as she takes a behind-the-scenes look at what is going on at Bridge Classic Cars.

Saying Goodbye To Our 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

February 9, 2023

The time has come to say goodbye to our Ferrari Daytona replica.

Since it first arrived at the Bridge Classic Cars workshop back in 2020, our 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona has gone through a huge transformation and now looks incredibly different to how it did upon its arrival.

From its paintwork to its engine to its interior, you would be forgiven for thinking the car that is leaving the workshop is a different car from the one that rolled in at the beginning of its restoration journey.

The restoration of our Daytona has been extremely challenging but equally as exciting. Seeing it in its almost finished form has certainly made all of the hard work our team of classic car technicians have put into this project very much worth it.

As our 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona leaves us and returns to its owner, we look forward to seeing what the future has in store for this special classic car.

A Visit To The Rolling Road At Hangar 111

December 20, 2022

Our 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona recently visited Hangar 111 to make use of their rolling road.

This was the best way for the 6 carburettors to be correctly set up.

Our Daytona is a very eye-catching car and it always draws lots of attention from any visitors we have to the workshop.

Lots of progress has been made on our 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona and we look forward to seeing it returned to its owner very soon.

Glovebox Radio Installed

December 12, 2022

Classic car technician Brian recently installed the glovebox radio in our 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona. He started by making the cardboard patterns for the inner section of the glovebox that would hold the radio.

He then cut out the base from mill board and the centre sections from plywood. To make sure everything was exactly the right size, Brian trial-fitted the front panel and radio before moving on to the next step in the process.

After a successful trial-fitting, Brian went on to fit the side panels of the glovebox as well as making and fitting the rear bracket. Once this was complete, he could cut and glue the Alcantara (a synthetic suede-like material that is referred to as a “material of the future”) to the front edge of the glovebox.

The radio was then put into the box and everything was ready to be installed in the car.

Once the glovebox and radio were in the car, Brian turned his attention to the glovebox lid. He first fit a piano hinge to the lid and screwed it in place before fitting this to the dashboard in the car.

The finished product of the glovebox and radio look very impressive and we are very pleased with the result.

Our 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona is getting closer and closer to being complete and we are extremely excited to see this beautiful car drive out of the workshop and back to its owner in the very near future.

A Covered Glovebox Door

October 19, 2022

Our 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona continues to make progress through its restoration journey.

Recently, Lydia has been working on covering the glovebox door that Scott had made previously. She did this by making a paper pattern before sewing a vinyl template to check the sizing was correct.

Lydia went on to make the cover out of striped alcantara so it matched the rest of the dash. She sewed this together before glueing, cutting, and shaping it to fit around the front of the door.

The underside of the glovebox door was then covered with black vinyl before it was screwed back into place.

Working On The 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

September 22, 2022

Scott, one of our classic car technicians, has been hard at work on the restoration of our 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

From having his head under the bonnet to being under the car itself (and everywhere else in between), Scott continues to restore this incredible car so it can be back on the road where it belongs.

Spotted – The 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Photographed On Its Way Home

September 8, 2022

The 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona was spotted by a member of local classic car group, East Coast Retros, on its way back to our Suffolk HQ.

The Daytona had a short trip out to one of our trusted specialists to check over a couple of the systems on the car before the team fire it up for the first time and begin to test the car properly.

Helmingham Hall Classic & Sports Car Festival 2022

August 8, 2022

This Sunday, the Bridge Classic Cars team were at the Helmingham Hall Classic & Sports Car Festival 2022.

The team had set up our stand the day before and carefully positioned our collection of competition and restoration cars to show off to everyone walking past.

Our stand was instantly busy as the gates opened at 10 am on Sunday. Crowds and lines of people waiting to get their tickets for our competition cars or to talk to the team about a project they have. In front of us, the rows of concourse cars laid out an incredible sight.

From an original Lamborghini Countach Anniversary to an Mk2 Jaguar with a leopard print interior. Included in those rows of incredible machinery was a 1960 Jensen 541S – It was Peony Red, the car we had restored for its proud owner on display and mentioned as a finalist in the Best in Show later that day.

In the multiple fields and paddocks, all manner of cars were on show. From new supercars to rarely seen and incredible classics from every corner of the automotive world. There was also amazing food, dancing, bands and stands for everyone to look at.

Families lined the shaded driveway, nestled under a long row of oak trees as the sun grew higher throughout the day as the concourse cars would do their exhibition runs. Filling the Suffolk countryside with every type of engine noise imaginable.

At the Bridge Classic Cars stand, the line of people didn’t stop. We love seeing our friends, new and old, so it was always a pleasure for the team to have a chat and enjoy the atmosphere.

As the afternoon went on, it was time to do our annual live draw from the Heveningham Hall Classic & Sports Car Festival. This time, it was for our beautiful 1971 MG B Roadster.

Molly and Freddie went live on our Facebook page to find out who the lucky new owner of the classic sports car. With the tickets having sold out several days before and the entry list being live, it was time to fire up the Google Random Number Generator. As Molly and Freddie hit the button, the future of the MG B was decided. The winner was Richard Hancox with ticket number 1027.

To check out the full gallery from the 2022 Helimgham Hall Classic & Sports Car Festival 2022 have a look below:

Progress – The Team Working on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

August 5, 2022

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working their way through some of the smaller jobs on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

These little jobs are as crucial as the larger bits of work in the restoration of a classic car to make sure that every little piece and part of the car is fit perfectly and work correctly when needed.

Progress – 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Coming Together

May 30, 2022

The workshop team have been working on making progress on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona that is in our workshop.

The team began work on making the new instrument panel for the classic Daytona replica. This started as a card template which could be refined further and further until it was the perfect shape to fit behind the dash cluster. From there and using reference photos, the team could begin laying out the various dials and lights needed for the Daytona. Then, it was transferred to the aluminium sheet and carefully cut out and cleaned up before being put into the car with its dials in place.

The next job took our technicians to the engine bay of the Daytona replica, and more specifically the AC pump. The team had to create a new handmade bracket to orientate the AC bump for the belt system to work and also to allow for the unit to line up better with the other pulleys in the engine bay. Once in place, the team could then make up the crucial high-pressure lines which will hold the coolant.

Progress – Updates on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

May 24, 2022

The workshop team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on making progress on the beautiful 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona in our Suffolk HQ.

The team have completed the final installation of the fuel pump into the classic Daytona replica. This was a key part of the project as the team worked towards the first fire up and testing. Along with this, the team have worked on securing the centre console into the car and bolting it down with the new carpet sets.

The team also worked on fitting the new reverse lamp, which required accurate and precise cutting into the rear valance of the GT car. Alongside this, the windscreen and rear glass have been installed into the car.

Final Finish – Door Cards on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

May 4, 2022

The trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars has worked on finishing off the final pieces for the door cards of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

The final pieces of brightwork and trims have been put onto the door cards of the Daytona as the finish touches are in the process of being applied. The team have used dozens of reference photos and scale measurements to get them as close to the originals as possible while also improving the fit and finish of the original.

Bedded Down – Carpets into the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

May 4, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on fitting down the handmade carpet sets into the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

The trim shop has spent a lot of time making sure that each individual piece of the interior fits perfectly and aligns just right with the pieces that join into it. For this, our trim team have test fit all of the pieces countless time making revisions and changes to ensure the whole interior works in its entirety.

With everything working together, the team began the process of getting the final parts of the carpet set and trim panels into place inside the classic Daytona replica.

Best Fit – Sound Deadening, Carpets and B Pillar Trims on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

May 3, 2022

The interior trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona to get each of the new pieces to work in the car.

The trim team have worked on getting the carpet panels fitted into the car backed with high-quality sound deadening. This means each individual piece had to be tried in place and any adjustments made to make sure that each panel would fit and fit perfectly with the others around it.

With the side panels now in place, the team could get the footwell carpet panels into place and work on finessing the carpets in.

Then work could move on fitting the B Pillar trims. Each of these had test fit and worked on to match the rest of the car.

Covered – Carpets In and Wrapping the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Centre Console

April 28, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona with several key jobs finished off for the car.

The team have fitted in the final carpet pieces to the cockpit of the Daytona. The trim team have hand-finished each of these pieces which includes fixing the rubber panels and installing the clips onto the pieces before being fitted into the car.

From there, the team could turn their attention to the centre console. This was trimmed in match green leather to the rest of the car. Each individual piece of the centre console has been perfectly made and trimmed by hand to make sure that it fits the console beautifully and is tailored specifically for it. Even down to perfecting and refining the handbrake lever cover.

Then, the team could begin to work on the door cards of the classic Daytona. The fibreglass cores that sit at the heart of the panels have been reworked by our body team to allow them to sit in just the right place and flush to the tops of the doors. Then the interior team could begin to fit the handmade ribbed panels and grab handles onto the doorcards. Once everything had been fit up properly onto the door cards, 3mm thick foam could be cut and formed to be fixed onto the fibreglass pieces for the car.

Tuck and Cover – Fitting the C Pillar Vents and Rear Shelf on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 26, 2022

The trim team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on getting a few more jobs done on the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

The first task was to put the new vents into the C Pillars of the classic Daytona replica. For this, our trimmer Brian very carefully marked out and cut the holes need to bit the core of the vent in place. Then, it was secured into place before a mesh was placed over the backside to perfectly match the original Daytona.

Next, Brian tackled getting the rear parcel shelf wrapped in foam. This will make up a large part of the rear of the Daytona which the team have expertly finished and put into place.

Progress – Making the Parcel Shelf and Fixing Down the Carpets in the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 22, 2022

The trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on making progress on the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

Brain, one of our trimmer has handmade the brand new parcel shelf for the classic Ferrari replica to get the best fit possible into the car.

After that, he has begun the process of systematically fixing the carpets down into place. Because these pieces have been made specifically for the car, each has to be secured into place in a particular order in order to get the perfect fit and finish required for such a unique and bespoke project.

Heavy Lifting – New Boot Strut for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 21, 2022

The restoration workshop have been working on some of the smaller details of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

This time, it was the boot lid prop/strut. Scott, one of our technicians, has carefully reworked the prop to make sure it extended and locked in place with the full weight of the decklid placed on it. Then, it was taken off and refinished to match the rest of the hardware on the classic Daytona replica.

Through the Lens – Fitting the Indicators on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 21, 2022

The restoration team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have made progress on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona. This time, they’ve been perfecting the fitment of the indicator lenses at the front of the classic Ferrari homage.

Our technician Scott has spent several hours getting the lenses just right for Daytona replica. The lenses had to be fixed into place on the car, which Scott made up some small and strong brackets for. These were carefully measured up and put into the car. Along with that, the back of the lens socket was masked up and painted so through the clear part of the lens, the cars stunning pale green cannot be seen.

Up and Over – New Headliner on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 19, 2022

The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on getting the headliner sorted on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

The team began with a basic paper template so they could make sure the final piece had the best possible fit and finish to match the rest of the bespoke interior going into the classic Daytona replica. From there, the whole piece was transferred to fabric. The original headliner was used as inspiration as it had metal strips welded in to give the vertical lines in the padding, this new headliner has the same pattern but is stitched.

We’re excited about the progress on the Arrow Daytona and look forward to showing you what’s happening next on the classic Ferrari replica.

Progress – Working On the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Carpets and Centre Console

April 19, 2022

The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been working on fitting out the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona. The team have handmade each piece for the car and that includes every section of the carpet set of the classic Ferrari replica and the newly modified centre console.

The team used original pieces removed from the car at the start of its restoration process to use as templates to create tight-fitting and neat pieces which will make up the driver’s footwell.

The centre console, which has recently been lengthened by the team, has also begun its journey to be finished in matching material to the rest of the classic Ferrari tribute. Firstly, a pattern was made from black fabric for our trim team to refine and place out any seams or edges that will need to be made for the piece. Once this template was made, the team could then begin transferring the template onto the lush green leather.

Perfect Fit – Making New Boot Boards and Centre Console Extension for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 14, 2022

The in-house trim team at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy hand-making several key pieces for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

Starting in the boot of the classic Ferrari replica. The trim shop has hand-made new boot boards for the car. These have been measured to give the best possible fit and finish to the pieces once they’re completely installed into the car. Before then, our trimmer Brian has wrapped them in black fabric to match what was originally in the boot of the car.

After this, the team test fit the centre console into the car. After the numerous modifications made to the interior of the car to create a true replica of the iconic Ferrari GT car, the fibreglass centre console cover had to be modified and the trim team created a new extension piece to perfectly replicated the fit and finish of the original car.

One After Another – Working on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 14, 2022

The restoration team at the Bridge Classic Cars Suffolk HQ have been working on making progress on several key jobs to do with the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

After fitting the heater matrix in the classic Daytona replica our technician, Scott, hand made a new demister plenum specifically for the car. This had to be put into place for Scott to begin working on testing and measuring for the pedal box of the car.

Scott took his measurements for pedal placements and widths to modify the pedals themselves to make them exacting replicas of original Daytona pieces. While the pedals and lever themselves were being modified, Scott cleaned up the entire pedal box assembly and preparing the clutch and brake master cylinders along with the brake servo to be sent off to a local specialist to be refurbished for the project.

First Fit – Beginning the New 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Carpet Set

April 13, 2022

The in-house trim shop at Bridge Classic Cars have begun the process of creating the one-off carpet set for the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

Our trimmer Lydia has been working on the project to create the bespoke carpets. To begin with, she took the original carpets which were removed from the car during its teardown at the start of the project and laid them back into the car to create a layout and map of which panels needed to be bound and where but also this was done to refine the sizes of each piece to create a final product as close to an original Daytona interior as possible.

Once the pieces had been laid out, they were taken upstairs to our in-house trim shop to be transferred onto the new carpet material. Finished in dark green with matching edging. The original pieces were used as templates and refined to get the best fit into the Daytona.

The largest piece was for the rear of the Arrow, these were test fit into the car to take into account the many recesses and compartments particular to Arrow Daytonas.

Changes – Modifying the Doors, Door Cards and Centre Console on the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

April 5, 2022

The 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop has been having its doors, door cards and centre console modified to have several key authentic Ferrari Daytona pieces worked into the interior of the car.

The first part to be installed was the door lights. This involved very carefully measuring up the pieces as a template and drilling out a perfect hole to fit them.

Next, the door cards for the Daytona had to be heavily reshaped and modified to fit the new Daytona pieces. This involved the team stripping back the door card coverings for the fibreglass backing to be cut and reshaped, using minimal body filler in order to be smoothed out underneath its leather coverings.

The centre console had been reshaped and refined to more accurately replicate the original Daytona piece and match the level of detail in the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

Fitted Up – Fitting the Heater/AC Unit and Handbrake to the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona

March 22, 2022

The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars has worked on getting the AC/Heater Unit fitted into the interior of the 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona.

Scott has made brackets to adapt the mounts on the AC/Heater unit to the dash structure in the Daytona. The piece was carefully test fit into the car and bolted down before the freshly retrimmed dashboard was placed over it to make sure the fit and finish were perfect on the car.

Next, he turned his attention to the handbrake on the car. The lever has been fitted with a genuine Daytona cover and then the bracketry fitted onto the transmission tunnel, painted and bolted down. Then the necessary cables could be run to the rear brakes.

Mounts – 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona Brackets for the Radiator, Oil Cooler & Air Conditioning

March 16, 2022

The 1979 Arrow Ferrari Daytona is in the process of the Bridge Classic Cars workshop getting everything fit up and secured into the car.

This time, Scott has been working on getting the radiator, air-conditioning and oil cooler mounts made for the car and the components installed into the car. For this process, each component has to be put into the car to make sure there is no interference between these systems and any others in the engine bay or under the dash of the classic Ferrari replica.

Once each of the pieces was test fit into the car, Scott could take off the brackets and finish welding them and then primer and paint them in durable satin black.

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.

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.

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.