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1980 Austin Princess


vulgalour

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An old Alpine Stereo is what you want - all us kool kidz of the early nineties had one of these:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-alpine-radio-cassette-player-7280L-/222414619444?hash=item33c8f1c334:g:2~kAAOSw4shYA9J4

 

Bit pricey mind - I think they weren't much more than this when brand new, but they do have the advantage of having muchness of green on the facia.

 

Auto Metal, Bi-Level and SCC Head as standard. Any one of these marked you out as highly shaggable in old Romford town in 1991

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I like that, Parky, but it's a bit rich.  I only want to spend about £30 on a replacement.

 

Michael:  not everything on the list are testable items, I'd rather everything be above MoT standard if possible and fully functional otherwise it'll bug me.

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s-l1600.jpg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Classic-Audioline-car-stereo-cassette-radio/401289509593

 

 

 

s-l1600.jpg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292048608925

 

That top one is pretty much perfect, to look at.  The bottom one is as modern looking as I'd want to go, the way the digital display looks is particularly appealing on that one.  The Alpines are lovely looking things but on reflection I'm not sure they're right for what I'm envisioning.  The new head unit should be more analogue looking I think with very sharp edged buttons and lights.

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I'll wire the rear speakers in (and the larger middle woofer type if I can find my box 'o speakers which has mysteriously vanished) when we change the radio, mostly because the current radio may struggle to drive all four or five with any amount of oomph.

 

Only annoying thing to changing the radio in this is having to remove the entire bloody dash to do it.

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A little more progress made again today in my couple of spare hours before work.  Gradually ticking items off the MoT desnag list and discovering a few new items along the way, as is to be expected really.  I wanted to tackle the last item on my old MoT failure sheet which was the insecure CV joint, something that didn't make any sense.  On getting the car up in the air the first thing I actually noticed was that the centre exhaust hanger has failed pretty spectacularly so I'll have to order some replacement bits for that, pretty sure it's a generic component for this.

20170315-01.jpg

 

Then, so I could see what I was doing, scrubbed some degreaser on the worst of the gunge on the gearbox and lower engine before Mike volunteered to jetwash it all off.  Came up pretty well really, a more dedicated scrub should see it looking very presentable.

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The advisory was on the driver's side and now that I could see the boots and clips I could check.  There's absolutely nothing loose here, or missing, or damaged.  Even the steering rack boots are good.  I can only think a mistake was made on the test.  Everything checks out as being completely normal and in rude health so I'm considering that item done.  I even checked the passenger side, just to be extra sure.

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Then I had to take the dashboard out.  Again.  Thrice, in fact.  The first time was to replace the fuel gauge with the one I knew worked from the old dashboard.  In the new instrument cluster it too appears not to be working, there should be enough fuel in the tank for it to register in the red but the needle isn't even moving.  I'm going to try and fault find this before reinstalling the dashboard again.  Then I had to remove the dash a second time because I'd dislodged one of the fan plugs on reassembly.  The third time the dashboard was removed was because the seatbelt warning light bulb blew, it was an old bulb so that's probably why, and some new ones have been ordered.  It's annoying that the dash has to come out to replace this bulb, there's no other way to do it as far as I can tell.  Getting quite good at taking this dashboard in and out now.

20170315-07.jpg

 

The NOS ignition switch arrived today too.  The loom plug was different and the fixing screw wouldn't bite into the plastic casing properly so there was some modification required.  Mike fitted the Princess loom plug and removed the extra wires from the new switch and then helped me change the old plastic cap onto the new internals.  Bit of a faff, but at least I have an ignition switch that now works beautifully well.  It works so nicely, in fact, I'm more convinced than ever that the supposed 74k or so miles this car has done is a complete fabrication.

20170315-08.jpg

 

The carburettor problem was also identified and it's a problem the car has had before which is that of a sticking float.  Internally, the carb is lovely and clean, the new parts I put in a few years ago still look new and once I'd emptied out the fuel and reassembled the carb the car starts on the key and runs quite well.  We're still to set the carb up as it's idling a little high and possibly running a little rich still but I'd run out of time because of the dashboard fiasco so it will have to wait for another day.  Still, for all it was annoying to take the dash in and out so many times, I did get some items off the list and the items added are minor service items for the most part, such as fluid changing.

 

MoT list update:

> clean carburettor to resolve excessive overflow - DONE

> tune the carb

> identify why brake lights aren't coming on with pedal

> identify why passenger side reversing light not working

> replace hazard relay (ordered)

> replace fuel gauge - DONE

> identify why fuel gauge not registering (potentially just not enough fuel in tank)

> coolant flush and change

> exhaust downpipe/manifold joint is blowing

> exhaust stay needs replacing

> exhaust centre hangers need replacing

> trim/bend exhaust pipe tip so it clears fog light better

> bleed the brakes

> identify insecure CV joint fail from previous MoT - DONE

 

> make hazard switch work - DONE

> identify why fuse #5 is blowing - DONE

> connect fog lights - DONE

> connect number plate lights - DONE

> stick number plates on - DONE

> make the indicator lights work - DONE

> pump up the suspension - DONE

> fit the new tyres - DONE

> fit a new washer jet pump - DONE

> find the loose steering component - DONE

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I'll start with the list, since I've now officially cleared off all the items on the old failed MoT.  All issues now are new ones mostly from the car being unused for a few years.
 
Project List:
FAULT FINDING
> identify why brake lights aren't coming on with pedal
> identify why passenger side reversing light not working
> replace hazard relay - DONE
> identify why hazards only work on one side
> replace fuel gauge - DONE
> identify why fuel gauge not registering
- potentially stuck sender as fuel gauge was a known working replacement and is getting power
> identify why 
temperature gauge not registering
- potentially failed temperature sender as temperature gauge was a known working replacement and is getting power
 
MECHANICAL & SERVICING
> clean carburettor to resolve excessive overflow - DONE
> tune the carb
> coolant flush and change
> exhaust downpipe/manifold joint is blowing
> exhaust stay needs replacing
> exhaust centre hangers need replacing
 (ordered)
> trim/bend exhaust pipe tip so it clears fog light better
> bleed the brakes
> identify insecure CV joint fail from previous MoT - DONE
 
I wasn't going to go in today and fiddle with the car but I'd already done what jobs I needed to and was kicking my heels when the hazard relay arrived so... off I toddled for an hour or so to see what I could get through. First up was replacing the seatbelt warning light since the long-eared bulbs had arrived.  With one of those fitted the light now comes on like it should and extinguishes when the seatbelts are plugged in.  A small job.  It also highlighted that the seatbelts could do with a squirt of furniture polish, all the dust from storage has made them quite sluggish where they used to zip back quite readily.
20170316-01.jpghttp://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab16/volksangyl/Serendipity/20170316-01.jpg]
 
20170316-02.jpghttp://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab16/volksangyl/Serendipity/20170316-02.jpg]
 
After that, it was a case of trying to find out why the fuel gauge and temperature gauge appeared to be doing nothing.  Both gauges are known good ones so replacement was ruled out for now.  On checking for power, both are receiving it.  There is enough fuel in the tank for it register and I'm wondering if either the sender in the tank has failed/got stuck or if I've just been really unlucky and this fuel gauge has also failed.  Tested the temperature sender in a cup of boiling water and that wasn't giving a reading on the gauge so again that's either a fault sender or a failed gauge.  This one is going to be troublesome to sort because I have to identify what has failed and correct it.
 
Every time I consider putting the dashboard in I go through the functions to check everything is working to hopefully prevent me having to take it out again for something I missed.  This time I already knew there was an issue with fuel and temperature - and I'm not driving this car until I *know* they work, they're quite important although not needed for MoT - and when I started going through things the fog lights had stopped working.  Two of the dial illuminations had also stopped working.  A quick test and it was discovered a bulb had blown and replacing it meant the fog lights worked again.
20170316-04.jpghttp://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab16/volksangyl/Serendipity/20170316-04.jpg]
 
With that sorted, the new hazard flasher relay could go in.  As far as I know this is the same as the one I removed (and have misplaced) that was presumed dead when the hazards stopped working along with lots of other things.  Trouble is, now that I've fitted this the indicators aren't right.  With or without this relay, the regular indicators all flash just a little too rapidly and are illuminated for too short a spell, not as fast as if a bulb had blown, but too fast to be right.  They were perfectly fine on the same relay so I don't know what's happened there.  When you use the hazards, they illuminate at the proper brightness and slightly slower than normal but only on the passenger side, regardless of what you do with any other function.  I am utterly baffled by this.  It needs fixing before the MoT can be attempted, I just don't know where to begin on this one.
 
Here's the relay fitted, it's a massive thing.
20170316-03.jpg
 
For now I'm leaving the dashboard out until I can figure the indicator problem out.  I might need to buy a couple of upgraded relays, I'm not sure.  Don't you just love auto electrics?

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Rovamota on here suggested on the Princess forum that it's likely to be the voltage regulator.  I'll probably refit the original cluster as was, I think there was probably nothing wrong with it and I've chased myself in a circle before finding it was actually the cigar lighter at fault.

 

Mike and I brought everything home to test the temp sender and left the sender at the unit, because we are morons.

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hazards- it will usually be the switch if only one side is working right

 

indicators- what is the rating on the flasher unit? is it shown as something like

  1. (21x4) & (21x2) = car with NO side repeaters
  2. (21x4+5x2) & (21x2+5) = car with side repeaters

if you have one rated as no. 2 and you dont have working side repeaters there will posibaly be an increase in flashrate

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Noel: Ah, but I did have all 6 indicators and both side repeaters working normally before the dashboard gremlins appeared.  It's since then that the flash rate problems have started.  It's potentially related somehow.  It's been suggested by a friend as well as by yourself that the hazards is probably down to a duff switch, I'll try the spare I've got and see if that's any better since the spare is the known working one that used to be fitted.  I only changed the original switch out so I could have a full bank of black toggles rather than one red one, more fool me if that's the root of that issue.

 

Michael:  it is, and apparently it does.  It's probably the voltage regulator at fault so like I say, I'll swap the instrument cluster back to the original one and it should put everything right again.

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I don't think having a red hazard switch will look too nasty, it is after all the one you need to find quickly in an emergency or when thanking someone.

 

The dial cluster in these is actually quite nice to work with, it's all modular and you can swap stuff fairly easily.

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Today was a good day for Princess fettling.  To jump ahead a little, the dashboard ended up almost getting refitted and to help me out I decided to take the steering wheel off.  Glad I did, turns out I hadn't tightened the nut up properly the last time the wheel was off, it was only finger tight!  This is why it's important to do this de-snagging stuff beyond the MoT requirements.

20170318-01.jpg

 

Yet another bulb blew, different one this time being the bulb for the dash fibre optics.  Luckily I had one of these in my spare loom so I didn't have to go out and buy one.

20170318-02.jpg

 

Mike then tested the temperature sender properly and we found that the temperature gauge and sender appear to work.  I did swap the voltage regulator on the dash cluster to my known good one but still no life from the previously known good fuel gauge.  Personally, I think the sender is stuck from when I ran the tank dry by accident.  I'll fix this when I have to drop the fuel tank to do those boot floor sections as well as cleaning the tank up properly.

20170318-03.jpg

 

Changed the known good switch in too and I'm still only getting hazards on one side of the car.  At this point, I suspect I've bought the wrong relay.  The indicators have sorted themselves out, strangely, as have the brake lights which are now fully functional.  We found two bulbs weren't sitting exactly right, a small amount of aluminium tape resolved that, and now all the lights on the car work as they should.  I also replaced the handbrake warning light, which had blown.  All the bulbs that are blowing are old ones so it's hardly surprising, there doesn't appear to be any malicious reason for it.

20170318-04.jpg

 

20170318-05.jpg

 

The exhaust centre hangers I ordered arrived today so I got those fitted today.  This was SO much easier with a lift!  Predictably, the exhaust sits much nicer under the car now.  At the front, I removed the home-made copper stay and replaced it with a home-made steel stay and extra washers.  This should prevent the exhaust from blowing at the manifold again.  I've got to reseal the manifold to downpipe join on the driver's side, I just ran out of time to do that today.

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Last job was chucking the funky seat covers in the car.  Front ones need adjusting since they were made for seats without head rests, a quick sewing job for when the car is back on the road.

20170318-08.jpg

 

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Project List:

FAULT FINDING

> replace hazard relay - DONE

> identify why hazards only work on one side - presumed incorrect relay

> replace fuel gauge - DONE

> identify why fuel gauge not registering - presumed stuck sender

> identify why temperature gauge not registering - DONE

> identify why brake lights aren't coming on with pedal - DONE (self healing issue)

> identify why passenger side reversing light not working - DONE

 

MECHANICAL & SERVICING

> tune the carb

> clean carburettor to resolve excessive overflow - DONE

> coolant flush and change

> trim/bend exhaust pipe tip so it clears fog light better

> exhaust downpipe/manifold joint is blowing

> exhaust stay needs replacing - DONE

> exhaust centre hangers need replacing - DONE

> bleed the brakes

> identify insecure CV joint fail from previous MoT - DONE

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Today, I smell mostly of exhaust fumes.  That's okay, this time it's a good thing.  My list on the Princess is incredibly short and as of today, it's almost completely cleared.  First up was those pesky hazard warning lights not working properly.  I dismantled both of my old switches after seeing they looked like this.

 

20170320-01.jpg

 

Not great.  A quick buzz with the Dremel saw them nice and clean again.

20170320-02.jpg

 

That actually made the hazards not work at all, on either switch... and then they sprang to life randomly working properly.  After a lot of fiddling and inspecting it turns out if you put the the plug into the switch just wrong it won't work.  Also, while it normally does work with the dashboard reinstated, sometimes you have to give the switch a little sideways nudge.  Never mind, they work, that's the important thing here.

 

So, onto the next job which was the carburettor tuning.  This was easy, just needed to turn the idle down a smidge.  Then I noticed the temperature gauge was climbing (yay it works!) and climbing, and climbing.   On the plus side, temperature gauge and ammeter both work.  Annoyingly, the fuel gauge is still playing dead and the bulb I replaced for the speedometer has failed and seemingly took the bulb for the clock with it, these problems could well be related I suppose.  We did test the fuel gauge wiring and got no life from it at all so it's also possible the gauge is duff.

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The fan wasn't coming on and the override switch wasn't working either.  A jiggle of the wires and the fan would only come on with the override switched on.  Culprit were these snap locks, I thought we'd eliminated all of these!

20170320-05.jpg

 

Mike removed them and replaced them with bullet connectors.  A retest and turns out the fan switch isn't working.  Since I need to do a coolant flush anyway I'll replace the switch at the same time.

20170320-06.jpg

 

The exhaust blow was up next, once everything had cooled down (probably should have done this first).  Awkward access but not too bad to remove and clean up the clamp before refitting with lashings of exhaust paste.  Exhaust blow seems to now be resolved, time will tell.  It's certainly quieter than the engine now if it is blowing.

20170320-07.jpg

 

Fuel pump is back to leaking oil from the seal sometimes, but not always.  It's much reduced as a problem since fitting the new gasket but I doubt I'll ever resolve this as it was a problem owners of this engine and pump combo have regaled me with several times now.  Oh well.

20170320-08.jpg

 

Didn't get as far as trimming the tail pipe down.  Since fixing the blow and replacing the front stay and centre hangers, the exhaust sits more towards the middle of the car and bounces off this fog light at idle.  I'm going to trim the last few inches off the pipe and fit a down-turned chrome trim to tidy it up.

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With all that done, I drove it outside to get some sunshine pictures.  The brakes definitely need bleeding and while they work, I wouldn't want to rely on them in an emergency as they stand.  It'll mostly just be from the car being stood about for a few years.

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It looks friggin ace!  I'm well chuffed.  I'll be more chuffed when I've got the cosmetics properly done and an MoT under my belt, of course.  Here's the list as it currently stands:

 

Project List:

Bleed brakes

Coolant flush and change

Trim exhaust pipe

Replace fan switch

Replace dash bulbs x2

Replace fuel gauge/identify actual fault

Underseal

 

ALL the MoT jobs are done.  The car is effectively now ready to hit the road.  I just want to try and get through that tiny list so it's in the best possible shape it can be.  To celebrate, here's a poor quality video of the car in action.

 

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