Alex 'Wedge'

I'm really tempted by this. It's great!

Very sorry to read about this - terrible luck. As everyone has said though, the main thing is no one was hurt.

 

I'm not a regular on here although some of you will know me from Rover fora. As my username (that I no longer go by on other fora) might imply I have owned one or two of these cars before. My last one being a 1975 Wolseley. Anyway, I diagress. Hopefully I can offer you some contacts that might assist.

 

First of all (and mods/admins I hope this doesn't breach any rules), get yourself registered on the enthusiasts forum and whack a wanted thread up as soon as possible. http://www.leylandprincess.co.uk/forum/index.php

 

The forum is light on content at the moment, mainly because we had a free-forum for three years, it all went tits up and all the content got lost forever. There are however many enthusiasts on there that might have your much-needed parts.

 

I know two autojumblers who will also be able to help you. They help me restore my Wolseley ten years ago and provided parts which I was told were "impossible to find" then. I won't post their numbers on here but PM me for details and I'll pass it all on.

 

What's bloody annoying is that recently I sold a lot of my spares stock (including bumpers/panels etc.) as my time for these cars has past. I still however much enjoy seeing them and if there is anything I can do to help a fellow enthusiast I will. I do still have a Wolseley bonnet, as well as one for an Ambassador, but I doubt that's of much use...

 

Oh if any admin reads this. Can they please change my username to Alex SBY - that would be great? Ta.

The answer will not be popular but this the situation:

 

The lads in that team were doing the rally as a Stag do and they just happened to get this limo as their car, and as they had no idea of the history of it or indeed if it would even get to Rome they had pre-booked their flights home.

 

Of course the car made it, but it did have issues; the starter circuit packed up in France meaning it had to be "hotwired" straight from the battery to the starter each time. The heater was shot too sorbet could not use that to cool the car down when it got warm. Of course, these are fixable issues.

 

As I said, were it not for logistics we would have brought it home as it was offered to me for nowt. Sadly I can't save em all. But boy did I want it.

The photo of that 800 limo was in fact taken by me. Myself and A friend took part on the Home2Rome rally in (would you believe) ANOTHER XX based 827 limo!

 

Whilst it grated BIG TIME on me that that car was to be scrapped, to the credit of that team they offered me the car free, gratis and FOR NOWT. I tried and tried to work out a way to get it but with just two of us on the team, the distance, fatigue factor and cost of taking two limos home just made it impractical.

 

I seriously wanted that car but I hate to say that mundane practicalities contrived against us.

Voted again. And will do more tomorrow...

Oh yes! How handy!

I voted on my phone yesterday and have done so again today. Roaming IPs FTW!

 

Will vote again at home too...

And vote from the Wedge here.

Thanks everyone for your interest.I have replied to a couple of PMs, but tonight someone locally has agreed to take the car off me and restore it.It will be in safe hands, which I am thrilled about.If for some reason these arrangements go breasts skyward, I will let you all know. For now though, the Princess is "SOLD".Thanks again for the interest.

Location please!

Not far from Axminster, Devon.

Right, long dead thread resurrection-time, and reality check.I got this nice old car with the very best of intentions, but reality says I don't think I am really going to ever get this off the ground.It is sat quite happy in the barn and doing no harm, but I really am of the view that it is not really going to get done any time soon.It cost me nowt. All I have done since collection is polish it (it actually came up quite well). Theoretically would anyone be interested in it? I have absolutely not made any final decisions yet, but I am just putting the feelers out to see if anyone would like to take it on as a light resto.It would be a case of "come and get it, and take it away".

And it is ETCHING A REFULGENT FUTURE.

It's a forum full of SCOUNDRELS and OTTERS.

And home to a number of MENTALISTS too.

Mine is an appallingly bad MS Paint edit of an end-board from the long defunct ITV for the South West broadcaster Westward Television.

 

Their logo.

Yes, and it looks as shit now as it did when I last saw it!

Brilliant! Excellent find.

That does look tidy. I could be interested in this but the distance could not be further! Nonetheless - any more pictures?

Do you have any more pictures of this car anywhere?

Yes at the time I did not notice that written on the Transit. Bit unfortunate but oh well.

That is it for pics of the fleet for now. Need to take some of the others!

This car was bought originally by me in 2003, and used as a daily drive. I sold it to a friend in 2006, and bought it back last year. I regretted selling it the minute I saw it drive away, so am thrilled to have it back.

 

Car is totally standard and original.

 

Hope you enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Car is a 1988 3.6 Sovereign, and is largely original save a few Alex modifications. The pictures can do the talking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may have seen that the car appears to retain its original stereo. Well, much as I love originality, I could not live with it, so I fitted a nice CD player that fits well. For show/security purposes it gets hidden with a front from an old scrap set that I had!

 

 

 

And here is a picture of it used at my mates wedding last year:

 

 

And lastly, here is it the day I bought it back in February 2007:

 

 

Since purchase, I have changed the alloys for non-metrics, fitted a new headlining and sunvisors from a later car, it has had the suspension rebuilt, new a/c fans, replacement stereo system and speakers (see above) and I have sorted a number of typical electrical gremlins.

 

Thanks for looking!

This is a car of mine that rarely sees the light of day - purely because it is that bit special to me.

 

Bought at just about a year old back in 1993 by my Father, this Jag has literally been part of the family for years. Put it this way, I was driven around in it by my Mum when I was younger. It took us on many lovely days out and holidays, seeing relatives, that sort of thing.

 

I took over the car in 2003, when Dad got a Daimler X300. This car just could not be sold.

 

The car is a J reg 3.2 XJ6 Auto, with virtually Sovereign spec (everything except cruise control and alloys). The colour scheme is Masons Black with Saville hide interior.

 

It is 100% original as it left the factory barring three modifications;

 

1. 1993 model year hub caps fitted (the 1991 MY ones looked awful, but we still have them).

2. Daimler rear lights and chrome trims fitted (Dad had this done in 1994) as it simply looked better than the original red rear lights (again, we still have the originals).

3. Air conditioning retrofitted to R134a gas (a necessity).

 

Barring that, totally original.

 

Hope you enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To me this car is totally irreplaceable having given so many happy trips and holds many happy memories.

 

Hope you enjoy the photos.

The other week, I received an email regarding a free Princess 2 1700HL. The car is just down the road from me, and it seemed silly not to go and see it.

 

I went to see this car last weekend, and met the lovely owners who are sadly having to part with it due to an impending move. A car that has been in the family for years and I know they are sad to see it go.

 

The car: a 1981 X reg Reynard 1700HL. It was in daily use up until early this year (MOT only ran out in May). Needless to say I am getting it!

 

Body - good. Some minor areas needed from initial inspection but overall very sound indeed. Vinyl panels need removing/replacing (I will decide later).

 

Engine - very good. Sweet sounding O series, but looks like there is a Crankshaft oil seal leak. Clutch also takes up a bit high so first jobs on the list are to get them sorted/

 

Interior - not bad at all. Sadly the seats have suffered some sun damage in the usual places. I am thinking eventually this will get a Rover 800 set of seats fitted.

 

First steps are to appraise what else needs doing, and then get it through an MOT.

 

MOT is first priority as is making it oil tight. Then the cosmetics can be looked at.

 

Here are some pictures of it. I think it is a lovely old car and I know it will come up extremely well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It comes with a boot full of spares...

 

 

Vinyl panels need sorting (why is it the brown ones always go tatty?).

 

 

This will be a fun winter project and at the moment I am debating how to go forward - full on resto to original standard, or keep as is and just enjoy, or perhaps a full on resto but some modifications. It will be good deciding

 

And TODAY it arrived....

 

IT IS HERE!

 

This morning I went over to Ottery, and met the lovely people who are passing the Wedge over to me. I fitted a new battery and the car fired up immediately.

 

A few short moments later the distinctive tone of a tow truck engine came into earshot.

 

Some pictures of the moment it was collected:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tow truck followed me and dad back to the barn and it was duly unloaded:

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, the reversing lights do not seem to work!

 

After the tow truck left, I pumped up the tyres (which are all nearly new!) and it now resides in the barn.

 

First steps are to let it dry out (sitting outside for the best part of 10 months without use has seen it get a tad damp - not too bad though), then give it a good thorough appraisal as to what needs doing.

 

Initial signs are good, I am thrilled with this dear old car. Poor photo follows, but here it is in its new resting place:

 

 

Yes it has an oil leak!

 

LET THE PRINCESSTORATION COMMENCE.

Recently I purchased this vehicle, a very unusual car in itself (before you consider the modifications) in that it is a 1999 registered (V plate) 827 SLi. I call it my "XX-17" purely because it has an XX bonnet and the car is an R17. OK, yeah that is a bit of a naff name, but hey.

 

Anyway, this thing was built some time in 1994, and sat around for ages before being sold. I have no idea why, but that is what happened! The more I dig into this car the more I think it was some sort of development hack. If only I could find out.

 

It is unusual in that it seems to have the later post 1996 suspension (it feels so taught and tight, not floppy like early R17s usually are).

 

Anyway, this is a Marmite car in that some will love, and some will detest what has been done (personally I love it so don't give a whatsit!) - The previous owner fitted it with a Mk1 bonnet, grille and lights. He also fitted an interior out of a dead 825 Sterling KV6.

 

This is a picture of the back end of it when the last owner was doing the conversion:

 

 

And this is the lurrrrrvly interior it had when he got it:

 

 

Both pics courtesy of the last owner.

 

Anyway. I have since bought it and done a few bits.

 

These include:

 

* Resolder fuse box

* Wire in the electric front seats

* Repair leaking a/c (was a holed pipe)

* Repaint the rear bumper

* Damn good valet

* Fit clear side repeater lights and smoked post-96 style rear lights

* Fit R950 Stereo and CD changer

* Fit new dash and clock woodwork

* Thorough polish and cutback.

 

The overall results have been very pleasing. What I have left to do is ideally find a replacement bootlid (has had less than good paintwork in the past, and a replacement is easier - in the meantime it has polished up reasonably), and get the cambelt and water pump changed on it.

 

Here are the results of work to date.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Future modifications may include painting the lower half grey (as per XX), but I am undecided on that yet. I also intend to fit footwell lights off an XX, and the "big" XX trip computer. These are jobs for the future.

 

In the meantime this car will be used and unless something else comes along is my daily transport, giving the Vitesse XX a well deserved rest!