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1980 Austin Princess


vulgalour

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Well, the NOS slam panel is on eBay again, at £99 ono this time.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUSTIN-PRINCE ... 437wt_1163

 

Very, very tempting, I must admit, but for the fact I need to wait for more wages to come in. It's on the watch list. There's also a headlamp bracket, but I don't think I need them in all honesty.

 

Front wings, in fibreglass, are £69 each, not sure on the postage fee yet. Getting metal wings will be difficult, I'm sure, as the supply has almost completely dried up. I'm going to ask them about fibreglass bonnets too, they don't have one listed but it could be an option since they make a lot of other panels.

http://www.honeybournemouldings.co.uk/frontwings.htm

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The inner wings are lovely and straight, as are the crossmembers, all the rust is where it was, all the shitty paint is too. Nothing looks or feels out of line at all, the doors all open and shut as well or badly as they ever did. I reckon it's mostly the one wing, bonnet and squishy valance that have deformed making it look like crap so, with the benefit of support, jibes and a reasonable post-coffee-and-a-biscuit break I feel ready to tackle this problem head on (snarf) and get her better again.

 

Oh, that's an important thing to say: BIG FAT THANK YOU to everyone that offered words of support, jokes or just general Autoshiteness, it helped me to see the light.

 

I think the bumper did more harm than anything else too, that's the main thing that's twisted up the wing, smashed the numberplate and light clusters and bent the headlight bracket back. But then, without the bumper it could've been a lot worse and my car would have looked more stupid. Without the van she'd look a lot better, regardless of what Volksy says :P

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What a bummer but the important thing is you're ok. Fingers crossed this ends well and the legendary Wedge lives to see another day - after all the blood, sweat and tears you've put into this thing it would be a crying shame if this was the end of the road. Best of luck with the insurance people!

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Bloody hell, I've just caught up with the thread and I am gutted for you. I have done this myself in the Daf. I never claimed on the insurance as I was able to source the bits and sort it myself. I hope that the car is returned to you and that it once again graces the forum. Glad you are ok and that it gets sorted in a timely manner.

 

That taxi passenger sounds like a money grabbing cow. Stuff her.

 

All the very best.

 

Ken

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The taxi woman, one Victoria Naylor of Naylor's Cabs, Chesterfield (not afraid to name and shame) was transporting several children (who weren't at all bothered, so I suspect hadn't been hit by a van) and was the driver. There were a number of things that didn't add up about this as I'm pretty sure a licensed black cab can't be used for personal transport and I'm not entirely sure she should have been driving it at all. The wind was well and truly taken out of her and her partner/business associate/sibling's sails when I told them my insurance company said to call their phone number if there was need to make a claim and that I had been advised to give them no information, especially not my policy number which they were demanding. I'm fairly certain, with the benefit of hindsight, that nothing touched that cab and she was just looking for a quick scammy claim.

 

I'm now considering calling Pentagon (who have the car) and telling them to bring her back. The more I think about it, the more I think that repairing the car myself given the damage that' s caused, is the better option... but I really don't know what to do for the best right now. I shouldn't even still be awake at this hour, at least I'm not at work tomorrow thanks to having the day off.

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Thats is some mega grim luck you've had there VA, it was a sight to behold at the Sheff meet a few weeks ago and I was looking forward to seeing it progress.

 

As others have said, Im hugely glad you and everyone else involved is A-Ok, and the car is not only repairable, but actively having parts sorced for it.

 

It will be back, Im sure of it.

 

Now I just need to take a leaf out of your book with escRot.

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F**K in 'ell lad! :shock:

 

At least your Ok which is the main thing. I'd honestly get the car back, assess it yourself and if you feel up to it, get it repaired and carry on as normal. I did it with my old 827Si, although I was paid out and all that I still made sure to get the car back in my possesion which then gave me some time to consider what to do with it.

 

I hope this thread will continue to give good news after this minor blip.

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Cor blimey. Sorry to see/hear that.

 

Hope you get it all squared away, get the car back and get that straightened out. Literally.

 

Looks to be cosmetic. Some NOS panels on there and you won't have to be fighting painting over someone's old beige over-spray.

 

(Trying to look at the bright side)!

 

--Phil

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This post and then bed I think. I knew my cars were important to me, but I never realised I was this precious about them. Dad talked me out of calling Pentagon to return the car and advised instead that I just call them every day to check my car is okay... and maybe visit them (he didn't suggest this, but I want to check on her). An assessor can better say whether or not something structural is amiss, I can then make the call on the repairs if viable.

 

I have had some pretty rotten luck this past year, but I'm taking comfort in the fact that at the moment I have a job to pay for this stuff with and that all parties involved (apart from Victoria Naylor) have been really professional, friendly and supportive so far and unafraid to answer my stupid questions honestly and without patronising me.

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Bit late but I'll echo what everyone else has said, nobody was hurt.

 

I wrote off a Range Rover a few years ago and a lot of people were surprised by my being ok with the loss of the car, but I wasn't hurt an neither was the other guy.

 

As it stands you may end up getting your insurers to pay for some new panels and a shit load of purple paint.

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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.

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I wasn't expecting to read this tonight, glad you're OK as that's the important thing, cars can always be repaired or replaced, the organic matter inside it is more precious! That said, she doesn't look too bad, hope you get a decent outcome from it. Fingers crossed Mrs Whiplash will clear off and find better ways to earn money.

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Licenced cab drivers can more often than not use their taxis for private use. by the way.

 

Bad luck with the wedge.

 

90% of taxi policies cover you for SD&P as well.

 

Bad luck on the accident but remember to remove the front callipers before handing it over to the scrap man.

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I've emailed a link to this thread to a mate of mine who used to be well into the Princess scene (no really) until a year or so back so he may have some bits, or know people who have.

Thank you :) Every little will help.

 

As it stands you may end up getting your insurers to pay for some new panels and a shit load of purple paint.

This is precisely the opportunity I'm hoping for, in all honesty. A bit of bargain hunting, some haggling with the insurers and I could end up coming out of this rather well on the progression of the resto.

 

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

 

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...

 

I'll get a PM over to you shortly. I've got myself back on the relocated Princess forum and my new username is Vulgalour. Funnily enough, when all the spares were for sale I was strapped for cash and didn't really need them but now I have a job with a regular wage the spares I could use have gone and the money is there to buy them. Sod's law really. If I can't get a Princess bonnet I'd be fine with a Wolseley/Ambassador bonnet if it drops straight on and sod the panel gaps for the short term.

 

Licenced cab drivers can more often than not use their taxis for private use. by the way.

I did not know this, I had been led to believe the opposite.

 

There's a derilect Wedge on a farm at the back of my house but I doubt I will be much use to anyone now.

If the front valance is still in one piece it could be of use to me as that's going to be the hardest bit to replace.

 

I've also literally just remembered while composing this reply that I was given a phone number at the last Retro Rides meet for a guy that has a Princess he's breaking. I'm such an airhead I'd completely forgotten. He shall be getting a telephone call later, apparently it's even the same colour as mine. The owner is in Sheffield/Rotherham and apparently doesn't want megabucks for parts, so I deal may well need to be struck.

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I never thought I would find an early 604 chrome drivers side door mirror. You can't even get them in France and people on the French forum told me that they are rocking horse poo. Anyway last weekend a brand new one came up on ebay.fr with a reasonable buy-in-now price, and it arrived yesterday. Only took three months to find one.

 

My point is that if you are in a hurry then find parts for these cars will be difficult, but if you have time on your side almost anything does seem to turn up eventually.

 

Maybe the best outcome would be if they write off the car and sell it back to you as salvage. Then you can find parts and fix it at your leisure.

 

I'm curious about that company that makes fibreglass wings. Do they need a good original one to make a mold first? If so should I be lending them my ultra rare brand new 604 wing before I fit it?

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Happy update time: I found a donor vehicle for £350 that can be delivered to my door. I'm just waiting on a call back so that I can arrange a viewing and hopefully get a deposit on it if it's useful to me. I only found the car thanks to a happenstance at the last RR meet where someone mentioned they knew of one just like mine that was going for spares/complete. I'll either be recommissioning a new Princess, or using the donor to get mine sorted out, depending on the condition of the two cars. At the very least, it should have some useful panels to swap onto mine and I've been told it's had a new front wing (but not which side) fitted recently.

 

The fibreglass company that do the wings is Honeybourne Mouldings and they do quite a large range of stuff. I can't speak for their quality or service, having not used them as yet.

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