Jump to content

1980 Austin Princess


vulgalour

Recommended Posts

I bet it's not that difficult to do you know, worst case you get a spline adaptor.  There is the small (large) matter of the cost of getting hold of a really nice late 50s/early 60s wheel like that.  Fabulous looking thing all the same, just think, if the Allegro had glitter in its square steering wheel people might not have stuck their noses up at it so much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It really is.  At a bare minimum I've got to get another set of tyres for the alloys (they currently have no tyres on) and since I liked how the old Avons looked, I'll be going for the same tyre dimensions which are different to what's on the steels.  If I'm putting new tyres on I should get the alloys refurbished too and since I want parts of them polished that's more investment in either a shitload of time or handing them to a professional to do which is another chunk of cash.  So, minimum it's another £200 if I DIY refurb the alloys, stick another £200 on that if I want someone else to refurb them.

 

I could buy a car for that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

So, I have an interesting question... I hope.

 

Since putting the new tyres on my spare wheels I've noticed the steering wheel is now about one spline off centred.  The car doesn't pull left or right, I've not disturbed any suspension things or track rod ends or whatever.  All I've done is put a different set of steels on the car with brand new tyres.

 

Why would that put my steering wheel off-centre?  Could there be something wrong with the wheels that were on the car?  Would this explain why historically it's been an absolute sod to set the tracking on?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did check that and they all matched.  I can't actually see anything wrong with them at all.  Come to think of it, when I had the Lotus wheels on I had to correct the steering wheel too so maybe one of the old wheels is bent?  If so, it's been like that from the first day I got the car and may explain why it was originally on mismatched tyre sizes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, I have an interesting question... I hope.

 

Since putting the new tyres on my spare wheels I've noticed the steering wheel is now about one spline off centred.  The car doesn't pull left or right, I've not disturbed any suspension things or track rod ends or whatever.  All I've done is put a different set of steels on the car with brand new tyres.

 

Why would that put my steering wheel off-centre?  Could there be something wrong with the wheels that were on the car?  Would this explain why historically it's been an absolute sod to set the tracking on?

Tracking is off?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tracking is fine, car doesn't drift one way or the other but on the old wheels it did have a habit of having a slight pull to the left that no tracking adjustment would fully cure.

 

All the wheels are the same offset and all the wheels are Princess, no Ambassador wheels.

 

That's why it's so baffling really.  All I can think is the set of wheels the car came to me on are damaged somehow.  A visual inspection doesn't reveal anything amiss, or any mismatches, and the problem appeared once I put matching sized tyres on but wasn't so apparent on the mismatched tyres the car came to me with all those years ago.

 

The good thing is it's fine now on my matched set of refurbished spare steels with brand new tyres so I can only surmise there's something wrong with its original steels, I'm just at a loss as to what that might be.  It's very peculiar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All I can think of is the steering wheel was on wonky to start with and perhaps one of the old tyres was ever so slightly larger in diameter - only 1 or 2 mm. You haven't any play in the steering joints etc have you?

 

The transit we use at work for bin deliveries started pulling to the left after new front tyres had been fitted. Fitters checked the tracking, tyre pressures etc, couldn't find anything wrong. Put front left on front right & vice versa and the pull went, but steering wheel is now ever so slightly on the wonk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Literally the only change is the wheels and tyres.  I'll just take the steering wheel off and shift it around one spline to the right to sort it.

 

Tyres are brand spanking new, I checked the date codes on them when delivered.  No play in the steering anywhere, no play I can find in track rod ends or similar and the car behaves extremely well with no wandering or pulling left or right.  If you let go the steering wheel and allow the car to coast it will do so in a nice straight line, but the steering wheel sits one spline off to the left.  The only thing I can think is that there was something wrong with the 16 year old tyres that were removed and/or the original steel wheels the car came to me on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had the old tires been sat on the car? Possibly one side got more sun parked up the same way runs forever and hardened one set of tires more than the other and as such the dynamic properties were different?

 

I guess a test to see would be rotate the other wheels round and see if the drag occurs the other way.

 

Phil

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I already know I can't afford it.

 

I'm actually after a petrol BX too, I'd rather not have another diesel as it's not well suited to my needs.  That one is a bit more work than I want to take on too at the moment.  Still, it's nice to know they ARE out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A caring home I could give it but it would have to be free and delivered to my door and then sit around waiting until next year before I could do anything with it.  I can't commit to purchasing anything really until I move house because if I do commit I'll just end up with too many cars to move when I do move.  That and I've zero funds at the moment anyway without selling the Rover, which isn't going to unlock enough funds to acquire a BX in any condition.  Also it's a diesel, and I really don't want a diesel.

 

I do like it because I love BX estates and I love that blue it's in.  It's just the wrong car at the wrong time.

 

There.  I said no to a project car.  One day at a time.  Just like my therapist said.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There. I said no to a project car. One day at a time. Just like my therapist said.

What about a slightly purple/golden/rusty coloured 1100?

 

Tbh I don't blame you not taking on another project. I keep thinking about taking something else on but I know I need to get my other two projects (mostly) sorted first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...