project 1980 Austin Princess

[Asimo]

[vulgalour]

The fog light switch decided to stop working almost entirely. Annoyingly, even though I have a spare of every dashboard switch, a fog light switch isn't one I do have. Gave things a wiggle and almost got reliability out of it, and then the switch stopped working again. Bulb, connectors, and fuse are all good, it's the connection at/in the switch at fault. That's probably going to be an issue at MoT since I believe the car is just new enough that a fog light is legally required. I'm just going to hope it works on MoT day.

Side repeater I couldn't get to work and I can't find my spares, that's a corrosion issue since the inside of the bulb holder refuses to turn into shiny metal and remains steadfastly crusty brown. Fortunately being pre-85 side repeaters aren't legally required so I've unplugged them (which doesn't alter the flash rate of the indicators, probably because of the digital flasher can I've got fitted instead of the old bimetallic type) and taped over the holes which is legal as far as I'm aware. It's a fix, just not a proper fix, when I find the spare side repeaters I know I have I'll refit good ones.
 

I also don't have a spare speedo cable in stock so I'll have to order a pair so I've got one to fit and one in stock again. TomTom to the rescue in the meantime so I don't accidentally speed.

 

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, vulgalour said:

Bulb, connectors, and fuse are all good, it's the connection at/in the switch at fault. 

Should be dismantleable and sorted. Is speeding a terrific risk?

[vulgalour]

There's a speed camera near home on a road you'd swear was a 40 but is actually a 30.  Trouble with the fog switch is the way the dashboard is built makes it a nightmare to access without dismantling things and the connection issue is the sort where I might find it works fine out of the dash and stops working as soon as it's installed.  I've had this issue with other switches in the same pack, just requires plenty of wiggling and fettling until the switch finally gives in and decides to work again.

[High Jetter]

Ah, the Lucas effect.

[Fumbler]

3 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Ah, the Lucas effect.

As the boxes say...

[captain_70s]

I can't believe you never told us you were in the original French advertising literature. 

[vulgalour]

That's definitely someone else and I'm absolutely not an international time traveller.

[vulgalour]

Maidstone multistorey today, not somewhere I have a need to go very often.  Princess looked even weirder than usual in this setting.

[vulgalour]

Pink cars best cars.

[vulgalour]

My old British car has a starting issue, surprising nobody.

 

[vulgalour]

Another video and I've not done the write up for the last one.  Oops.  I'm hoping to sit down this weekend and do all the write ups on the projects I need to so folks can get caught up.

In the meantime, here's the mirrors going on the Princess.

 

[vulgalour]

The starting issue.  This is one of those daft issues that is down to user error for once.  First job, do some talking to camera and then demonstrate what the car does.  Apply choke with obligatory clothes pegs, and turn the key expecting the usual start-and-die routine before it idles on the third attempt.

Except the Princess decided that today it was going to start on the first turn of the key and make a liar of me.  Right.  Well that could make diagnosis a bit of a nuisance if this issue has suddenly decided to be all intermittent.  I already knew I was getting decent spark and fuel and wasn't getting anything silly happening with oil and coolant so the next step was to investigate the dashpot which I realised I hadn't checked since refitting the head.

Sure enough, it was pretty low on oil.  Topped that back up with some light machine oil, which it needed rather a lot more than usual of, almost as though perhaps it had drained out while the head was off the car and somebody had refilled it.  Made sure it made the unpleasant squelchy noise and screwed the cap back on.  Then took it for a quick blezz up and down the street to see if matters had indeed improved.  Imagine there's a big pile of boxes I'm about to drive through, and an overdub of screeching tyres and a more powerful engine. It's more entertaining that way.

It seemed to be a lot happier, a lot less lumpy as it was warming up, and certainly started much easier.  Convinced Pat to be cameraman and took it out for a test run to see if it really was better and I'm happy to report that it's about as good as it's ever been and didn't embarrass itself by doing anything mechanically daft.  Ended up behind a funny van.

Spotted someone else having fun with colours on their old car.

And we discussed the Ford Ka.  You'll have to watch the video for more details, it doesn't translate that well to this sort of update.

[vulgalour]

Another Princess update. I had planned to do some more paint and got sidetracked by doing a 'quick bit of welding'. Namely, I wanted to weld up all the trim holes I'm not using, and the mirror holes in the front doors.

Got rid of the wrong set of holes for the spoiler - by which I mean I kept the holes that should be there for the spoiler, and welded up the holes I'd drilled in the wrong place previously - in the boot lid, and welded up the original badge holes. Bit of bodywork still to go here, it's just flatted back welds and primer, no filler or top coat yet.

Same deal with the front doors, all of the various holes for the various mirrors the car has worn are now welded up, bit of primer, no filler. This went a lot easier than I was expecting, but will need filler before top coat.

Had another go at the door bottoms on the drivers side to get the shape a bit better. Ideally, they need someone with better skills and tools than me to do them properly, they've never been entirely the right profile even before the rot was chopped out, so it's all guess work really. Still, they'll take filler much better now and perfect panels gaps look weird on BL stuff anyway. Again, no filler, just welded repairs (from ages ago) and paint here because I never actually got chance to do this job properly.

Finally, I poked at the 'little rust hole' in the front passenger wing on the arch lip and ended up rebuilding pretty much the entire lip. Weirdly, the return was in pretty good shape, it was just the vertical face that was shot so I carefully snipped out the vertical face, cut some sections to suit, and welded those in. This wing has already been repaired by me before some years ago and that was on top of repairs it had come to me with even further in its past. Ideally, it could do with a new wing on this side but they're very, very hard to find now. Fortunately I do have a new wing to go on the other side which currently sports a wing made up of at least three different wings and is predictably starting to bubble anew. As with the other jobs, no filler here, just welding and primer.

It's too hot to do any more on this today. I've done my penance, drank enough water to launch a cruise ship, and got sunburn on the only bit of my neck my PPE didn't cover. I've got some repairs to do on the driver's side rear arch, the lower edge of the drivers side sill, and one small hole in the very bottom of the passenger side front wing. Then it should all be finished (for now) on the welding front bar fitting that new wing I need to get in paint before it can go on the car.

When it's a bit cooler I'll tackle the filler work and sanding prep for top coat. I did learn that when I was moving the car about there's a knocking noise coming from a the rear passenger side which I suspect is something brake related. It's too hot to investigate now, but the knocking gets faster when you go faster and stops completely when you press the foot brake, so I'm thinking it's something in the drum that's out of adjustment or broken. I'll investigate when it's a bit cooler outside.

[Rocket88]

Sounds like the brake shoe has detached from the liner…..

[vulgalour]

Fortunately I have some new ones that @Mr_Bo11ox gave me years and years ago so if it is that, I've got nice new* ones to go in.

[Rocket88]

Hope they’re laden with asbestos!😂

[vulgalour]

The rubber part of the rear axle/crosstube mounting bracket has basically worn out.  The nut you see there should sit in the middle of that circular hole but the rubber has got tired so it can move about more than it should.  Replacement is necessary.  If you have a spare bracket, or know the part number, or anyone that's selling a good bracket (or even better, a pair), please let me know.  I'm coming up blank on this one and haven't been able to find replacements yet.

[vulgalour]

 

Fitting wing mirrors to the Princess.  I've had various mirrors on this car as long term viewers will know and of all of them, these black aftermarket wing mirrors have been the best of the lot in terms of visibility and aesthetics as a combination.  The Honda Acty mirrors were easily both the best to see with and the ugliest on the car, while the original Tex branded mirrors were perhaps the most well suited cosmetically while also being the most useless mirrors I've ever had on a car.

When I started this job it was pretty cold and wet, there's never really good weather to do this sort of thing in so I just got on with it.

Gather my tools up which comprised a cordless drill, some masking tape, a pen, and some sockets for the mirror's fixings.

On the passenger side wing there were still the nubbins from where I'd ground back but not filled the welded up holes from when the wing mirrors were previously on the car.  The driver's side didn't have this guide to help me since that wing was replaced with a Frankenstein's monster of a thing made up of several wings.  Masking tape deployed to give me something to write on and to prevent the drill bit from skipping since I still don't have a centre punch for marking drill holes.

Start drilling and think the drill bit is blunt, check the battery and find out that actually it's got nearly no charge in it.  Recharge the battery and try again.

Then inspect the mirrors and find a couple of the nuts are rust-welded onto the bolt threads so spend some time cutting through the bolt threads after trying every other method, and then install new fixings.

 

Dry fit the mirror into the wing and decide I'm happy to once again have these back on the car.  I should never have second-guessed myself with these, they fit in with what I'm doing really well and I like using them, so I should have more faith in my own vision.

Next job is to remove the arch liners. These things are a pain.  If you leave them in they do protect the nose end of the wing from stuff building up, but they do nothing to protect the other end of the wing.  They also destroy the arch lip whenever you try and remove them.  They're held in with several screws.

 

Once the liner has been fought out, access to put the nuts onto the floating captive bolts in the mirrors is possible.  These mirrors aren't sprung loaded and you adjust them by pushing on the glass which is mounted on a ball socket inside the mirror housing.  Usefully, they don't stick out further than the car's widest point which you'd think would be a problem for seeing behind you, but with them so far down the wing it's really not an issue.  They're also pretty large for wing mirrors, so the field of vision is surprisingly good in them.

Looking up inside the wing you can see the spreader plate that's used to keep the mirrors from jiggling - they really don't vibrate at all, surprisingly - and I gave all this a coat of paint to protect it from rusting, I just didn't record that bit.

It's not really that easy to show what it's like to use them when you're in the car, the camera isn't really looking at the mirrors the same way you do when you're driving, but they really are great.  The big advantage is I can make a quick glance at either mirror and see what's going on behind me without really taking my eyes off the road in front, unless I'm doing over-the-shoulder checks of course because it always pays to be vigilant.  The one thing these mirrors do best of all out of all the mirrors I've had on this car is almost totally elimate the C pillar blind spot which is massive due to the 70s styling.

With both mirrors fitted it felt a bit more like my car again.  These definitely aren't to everyone's taste, and that's okay, I'm not building this car for anyone but me so I'm the only person I need to satisfy with it.

 

[maxxo]

9 hours ago, vulgalour said:

 

Fitting wing mirrors to the Princess.  I've had various mirrors on this car as long term viewers will know and of all of them, these black aftermarket wing mirrors have been the best of the lot in terms of visibility and aesthetics as a combination.  The Honda Acty mirrors were easily both the best to see with and the ugliest on the car, while the original Tex branded mirrors were perhaps the most well suited cosmetically while also being the most useless mirrors I've ever had on a car.

When I started this job it was pretty cold and wet, there's never really good weather to do this sort of thing in so I just got on with it.

Gather my tools up which comprised a cordless drill, some masking tape, a pen, and some sockets for the mirror's fixings.

On the passenger side wing there were still the nubbins from where I'd ground back but not filled the welded up holes from when the wing mirrors were previously on the car.  The driver's side didn't have this guide to help me since that wing was replaced with a Frankenstein's monster of a thing made up of several wings.  Masking tape deployed to give me something to write on and to prevent the drill bit from skipping since I still don't have a centre punch for marking drill holes.

Start drilling and think the drill bit is blunt, check the battery and find out that actually it's got nearly no charge in it.  Recharge the battery and try again.

Then inspect the mirrors and find a couple of the nuts are rust-welded onto the bolt threads so spend some time cutting through the bolt threads after trying every other method, and then install new fixings.

 

Dry fit the mirror into the wing and decide I'm happy to once again have these back on the car.  I should never have second-guessed myself with these, they fit in with what I'm doing really well and I like using them, so I should have more faith in my own vision.

Next job is to remove the arch liners. These things are a pain.  If you leave them in they do protect the nose end of the wing from stuff building up, but they do nothing to protect the other end of the wing.  They also destroy the arch lip whenever you try and remove them.  They're held in with several screws.

 

Once the liner has been fought out, access to put the nuts onto the floating captive bolts in the mirrors is possible.  These mirrors aren't sprung loaded and you adjust them by pushing on the glass which is mounted on a ball socket inside the mirror housing.  Usefully, they don't stick out further than the car's widest point which you'd think would be a problem for seeing behind you, but with them so far down the wing it's really not an issue.  They're also pretty large for wing mirrors, so the field of vision is surprisingly good in them.

Looking up inside the wing you can see the spreader plate that's used to keep the mirrors from jiggling - they really don't vibrate at all, surprisingly - and I gave all this a coat of paint to protect it from rusting, I just didn't record that bit.

It's not really that easy to show what it's like to use them when you're in the car, the camera isn't really looking at the mirrors the same way you do when you're driving, but they really are great.  The big advantage is I can make a quick glance at either mirror and see what's going on behind me without really taking my eyes off the road in front, unless I'm doing over-the-shoulder checks of course because it always pays to be vigilant.  The one thing these mirrors do best of all out of all the mirrors I've had on this car is almost totally elimate the C pillar blind spot which is massive due to the 70s styling.

With both mirrors fitted it felt a bit more like my car again.  These definitely aren't to everyone's taste, and that's okay, I'm not building this car for anyone but me so I'm the only person I need to satisfy with it.

 

great work as always!

i do rather enjoy watching your vids on the old youtube

i love the way this car is coming along, it's different and i like it

oh, and the mirrors really suit it

[2flags]

On 7/14/2022 at 5:07 PM, vulgalour said:

The rubber part of the rear axle/crosstube mounting bracket has basically worn out.  The nut you see there should sit in the middle of that circular hole but the rubber has got tired so it can move about more than it should.  Replacement is necessary.  If you have a spare bracket, or know the part number, or anyone that's selling a good bracket (or even better, a pair), please let me know.  I'm coming up blank on this one and haven't been able to find replacements yet.

This was a know problem with these. I worked on them when they were new and this was something we did regularly under warrantee. 

[vulgalour]

Time to top up the front suspension... and make more work for myself than planned.

 

[vulgalour]

https://www.printables.com/model/258068-austin-princess-interior-light-cover

The before is my literally crumbling original lens.  The after is a raw print, no sanding or finishing.  This is a direct replacement part and, because it's a thing you can 3d print to demand, you can make them any colour you can get the materials you use in.  As far as I'm aware, this is the only replacement part out there and this is a part that's been unavailable for quite a long time.  Best of all, the download is FREE, so as long as you have access to a 3D printer this part shouldn't cost you a great deal to create.

[vulgalour]

 

Lion batteries are okay actually.  Fix a few other bits and bobs too.

[PhilA]

A new battery transformed my car. The old one was, as yours was, elderly and low on capacity. It was not being a very good regulator for the alternator, either and so the system voltage would remain unsettled, particularly when load was applied (fan heater, headlights, radio).

Definitely helps for cold starting, too. The old battery would dip to 8V or so with the starter motor engaged. With the ballast on the coil, the spark is being created with about 5V which is not good at all. The new one doesn't drop below 10 with the load of the starter, resulting in much easier starts and significantly less load on the battery each time (don't have to hold the starter on and try get it to catch).

Also, the battery is not a table, particularly not for metal tools... That's bad practice

[vulgalour]

Foolish of me to think nobody would notice my bad tool practice >.>

[maxxo]

On 9/13/2022 at 3:39 PM, vulgalour said:

 

Lion batteries are okay actually.  Fix a few other bits and bobs too.

never had an issue with Lion batteries

dads super modern high tech civic has one which has been on it 3 or so years now with no issues

great video as always!

[vulgalour]

Tried to do the rear brake on the Princess today and while it is back on all four wheels now, it hasn't gone as well as I would have liked.

I do have a blow torch, I can't light it. Every time I tried to get an ignition source up to the blow torch, the wind kept blowing it out before the torch could be lit. Talk about frustrating. So that stuck union is still stuck.

I did get the brake cylinder compressed properly due to getting some C clamps, that went very smoothly, but there's some black rubbery gunge that was oozed out that made me a lot less confident about using the cylinders so I've ordered a new pair complete with special E clips. Did I mention I've managed to misplace the special E clips I bought especially for this job already?

I did get the outer drum on. It was a fight. I cannot back the shoes off as far as I'd like so they're dragging rather more than I want them to, it's an adjustment issue but I can't seem to adjust them as I'd like them. Pretty annoying.

That leaves me with rear brakes that don't work and technically front brakes that don't work either since the main hydraulic line is open due to that seized up union. That means the car can't safely be driven anywhere.

Do I want to have to dismantle it all to fit the new brake cylinders when they arrive? Not really. Do I want to fight even more with that stuck union and possibly have to buy even more tools and materials to try and sort out a brake line that might need cutting? Absolutely not. What I want is some magic fairy brakemother to come along and make this job go away because doing anything with drum brakes can get in the sea.

[Noel Tidybeard]

your battery clamp is fitted wrongly- the 90° bend should be round the top edge of battery👍

 

i'm not sure why it was so hard to find an 063 battery? prolly the most common size

[vulgalour]

The battery clamp clamps the battery firmly and has done for a decade at least so it's fine.  It's also the same way every other Princess I've worked on has been so it's just how Princesses are.  063 batteries weren't in ready supply when I recorded the video, lots of things were out of stock at the time.