project 1980 Austin Princess

[Guest imatyke]

vulgalour , this has to be approved by a mod first but if you need to try the different welding formats and are near barnsley south yorks I am willing to give you a try/help with stick/mig/tig or oxy/acetylene , sorry my bronze welding is unused for a few years but willing to give it a go actually the wording was going to be s*** cheers andy

[vulgalour]

Andy, that's a kind offer, I may take you up on it.  My welding is okay but by no means professional so brushing up skills would be good.  I got a quote of £40 to repair the boot floor and even if I had the space I think I'd go the route of paying someone else to do it as it's a horrible location to work on, £40 for all the rot cut out, fresh metal let in, undersealed and painted outside (up to me to paint the boot inside, that's fine by me) seems pretty fair, they're also only a mile away so it's convenient too.  However, there's still plenty of other bits for me to learn on like three of the doors, the floor pans and the sills which all need attention over the next couple of years to keep things in good order.

[vulgalour]

Today I had determined to get myself out to Derby to collect some stuff.  First up was to check the car over and I found that the sidewall on one of the tyres was badly cracked so I pulled the alloys off - also finding someone had spat on one of my locking wheel nuts! - and put the steels back on with the decent-ish tyres.  I can't afford £80 a corner for the tyres to go on the alloys so this is the best solution.  On pumping up the tyres since the steels have been in the shed long enough to lose some pressure, my single barrel foot pump split its hose so I took that back for a refund since it's only managed to pump up 5 tyres.  Not so bargainous after all.

 

I also really have to stop leaving main beam on, I seem to do it all the time since fitting the earlier dash as unless it's night time, the blue telltale really isn't that visible.  Other drivers seem not to care, they're only sealed beams so hardly dazzling.

 

I gave the neighbour back the Rover radiator he'd given me for the Polo as it should fit his MG Kettle and he, in turn, gave me a very nice old tyre pressure gauge which really is a lovely thing as well as being rather useful.  Quick check under the bonnet showed that the thermostat housing was leaking again but very clearly from the cap which hadn't seated properly.  Took some fine files to the chemical metal repair to reprofile the housing properly and now the leak is gone and the cap seats correctly.

 

Set off to Derby, queue 50mph road works on the M1 and a 45mph Daewoo Matiz/Chevrolet Spark after the road works, torrential rain, slow lorries...  not the best day for it.  I wondered why people were leaving so much space behind me too until the wind caught the spray, bringing it into view of my mirrors, I was kicking up which was so bad it made me look like the Top Gear Hovervan.  I could fit mudflaps, or I could just keep this as a safety feature.

 

First stop to meet a fellow enthusiast who had a gift of some lovely asbestos filled brake shoes for me, these are destined to go on the red Princess and completes the last piece of the known brake component needs on it.

 

That bit went rather smoothly really, bit of a natter before heading off to my next target who wasn't too far away.  Enter Derby rush hour and people performing some of the worst overtaking and bullying techniques I've ever experienced with my visibility somewhat reduced by fogged rear side windows and a rain blurred rear screen.  The the satnav packed up on me, didn't blow a fuse this time it had just decided it didn't want to charge at all.  Got my atlas out to find it was rubbish and didn't tell me where I was at all as it wasn't a small enough scale and after asking for directions from a passerby I found myself properly lost in a place I'd never been to before.

 

Contact was made with the guy I was to meet and he came over in his 240 estate to lead me to safety.  Got off the phone, tried to start the Princess and it flooded, somehow managing to give me that old summer time hot start issue in February on the wettest day ever.  Left it a bit and it fired up no bother then I followed the 240 to the destination where the satnav could be charged and I could pick up these lovely things.

 

I may fit both or just one to the beige wedge and one of the spare fog lights I now have will be mounted on the parcel shelf to serve as a high level brake light, something that would be very useful in traffic  as it'll make me that much more visible.

 

All in all it was about 100 miles in horrible weather on choked motorways but I got to meet a couple of good eggs and go to a place I've never been before (well, I'm not counting going through on a train),  Oh, and to finish off, this grey house is the first house I lived in, though it was only for the first few months of me being alive so I don't remember.  I stopped to photograph something else, turned around and saw this neat photo-op.

[mat_the_cat]

I think* I've got a brake pad fitting fit for a Princess, which is of no use to me with my spaced out calipers. Yours for a drink to cover postage? I'm away for a week so if you want it I'll check when I get back.

 

*By that I mean I know I have one, just whether it's where I recall seeing it last!

[vulgalour]

I shan't say no.  Drop me a PM when you've dug it out and let me know what the postage/drink fee is and I'll sort out some pictures of the queen for you.

[bub2006]

If ever you get lost round derby or that area give me a call angyl. Only live just off the a38 bypass

[vulgalour]

@bub:  If I'm ever that way again I'll give you a shout.  Would you be up for helping out with the red one again if we get some good weather and free time at the same time?  Not as big a job this time around at least since it's really only putting the glass back in the doors.

 

---

 

Today we drove to Wellingborough and I managed to get lost because I left the A45 too early and I could probably get lost in a paper back.  No drama for the 220ish mile round trip and good fuel economy.  There is an annoying jiggle in the steering at 65ish now instead of 55ish so I reckon the other TRE is on its way out, it doesn't feel like a lost wheel weight and feels like a really toned down version of what the other TRE was doing.  But, the car was perfectly fine for the trip, no silly issues, no break downs, for once!

 

I was heading over to deliver some Princess seats and to collect 3 boot lids, 5 bumpers and a box of miscellaneous stuff.  Of the three bootlids, the Sandglow one is knackered, the Arum White one is reasonable and the metallic green one (the name of this colour I do not know, but it is lovely) is very good so there's too usable spares.  Both boot lids that are worth keeping are better condition than the one currently fitted so I will be doing a swap.  Of the bumpers, one is excellent, one is reasonable, two need dents knocking out and one is scrap.

 

 

Then there was the mystery box.

 

driver's side headlight trim

2 pairs of brake shoes, one pair look unevenly worn so may not be new.

1 Tex door mirror

2 dipsticks

1 bonnet catch painted Pageant blue

1 set of round dash telltales

1 Princess 2 boot badge

1 Rover speedo cable NAM4330

3 driver's side indicator/sidlight units and lenses

1 passenger side indicator sidelight units

1 passenger side indiciator sidelight unit back

2 pairs of rear light units.

 

It's a reasonable selection for a tenner is that.  It does give me enough spare lenses to build some clear light units for front and rear to see if the idea will work or not.

[Ghosty]

Clear lights? Yes on purple, no on beige.

Bargain box, that. Will the red Princess see any of these goodies?

[vulgalour]

red one might get the Tex mirror because I think I now have two pairs, one in black and one hand painted with union jacks.  Agreed, clear lights are a big fat yes on the purple but might look wrong on the beige... in theory at least.

[keef]

I was heading over to deliver some Princess seats and to collect 3 boot lids, 5 bumpers and a box of miscellaneous stuff.

Seats arrived safely, thanks.

 

Luckily Gary had a Volvo estate, as I can't think of another car all the stuff he had would have fitted in!

[vulgalour]

@keef: Do you need the head restraints?  I just found them in the living room, I'd assumed they were still in the seats.

[keef]

Do you need the head restraints?

No, you're OK, thanks.

 

Will probably just use the covers and my Maxi seats don't have head rests.

[vulgalour]

I hope they do the job at any rate.  I never did get around to cleaning them properly but I seem to recall you said you were just going to wang the covers in the washing machine or something.

[keef]

I seem to recall you said you were just going to wang the covers in the washing machine or something.

Yep. Got the rear seat cover off and I'm going to pop that in the washing machine in the morning to see what it comes out like.

 

Thanks.

[mat_the_cat]

I shan't say no.  Drop me a PM when you've dug it out and let me know what the postage/drink fee is and I'll sort out some pictures of the queen for you.

 

 

Found it! PM me your address and I will pop it in the post on Friday.

[bub2006]

Will help angyl but being skint,car needing repairs and bike clutch shitting itself i cant afford fuel for next week or so mate. You have my number though

[vulgalour]

As it happens, I got a helper and good weather today and yesterday finally so progress was made.  Hope the repairs go smoothly, sounds like a bit of a shitter.

[bub2006]

Clutch for bike and all gaskets are 20 quid. The place that's ordered them said i can have free reign of workshop and facilities too which is nice as its near stavely and my bike might get there but definitely wont get back on that clutch. As for the car, new rad,water pump and coolant seems to put it back in rude health for now. Hands are still healing from cuts and grazes and Jack decided to pop a seal and piss out hydraulic fluid while holding the engine up with mounts off which made for an interesting moment as i lay underneath it trying to remove the pulley from the pump

[keef]

Rear seat base cover came out quite reasonably after a quick run in the washing machine. :-

[vulgalour]

I'm impressed it didn't turn into a big mess of beige fibres. looks like a decent slab of useful material there.

[keef]

looks like a decent slab of useful material there.

Yes, thanks.

 

Will see if the passenger seat fits in Kevin. If it does I can then remove the covers on the original and use this material to repair the that.

[vulgalour]

I finished the front seat covers.  I also can't get one of the head restraints to come out, but other than that these are a triumph in style and fashion and all that stuff.  Once I've bought more black wool I can get on with the back seat cover to match.

 

I also won this on eBay which I shall be stripping down and refurbishing before it goes on the car.  Be very useful to have a towbar, particularly as I'll be moving house again later this year all being well but don't really have enough stuff left to require a van.

 

Then it was time for a job that is at least 2 years overdue.  I'm not sure when the car last had an oil change but I know it's never been done in my ownership which, I'll admit, is very bad of me.  Managed to get myself a NOS Unipart filter to replace the old grey Champion one that was fitted.

 

You should always take care to place the drain pans underneath the car in such a way that they catch all the oil.  This is very important and you should under no circumstances forget you've moved them a bit so you can get to the sump drain plug a bit easier and then forget to put them back.

 

Because then this happens.

 

I hadn't bothered to check my oil in quite some time so while I knew the oil was very low due to the oil light coming on I was a bit surprised that the 6 litre capacity only had 1.5-2 litres of oil left in it.  I haven't driven the car since the light came on and no harm has been done.

 

Removing the sump plug was surprisingly easy given how awkward some jobs have been. Likewise I was surprised that the oil filter came off with barely any effort, it was little more than finger tight and I wonder if it might be the cause of the small oil leak on that side of the engine.  The sump gasket appears to be leaking and I got a better look at this in the gearbox casing.

 

I've scoured the manual as has Dad and have come to the conclusion it's a casing hole bodge because I can find no reference to any fixing in this location.  It does leak a very small amount of oil and always has but never more than a spot when you park up.  It appears to be a split pin put in from the other side and I'm not dismantling the engine/gearbox to find out.  For now I've left it alone and just topped up with new oil.

 

I cleared out the filler neck where there was still a bit of mayonnaise from the head gasket failure and took the opportunity to clean up the filler cap and the dipstick.  A previous owner had painted both of these with red paint over the grimy oil and I'd been meaning to tidy them up for ages.  Plastic scraper, toothbrush and brake fluid did the trick though I'll go back and make them more perfect at a later date.

 

I gave the underside of the engine a spray with some degreaser but really I need to get it decently cleaned with a steam lance or something so I can see what's leaking where.  Since changing the oil the top end of the engine is a smidge noisier but in the cabin is much quieter.  Obviously gear change and smoothness of engine is much improved too now.

[michael1703]

Is the hole a "jiggle pin" hole?

 

Can't see clearly if its bell housing or not

[vulgalour]

it is a pin that jiggles, yes, but I can find no reference to it in the manual and it looks bodgey rather than factory.

[michael1703]

If its below the clutch,its a jiggle pin.

 

The pin is a split pin that's splayed,its job is to "jiggle" and keep the hole clear so that the dust from the clutch friction plate doesn't collect and if you have a weap of oil from the crankshaft oil seal it will dribble out here.

 

A little bit of oil is to be expected but it shouldn't run or drip out

[vulgalour]

It's only a tiny bit of oil, and there are other leaks on the lower half of the engine that could be contributing to it.  My biggest drip was the other side and I think that might've been the oil filter which would leave 50p sized spots on the floor.  The jiggle pin side leaves a spot the size of a pencil tip, but not often.  I'm not getting any issues with the clutch and haven't for the past two years so I doubt there's any oil contamination.

 

But hey, now I know what it probably is.

[vulgalour]

Princess leak update time as I parked it in a more different place to usual so I could inspect the markings on the road.  I do have a water leak, but only when the car has cooled down and I can't find anywhere the water is dripping from.  I know the thermostat housing cap does leak intermittently and the water is in the same general area so until I discover otherwise I have to assume it's that.  Not a big leak, just a few drops.

 

Oil I'm also leaking, but not from the same place as before and in a far smaller quantity.  It appears to be leaking from the bulkhead side across the back of the engine.  This is good because it means I have definitely cured the bigger leak I had by replacing the oil filter, I just now have to find out where the oil is coming from.  It's either the sump gasket or it's the fuel pump.  The fuel pump is located at the top of the engine on the bulkhead side and does leak when the engine is cold but not when its warm, that would allow enough oil to collect on the back of the engine and run down to drip on the floor.  I'm only dropping about a quarter of a teaspoon at the most which tallies with about how much collects in the casting underneath the fuel pump.

 

I think I'm going to remove the fuel pump and file the mounting face flat properly to try and get it to seal and see if that helps as it is the worst known oil leak on the car.

[Noel Tidybeard]

its a bl product "they all do that sir"

[vulgalour]

QH track rod end - £9.92 inc. postage
Rear crankshaft seal - £6.80
Sump gasket - £6.50

Eaten into my welding savings more than I'd like, especially with the MoT looming large, but the car needs to be safe and I might as well grab the gasket and seal while they're available as they should cure the last of the oil leak I've got. I'm not too annoyed about having to do the oil change so soon after having already done it as it'll serve as a bit of an engine flush, I'll replace the seals once I've got the cash for another 6 litres of oil and an oil filter.

When I replaced the failed track rod end I only did one side because I had hoped that it was just one faulty part, normally I'd replace in pairs. Unfortunately on the run to the recent Retro Rides South Yorkshire meet the slight judder at 65mph became pronounced at speeds as low as 45mph and the car steered decidedly easier to the right than the left on the way back so I'm grounded until the new part arrives and I can get it fitted. I'm seriously disappointed with the quality of the First Line track rod ends, for them to last under a year is pretty shocking, it wasn't even a case of buying the cheapest parts I could find as I'm willing - if not always able - to pay more but they were all that I could find at the time. I'm now going back to buying NOS Quinton Hazell stuff whenever I can find it because it's never let me down unlike First Line which is decidedly hit and miss.

Another discovery on the way back is that I'm putting no noticeable oil through the exhaust since the head gasket was done, this is the first time I've had someone I know following me that can report back so I guess the puffs of oil coming out the exhaust were actually another symptom of head gasket failure rather than worn out stem seals.

[Danblez]

I bought some first line suspension arms for my 924 a while back and they were cheap and decent quality.

 

The QH ball joint however had the rubber boot held on with bloody elastic bands, WTF?