project 1980 Austin Princess

[Rocket88]

It was a Passat once.

Snide.........................in fact F.R.O

[vulgalour]

Wow I would have bet £50 that a jubilee clip pipe repair would have popped straight off. Now I would be £50 worse off!!

 

I bet it would if I hit a pothole at more than 5mph, so that's why it's temporary.  We were surprised it didn't even balloon the pipe.

[JeeExEll]

I've only just started to read this thread from the start, am currently at about March 2012. Have not read any of the recent pages.

Epic.

 

A local to me funeral director, and family friend, ordered a factory- black 2200 auto saloon and a new 1978 hearse which was kept for many years, well into the 90s. The hearse was up to about 200,000 miles in the mid 90s as the nearest crematorium at that time was 60 miles away. The 2200 saloon was replaced by a black Regie 20TS in 1979.

 

The Princess hearse was called The Dodgem.

[vulgalour]

@Capree:  It is an epic, this old diary, I'm amazed you've decided to go back to day 1 on it, there's a lot to trawl through.  You must be up to about the time it came off the road.  Was there any particular reason the hearse was called The Dodgem?  200K is pretty good going too!

 

---

 

Popped into the unit at lunch to fettle a bit with the car, get some fresh air, that sort of thing.  I'd got pretty fed up of the knackered tyres constantly deflating so took the Lotus alloys with me which still have air in the tyres even though they've been sat around for a couple of years unused.  Topped them all up and they were ready to go.  I love how these wheels look on the car, they just fit so well. I've also decided I'm running the suspension at this height rather than factory because it looks 'right' even though it's slightly lower than stock and is a little bit more squidgy.  Squidgy is good, we like squidgy in this car.

 

 

The tyres on the alloys are nicely meaty for the rear end and visually it needs it to pull everything together.  It all just looks 'right' to me.

 

At the front I figured out what the fitment issue was with the central bar and corrected that with hammers and gentle manipulation of the top return lip.  Then I fitted my only good grille and the headlight trims along with the new MG B sidelight/indicator units.  I was going to get the headlights in too but I'm missing the bits that the brackets screw into, I can't remember if they were square plastic lugs or metal clips, either way I need to get some fresh fittings to get those in.  I love how the front end is looking.  I might even leave it on the standard plastic trims rather than fitting the full width hideaway grille.

 

And here, for those of you that love accidents looking for a place to happen, is the pipe bodge that shouldn't work but does.

 

The last thing to report is a parts hunt.  This is the schrader fitting from my dalek pump that needs replacing.  We think it's missing the bit that pushes the pin in on the valve so you can get enough fluid in.  It also doesn't lock in place particularly well.  I have no idea what that tap bit is about either.

 

 

If anyone knows what that part might be called and/or where I can find one, I'd appreciate it.

[Rocket88]

@Capree:  It is an epic, this old diary, I'm amazed you've decided to go back to day 1 on it, there's a lot to trawl through.  You must be up to about the time it came off the road.  Was there any particular reason the hearse was called The Dodgem?  200K is pretty good going too!

 

---

 

Popped into the unit at lunch to fettle a bit with the car, get some fresh air, that sort of thing.  I'd got pretty fed up of the knackered tyres constantly deflating so took the Lotus alloys with me which still have air in the tyres even though they've been sat around for a couple of years unused.  Topped them all up and they were ready to go.  I love how these wheels look on the car, they just fit so well. I've also decided I'm running the suspension at this height rather than factory because it looks 'right' even though it's slightly lower than stock and is a little bit more squidgy.  Squidgy is good, we like squidgy in this car.

 

 

The tyres on the alloys are nicely meaty for the rear end and visually it needs it to pull everything together.  It all just looks 'right' to me.

 

At the front I figured out what the fitment issue was with the central bar and corrected that with hammers and gentle manipulation of the top return lip.  Then I fitted my only good grille and the headlight trims along with the new MG B sidelight/indicator units.  I was going to get the headlights in too but I'm missing the bits that the brackets screw into, I can't remember if they were square plastic lugs or metal clips, either way I need to get some fresh fittings to get those in.  I love how the front end is looking.  I might even leave it on the standard plastic trims rather than fitting the full width hideaway grille.

 

And here, for those of you that love accidents looking for a place to happen, is the pipe bodge that shouldn't work but does.

 

The last thing to report is a parts hunt.  This is the schrader fitting from my dalek pump that needs replacing.  We think it's missing the bit that pushes the pin in on the valve so you can get enough fluid in.  It also doesn't lock in place particularly well.  I have no idea what that tap bit is about either.

 

 

If anyone knows what that part might be called and/or where I can find one, I'd appreciate it.

 

 

 

Try MGW racing.............................

[dean36014]

Have to say I'm liking this, its getting that 80's custom look about it. Just don't fur the interior!

[JeeExEll]

Vulg, the hearse was called The Dodgem because it looked like a dodgem car from the front and it was a 2200 auto in which you could use both feet to drive.

 

Dodgem as in

"Right, John and Rob we have a collection for you this evening. It's the old high school headmaster, he was 89.

Take The Dodgem".

 

 

(Fire up the dodgem).

[oldcars]

Those wheels look really smart on it. Are they Lotus wheels?

[Ghosty]

Coffin dodgem

[vulgalour]

Those wheels look really smart on it. Are they Lotus wheels?

 

I'd got pretty fed up of the knackered tyres constantly deflating so took the Lotus alloys with me which still have air in the tyres even though they've been sat around for a couple of years unused.  

 

 

[JeeExEll]

Looking forward to reading the ongoing saga Vulg. I try not to look at your more recent posts yet.

 

Those Lotus Elite wheels on a Princess are as cool as a Zoom ice lolly tho.

 

Perfect period wedgery detail.

[JeeExEll]

Coffin dodgem

Has to be said.

[scaryoldcortina]

 

The last thing to report is a parts hunt.  This is the schrader fitting from my dalek pump that needs replacing.  We think it's missing the bit that pushes the pin in on the valve so you can get enough fluid in.  It also doesn't lock in place particularly well.  I have no idea what that tap bit is about either.

 

 

If anyone knows what that part might be called and/or where I can find one, I'd appreciate it.

 

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-Rover-Austin-Morris-Hydrogas-Hydrolastic-Suspension-Pump-Low-Loss-Connector-/291852803852?hash=item43f3c85f0c:g:-t4AAOSwQTVWCUec

 

It pops off because someone crossthreaded it in the past. New connectors are more expensive than second hand pumps!

[vulgalour]

Oh... is there supposed to be a thread inside it? Because this one has no thread at all inside it, you just sort of push it on and push the collar down and it holds to around about 70psi.

[scaryoldcortina]

Yeah, they start out with threads inside and gradually end up without!

[mouseflakes]

Lookin' good Vulg.

[mat_the_cat]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-Rover-Austin-Morris-Hydrogas-Hydrolastic-Suspension-Pump-Low-Loss-Connector-/291852803852?hash=item43f3c85f0c:g:-t4AAOSwQTVWCUec

 

It pops off because someone crossthreaded it in the past. New connectors are more expensive than second hand pumps!

 

Or http://www.tyre-equipment.co.uk/acatalog/High-Pressure-Inflating-Connector--2755-2755.html

[ruffgeezer]

I think there is a hydragas pump at the auction I'm due to attend on Saturday, want me to have a look for you?

[vulgalour]

A kind offer, and appreciated, but I'm all tapped out for a bit now, been spending quite a bit on the Rover of late.  I'm going to see what the one I've got actually needs to be 100% operational and probably just redo this one.  It'll help me understand how it works too.  Goodness knows I need more projects like I need more holes in my head, but I'm sure this one will be easy*.

[PhilA]

You need a set of these.

 

http://www.getallparts.com/Dodge-Challenger-2013_p-75402-original-equipment-driver-side-head-lamp-assembly-ch2518137niq.aspx?variantid=702895&ref=g-pla&gclid=CKSmtYqF_M4CFY-MaQod98oIMQ

 

Two lights front

Two lights rear

 

Phil

[plasticvandan]

get rid of the beige and then we will see how it rocks, this is going to look amazing* in cadbury purple

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

 

 

And here, for those of you that love accidents looking for a place to happen, is the pipe bodge that shouldn't work but does.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You've connected Hydragas pipes with rubber hose and jubilee clips!?   

[vulgalour]

PhilA: I'm sticking with the twin rounds it comes with for the forseeable, it's close enough.  The Dodge lights are probably too big anyway, pretty sure they're a bigger car than the Princess.

[Des]

Would an air con schrader fitting be hefty enough for the hyda pump? 

[fordperv]

I think you'll find that the colour is called Vulgalour's Hat Purple.

in my head I picture vulg driving this in a crushed velvet purple suit and a purple trilby

[vulgalour]

Fun fact:  My favourite colour is actually red, not purple.

 

Des:  It might be.  I got linked to https://www.lasaero.com/site/products/article?id=N04HO75SL which seems a more sensible price for the required fitting.

[RoadworkUK]

I've only just caught up with this thread. You're doing a fantastic job.

 

The best thing about it is that this custom Princess build is happening in the year Two Thousand And Sixteen.

 

Harris Mann would doff his hydrogas cap at you.

[vulgalour]

Made use of my free time again today.  I'd worked out the theory for building the number plate box and today set about making one up in cardboard before transferring that to metal.  I checked out inside the tool compartment too since I've got good access for that at the moment and now I finally understand how water was getting in here.  The whole compartment runs right to the edges of the car so any holes in the inner or outer wing where the wheels throw up spray allows the water to get straight in.  Trouble is, there's no much in the way of drainage so the water can't get back out!  Luckily it's in reasonable enough shape to not need me to really do anything in here so I'll leave it alone and treat it as a useless void when everything is welded up.  You can make out where the valance has been repaired previously, at least they bothered to cut the rust and/or damage out when they did this.

 

Looking right.

 

Looking left.

 

Before I could actually get the new box made up I wanted to clean the area I was going to be welding it to first.  That took rather longer than I'd anticipated so the orange piece on the floor is the flat-pack piece of metal I need to clean, fold and weld into a new number plate box.  I ended up chasing out the paint and old filler on the back valance, scrubbing off some underseal and then chased filler and old paint out all the way along the rear wing.

 

I found two little holes under the filler flap that have been filled with fibreglass.  This is a common rot spot on Princesses, I'm not entirely sure why.  Shan't be fun to weld as it's so close to the filler neck so I'll likely leave this until I drop the tank to do the boot floor.

 

Rediscovered the first patch I welded onto the car three years ago.  Still attached just as it was back then, a hasty job that was done deliberately badly to remind me I needed to do it properly.  You can see just how much the rot has started to creep up this panel.  Again this is common on Princesses, the other side has had several substantial pieces let in badly in this area and ideally wants redoing to look better.  I'm undecided about leaving this bit for now, it definitely needs doing but it's not urgent for MoT.

 

There's quite a few dents on the back valance, they look like the sort of dents you get from hitching a trailer up badly so it's likely my car had a tow bar once upon a time, many of them did.

 

I'd been told that to remove underseal the best way is to use a brush dipped in thinners and then a rag to wipe it off.  After doing this for the bits of the valance I need to I'm unconvinced it's the best method, it takes a long time and I'm not convinced it's the way anyone really wants to do it.  I'd like to get all the old underseal off because I found a large area that had no paint at all underneath it and I don't know what else is being hidden that could really do with some paint putting on.

 

 

We'll have to see how I'm fixed for spare time tomorrow, I might get that box made up and welded in so that I can crack on with filler work and then paint.  If I can keep on at this pace for the rest of the week it should be weatherproof enough to go outdoors again by the end of the week.

[captain_70s]

I'd been told that to remove underseal the best way is to use a brush dipped in thinners and then a rag to wipe it off.  After doing this for the bits of the valance I need to I'm unconvinced it's the best method, it takes a long time and I'm not convinced it's the way anyone really wants to do it.  I'd like to get all the old underseal off because I found a large area that had no paint at all underneath it and I don't know what else is being hidden that could really do with some paint putting on.

 

From my experience the best way to remove underseal is to set it on fire by accident while welding the boot floor...

[PhilA]

PhilA: I'm sticking with the twin rounds it comes with for the forseeable, it's close enough.  The Dodge lights are probably too big anyway, pretty sure they're a bigger car than the Princess.

 

Not that different in size. About 6x5" in old money.

 

 

They also have an MoT pass flat beam. But eh. I have a bias. With heavier gauge wire and a set of relays, standard sealed beams are actually pretty good.

 

--Phil