project 1980 Austin Princess

[vulgalour]

Oh I'm very good and disconnect the battery every time I leave the car because I don't know how long it'll be sat waiting.  Except for last time when I didn't.  This time I did though, because I burnt my thum...oh, I see.

[vulgalour]

Today I had a little bit of time spare so I did these things:

 

Swapped the Lotus alloys for Princess steels.  No more tyres rubbing on arches which makes it easier to drive around the yard, which I did, several times

Fitted the missing side repeater

Hunted for the live wire (battery disconnected) and instead found that the speedo cable wasn't connected and the plastic shroud was broken.  Applied a lot of tape and reconnected it to fix* it.

Found a stray multi-plug behind the radio hole but no stray wires.

 

I pretty much ran out of time then so I couldn't pull the dashboard out to investigate further, that can be done when I've next got some free time.  No pictures either this time, forgot the camera.

[KruJoe]

What do you need to do to fit the Lotus wheels without rubbage?

(I do hope the idea of them is not being shelved.)

[Grundig]

 

Did the flasher problems start after this was fitted?

[vulgalour]

Krujoe:  It's a temporary measure.  I just have to trim the lips back on the rear arches where they've mostly rusted away.  The standard steels tuck into the arches further so they don't rub on anything while the suspension is all flat.

 

Grundig: Nope.  I had problems before that new relay was fitted, but afterwards the indicators worked fine (I think the hazards did too, I can't remember for certain).  The indicators have stopped working at the same time as that fuse has started blowing so it's most likely a loose or pinched wire mucking things up.  The only other thing that could have caused the problem is the ignition switch, but again, the indicators worked fine when that was reinstalled and it wasn't blowing fuses so I don't think it's that.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Sozzer, wrong thread, deleted.

[vulgalour]

Well, I have the flu, which is great.  But Mike was kind enough to check the indicators on the Princess since I couldn't get out of bed and it looks like Gasman's (over on leylandprincess.co.uk ) theory that it was the loose speedo cable making a circuit it shouldn't was a good one.  Indicators now work, which the exception of the one recalcitrant side repeater which I know is down to a duff bulb holder and will be replaced with one of my spares.
 
It's likely this is why that fuse was blowing as well, which I *think* is for heated rear screen and hazards so when I'm well or Mike has time I'll get that checked out too.

MoT list update:

> connect fog lights
> connect number plate lights
> stick number plates on

> make hazard switch work
> make the indicator lights work
> pump up the suspension
> fit the new tyres
> fit a new washer jet pump
> tune the carb.
> find the loose steering component

[JeeExEll]

Excellent WTF moment obtained from that wing mirror, for which thanks. I hope you get the problem fixed easily.

[Guest Breadvan72]

That Honda is haaaaaawt.  I once borrowed an autobox one of those and drove it about in Spain. It wasn't bad.

[vulgalour]

Yay, the hydragas fluid arrived today!  That means when I've got my voice back properly I can call the contact I was given who can hopefully come out and pump the suspension up.  Some jewellery arrived too in the form of some super shiny wheel trims.  Car was blocked in and I'm still not 100% so that's as far as I got today.

 

 

[DodgeRover]

On a very random note, I love that purple colour and it could well be me but I can't imagine it on the Princess without a liberal addition of metallic flake, the beige or indeed the green however look just right.

 

Hope you feel better soon looking forwards to a report on the first drive of the Renault any time soon

[Ghosty]

Oh, they're nice. VERY nice.

[vulgalour]

@DodgeRover:  I love metalflake, I just can't afford it.  I keep toying with various colour ideas for the Princess but for now, we're sticking with the beige and purple.  Won't take a mountain of work or money to get that looking good again, just looks sad being half-finished like it is now.

 

@Ghosty:  I was pleasantly surprise.  They make the wheels look much more massive than their modest 14" and they'll fit the Rover's steels, which is something I'll definitely be trying out at some point.

[vulgalour]

 

Let's look through the radio hole.

 

 

 

Everything is wear it ought to be.  There's just one white multiplug floating around that you can see in picture two which could be causing the problem, I'm just not sure how that might be.  There's no signs of loose wiring or bodge any more and I've not had time to pull the dash to investigate properly.  If I can find the other bit the multiplug goes into I'll reconnect it and see if that resolves things.  Mike is going to help me go through the wiring diagrams tonight now the manual is at home to see if we can figure out anything else that might be amiss.

 

Couldn't do much else really, I'm only really able to do about an hour a day while I'm trying to recover from flu but well enough to be really frustrated about that.  So, we swapped out the front wheel whose tyre had gone flat for one that hadn't today and I took a few pics as an update of the current condition.  The car is absolutely filthy and in desperate need of a clean inside and out.

 

Here's a better look at the the new trims too.  I really like them.

 

 

 

Sorry it wasn't a more informative post, just some pretty pictures really.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Those chrome domes look shit.

 

Seriously - panel beat the arches until the Lotus wheels work properly, whole car in Ford purple Velvet, job done.

[vulgalour]

Okay, whatevs.

[Ghosty]

It looks like you've been scrubbing away the beige at the front to reveal the classy* paintjob underneath.

 

I think the trims suit the cleaned up lines really well, less fussy. I like the streamlined look it has at the moment!

[KruJoe]

I wonder what the nail salon next door do with their little jars of nail paint when there's not enough left to do 10 more nails...

 

 

I think you need to go and see if you can score a few dozen (maybe take them a box to drop them in for you) - I'm sure you could come up with something glittery, arty, and thoroughly lovely.

[michael1703]

This thread needs lotus wheels

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I too have great love for the Lotus rims, those trims make it look like you really wanted a PT Cruiser.

[Noel Tidybeard]

I wonder what the nail salon next door do with their little jars of nail paint when there's not enough left to do 10 more nails...

 

 

I think you need to go and see if you can score a few dozen (maybe take them a box to drop them in for you) - I'm sure you could come up with something glittery, arty, and thoroughly lovely.

 

my bro-in-law used spandangle nail varnish when he mixed some paint to do his car to give superb metal flake effects

[Skizzer]

I like the chrome domes. I like the Lotus wheels, too. But I don't think you were actually asking a question, were you?

[vulgalour]

As previously stated, ditching the Lotus wheels is temporary.  Trouble is, the tyres on the Lotus wheels are fucked, they're cracking in the tread blocks and around the side walls because they're really old.  The alloys also really need polishing and painting, I've kept moving this down the list in favour of other jobs like welding and wiring.  There's also the small matter of price difference:

 

Lotus wheels - £275

Refurbishment - sandpaper and paint £40, plus buckets of time

Tyres - at least £200 for a set of four

Fitting and balancing - at least £35

 

Chrome domes - £95

Purchase - £60

Tyres - already purchased

Fitting and balancing - at least £35

 

I'll carry on doing my thing, I always upset someone with my choices so I don't try to please anyone but me with this car now.  Next on my list of questionable jobs is to get a couple of tins of paint, some masking tape, and get the beige and purple at least moderately uniform so the car looks more presentable for MoT time... if it ever stops raining.

[Noel Tidybeard]

aconite FTW lets have none of this fraud purple vevet talk near this car

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

aconite FTW lets have none of this fraud purple vevet talk near this car

 

 

Bollocks.

 

What would Matchbox have done?

 

What would Harris Mann have done? 

 

They envisioned the 'Cess with metallic and alloys. I know this. 

[michael1703]

No mot tester is going to be bothered if it's painted or not, just lob it in for a test.

[Tickman]

No mot tester is going to be bothered if it's painted or not, just lob it in for a test.

This, presentable for MOT to means clean enough so the tester does not get too dirty from the car and lights and windows clean.

 

However if you need to have it clean for the test that is a different matter and one that is fully understandable.

 

Progress is progress no matter how slow it is.

[vulgalour]

Yeah, the paint thing is for me not the MoT guy, I just want it to be that bit more presentable and for a couple of hours of work (if that) it seems silly not to.  Still not got much voice so that's holding me up with the suspension and I can't spend more than about an hour outside before I'm coughing up a lung so I'm impatiently kicking my heels while I get better now.  I could have pretty much everything that needs to be done in a weekend now.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Maybe do something like this in an early seventies pale metallic, chrome Princess badging from a 1300 VdP and a 1971 J or K plate.

 

Harris (he's the) Mann far left. LegEnd.  

[vulgalour]

I am as happy today as the Renault made me unhappy yesterday.  That's very happy indeed.  Today was an opportunity to do some good with the Princess since I'd booked a chap to come out and sort my suspension out and see what else I could do on the car to make things a bit more finished and complete.  Inside the car, the rear seats have a little bit of vinyl trim that goes on the body beside the seat base, you can't see it when it's fitted but sometimes see painted bodyshell when it isn't.

 

At the front, I finally got the A pillar kickplates in and the fresh air vent pipes reinstalled.  I'm still missing two strips of black carpet for the inner sills, not vital at the moment and easily resolved with just some black stuff which I'll do eventually.

 

 

All of the glass got a clean inside and out and everything got vacuumed and dusted inside the car which I haven't done for months.  It does need a full deep clean, for now it's just nice and tidy.  I got the lower section of the dashboard fitted bar one or two screws and managed to get the bracket for the large ashtray that lives under the switchbank to fit properly so that's also ready to go in now.  There's no wiring behind this piece so it made sense to fit it since it's quite a large item to have flopping around the place.

 

I'm really happy with how much tidier the interior is looking now, almost like a real car.  On the outside, Mike was busy fitting my new number plates.  I'm really pleased with how the rear one looks, it makes so much sense of what the various lights are doing and looks far better than it did in my head.  There's some more work to do on the paint and the exhaust tailpipe needs tweaking a little, other than that I'm really happy with the back end of the car now, even the foglights I wasn't certain of before.

 

Mike also fitted the front number plate once we figured out how to use the original Princess brackets that needed a slight trim.  This I'm also delighted with, it's really tidy and clean and the numberplate is both visible, discreet and sits now lower than the sump.  Absolutely perfect.

 

You may have noticed the car is sitting a little higher and level.  That's because the suspension is now pumped up.  I had the opportunity to drive around the yard to resettle the suspension part way through the job and it but the biggest, stupidest grin on my face that I just couldn't get rid of.  I'd forgotten just how quick the Princess could be but certainly hadn't forgotten how fun it is.  The brakes are better than I remember too.

 

This does mean I can update my list!

MoT list update:

> connect fog lights

> connect number plate lights

> stick number plates on - DONE

> make hazard switch work

> make the indicator lights work - DONE

> pump up the suspension - DONE

> fit the new tyres

> fit a new washer jet pump

> tune the carb.

> find the loose steering component